Diet Plans for Eating Out

Eating out has become an integral part of our daily lives. It’s no longer an activity exclusively reserved for celebrating special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, or graduations. We eat out at restaurants after a hard day’s work, or for socializing with friends and family.

However, for many who follow a diet plan, eating out can pose some real and serious challenges. Eating out on a regular basis could sabotage a diet plan and any weight loss goals achieved so far. While most of us go out to eat with the intention of sticking to our diet plan, it is not an easy task.

Here are a few tips to help you stick to your diet plan while dining out so that you won’t have any regrets the day after:

1. Eat a light snack, such as a fruit, before going to a restaurant. A healthy snack will help curb your appetite so that you can stick to your diet plan. If you enter the restaurant starving, you may be tempted to order everything on the menu!
2. Ask the waiter to take away the bread basket. This will remove any temptation to fill up on bread and butter while waiting for your meal to be served.
3. Look for items on the menu that are baked, broiled, grilled, roasted, poached, or steamed. Stay away from menu items that are high in fat. These include all items on the menu that are prefaced with fried, creamed, tempura, or sautéed.
4. Order two appetizers instead of a main course. The portion sizes will be more suitable to your diet plan and will surely satisfy your hunger.
5. Share a main entrée with your friend or partner, or when the food arrives, cut the portion in half and ask the waiter wrap it up to take home. Most restaurant portions are double the size of the portion allowed on a diet plan. Just because it’s on your plate doesn’t mean you have to eat it!
6. When ordering salad, ask for the dressing on the side. Too much dressing adds unnecessary calories and fat to your diet plan.
7. Don't be afraid to ask for what you need. Many restaurants offer options not on the menu that may be better suited to your diet plan.
8. Avoid all-you-can-eat buffets. These play havoc with most diet plans. With too much to choose from, it’s too tempting to just have it all.
9. Avoid ordering alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is high in calories. Instead, order sparkling water with a twist of lemon or lime.

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