{"id":44408,"date":"2015-10-19T11:15:04","date_gmt":"2015-10-19T15:15:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=44408"},"modified":"2016-08-05T13:30:54","modified_gmt":"2016-08-05T17:30:54","slug":"low-calorie-diet-tips-eating-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/low-calorie-diet-tips-eating-out\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Foolproof Ways to Cut Calories While Eating Out"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo by Niklas Rh\u00f6se<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With temptation and extra calories abound at restaurants \u2014 from the bread basket and the cocktail menu to the oil-laden sides, staying\u00a0healthy when eating\u00a0out takes a bit of planning and foresight. And not just from the moment you enter the restaurant, either, but from the moment you wake and decide you\u2019re going to dine\u00a0out that day.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The 25 Best Food Instagram Accounts to Follow<\/a><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re watching your weight or conscious of your calorie consumption, you\u2019ve got to play it smart. \u201cPeople tell me all the time, \u2018There\u2019s no way you could eat out as much as you say you do!\u2019\u201d says dietitian Keri Gans, RD, author of The Small Change Diet<\/a><\/em>. \u201cBut I [do] eat out several times a week. I just always remember that it\u2019s not my last meal of all time, so I can make changes [to dishes]\u201d and not feel guilty, she adds.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how to get the most out of that dine-out dish \u2014 without going overboard.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The Two-Second Trick to Slash Calories From Your Pizza<\/a><\/p>\n

10 Dinner Hacks to\u00a0Cut Calories While Eating\u00a0Out<\/strong><\/h3>\n

1. Pre-game with protein and fiber.
\n<\/strong>Starving through breakfast and lunch is everyone\u2019s natural instinct to save cals before a night out, but doing so will only make you even hungrier when you finally go out. \u201cHave a small snack with at least five grams of fiber and five grams of protein about an hour before your reservation time,\u201d says Lisa Moskovitz, RD, founder of New York Nutrition Group<\/a>, to help you avoid overeating. This trick will allow you to easily split a single entree with a pal or even just portion out your own food better when it\u2019s in front of you. \u201cYou’ll still be hungry, but not ravenous, setting you up for a more successful meal,\u201d Moskovitz says. Solid snack suggestions include a something like a Larabar (try\u00a0our DIY recipe here<\/a>), a small handful of almonds or some cut-up veggies.<\/p>\n

2. Give the menu a full look before you decide.
\n<\/strong>\u201cRead the whole<\/em> menu,\u201d says Gans, so you can be savvy with your substitutions. \u201cIf your dish comes with French fries or a loaded baked potato, and you see roasted potatoes paired with another dish, ask for those instead,\u201d she says. \u201cIf another burger comes with a lettuce wrap instead of a bun, ask for that to save calories. I\u2019d say 95 percent of restaurants will accommodate these equal switches.\u201d So don\u2019t be shy \u2014 speaking up almost always works in your favor.<\/p>\n

3. Order E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G on the side.
\n<\/strong>Feel free to be that annoying customer when you\u2019re ordering (but only then, of course!). Getting a salad with dressing, bacon, nuts or dried fruit? Dressing and extras on the side. If it\u2019s chicken-tortilla soup with tortilla strips on top? Tortilla strips on the side. If it\u2019s pasta with creamy alfredo sauce? Sauce on the side. Get the drift? \u201cYou want control,\u201d says Gans. \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t let someone else dress you with clothes; make sure you\u2019re dressing your own meals, too.\u201d Start by adding just a sprinkle of each extra, and only add more if necessary.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>19 Ways to Add Flavor for 10 Calories or Less<\/a><\/p>\n

4. Get a healthy app to take the edge off.
\n<\/strong>Hunger pangs can be the worst<\/em>. But while everyone else is ordering their first (likely caloric) cocktail, choose something with solid nutritional value instead. \u201cStart off with a light salad or a clear soup as an appetizer,\u201d says Moskovitz. Not only will this help keep your mouth busy when everyone else is boozing, but your body will also start registering that it\u2019s filling up so you don’t overeat when your meal finally arrives \u2014 and regret any bread basket dives later on.<\/p>\n

