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Eat out without piling on the pounds

Following a healthy eating plan is hard enough at home – but what happens when it comes to eating out? Can you dine at a restaurant and stay healthy?

You’ve been a nutritional saint for a while now, eating sensible, low-fat foods and exercising four or five times a week. You feel great and you look great. But now you’re faced with your first real test of character, your first confrontation with a high-fat, high-cal, gut-bustin’, pig-out situation: eating at a restaurant.

One friend orders the half-pounder cheese burger with bacon. The other orders the fried chicken and chips. You salivate, thinking ‘Ah, what the hell. What are a few extra calories, anyway? ’ Just remember that one ‘what the heck’ restaurant meal can amount to over 1,500 calories that’ll end up around your middle. And after throwing caution to the wind even once, it’s easy to talk yourself into doing it again and again.

Let’s be realistic. All of us want to be able to enjoy an evening out at a nice restaurant every once in a while, and there’s no need for this occasion to be fraught with guilt. These 15 tips will help you enjoy a nice evening out and keep the calories and fat in check.

1. Avoid ‘All You Can Eat’. Usually, you end up eating all you can and then some.
2. Vegetarian does not necessarily mean low fat. A lot of vegetarian restaurants serve dishes that are soaking in oil. They may boast that they use olive oil exclusively, but remember, all culinary oils contain 14 grams of fat per tablespoon.
3. Sticking with a few favourite restaurants is a good way to get to know the chef, the serving staff and the way the food is prepared. It’s also a good way for them to familiarise themselves with your special requests (and don’t be shy about asking for special orders – remember, you’re the one who’s paying).
4. Don’t starve yourself in anticipation of a restaurant visit. It’s much easier to stay in control if you’ve been eating sensibly throughout the day. But try to drink a pint of water before you eat – you’ll feel fuller and less inclined to overeat.
5. Try to order first, so you won’t be tempted or swayed by what everyone else is having.

Over the page: More healthy eating-out tips

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