Two years ago, the authors of "Eat This, Not That" published a list of the 20 Worst Foods in America. Since then, half of those unhealthy dishes have either changed their nutritional content drastically or have been taken off the menu altogether, reports Men's Health (via Today).

Could this be the start of a trend where restaurants offer menus filled with good-for-you meals?

Well, that might be stretching it, but it does look like many restaurants are taking lists like the one mentioned above seriously. For example, gone is Ruby Tuesday's Colossal Burger, as well as Baskin-Robins Chocolate Oreo Shake. With books like "Eat This, Not That" on the market, more and more Americans are educating themselves about the food available at restaurants, and when we know that a meal packs a day's worth of calories, fat and sodium, most of us are not as likely to order it.

Celebrity dietitian and motivational life coach Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of www.ffactordiet.com and founder of www.skinnyandthecity.com, has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off with her program. Her philosophy? Tanya believes you should never sacrifice taste, even when you're eating healthy foods.

Dining out should be a leisurely activity. If you are on a diet, do not stress at the glance of a menu. Follow these simple suggestions, and you can enjoy eating out without sabotaging your diet.

If you eat bread, dessert and have a few glasses of wine during dinner, you could be consuming up to 1,000 extra calories at your meal -- that's not even counting the appetizer and main course! Lets face it, who stops at just one dinner roll? At around 120 calories a pop and another 130 calories for a dip or two of olive oil, the calories add up quickly. In addition, most people have at least two glasses of wine at dinner (approximately 90 calories per glass). If you give in to the temptation of dessert, it could cost you anywhere from 200 to 600 calories. This is a dieter's nightmare!

Because I dine out often, I have learned to choose my poison, so to speak. Rather than go all-out and reach for the bread basket, a glass of wine and dessert, I choose one. I always tell my patients to order a soup (non-cream based) or garden salad with dressing on the side as an appetizer -- this way they won't be tempted by the bread. And, if you choose a decadent dessert, just a few bites should suffice. I call it the three-bite rule; it's all you need to feel satisfied. After all, you shouldn't be eating dessert out of hunger, it's all about the flavor. The first three bites are the most flavorful and will satisfy your sweet tooth. If you choose alcohol, it does not mean you need to binge drink. Have one or two glasses of wine or vodka with club soda, and you will be able to take the edge off with few calories. By following these simple rules, you can cut around 800 calories from your next dinner!

Think calories don't count? Think again, because they do.

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Going out to eat -- be it breakfast, lunch or dinner -- can be an exercise in will power. No matter what the server brings, you can almost bet that what's on your plate will be at least two to three portions worth. Sure, we all want to get the most food for our buck, but that doesn't mean falling off the wagon by licking the plate clean. To arm yourself, you need get your portion sizes down. For example, one serving of steak is no bigger than a deck of cards, and one 3-inch pancake out of the stack will do it for breakfast (here's a diet-friendly trick: Top it with fresh fruit). Find out more about portion size here and then take this quiz to check your portion IQ.

Find out how even "The Joy of Cooking" is working against portion control.

Health.com recently published an article titled "America's Healthiest Restaurants: Our List of the Best Casual Dining Spots," and boy, did it get some people talking. And it's no surprise -- some of the restaurants on the list have also been on recent "Least Healthy" lists. So what gives?

The article makes it clear that each of these restaurants offers healthy options -- you can go to Bob Evans and order grilled chicken tenders for your kids, or hit Uno Chicago Grill and chow down on antibiotic-free chicken and brown rice. However, if you decide to go with one of the less healthy options, you've pretty much blown your calorie allotment for that day and the next.

I think the moral of the story is that, if you make the effort, you can find a healthy choice at just about any restaurant. Looking for some tips and tricks for going out to eat without bailing on your diet? We've got you covered!

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Eating healthfully at home is far easier than when dining out, if for no other reason than the fact that you know exactly what you're eating. Sure, restaurant menus provide you with a good indication of what will be on your plate, but they rarely provide you with all the ingredients.

But, by employing a few tricks while dining out, you can keep your diet from going off the healthy track it's on. Here are just a few of them to try the next time you're out to eat.

• Ask how food is prepared (types of cooking oils, ingredients, etc.)
• Order sauces and dressings on the side, this way you have the choice of how much to use
• Skip or split dessert.
• Eat a light, healthy snack an hour before going out to dinner to avoid overeating
  
• Don't finish everything on your plate. Bring home half the meal to eat the following day.
• Take your time while eating. It typically takes around 20 minutes for your brain to get the signal from your stomach that you're full.

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Healthy fast food? Could there really be such a thing? A West Hollywood restaurant in California called O!burger seems to think so, and they're not talking cold sub sandwiches either. Burgers, fries, and shakes make up a good part of their menu, along with veggie burgers, yogurt smoothies, and salads.

Their main claim to fame (and health) is that they're 100% organic and striving to be eco-friendly in every way they can. They do have a healthy sounding veggie burger made of spinach and corn, but no mention of fat grams or calories. Is being organic enough to make such a broad claim like "healthy?" Unfortunately I don't live in the area and can't go try it for myself but if you do then give it a shot and let us know what you think!

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Love to eat out but hate the damage it does to your diet? Try these easy tips and tricks for having all the fun and none of the flab:

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Thursdays always seem to be big dining out nights. We've made it past hump day, and with only one work day left until the weekend, spending time out on the town with friends or co-workers is a great way to decompress.

However, it's also these same fun-filled dining out events that can easily derail you from the healthy track you're on. We start with some bread, then do some app swapping, followed by an enormous plate of pasta, and then we finish with a mountainous piece of chocolate cake. Oh yeah, and somewhere in between we have a drink or two. All said and done, it's very easy to consume over 1,000 calories in that single meal. Not good, since it's recommended that the average person consume around 2,000 total calories per day.

One way to avoid letting your fun night out turn deadly to your diet is to eat for yourself. This doesn't mean eating by yourself; rather, it simply means that you should cut yourself off when you have eaten enough, instead of continuing to chow down just because everyone else at the table is still doing so. Put down your utensils, fold up your napkin and call it a night ... for food. As for the laughter and good times, they're likely just beginning at that point.

For more diet and fitness tips, visit our sister site, AOL Body, by clicking here.

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Although it is possible to be perfectly healthy and still eat out all the time, it's not an easy thing to do. Studies have found a strong connection between people who eat healthier diets and people who eat at home the majority of the time. As a society we've really gotten away from the regular "from scratch" home cooked meal -- sadly they've become a complete luxury in many cases! But eating at home can help you avoid many of the temptations of dining out (I can't even count how many times I've gone out swearing to have soup and salad and ended up with a burger and fries instead!) and can save you money too.

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