5. Be the first one to place your order.
\n<\/strong>Speak up before your co-diners when the waiter gets to your table. \u201cI like to order first, so that way you\u2019re not swayed or tempted to change your order based on what everyone else is getting,\u201d says Gans. \u201cSuddenly the Chicken Parmesan sounds irresistible when your friend gets it, and you switch from the salmon and broccoli you [originally] chose.\u201d And hey: Maybe your pals will even jump on the healthy-ordering bandwagon!<\/p>\n

6. Don\u2019t booze without food.
\n<\/strong>Wait to have an alcoholic beverage until your main meal is in front of you (and a glass of water is too, which you should also be sipping). Not only are you saving the calories of a cocktail<\/a>, you\u2019ll also be saving the calories you\u2019d potentially overeat later on after imbibing a bit. \u201cStarting to drink too early can lead to lower inhibitions, which often translates into less willpower around food,\u201d says Moskovitz. And then before you know it, you\u2019ve cleaned everyone\u2019s dinner plates. (Whoops.)<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>8 Delicious Takes on French Fries (Better Than Fast Food!)<\/a><\/p>\n

7. Immediately split the meal in half when it arrives.
\n<\/strong>Whether it\u2019s fine dining or fast food, individually dished portions are usually enough for two people these days \u2014 at least. You wouldn\u2019t dish out that much out for yourself at home, so why not avoid it while you\u2019re at a restaurant, too? \u201cAsk for a doggie bag as soon as your food comes out, and separate half of it before you start eating,\u201d says Anna Maria Bittoni, RD, a clinical dietitian at The Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital<\/a>. If you\u2019re stuck with fast food and don\u2019t want to toss half away, order the kid\u2019s meal instead to automatically reduce your portions size.<\/p>\n

8. If you<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>re a \u201cfinish the plate\u201d person, make trade-offs.
\n<\/strong>\u201cSome people know that, if they order something, they are going to finish the entire plate,\u201d Gans says. \u201cAnd while that\u2019s fine, it should affect the way you order and your decision-making process.\u201d If you\u2019re having a burger and fries, try skipping the bun and any fatty toppings like bacon or mayo \u2014 just tell the waiter to keep it off your plate.<\/p>\n

9. Get creative with your order \u2014 mix and match your plates.
\n<\/strong>Feel free to mix things up! There\u2019s no need to order an app, entr\u00e9e and dessert just \u2018cause you think you should. Instead, try sharing a main dish with your dining partner while each ordering your own healthy apps (shrimp cocktail, soup<\/a>, light salad<\/a>, Brussels sprouts<\/a>), so you have just enough. \u201cOr you can order two apps or two sides instead of one main,\u201d says Moskovitz. \u201cSmaller portions equal healthier dining.\u201d So even if you do choose a small indulgence, like a creamy soup or crab cake, you\u2019ve already saved calories with a light salad or veggie app on the other end of your order.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>8 Low-Calorie Foods That Will Actually Fill You Up<\/a><\/p>\n

10. Put your fork down between bites.
\n<\/strong>Whoa, kid. Slow down! Even if you\u2019re hungry enough to chew your arm off, your body needs time to register the meal so don\u2019t go straight from starving to stuffed. \u201cIt takes up to 20 minutes for your body to tell your brain when you are full,\u201d says Bittoni. \u201cForce yourself to put your fork down between each bite of food. Enjoy your company, and savor the flavors before you take another bite.\u201d If you slow down, when your body says, \u201cHey, I\u2019m full now,\u201d you\u2019ll actually be able to hear it instead of feeling full and sick.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Eating out doesn\u2019t have to mean at least double the calories. Instead, check out our tricks for reducing your restaurant intake without losing out on fun or flavor. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":76,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,425,7,11,9],"tags":[41,155,51,341,388,285],"class_list":["post-44408","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-dinner","category-health","category-health-hacks","category-recipes","tag-diets","tag-dinner","tag-food-choices","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2nutrition","tag-weight-loss"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44408","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/76"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44408"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44408\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}