Eat Out Without Gaining Weight

Posted on Oct 12th 2010 12:00PM by That's Fit Editors

Steve Mack, Getty Images

Dining out is one of the biggest challenges for dieters, but having a game plan before you set foot in a restaurant can make all the difference. In the latest issue of Woman's Day, Joy Bauer shares her advice for staying on track while eating out. Here's a sneak peek at Joy's fail-proof tips:

Check Out the Menu in Advance
Access it online if possible, or call the restaurant and ask if they can fax a copy. When you get there, don't even open the menu; simply tell the waiter what you decided on earlier in the day.

Start with Greens
Salad helps fill you up without adding many calories...as long as you don't drown it in dressing or smother it with fatty toppings like cheese and nuts. Vinegar contains negligible calories (plain vinegar, not vinaigrette), so feel free to douse your salad with as much as you want. Or ask for a dressing on the side and use no more than one to two tablespoons.

Go Lowfat
As a general rule of thumb, order foods that are broiled, grilled, roasted or steamed, and steer clear of those that are fried or sautéed. When entrées are pan sautéed, the food soaks up more oil than during grilling or broiling.

Don't Be Afraid to Make Special Requests
You can save lots of calories by asking for sauce on the side, steamed vs. fried or sautéed vegetables, double orders of veggies instead of a starch, and half-portion entrées. Plate-sharing and doggie bags are also a great way to cut calories and cost. (A charge for a plate share is less than another entrée.)

Order Two Appetizers Instead of an Entrée.
Seafood appetizers like shrimp cocktail, oysters or grilled calamari are low enough in calories that you can order two (stick to the same guidelines about avoiding fried, sautéed, etc.) plus a salad as your entire meal.

For more of Joy Bauer's helpful weight loss advice, check out the November issue of Woman's Day.

More Ways to Reach Your Weight Loss Goal:
Snack Smarter
Think Yourself Thin
How to Get Paid For Working Out

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Tags: dining, eating out, EatingOut, Joy Bauer, JoyBauer, weight loss tips, WeightLossTips

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Elyse 10-13-2010 @ 7:34AM

I can't stand when people calorie/fat count only. Stay away from nuts because of the fat?? Some fat is GOOD fat!!! You need fat to get rid of the toxins in your body! Also nuts are a great source of protein! All these women look for some type of advice to lose weight...And there is only a couple things you need to know. Watch your carbs (bread carbs...NOT fruit or veggie carbs. Eat as many fruits and veggies as you want), exercise regularly, drink a lot of water, don't eat tons of sugar (a treat every once and a while is OK) Don't buy overly processed foods and read those labels!!! If you can't pronounce an ingredient...DON'T BUY IT!!

And i am speaking from experience....I have lost 150 pounds!!

Etta Reid 10-13-2010 @ 2:57PM

I love your comments! I went to the hospital in March bc of breathing problems and thought I was getting ready to have a stroke. Well, after overnight testing of my heart and arteries, etc. I checked out in good health. However, I was 70 pounds overweight and did very little CONSISTENT exercising.

I went on an old diet that my doctor gave me back in the 70's. It is just as you say! A BALANCED DIET. We need fat, protein and carbs to keep our body running smooth. It is a no brainer diet and fits my household. I have added eating more veggies and have actually had to remind myself to eat a fruit at each meal. Now it has become habit. Drinking more water has helped too.

Exercise? Again.....a no brainer. I walk only 30 minutes every day. I do not count my steps. I just look at my watch as I step out the door....walk my 30 to 40 minutes and then back to the house.

I have lost 25 pounds as of this week and felt I have plateaued a little but know that maybe my body is getting use to this loss and now I am ready to start for the next 25 pounds!! S L O W is good!!

stew 10-13-2010 @ 12:29PM

melissa r......you really don't need to spend the money on a useless product like a colon cleanser. you want to keep your insides clean? eat more fiber!! ya know...your body is a truly wonderful machine. it is made to take care of itself. you don't need to be putting things in it to take care of it if you eat the correct foods. most americans eat way too much processed foods with little or no fiber. i would NEVER use one of those 'cleanser' things. put more thought into your diet, and you won't need that stuff either.

Jean 10-13-2010 @ 10:52AM

Cooking your own food instead of relying upon take-out or eating out or prepackaged foods makes a huge difference. Unfortunately, many people don't because they think it's too expensive or complicated to cook their own food regularly. Check out cheapchownow.blogspot.com for recipes that are easy AND inexpensive to make, plus tips on saving money on food, too. Then maybe that gym membership will be more affordable. :) It's all about intake and output of calories, after all.

Mary 10-13-2010 @ 11:19AM

I would raather cook dinners at home, cost is one reason, I can control the salt and fat in the food. Eating out costs so much more than what I spend on eating out.

Katie 10-13-2010 @ 12:17PM

This Joy woman looks like she's just two weeks off from a year long fast! Honestly, what is sexy or beautiful about skin stretched so tightly across bones that it looks like if she changes expressions, her skin will tear?
While being obese isn't healthy, being skin and bones can't be much better!
I realize that while we were created in God's image, we were created in different colors, genders, AND SIZES!!!

stew 10-13-2010 @ 12:23PM

i'll tell you a great hint about eating salads. you can use any dressing you like, but, order it on the side. when you get the salad, dip your fork into the dressing, then into the salad. you will get all the taste of the dressing, but, you will be surprised at how little dressing you use.

Aslinn Dhan 10-13-2010 @ 1:49PM

That is a great idea...thanks

olivia 10-13-2010 @ 3:09PM

I was going to post that tip but there it is. Don't know where I first heard it, but have dipped fork in dressing for years. You probably eat less than a teaspoonful this way.

stew 10-13-2010 @ 3:56PM

olivia....i'm pretty sure that this tip was from weight watchers.
my mother-in-law was always on diets. she really was an expert on most diet plans. she even appeared in washington dc in front of the house sub-committee on obesity in america.
she always said that if you want the best diet out there....its weight watchers.
no, i don't work for them or anything, but, that is really the best weight-loss program out there.

gnarlyme 10-13-2010 @ 1:08PM

If that's Joy, I bet she doesn't know she is also the food/diet expert on NBC's Today Show. Joy you look BETTER on ABC, a few pounds heavier, and a little more experience. Ask them to put the correct picture of you up, with a little apology for the mistake.

Scott Kochman 10-13-2010 @ 2:24PM

Be careful crossing streets, ooh-ooh,
Cut out sweets, ooh-ooh,
Lay off meat, ooh-ooh,
You'll get a pain and ruin your tum-tum!

Ol Bob 10-13-2010 @ 2:47PM

I'll tell ya' what to order two of: Martinis! They're glacial slow at getting to the table.

stew 10-13-2010 @ 4:02PM

i lost 40 pounds this year. the biggest thing is the mental part of any diet. you have to make up your mind to do it. thats the most important part of any diet.
how did i do it? 90% of the time, i was good. and, yeah...the other 10% of the time i allowed myself stuff i shouldn't eat.
but, you must exercise!!! even if its only a 1/2 hour walk every day. just go out and walk. a nice brisk walk would do it. and, maybe just as important....drink lots of water. the water is very important while losing weight because when you lose weight, the fat calories actually burn into toxins in your body. the water will help to wash it out of your body.
but, again....you have to be mentally ready to be on a diet.