10 Smart Strategies to Avoid Diet Pitfalls When Dining Out

Lisa Franchi June 02, 2014

If you’re like most dieters, you dread dining out. In moments like this, you probably just can’t resist pampering yourself with a big plate of pasta, a large slice (or two!) of pizza, quarter-pound burger, or a large cup of frap. You’ve been working out hard and watching your diet for a long time now. You deserve some ‘indulging’.

But dining out doesn’t always mean going beyond your diet rules and abandoning smart food choices. You can still have a great time at your favourite restaurant whilst keeping your health and fitness levels in check.

We’ve got some useful tips for you.

Customize your plate.

The restaurant menu you’re holding provides suggestions, not absolutes. If your favourite grilled salmon comes with fatty sauces and cheeses, politely ask the waiter to take off those unhealthy stuff from your dish. If you think there are add-ons that will just compromise your health and fitness, leave them out.

Begin your meal with a simple salad.

To avoid binge-eating and to suppress your craving for calorie-dense meals, opt for a plain vegetable salad with olive oil before you munch on the main course. One study in the journal Appetite found women who ate a 100-calorie salad ate 11 per cent fewer calories and 23 per cent more vegetables during their subsequent meal.

Beware of the BIG NO-NOs.

As much as possible, get away from deep-fried, fatty, crunchy, glazed dishes as they are most probably high in saturated fats, trans fats, sugar and many other unhealthy ingredients. Instead, order lean protein and colourful vegetables that are baked, steamed or broiled.

Eat mindfully.

This is perhaps the best eating tip there is! When you eat mindfully, you can be more in control of your appetite, even if you are being served with huge servings of fatty, high-calorie meals. In a research reported in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behaviour, it was found that peri-menopausal women who remained mindful during meals, "lost significantly more weight, had lower average daily caloric and fat intake, had increased diet related self-efficacy, and had fewer barriers to weight management when eating out."

Share your food.

Ask a friend to dine out with you. Eating gets more delicious and rewarding when you share it with others. If you’re dining out alone, divide your food in half. You can eat the remaining the next day.

Beware of the low-carb options.

Many food chains and restaurants make use of this marketing hype – placing low-carb options on their menu. But here’s the trick – low-carb doesn’t mean low-cal. That means you could be eating more calories from low-carb versions than if you order regular meals.

Try double appetisers.

Consider skipping the entrée and having two appetizers for your meal. Often, that is more than enough food to fill you up.

Try the ‘fork dip’ trick.

To avoid putting too much salad dressing in your plate, do the ‘fork dip’ trick. It’s simple. Get your dressing on the side, in a small bowl. Before each bite, dip your empty fork into the dressing, and then skewer a forkful of salad. You’ll be surprised at how this tastes just right, and how little dressing you’ll use.

Skip the bread basket.

If you’re looking for something to much whilst waiting for your order, ask for a plate of raw vegetables or fruits instead of starchy, sugary breads.

Skip fancy drinks.

Opt for red wine, a light beer, or plain vodka instead of mixed drinks like piña coladas and margaritas as these are high in sugary additions that boost their calorie content.