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If you're trying to lose weight, or just trying to eat healthy, you need to steer clear of trans fats. Why? They add useless calories, build bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol. Unfortunately, some of your favorite restaurants -- from KFC to Bob Evans -- are using sneaky loopholes to work against you. The food industry knows that trans fats are unpopular, but partially hydrogenated oil (the stuff that trans fat dreams are made of) is cheap, so restaurants have gone to great lengths to skirt FDA regulations. Because the FDA allows the food industry to list any product with less than 0.5 grams of the dangerous lipid as having "zero trans fats," restaurants and packaged food producers can deceive consumers about serving trans fat-free food. Find out which sneaky establishments you need to be aware of to stay trans fat free.

Pasta, and sauces and cheese ... oh my! Italian food -- while incredibly yummy -- isn't exactly known for the health factor. But just like you can find healthy choices while eating at Chinese restaurants and Mexican restaurants, dinner at an Italian restaurant doesn't need to derail your healthy eating goals.

Though heavier fare like pasta might come to mind when you think Italian, true Italian food actually has many healthy options. Some things to look for:

• Skip the breadsticks. Yes, they're tasty, but do you really want to eat so many calories in just breadsticks? Wait for your main course.
• Very vinaigrette. Choose a light vinaigrette for your salad instead of a creamy dressing.
  
• Super soups. Both Minestrone and Pasta e Fagioli are light and delicious options.
• Veg it up. Look for dishes that are heavy in vegetables. Many Italian dishes include roasted vegetables.
• Go grilled. Avoid breaded items like chicken parmesan or fried items like calamari. Instead, opt for grilled chicken or seafood.
• Pass on the pasta. Choose a small side dish of pasta if you'd like, but avoid the main courses that are primarily pasta.
  
• See red. Opt for marinara sauce instead of cheesy, buttery or cream-based sauces.
• Thin is in. If you're ordering pizza, choose a thin crust and all vegetable toppings.
• Have dessert at home. Tiramisu is wonderful, but it's best to save high-calorie treats like that for rare occasions. Instead of ordering dessert at the restaurant, consider having a light and healthful dessert waiting for you at home. (For example, a small piece of angel food cake topped with mixed berries.)

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If you're heading out to eat, you might think Chinese is a healthier choice than most ethnic foods. After all, there are lots of of vegetables in Chinese food, right? True. But, depending on your selection, your Chinese food might also have lots of sodium and/or sugar. And many foods at Chinese restaurants are deep-fried as well.

But with a savvy eye, you can select the healthiest of fare at your local Chinese restaurant and enjoy without guilt. Some tips:

• Opt for stir-fried foods, such as vegetables, shrimp or chicken.
• Skip the fried rice and choose steamed rice instead (brown rice if they have it).
• Avoid fried egg rolls, crab rangoon and deep fried beef, chicken or shrimp dishes.
• Go veggie. Choose dishes with a high vegetable content.
• Fill up on soup. Egg drop, won ton and hot and sour soups are all relatively low cal. Just don't top them off with the little fried crispy strips.
  
• Go Japanese. While sushi is a Japanese food, some Chinese restaurants have started offering some sushi options as well.
• Slow down on the soy sauce. Soy sauce is very high in sodium, so go lightly. In fact, most dishes will be flavorful enough without the addition of extra soy sauce.

Keep in mind that many restaurants will accommodate special orders. For example, you can ask that your stir fry be prepared with less oil and more vegetables than normal. Want to see how your favorite Chinese foods stack up? Try this fun interactive Chinese meal to total the calories, fat, sodium and other nutrition information.

Is Chinese not on the menu tonight? Check out these tips for eating healthfully at a Mexican restaurant.

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Cooking at home gives you complete control over what goes into your meals. But, let's face it, it's just plain nice to go out to eat once in a while. You can try new tastes and -- bonus -- there are no dishes to wash. When you know what to look for, eating out can be healthful, too.

