Americans love to splurge when they go out to eat. But if you eat out 5 or 6 times a week you have to make sensible choices or it's hard to keep the weight off. Dietitian Marisa Moore says start by looking for clues that foods are high in calories. Things like crispy, creamy, breaded, smothered...those are not the ones you want to order. You want to look for foods that are grilled or broiled or steamed instead. Try to order first so you'll be less tempted by others' choices and don't be afraid to ask the server to tailor your meal to make it healthier. For example: you could order steamed veggies instead of fries and always order your salad dressing on the side, but try not to use all of it. You can even ask that the sauce for the entre be put on the side. The portion sizes of most restaurant meals can actually feed 2, so as soon as you order your meal, ask the server to bring a to go box so when your meal arrives you can put half of it away and take it home with you. If it's in front of us, we tend to eat it.
