A Dieter's Guide to Eating Out

The Saturday nights I used to love, I now dread. You see, my family and I have a ritual of going to Church and dinner on Saturday nights. It sounds like a lot of fun, but eating out at restaurants while on a diet is like an alcoholic going to a wine tasting party. Here are some tips I have learned to reduce the temptation of overeating while eating out.

• Sit far from the kitchen. The fad in restaurants these days is an open kitchen layout. Experts say the smell and sight of food can actually make you overeat.
• Skip the bread. The first thing I tell the waiter/waitress when we sit down is to NOT bring the bread basket. Bread is a weakness of mine and I don't want the extra temptation of piping hot sourdough and butter a few inches from my face. My family doesn't need it either so we just do without.
• Choose your drinks wisely. Skip the empty calories and the inflated cost of booze while eating out. I am a die hard foodie and love cocktails and pairing food with wine, but restaurants jack the price up so much the cost outweighs the benefit. Instead, drink water. In fact, the first thing I do is chug a glass of water with some fiber pills or Supreme Greens supplement. This is a great way to "fill" up naturally and with little to no calories. By the time your food comes, your stomach feels full and you will decrease your tendency to overeat.
• Beware of Salads. A lot of dieters gravitate towards salads when eating out. Little do they know many times these choices are calorie laden (tomatoes, croutons, cheese, dressings are all loaded with calories). To combat this, skip the salad entrees. If you want a salad, get something with romaine, hearts of palm, celery, cucumbers, some carrots and get the a vinaigrette dressing on the side. Dip your fork in the dressing and then get a forkful of salad. This will limit the amount of dressing you use.
• The restaurant & your waiter are there to please you. Don't be afraid to ask your server questions on how the food is prepared. Tell them you want your fish, chicken or steak grilled dry with no oil or butter. Ask them to steam your veggies. Instead of oil or butter, ask for additional herb seasoning or olive oil on the side. Olive oil is very healthy, but it has almost 100 calories per tablespoon. Get it on the side and dip your fork in it like it was dressing for your salad.
• Doggie bags save you calories and money. The average restaurant meal has 60% more calories than its home cooked counterpart. The portions at restaurants, along with the prices, have exploded in the past five years. The easy way to combat the calories and the cost is to get a doggie bag. I ask the server up front for a box. When my food arrives, I cut everything in half and immediately put it in the box and give it to my wife. This way I get two meals for the price of one and haven't overeaten. Eat the leftovers for lunch the next day.
• Instead of dessert, go for tea or coffee. Coffee and tea have no calories. Add all of the artificial sweetener and skim milk you want and you have a sweet, low calorie substitute for dessert. If you are still hungry when you get home, make some sugar free Jell-O or some ricotta mousse.

Remember, eating out is to enjoy the company of your partner, family and/or friends without the hassle of cooking or cleaning up. It isn't the time to stuff your face to try to get your money's worth. Don't be intimidated by eating out while on a diet. There is something for everybody. Enjoy yourself sensibly.