If you're heading out to eat, try these tips that will help you enjoy Mexican food without the guilt:

• Skip the chips. If you can stop at three or four chips dipped in salsa, then go ahead and enjoy. (And please send me some of your willpower.) But when that big basket of chips is dropped off at your table, most people keep reaching for more without realizing how many they're eating.
• Just say no to the margaritas. I know, I know ... they're ridiculously yummy. But margaritas can be up to 45 calories per ounce. Considering the margaritas most restaurants serve are roughly the size of a swimming pool and made with sour mix, that can really add up. Heck, margaritas even made Forbes' list of the most fattening drinks.
  
• Soup it up. Want an appetizer? Try a gazpacho or a black bean soup. Not only are these options significantly lighter than nachos or other appetizers, they're tasty and provide some decent nutrition.
• Go lean with protein. Opt for grilled chicken or shrimp instead of beef.
  
• Don't get fried. Chimichangas, chile rellanos, flautas and other fried entrees really bump up the calorie count. Avoid the fried foods altogether.
• Switch up your sides. Many dishes will come with refried beans, guacamole or other sides. Ask for other options such as seasoned rice or rice and beans (neither of which is low-cal, but it's a slightly better option).
• Know the language. The menu descriptions should let you know what you're ordering, but you can still keep your eye out for a few key words: asada (grilled), pollo (chicken) and arroz (rice).
• Go veg. More and more restaurants are offering vegetarian options. Even if it's not on the menu, you can request something like vegetarian fajitas.

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I'm a single mom and between work, baseball games, taking care of the house and working in the yard, I sometimes feel like I can't catch up. I'm a big advocate for cooking at home; when you make the meal, you can control the ingredients and quality. But when life is really crazed, a night out at a restaurant is a pleasant break for me. Still, when eating out, I know that I don't want to get blindsided by a surprisingly high-calorie meal.

Last week, I asked if you review nutrition information at restaurants before ordering. I'm glad to see the majority of you do. Here are the results:

• 53 percent of you will check the menu for nutrition information, check online before going out to eat or ask the server for information -- whatever it takes to know the details about what you're ordering.
• 24 percent of you like to see the nutrition information, but don't go out of your way if it's not clearly stated on the menu.
• 17 percent of you check nutrition information sometimes -- like when you're trying to lose weight.
• 3 percent watch your calories at home but don't worry about it when you go out to eat.
• 3 percent of you never worry about the nutrition details and just eat what you want.

Here at That's Fit, we're constantly telling you what we think about things, but sometimes it's nice to know what you think. So from time to time, we'll ask you a question. Don't be afraid to speak up -- we love feedback.

Many restaurants now provide nutrition information either on their menus, online or by request. I know that I find it helpful when ordering. I'll never forget the time I neglected to look up nutritional information before going out to a chain restaurant; I thought I'd ordered a halfway-decent meal -- substituted a veggie side for fries and so forth -- but when I got home and looked online, I was shocked to see that my halfway-decent meal was almost 1,000 calories!

Bev told us that in one observational study, only 0.1 percent of fast food patrons reviewed nutritional information before ordering. An observational study has some obvious flaws; it doesn't account for people who look up the information online or just have familiar favorites that they order over and over, but still ... 0.1 percent is pretty shocking. It made me wonder, do you review nutritional information before ordering?

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Those who are watching what they eat -- whether it's calories, carbs, fat or fiber -- know that fast food can be enemy number one. But should it be a concern for everyone's diet? Maybe. To take the guesswork out of ordering, we at AOL Health have combed through the nutrition information of some of your favorite restaurants, and we found a shocking number of orders that go overboard on acceptable daily allowances of calories (2,000), fat (65 g) and sodium (2,400 mg). One innocent-looking offender? The veggie burger from Ruby Tuesday's. The (small) patty packs more than 1,000 calories and a staggering 53 fat grams. What a disgrace to normally lean meat-free patties! Learn more about this and 38 other fast-food diet offenders.

What's the worst fast food you've ever had? And when was the last time you had any -- have you removed it completely from your diet?

So you went a little overboard with dinner. How long will it take to walk it off?

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If you've been in New York recently, you've probably noticed restaurant calorie counts posted for the food. And an overwhelming majority of people are fans of the calorie counts, with many people ordering less food or going to new, more healthful eateries altogether.

Now, the UK is taking a cue from NYC, and plans to implement calorie posting in restaurants there. The United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency did a survey of 2000 adults, finding that 85 percent thought eateries should make the nutrition information on their foods available at point of sale.

