Dining Out On a Diet... Yes You Can!

Honestly, sometimes restaurant food seems like the most convenient choice after a long day at the beach, a crazy day at work, hours of traveling, or picking your kids up late from summer camp. In fact, a recent study found that Americans now get about 35% of their calories from restaurant fare.

But restaurant menus are often loaded with diet-busting..and nutrition zapping... options.

Registered Dietitian Sharon Richter shared some of her tips for maintaining positive eating habits, even when you feel caught up in the rush of summer, starting with the major things to avoid.

The Big "NO"s

• Fried foods
• Eating the bread in the basket (yes, it's delicious and oh so tempting, but you've got to draw the line!)
• Huge portions
• Tons of creamy sauces and cheese (sorry, alfredo's gotta go)

It sounds like a lot, but in reality, you can practice healthier eating habits while you're dining out by making very simple changes in the way you select your meals. Here are a few tips to get you thinking positively and making healthy decisions.

Related: Is Obesity Contagious?

Grill It!

Sharon most definitely recommends grilled foods as a delicious, but healthy, alternative to eating fried.  Most lean cuts of meat, chicken and fish taste amazing on the grill. Also, consider items that have beenpoached, steamed, or seared. You can enjoy these  without sacrificing the flavor that will make your stomach happy.

If the meal you really want is made with a fat, ask the restaurant to prepare your food with olive oil, rather than butter or other less healthy choices.

You can save calories by skipping the appetizer, but if you want to tease your tastebuds before the main course, try healthy options like raw oysters, fresh shrimp, a tossed green salad with fat-free dressing (skip the croutons, cheese, eggs and meat), or vegetable soup (no cream base!).

Related: Can You Really Trust the Calorie Counts on Restaurant Menus?

Size Matters

Paying careful attention to the portions on your plate is a quick and easy way to make sure you aren't overindulging, and to guarantee that your meal is balanced. Sharon tells her clients tovisualize the plate divided into sections.

"I would say half of the plate should be fruits and vegetables, and the other half should be divided between starch and a lean protein," Sharon explains.

"Your hand can be used to evaluate your portions," says Sharon. "Carbs, whether it's rice or pasta, should be served at about the size of a baseball. For protein, you should consider size based on the meat— red meat the size of the palm of your hand, chicken to your first knuckle, or a serving of fish the size of your entire hand."

Many restaurants now give you the option of ordering an appetizer size of a meal, which you can supplement with a salad or veggies (asked for steamed!). 

"An appetizer portion is sometimes the best idea," says Sharon, "because entrée servings can be so big." 

You can also split a meal with a friend or ask the waiter to put half your food in a takeout container before you start eating.

If you have just had dinner and you really want dessert while you're at the restaurant, Sharon suggests either splitting the dessert with people at the table (just a spoonful each will go a long way in satisfying that sweet tooth) or enjoying some fresh fruit.

Related: How Much Exercise Do You Really Need?

Eating Smart

We've all had that feeling of dread when our food finally arrives at the table, and our stomachs are groaning under the strain of the two cups of soda (or 2 margaritas) we consumed prior to dinner's arrival.

A healthier option is to go with water, but if you really want to have a drink, ask the waiter or waitress to bring it with your meal, so you don't fill up prematurely.  And if you want to unwind with a cocktail, go simple.  Choose wine (average serving 125-150 calories), light beer (starting as low as 55 calories per serving) or basic cocktails that use low-cal mixers (rum and diet coke).       

If you're the kind of person who gets sarcastic questions like "Jeez, would you like some food with that sauce?" then this last tip is for you. Too much dressing can virtually eliminate the nutritional value of a salad. Sharon says ask for dressing and sauce on the side, so that you can better control how much you're consuming, and encourage yourself to stay on track.

Also, never go out to dinner starving because you'll be more tempted to overeat.

Related:TASTE TEST: Best Low-Cal Frozen Treats

Remember, Nobody's Perfect

Sharon is a firm believer in the 80/20 rule. A little give, a little take. She notes that neither binging nor starving yourself will give you desirable results that are good for your body. Instead, reward yourself.

"If you eat healthy 80% of the time, then 20 percent of the time you can eat something that's not as healthy, like ice cream," she says.

So, if you've been good, don't turn down a trip to the ice cream parlor with your girlfriends. After all, it IS summer, and ice cream IS delicious. Just make sure you don't go overboard with your portions.

"If you generally eat healthy, then a little ice cream won't be detrimental to your health," Sharon jokes. "That way, we feel less of a need to binge, mentally."