erly at lunch time if going out in the evening, otherwise you’re likely to be ravenous and eat too much when out. You could have a healthy snack, for example a handful of walnuts, before you go out, as this will take the edge off your hunger and help you stay in control at the restaurant.

You can also allow yourself the occasional treat as this will make the diet less of a trial and as long as you don’t get carried away, shouldn’t make any difference to your weight loss. When trying to lose weight, tips like these can make it a lot easier to stay on a diet, while enjoying eating o

If you enjoy eating out but are trying to reduce your weight, tips on restaurant eating are an important weapon in your battle to stay on track.

Just because you are on a diet doesn’t mean that you have to avoid eating out or spending time with friends who may not be dieting. Naturally, you will be concerned about giving way to the temptation presented by all the delicious creamy sauces and rich desserts on offer, but with a little preparation, you should be able to have a good time and enjoy a tasty meal without indulging in too many extra calories.

So what is the solution? The first step is to have a say in which restaurant you go to if possible. If you know the place and they know you, it’s much easier to stick to a healthy eating plan. Most restaurants have something on the menu which suits dieters and you can ask to have certain dishes without the sauce or other ingredients which are not part of your diet. If you go to a particular restaurant on a regular basis, they’ll get to know your habits and you can order in advance if you require something more complex.

However, it isn’t always possible to choose where you are going to eat and so you should think in advance about what you might be able to eat. If you can get hold of a menu in advance, so much the better. Some restaurants post their menu online and others won’t mind if you ring up to ask if you can get a low fat option.

If you can’t find out what’s on the menu, it’s a good idea to make a list of foods you can eat without too much guilt, such as salads without dressing, chicken without skin or lean meats. Another tactic is to focus on vegetables and perhaps have several side orders instead of a main course, or a small portion of meat, fish or chicken with several different vegetable dishes or a large salad.

Be careful with alcohol, which has quite a few calories and very little in the way of nutritional value. Also, too much of it makes you lose your self control and so you are much more likely to eat things you shouldn’t. One strategy is to drink water, but allow yourself one glass of wine at the end of the meal. That way you have something to look forward to and it’s much easier to start with water and finish with wine than the other way round. Avoid dessert or ask if you can have fresh fruit or fruit salad (without cream).

Eat properly at lunch time if going out in the evening, otherwise you’re likely to be ravenous and eat too much when out. You could have a healthy snack, for example a handful of walnuts, before you go out, as this will take the edge off your hunger and help you stay in control at the restaurant.

You can also allow yourself the occasional treat as this will make the diet less of a trial and as long as you don’t get carried away, shouldn’t make any difference to your weight loss. When trying to lose weight, tips like these can make it a lot easier to stay on a diet, while enjoying eating ou

The first step is to have a say in which restaurant you go to if possible. If you know the place and they know you, it’s much easier to stick to a healthy eating plan. Most restaurants have something on the menu which suits dieters and you can ask to have certain dishes without the sauce or other ingredients which are not part of your diet. If you go to a particular restaurant on a regular basis, they’ll get to know your habits and you can order in advance if you require something more complex.

However, it isn’t always possible to choose where you are going to eat and so you should think in advance about what you might be able to eat. If you can get hold of a menu in advance, so much the better. Some restaurants post their menu online and others won’t mind if you ring up to ask if you can get a low fat option.

If you can’t find out what’s on the menu, it’s a good idea to make a list of foods you can eat without too much guilt, such as salads without dressing, chicken without skin or lean meats. Another tactic is to focus on vegetables and perhaps have several side orders instead of a main course, or a small portion of meat, fish or chicken with several different vegetable dishes or a large salad.

Be careful with alcohol, which has quite a few calories and very little in the way of nutritional value. Also, too much of it makes you lose your self control and so you are much more likely to eat things you shouldn’t. One strategy is to drink water, but allow yourself one glass of wine at the end of the meal. That way you have something to look forward to and it’s much easier to start with water and finish with wine than the other way round. Avoid dessert or ask if you can have fresh fruit or fruit salad (without cream).

Eat properly at lunch time if going out in the evening, otherwise you’re likely to be ravenous and eat too much when out. You could have a healthy snack, for example a handful of walnuts, before you go out, as this will take the edge off your hunger and help you stay in control at the restaurant.

You can also allow yourself the occasional treat as this will make the diet less of a trial and as long as you don’t get carried away, shouldn’t make any difference to your weight loss. When trying to lose weight, tips like these can make it a lot easier to stay on a diet, while enjoying eating o

uld think in advance about what you might be able to eat. If you can get hold of a menu in advance, so much the better. Some restaurants post their menu online and others won’t mind if you ring up to ask if you can get a low fat option.

If you can’t find out what’s on the menu, it’s a good idea to make a list of foods you can eat without too much guilt, such as salads without dressing, chicken without skin or lean meats. Another tactic is to focus on vegetables and perhaps have several side orders instead of a main course, or a small portion of meat, fish or chicken with several different vegetable dishes or a large salad.

Be careful with alcohol, which has quite a few calories and very little in the way of nutritional value. Also, too much of it makes you lose your self control and so you are much more likely to eat things you shouldn’t. One strategy is to drink water, but allow yourself one glass of wine at the end of the meal. That way you have something to look forward to and it’s much easier to start with water and finish with wine than the other way round. Avoid dessert or ask if you can have fresh fruit or fruit salad (without cream).

Eat properly at lunch time if going out in the evening, otherwise you’re likely to be ravenous and eat too much when out. You could have a healthy snack, for example a handful of walnuts, before you go out, as this will take the edge off your hunger and help you stay in control at the restaurant.

You can also allow yourself the occasional treat as this will make the diet less of a trial and as long as you don’t get carried away, shouldn’t make any difference to your weight loss. When trying to lose weight, tips like these can make it a lot easier to stay on a diet, while enjoying eating o

fferent vegetable dishes or a large salad.

Be careful with alcohol, which has quite a few calories and very little in the way of nutritional value. Also, too much of it makes you lose your self control and so you are much more likely to eat things you shouldn’t. One strategy is to drink water, but allow yourself one glass of wine at the end of the meal. That way you have something to look forward to and it’s much easier to start with water and finish with wine than the other way round. Avoid dessert or ask if you can have fresh fruit or fruit salad (without cream).

Eat properly at lunch time if going out in the evening, otherwise you’re likely to be ravenous and eat too much when out. You could have a healthy snack, for example a handful of walnuts, before you go out, as this will take the edge off your hunger and help you stay in control at the restaurant.

You can also allow yourself the occasional treat as this will make the diet less of a trial and as long as you don’t get carried away, shouldn’t make any difference to your weight loss. When trying to lose weight, tips like these can make it a lot easier to stay on a diet, while enjoying eating o

erly at lunch time if going out in the evening, otherwise you’re likely to be ravenous and eat too much when out. You could have a healthy snack, for example a handful of walnuts, before you go out, as this will take the edge off your hunger and help you stay in control at the restaurant.

You can also allow yourself the occasional treat as this will make the diet less of a trial and as long as you don’t get carried away, shouldn’t make any difference to your weight loss. When trying to lose weight, tips like these can make it a lot easier to stay on a diet, while enjoying eating out

© Waller Jamison 2007