No law is being passed (yet), but the agency is asking "brave" restaurants to voluntarily post calorie counts for a six-month trial run. The thing is, I can't imagine most fast food-type restaurants doing this voluntarily, especially considering how many people admitted they ordered less and went elsewhere -- restaurants are businesses, after all.

Still, wouldn't it be great if all eateries offered this information on the menu? I know it would help me out!

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Thought peer pressure was just for junior high kids? Dieters face it, too.

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When it comes to cutting calories, you're usually better off making your meals at home. But there's one area where a restaurant may have a leg up on the home chef. Salad dressing.

It's not that restaurant salad dressings are lower in calories ... more than likely, they're not. But if you're pouring your salad dressing on top, you're probably getting more dressing than you really need. And, no, I'm not suggesting you dip your fork in the dressing before each bite because -- let's be honest -- that's annoying and just doesn't give you enough flavor.

The New York Times recipe tester has spent a lot of time working in restaurants and she says that if you're dressing your salad, you're dressing the wrong thing. Surprising, isn't it? It's kind of like finding out you're supposed to wear your shoes on your hands. After all, it's called salad dressing. Restaurants usually put dressing in a squirt bottle and then -- once the salad is mixed and in the bowl -- squirt a ring or two of dressing on the bowl. They toss the salad against the sides of the bowl until it's evenly coated.

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Eating at home is undeniably more economical and is also a better way to control the health quality of your meal. But, if you're like me, you enjoy going out to eat once in a while. During these penny-pinching times, does eating out need to be cut from your budget entirely? Not at all. Just follow these healthful tips for eating out on a budget:

• Order water. Forget about ordering wine, or soda, or fancy bottled waters. Just stick to plain old tap water. It's free in cost and calories.
• Skip the specials. When your server announces the day's specials, just disregard them. They're usually more expensive and, when it's not on the menu, you may not pay as much attention to how it's prepared -- you don't want to be surprised by high-calorie sauces or other unhealthful additions you weren't expecting.
• Ask about extras. Make sure you get what you paid for and order whatever healthful sides come with your meal. Remember, even if the only sides listed are high in calories, you can scour the menu for lighter options; most restaurants are happy to substitute sides.
  
• Doggie bag it. Be sure to bring home leftovers for tomorrow's lunch.
• Skip dessert. You don't need the extra calories or the extra cost. If you must indulge, consider splitting a dessert with someone else.

Even in these difficult economic times, do remember to tip your server appropriately -- they need to make a living, too. Do you have any other tips for eating out on a budget?

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Thanksgiving is a busy time for air travel -- more people fly the friendly skies at this time of year than any other. Since travel and healthy eating don't necessarily go hand in hand, it's a good idea to pinpoint some good spots for good grub while making your way to that final destination.

Check out PlanetEye.com if you want to locate preferred stops along your travel route, each one recommended by local experts from around the world. Chicago's Lisa Davis says yes, restaurant food can be decent, and she exercises care when she mentions Potbelly, with its carb-conscious "Skinny" sandwiches. San Francisco's Amelia Lang promotes a burger joint that boasts locally grown ingredients. And Toronto's Vanessa Grant shares some a la carte ideas.

From New York to Paris to Singapore, this site's guru team dishes the dirt on the food that's fit to eat. Check it out -- and safe travels to you and yours.

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If you're a frequent fast-food flyer or a vending machine junkie, chances are you're drinking lots of sugary drinks too. It just makes sense, doesn't it? If you're already eating crap, might as well throw in a crappy beverage too. Not only does this line of reasoning work for you -- it works for your kids too.

In one study, the diets of 1,475 middle school students were analyzed. The kids' schools all housed vending machines stocked with soda and other sweetened drinks. And here's what happened: Researchers found that 66 percent of students reported fast-food restaurant visits and of the 646 who used vending machines, 71 percent purchased sugar-sweetened drinks.

The bottom line, then: Use of vending machines and fast food restaurant visits seem to be associated with sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Does this ring true for you and those around you? If so, you might want to revamp that lifestyle of yours. The gallery below can help you get started.

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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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