| Did you know the average restaurant meal | | | | dressing if possible. If you love Ranch |
| contains more than 1,000 calories? Even | | | | or Bleu Cheese, order it on the side, |
| breakfast fare such as pancakes, | | | | and try dipping your fork into the |
| waffles, and French toast, served in | | | | dressing before each bite. That will |
| restaurant-sized portions can contain as | | | | give you a nice distribution of flavor |
| many as 900 calories. And studies show | | | | and you might be surprised by how little |
| that kids eat nearly twice as many | | | | dressing you have used once your salad |
| calories when eating a restaurant meal | | | | plate is clear. |
| compared with eating a meal cooked and | | | | When choosing your entree, opt for |
| served at home. | | | | something that has been grilled or |
| With all these extra calories, it's easy | | | | broiled, not fried. You'll save fat |
| to sabotage your diet. Plus, we all want | | | | grams and calories, and you'll also eat |
| to get our money's worth and because | | | | fewer of those unhealthy trans fats. |
| we're often paying a lot more for food | | | | Ask your waiter or waitress to replace |
| served at a restaurant, we may use the | | | | the starch with a second order of |
| prices themselves as justification for | | | | vegetables. You'll save on calories and |
| cleaning the plate. | | | | get another serving of the good stuff. |
| The truth is, you don't have to | | | | Skip the cream. When ordering soup, opt |
| sacrifice flavor and nutrition when you | | | | for clear soups instead of cream soups. |
| are treating yourself to a night out. | | | | When ordering sauces, choose the |
| Just follow these simple guidelines. | | | | tomato-based sauce over the creamy one. |
| Be wary of your drinking glass. It's | | | | You'll save even more calories if you |
| easy to consume vast quantities of empty | | | | ask for all sauces to be served on the |
| calories through a straw. A large Coke | | | | side. |
| at McDonalds has more than 300 calories. | | | | When the meal comes, split it. Make a |
| And when we are sitting in a restaurant, | | | | mental line down the center of your |
| we often find our drinks refilled over | | | | plate and stop eating once you've |
| and over. The bar is no better: A pint | | | | reached the halfway point, if not |
| of beer will give you about 150 | | | | before. If you have a hard time quitting |
| calories. And a glass of dry wine will | | | | when it's time, ask for a takeout |
| contribute 100 or so, while a jumbo | | | | container at the beginning of your meal |
| margarita can get up in the 400-calorie | | | | and remove half the meal from your plate |
| range. You can save lots of calories | | | | before you even begin eating. |
| (and a few dollars, too) by opting for | | | | If you can't skip dessert altogether, |
| unsweetened iced tea, a diet soft drink, | | | | choose fresh fruit or another low |
| or simply water with lemon or lime | | | | calorie treat. Many restaurants are |
| wedges. | | | | offering at least one or two dessert |
| Skip the appetizers. Some of these | | | | choices that are lower in fat or |
| pre-meal splurges contain more fat and | | | | calories. Give these a try. Or simply |
| calories than the entree. And many | | | | order one dessert for the entire table |
| appetizers are deep fried and served | | | | and make a point to eat very, very |
| with rich and heavy sauces. An order of | | | | slowly. Before you know it, the dessert |
| cheese fries with Ranch dressing can | | | | will be gone and so will all that |
| exceed 3,000 calories, for example. Cut | | | | temptation. And here's food for thought: |
| this part of the meal altogether. | | | | Have you ever noticed that it's the |
| Go for a salad. Replace those fatty | | | | first three bites of any big indulgence |
| appetizers with a pre-meal salad. Fill | | | | that we truly enjoy: way more than we |
| up on the good stuff before the main | | | | enjoy subsequent bites? So take a few |
| meal begins and you will eat fewer | | | | nibbles and truly enjoy them. Then put |
| calories by meal's end. And be careful | | | | down your spoon. Order a cup of coffee |
| not to ruin the healthy salad. Skip the | | | | (with some skim milk) if you still need |
| Caesar option because Caesar salads are | | | | a little something to cap your meal. |
| often saturated with creamy dressing. If | | | | Many restaurants are offering more |
| there's an option between spinach and | | | | healthy choices than ever before, so it |
| iceberg, choose the former. Make sure | | | | is becoming easier to stick to a healthy |
| that you ask for no cheese or croutons | | | | diet and have an enjoyable dining |
| (or remove them once the salad arrives | | | | experience, as well. |
| at your table.) Opt for a vinegar-based | | | | |