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Eating Out and Staying Healthy

By Carlos Torres

It’s very hard to eat healthy when we are constantly busy, traveling, or on a vacation and have to eat out. How can we eat healthy when we have to eat out frequently? It is very difficult for sure to eat healthy when going out to eat. On average, people eat 300 more calories, 19 more grams of fat, and 400 more milligrams of sodium per meal than if they had eaten at home.

When we do eat out there are some simple things we can do to eat healthy and prevent overeating. First thing is to order water right away since our bodies can confuse thirst with hunger.

Your choices are very important if you want to eat healthy when eating out. Choose whole grains, brown or wild rice, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, skinless poultry and fish, and simply prepared entrees. You want your food prepared in a simple manner. For example, dry broiled, dry grilled, baked or broiled on a rack, steamed, poached or boiled.

Sometimes you can have your food prepared just the way you want it or order something that is not on the menu, for example, baked fish, steamed vegetables, skim milk, broth or vegetable-based soups, a plate of fresh fruit with a scoop of cottage cheese, a grilled steak (no butter) and plain baked potato and a dinner salad with dressing to the side.

Before you order the main dish, order a salad or soup. Finish eating your soup or salad before you eat your main dish. This can keep you from eating too much. When eating a salad, you should have it without salad dressing or use lemon or vinegar instead. If you must have dressing, order it on the side. You can dip your fork in it first then into your salad. This way you get the taste of the dressing without all the calories.

Portion control is very important nowadays. Restaurants serve much bigger portions than in the past. Many years ago, plates used to be 8 to 9 inches in diameter and now they are 12 inches in diameter on average. Make it a habit of asking for a to go box so you can take some of your food with you so it can keep you from eating too much. You can also split a plate of food with another person. Make sure you give the server a bigger tip and let them know this too.

If you have to eat dessert, split it or eat some of it, take it with you, and eat it another day or give it to someone else who doesn’t need to lose weight!

Don’t worry about asking restaurants exactly what you want. Most restaurant owners are glad to do this and if they don’t maybe you should eat somewhere else! Remember you are the customer!

Alcohol is another thing that you want to take in moderation. Remember alcohol is extra calories and dehydrates you. For every alcoholic beverage, drink 1 glass of water.

Make sure you look at the nutrition information of your food if it’s available. Sometimes what they say is healthy really isn’t. Go for a variety of colors on your plate. You want a variety of fruits and vegetables, grains, meats, legumes, etc….

When traveling by plane, you can sometimes order your meal ahead of time and have it specially prepared for you. Most airlines won’t even charge you extra for this.

Eating healthy doesn't have to be complicated. Eat smaller portions, drink water, extras on the side, etc... The information here will help you in making better decisions on eating healthy when you have to eat out.

About the Author:

Carlos Torres is a certified Personal Trainer with a degree in Exercise & Sports Science located in San Antonio, Texas. For questions and comments, send an email to .