6 Tips For A Healthy Dinner Out
George Williams

Ever wonder how you can possibly lose weight when the average
dinner out contains over 1,000 calories? Well, don’t fret!
Keeping yourself in shape when dining out is simply a matter of
ordering the right menu.

Below are 6 tips for having a healthy dinner out (while still
enjoying your meal like normal!):

– Watch Your Drinks – By not ordering an alcoholic beverage,
you’ve saved yourself a considerable number of calories. Try
sipping iced tea sweetened with a noncaloric sweetener, a diet
soft drink, or water with lemon. You’ll be glad you did when you
consider the calorie savings.

– Have A Salad – One of the best menus to have is salad. Not
only will it fill you up so you’ll consume fewer calories
overall, but it will also give you a hefty dose of antioxidants
which are heart healthy. Be sure to ask your waitress to hold
the croutons and cheese which will further reduce your caloric
load. Also, choose your dressing wisely. Avoid cream based
dressings and go for the vinegar based ones. You also have the
option of using vinegar and olive oil which is heart healthy.

– Don’t Order An Appetizer Unless Necessary – Do you know that
some appetizers have more calories and fat than the main course?
Plus, many appetizers are fried and served with heavy sauces
which will add to your intake of saturated fat as well as trans
fats and calories. It’s not a healthy way to start your meal.

– Choose The Right Kind Of Foods – Go for broiled and grilled
rather than fried. Not only will you save calories and fat
grams, you’ll also avoid trans fats which are so prevalent in
fried foods. Instead, consider asking for a doubles order of
vegetables with your entree. Very few Americans are getting the
7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables recommended for optimal
health. Plus, by avoiding the starch, you’ll be reducing your
caloric and carbohydrate load. Also, stick to tomato based
sauces rather than cream based and you’ll enjoy a considerable
calorie savings. Lastly, ask for the sauce to be served in a
separate dish on the side so you can control the amount you eat.

– Don’t Overeat – Today, many restaurants are serving larger
quantities of food than in the past. If this is the case, put
aside a portion of your entree at the beginning of the meal to
take home with you. If you remove it from your plate before you
start eating, you’ll be less tempted to overeat.

– Say “No” To Sugary, Fatty Desserts – Instead, go for a low fat
or low carbohydrate dessert selection such as a low carb
cheesecake. These are wise choices for the health conscious
eater and still allow you to end the meal on a sweet note. If a
healthy dessert option isn’t available, try a cup of coffee with
skim milk to help satiate your desire for something sweet.

The next time you go out for dinner, keep the above tips in
mind. You will be surprised how many calories you are able to
slash out of your meal just by ordering the right menus! Happy
healthy eating!

About the author:

George Williams is a wine and food enthusiast. He owns Wine Online
Secrets, Wine Rack
Secrets and Free
Wine Storage Info, sites providing free wine information.

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The sandwich chain ‘Subway’ has marketing itself in such a way that it is a healthy alternative to fast food. For this reason the Subway calorie counter is looked upon very highly for anyone wanting to lose weight. When you order a low fast option from Subway you have a choice between seven 6 inch subs that have 350 or fewer calories and less than 6 grams of fat.

The low calorie sub options include: turkey, ham, ham and turkey, oven roasted chicken breast, veggie delight, turkey club and roast beef. Then there is the sweet onion teriyaki chicken sub that is just over the calorie count at 370 calories but has just 5 grams of fat, so still a very good choice – and my personal favorite.

One mistake that some people make is that they think all Subway subs are low calorie and that they can order anything they like from the menu. Not all of the subs are low calorie and there are some you should avoid if you are dieting such as the 6 inch tuna sub that has 530 calories and 31 grams of fat – and that is before you add any sauces or mayonnaise.

Subway also has some hot subs that should also be avoided if you are dieting. The 6 inch toasted chicken parmesan, the toasted bacon and chicken ranch and the toasted meatball marinara all come in at 500 calories. The meatball sub has 24 grams of fat.

You also need to keep in mind the size of the sub that you order. Subway has the 6 inch subs and the foot long subs and the foot long subs are double the size and double the calories of the 6 inch subs.

Something else that you should watch out for on the Subway calorie counter is the double versions of subs. For example, the double meat turkey sub has 340 calories while the regular version has just 280 calories, so by ordering the double version you are increasing your calorie intake.

With Subway subs you also get to choose the type of bread you want for your sub and this can also make a difference to the number of calories. The white bread sub has 190 calories by itself but if you choose one of the deluxe breads – honey oat and parmesan oregano – this will increase the calories by 50 – 60 calories.

When you add cheese to the sub it also increases the calories. Cheese is a standard ingredient on the subs however it is represented separately on the Subway calorie counter and will add another 40 to 50 calories on a 6 inch sub.

Mayonnaise is another big calorie addition and it can add 110 calories for a normal serving while some condiments such as mustard has barely any calories.

If you are having Subway for breakfast you also need to choose wisely. The breakfast subs range from 270 to 510 calories and you are best to stick to the egg and cheese on a deli roll or perhaps the honey mustard and ham on a deli roll. You want to stay right away from a sub such as the chipitole steak and cheese on a 6 inch roll as that is on the higher end of the calorie scale.

Subway also sell other foods including cookies, chips and sodas which all come high in calories so although these may be tempting you should avoid them. Subway does feature the Baked Lays brand of chips which has around 110 calories a serving so they aren’t too bad.

