Article By: John Fontana

You’re flipping back and forth between the pages of a menu trying to figure out, “What do I want to eat?”  But you’re finding little luck.  Your first move was to look at the salads, since they are generally regarded as the healthiest choice on the menu, but they aren’t working for you today. None of them seem too interesting, and on top of that you are hungry. So a salad gets eliminated from the list of options, and it’s on to the sandwiches and entrees.

Now an even bigger problem is facing you — what can you eat that isn’t packed with a million calories? You have been doing well all week with diet and exercise and do not want to blow it with one bad choice. The big problem is, you don’t know what’s considered a “good choice” and a “bad choice.”

You probably face this situation at least a few times per week. While some restaurants are just doomed and it is near impossible to find a healthy option, you can likely find a few hidden gems in most of them. Here’s how:

1. Nothing Fried

I hope this is an obvious tip to most of you, but it surprises me how many people don’t know how to point out which foods are fried and which aren’t. Sure, everyone knows the obvious ones like french fries and fried chicken, but what happens when the word “fried” is not in the name of the food? Anything with the words “battered” or “breaded” will likely be deep-fried. If you’re at a Mexican place, the chips are probably fried, and many appetizers such as mushrooms and calamari are fried as well. If you aren’t sure if a food is fried, ask your waiter. Do not make the mistake of eating fried foods.  They are some of the absolute worst foods you can eat.

2. Don’t Double Up

I see this issue a lot at restaurants, especially with breakfast places. I went to breakfast with a friend recently and they ordered a meal that came out with pancakes, potatoes and toast. That is three carb-based food items in one meal, which is a bit of an overload. My big point here is to avoid meals with two carb sources in them. If you have a sandwich, you shouldn’t be getting potatoes (especially fries) as a side. Carbs are Americans’ favorite foods because they taste great, and restaurants want you to enjoy their food so they throw an abundance of carbs at you. Don’t fall into the trap.

3. Pick One Of Each

Look to order a meal that has one fat, protein and carb source each and nothing more. The fat source will likely come from whatever the food is cooked in, and then it should be a piece of protein (i.e. chicken, fish, lean meat or tofu) and then a carb (if necessary). If you are still confused, here is a good way to look at it. A carb will typically be white or light brown (mashed potatoes, rice or pasta), a protein will typically be from an animal and a fat will be in the form of oil.

4. Avoid The Sauce

Foods that are based around a sauce are typically not a good idea when you’re eating out. A little bit of sauce is alright, but something that has the name of the sauce in the title should put you on alert. Pastas with Alfredo sauce are sky high in both fat and calories. The sauce alone will put you well over the amount of calories you should be eating in a meal. Any dish that has a sauce or dressing on it, ask them to put it on the side.

5. Get Some Color

Many restaurants will ask you to pick a side of your liking or allow you to substitute the current side for another one. A rule of thumb here is to get some color out of the side.  Basically this translates to getting vegetables. Since most people don’t particularly enjoy the taste of vegetables, restaurants love to butter them up. Typically spinach or broccoli will be drenched in butter since those are people’s least favorite. Ask them for steamed veggies if that is an option or just ask them to cook your side with little or no butter.

Save Hundreds… Of Calories

While it is relatively easy to go out to eat, enjoy your food and keep it healthy, many people struggle with this idea. For the most part, you go out to eat to enjoy company more than to enjoy food, so don’t feel like you need to indulge like crazy. Plus if you play it right, you can get a bite of others’ unhealthy meals while not having to eat the entire thing. By taking a little time to think about what it is you are about to order, you can save yourself hundreds of calories and hours of exercise. There is no need to burn a good week just because of one meal. Be smart about it, take a minute to look it over and make a decent decision. The restaurant’s job is to make food taste good so I doubt that anything on the menu will be awful.

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