7 Tips for Eating Out When You’re Trying to Lose Weight

Girls' night, guys' night, date night: Every week seems to present its own roster of reasons to eat out — but by the end of it, you realize it’s a surefire way to completely derail your diet.

According to data from the USDA, eating outside the home just a few times per week can lead to weight gain and obesity. A2010 study from the departmentfound that each away-from-home meal adds 134 calories on average to a person's daily intake — and potentially hundreds more if that away-from-home meal is coming from a fast-food restaurant. Eating out was also associated with eating nearly a quarter fewer servings of fruits, whole grains, and leafy green and dark orange vegetables for the average adult. And for people who were obese, the excess calorie burden throughout the day was even higher than for normal-weight individuals on days when a meal was eaten away from home.

Those numbers are not encouraging if you’re on a diet and enjoy keeping your social calendar booked, have business lunches or dinners, or find yourself relying on the convenience of grabbing a bite you haven’t prepared yourself now and then.

But the good news is that you have a lot of options to make sure those numbers don’t apply to you when dining out.

“There are so many restaurants now that cater to the health-conscious consumer,” says Tina Ruggiero, RD, a coauthor ofThe Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet. “All healthy eating at restaurants requires is a little forethought, planning, and self-discipline.”

One study found that just by being armed with the right information about how to eat healthier at restaurants, people who ate out several times per week were able to better maintain and even lose weight than people without that information. The study, which was published in theJanuary 2012 issue of theJournal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, included 35 women between age 40 and 59 who ate out more than three times per week. Nineteen of the women took a six-week course on how to eat mindfully at restaurants and the 16 other women did not (making up the control group for the experiment). Compared with the women who continued to eat out without the training, the participants who took the course lost an average of 3.7 pounds — even though most weren't trying to lose weight.

The lead author of the study,Gayle Timmerman, PhD, RN, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing, says that the training had two components. First, participants were taught to pay close attention to the look, smell, and taste of their meals to learn to savor each bite and keep portions under control. They also received training on rating hunger cues and fullness to help prevent overeating.

Here are a few more of the top strategies you can use to go out and enjoy your favorite foods without sabotaging yourweight loss.

A successful dining-out experience when you’re watching your weight begins with advanced preparation.

“Look at menus online before you go to find out what’s available; think about what you might order and see which meals you can order customized to fit your diet.” Ruggiero says. For example, if you know there’s a dessert you’re dying to try, plan it in advance so you know to cut back during other parts of your meal.

If you’re famished, have a handful ofalmondsor a piece of fresh fruit before you leave for the restaurant, so you won’t end up overdoing it on the bread basket or choose a less healthy meal option when you arrive. “Don’t deprive yourself at home, and you won’t go overboard once you’re out,” Ruggiero says.

“Request that your server not bring bread and butter or chips and salsa to the table. Instead, ask that they bring those items with your entrées,” says Kim Lyons, a former trainer onThe Biggest Loserand the author ofYour Body, Your Life. “Most people eat too much bread or too many chips before their meal, and even though they’re no longer hungry, they still eat the meal they ordered afterward.” If the bread is served with your entrée, you’ll be more likely to stick to one piece, and focus on enjoying your main meal, notempty carbs.

Ruggiero recommends staying away from appetizers, which can be a recipe for overeating, especially if you end up ordering a full-size entrée anyway. However, she says that a few small, healthful appetizers can be a smart choice instead of a main dish. “Go for items like broth-based soups, seared tuna, or fresh vegetable dishes,” she says. “Stay away from anything described as crispy, creamy, or rich — those are all red flags.”

Remember that even though moderate drinking can have health benefits, the empty calories in alcohol can add up quickly. Restaurants often supersize beverage servings, so instead of the official 5-ounce-serving一杯酒, you may get almost twice that. To go out without feeling deprived, Ruggiero suggests indulging in a dessert or a drink, but not both.

“If you want to indulge, have a nice glass of wine or askinny cocktail, such as vodka and a splash of juice or soda,” she says. “Remember that the portions in restaurants might be more generous than you would have at home, so sip it slowly and have water with your meal.” To really feel satisfied with just one drink, she advises trying something new and different, and focus on enjoying the experience, not downing a few of the same old drinks without thinking twice.

Salads and vegetables are healthy sides when prepared certain ways. But they can also be vehicles for loads of extra calories if they’re soaked in dressing or oils, deep-fried, or piled with cheese, croutons, and dried fruit. Toppings, mix-ins, and some cooking techniques can pack on fat, calories, and added sugar. Instead, don’t be afraid to customize a salad or side dish to make it healthier.

For salads, order dressing on the side to save calories, and skip croutons entirely. If you’re ordering vegetables, ask how they’re prepared and see if yours can be made with as little butter or oil as possible, Lyons suggests.

When ordering your main meal, go forfresh fishor lean meat, and avoid anything fried or sautéed, Ruggiero says. Although sautéed stir-fry may be a healthy option for you at home, in a restaurant, you have no control over how much high-calorie oil is used. She recommends choosing the top three dishes you would like and asking the waitstaff for recommendations on the lightest, healthiest option of the three.

One of Timmerman’s best tips: Box up half the meal to take homebeforeyou start eating. Multiple studies have confirmed that not only are restaurant-size portions constantly growing, but the bigger the portion size, the more likely you are to consume more of those calories, according to areport published in the November 2014 issue of the journalAdvances in Nutrition.

“If you box it up and take it off the table, you’ll pace yourself based on the amount you have left,” Timmerman says. “Chances are, you’ll feel just as full by the end of the meal.” Timmerman also suggests avoiding “unloved” calories by skipping fattening foods you don’t really want and making small substitutions you’re not likely to notice, such as lean sirloin over a New York strip steak, black beans instead of refried beans, and steamed rice instead of fried rice.

If your sweet tooth always kicks in at the end of a meal, stick with lighter options or share a decadent treat with your dining companions. “Fruit with honey or cream or sorbet make luscious options,” Ruggiero says. “Remember to always ask about portion sizes before you order, so you can be sure to split a portion if they’re large.”

The same rule you used with the main course can go for dessert, too: If the restaurant serves massive slices of cheesecake or brownies, ask for a box when you order and take some home.

Want an after-dinner coffee? Order lattes with nonfat milk, and always ask for nonfat milk to splash in yourcoffeeinstead of whole milk or cream.

And if you eat out multiple nights a week, keep dessert to just one or two nights. It should be an occasional treat to look forward to, not a guaranteed end to every meal.

“If your food doesn’t come out with dressing on the side or no breading like you ordered, send it back,” Lyons says.

鲁杰罗建议寻求高质量的体验,whether that’s fresh produce, organic meat, or an interesting cocktail, rather than large-quantityportionswhen you’re dining out. Be sure and speak up and ask for what’s good for your diet. The goal is to leave any restaurant feeling satisfied, and not like you sabotaged a week’s worth of hard work at the gym.

“Remember, ‘diet’ doesn’t mean deprivation,” Ruggiero says. “You can go out and lose weight at any type of restaurant — Indian, Thai, Italian. The challenge is choosing the healthiest items.”