Tricks for Eating Out on a Weight Loss Diet

Being on a weight loss diet does not have to mean that you give up eating out. Okay, so restaurants usually do pile up oversized portions on your plate, but that does not necessarily mean eating out will ruin your weight loss diet plan. You just need to keep a few things in mind to make sure that your diet plan does not go off the rails when eating out.

ØOrder the main dish from the appetizer menu: Not only are dishes in the appetizer menu more reasonably portioned, they also save you money and a lot of calories. If you are feeling unsatisfied with the starter, consider ordering a side salad. The fiber rich vegetables will fill you up without spiking up the calorie count. Soups are another great option, as they are quite filling. However, steer clear of the creamy variety of food, as they really do pack in a lot of calories.

ØBeware of these high fat buzzwords: Stay away from the extra butter, cream sauce, au gratin, oil, breaded, Alfredo, batter dipped, smothered or ‘with gravy’ dishes when eating out. The extra calories are not worth it unless you have been snacking on salad greens for several days.

ØBeat the meat: Even if you find that bucket of fried chicken too tempting, it is better that you opt for the steamed, roasted, boiled, broiled, baked or grilled variety. Ask for skinless chicken if available or remove the skin yourself. If however, you want to treat yourself to fried meat, opt for white meat because its calorific content is lower than that of red meat. If you are bored with just eating chicken, you might treat yourself to beef sometimes, but make sure you choose the leaner cuts like the flank or loin.

ØBanish buffets: Portion control may turn out to be next to impossible for even the die hard dieter at an ‘eat all you want’ buffet. The huge variety of food at the buffet can actually overwhelm you with the choices and lead to overeating. Studies have shown that when more choices are available, people tend to overeat without even realizing it.