How To Eat Without Weight Gain?

Many people blame eating out for the extra weight Americans now carry. Here are a number of ways to enjoy eating out without gaining weight.

Step1

Schedule the eating out for a lunchtime meal rather than an evening meal. Most restaurants serve a smaller meal at noon.

Step2

Know what foods are high fat and high calories and avoid those. If unsure, avoid fried foods and look for grilled, baked or boiled foods.

Step3

Look for a section of the menu named light fare or senior meals. These are usually smaller portions. Some menus allow a half serving as a choice from the regular menu. Also look for icons that rate certain menu items as heart healthy or low calorie.

Step4

Make a meal out of an appetizer. Often these are sizable enough to serve as an entree.

Step5

When indulging in something loaded with cheese and served on an oversize platter, take half of it home. Restaurants provide take-home containers. Make a lunch from the excess food another day.

Step6

Ask for substitutions if a meal comes with high-calorie sauces and side dishes. Ask the waiter if you can have steamed broccoli instead of broccoli with a cheese sauce. Ask for salad dressing served on the side, so you can put only the amount you want on the salad.

Step7

Split an entree with someone. Find a menu item you both like and ask the waiter if you can have an extra plate to share it. This saves calories and dollars.

Step8

Opt for water instead of umpteen refills of soda. Realize that sodas essentially are liquid candy and add many calories to a meal.

Step9

Skip having an appetizer and a dessert. Most servings are so large that you just don't need anything before and after.

Step10

Use restraint filling up on the loaf of bread or basket of tortilla chips. Don't let the waiter bring more of these.

Step11

Take a look on-line at the menu to pre select several healthy choices before going to the restaurant. Often they have one showing the nutritional information on various meals. This works for national chains like Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse, and Ruby Tuesdays, etc. Just search for the restaurant name + menu.

Step12

In a fast food restaurant, look over the "kids' meal" menu. These include smaller portions. Now many offer fruit as an option to replace French