10 Healthy, Figure-Friendly Tips for Dining Out

1. Scan the menu for entrees that are broiled, baked, grilled, steamed, or poached. But watch out for fattening red flags like: fried, sautéed or breaded.
2. Don't start with wine or alcohol; you may not be able to control your eating during the meal.
3. Thirsty? Sip on water, sparkling water or unsweetened tea, NOT soda.
4. Don't be lured by the bread-and-oil appetizers - two pieces of bread dipped in two tablespoons of oil almost 400 calories to your meal!
5. Order clear, broth-based soups that will fill you up, not weigh you down.
6. Order your vegetables steamed instead of sautéed or creamed
7. Stretch your wallet but not your waistline: When ordering, ask your server to split your order and put half in a container to take home and enjoy as a second meal!
8. Make sure that salad isn't actually an unhealthy monster in disguise. Order low-fat dressing on the side, or liven it up with vinegar or a squeeze of lemon. Or make your own dressing by mixing 1 teaspoon of olive oil with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and mustard.
9. At a salad bar, stay away from high-fat items like cheese, cream dressing, croutons, olives, bacon bits, and avocado (which is super healthy, but high in calories). And skip the gloppy, mayonnaise-based potato or egg salads.
10. Satisfy your sweet tooth with fresh seasonal fruit, which is sweet, but not as laden with sugar as cake, pie or ice cream desserts.

Salad Shockers

Salads may start off healthy, but fat and calories from toppings and dressings can easily add up. The typical Chinese chicken salad contains the calories and fat of a Quarter Pounder with medium fries. Even though the add-ins, like nuts and avocado, are healthy in moderation, that doesn't mean they won't hurt your waistline just as much as junk food. Save nuts for snacktime, not mealtime.

Add-ins/Toppings
The heart-healthy half-avocado on your salad has as many calories as a bag of Cheetos Puffs. Ask yourself if you can afford it as a healthy add-in.

Just a 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds on your salad can add the calories of a slice of pepperoni pizza.

Half a cup of marinated sun-dried tomatoes is calorically equivalent to three Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies.

The Truth about Salad Dressing
Large salads often contain about two small ladles of dressing. That really adds up.

Believe it or not, two small ladles of ranch contain 600 calories and a whopping 62 grams of fat! Two ladles of Thousand Island dressing can contain 340 calories and 33 grams of fat. Calorically, you might as well order a McDonald's Big Mac.

If you thought you were safe with Italian dressing, think again. Two ladles contain enough fat and calories to fill in for a slice of pecan pie. Even balsamic vinaigrette can go horribly wrong. With all that oil, it can add 360 calories and 32 grams of fat to your salad - the same as an entire fried chicken breast.

If you order dressing on the side, you can control how much you put on your salad. You can also water it down with lemon juice or vinegar.

Dining Around the Corner or Around the World

Mexican:

• Gazpacho soup, without sour cream
• Lean meat (chicken or fish); fajitas, light oil (avoid flour tortillas)
• Salsa
• Tostada salad with grilled chicken or fish - but hold the shell, and skip the added cheese, sour cream, guacamole, rice or tortilla chips.

Italian:

• Avoid the bread and spread. Keep yourself busy with iced tea or hot water and lemon while waiting for your order.
• Some soups that seem harmless, like tomato and basil, are thickened with day-old white bread. Ask your server to make sure it's as healthy as it seems.
• Choose a grilled fish prepared with very light oil.
• Skip the potatoes and ask for a double portion of steamed spinach topped with flavorful, health-enhancing marinara sauce. Sprinkle a 20-calorie teaspoon of Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.

American:

• Roasted, baked, broiled, grilled lean meats or low-mercury fish (wild salmon, cod, white fish), and poultry without added oil or butter.
• Avoid carb overload by ordering a burger without the bun. For example, try a mixed green salad with a turkey patty on top.

French:

• Order broiled lean meats or low-mercury fish without added butter or oils.
• Opt for poultry without skin.
• Steamed vegetables
• Order sauces on the side, and dip sparingly.

Chinese:

• Steamed or lightly sautéed dishes (request very light oil); sauces on the side (dip sparingly).
• Clear soups with non-starchy vegetables; no won tons, noodles, corn, etc.
• Opt for steamed chicken or fish. Many of the steamed dishes have a hint of ginger, so they won't be flavorless.
• Request your sauces on the side, and you'll realize that the flavor from a teaspoon of sauce goes a long way. Save yourself from a potential caloric disaster.
• Order a Mu Shu dish. It's more interesting than steamed vegetable dishes, but be sure to request very light oil and hold the pancakes.
• Skip the rice, considering that 1/3 cup, or a measly 3 tablespoons, of white or brown rice is equal to a slice of bread.
• For dessert, enjoy fresh orange slices or a fortune cookie for 30 calories.

Japanese/Sushi:

• Start with a miso soup, it will help you fill up and save you calories.
• Ask for a simple mixed-green salad with sashimi.
• Instead of dressing, mix in a mineral-charged seaweed salad.
• Order hand rolls, hold the rice and spicy mayonnaise sauce.
• Use reduced-sodium soy sauce. Ponzu sauce is also a yummy option.
• Skip the edamame. Like nuts, they're a healthy snack but the calories add up quickly.
• Carb shocker: The rice alone in two cut rolls and a hand roll is equivalent to eating 5 to 7 slices of white bread. Imagine yourself eating just over three fish sandwiches!

Fast Food, If You Must:

• Ask for protein wraps without sauce (i.e. burger wrapped in lettuce)
• Salads with light dressing on the side. Again, be aware of added ingredients such as cheese, croutons, corn, etc. Just one ounce of buttery croutons can add up to 130 calories!