Subway is a great option for those who want a healthy alternative to fast food as long as you use the Subway calorie counter wisely.

Tags: Bacon, Calorie Count, Calorie Counter, Calorie Intake, Calories, Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Ranch, Double Meat, Fast Food, Fewer Calories, Inch Subs, Losing Weight, Mayonnaise, One Mistake, Oven Roasted Chicken, Oven Roasted Chicken Breast, Roast Beef, Sauces, Subway Subs, Sweet Onion, Turkey Club, White Bread —

If you go out to a restaurant to eat, you probably watch your calories very closely. To assist you with your calorie watching when dining out, these tips will help you make the most of it.

– Always order salad dressings or sauces on the side, as this way you have control over how much you add to your meal.

– When you order grilled fish or vegetables, you should ask that the food be grilled without butter or oil, or prepared with very little or either or.

– Anytime you order pasta dishes, be on the lookout for tomato based sauces instead of the cream based sauces. Tomato based sauces are much lower in fat and calories, and tomato sauce can even be counted as a vegetable!

– You should always try to drink water, diet soda, or tea instead of soda or beverages that contain alcohol.

– If you order dessert, share with a friend. Half of the dessert will equal half of the calories.

– When you choose a soup, remember that cream based soups are higher in fat and calories than other soups. A soup can be a great appetizer, as most are low in calories and you fill you up pretty fast.

– When ordering a baked potato, ask for salsa instead of sour cream, butter, cheese, or even bacon. Salsa is very low in calories and provides a healthy alternative with plenty of flavor and spice.

– When you are full, stop eating. Listen to your body and what it tells you.

– If you get full, take half of your meal home. The second portion of your meal can serve as a second meal later. This way, you get two meals for the price of one.

– If you’re looking to eat less, order two appetizers or an appetizer and a salad as your meal.

– If you get a choice of side dishes, get a baked potato or steamed vegetables instead of french fries.

– Always look for food on the menu that’s baked, grilled, broiled, poached, or steamed. These types of cooking use less fat in the cooking process and are usually much lower in calories.

– Plain bread or rolls are low in both fat and calories. When you add the butter and oil, you increase the fat and calorie intake.

– As key ingredients to your meal, choose dishes with fruits and vegetables. Both fruits and vegetables are great sources of dietary fiber as well as many vitamins and minerals.

– Choose foods made with whole grains, such as whole wheat bread and dishes made with brown rice.

– If you crave dessert, look for something with low fat, such as berries or fruit.

– Always remember not to deprive yourself of the foods you truly love. All types of foods can fit into a well balanced diet.

Tags: Appetizer, Appetizers, Bacon, Baked Potato, Calories, Cream Butter, Dessert, Diet Soda, Eating Habits, Fat Calories, French Fries, Fruits And Vegetables, Grilled Fish, Healthy Diet, Pasta Dishes, Plain Bread, Salad Dressings, Salsa, Sauces, Side Dishes, Soups, Sour Cream, Tomato Sauce, Vitamins And Minerals, Water Diet —

It used to be that almost all meals were eaten at home. The only exceptions were if you happened to travel for business, were a truck driver, or happened to be on vacation. People simply cooked and ate at home. But over the years that has changed, and now it is estimated that people in the United States may eat more than half of all their meals outside the home. One of the big problems with this is that you don’t have control over what goes into the food you’re eating. This adds up to big trouble if you’re trying to lose weight.

However, there are some things you can do to eat healthier when eating out. Here are some tips to help you eat better, and keep your weight under control at the same time.

Skip the bread and butter. Sure, it’s nice to have something to nibble on while waiting for your food to arrive, but a slice of bread, with butter can add up to 300 calories. Have two slices and you’re already up to 600 calories, and none of your food is even at the table yet.

Choose your appetizers wisely. It’s a good idea to get an appetizer because it will keep you from overeating when the main dish arrives. Don’t order anything deep fried or that’s has cheese on it. Anything made with fresh vegetables is a good choice, as is a clear soup or seafood cocktail.

If you get a salad, have them put the dressing on the side. Otherwise there is a good chance the kitchen will pour too much dressing on the salad, and that adds up. You control how much you add when you have it on the side. (This goes for all sauces whenever possible)

Generally speaking, chicken and fish are better choices than pork and beef. However, you also have to pay attention to how it’s prepared. Fried chicken and fish, covered with cheese or a heavy sauce will have more calories than a lean cut of beef that is prepared the right way. Better methods of preparation include roasted, baked or grilled.

Share the entree. One thing most restaurants are known for are their large portion sizes, and they keep getting bigger. So, see if you can split the entree with someone at your table (some restaurants will charge a nominal fee for this, but it’s worth it). If no one wants to share, then eat half and take the other half home. You can always ask for a container before you start eating to make sure you’re not tempted to eat everything on your plate.

Fruit for dessert. If you still have room for dessert, then opt for one that contains fresh fruit. Remember, you can always split a dessert, too.

The main thing to keep in mind is that you don’t have to put your diet on hold just because you’re eating out. Learning to make better choices is all it takes to dine out without having to worry about an expanding waistline.

Tags: Appetizer, Appetizers, Big Trouble, Bread And Butter, Calories, Cheese, Choices, Cut Of Beef, Dish, Eating Habits, Exceptions, Fried Chicken, Fruits And Vegetables, Good Chance, Healthy Diet, Large Portion, Losing Weight, Nibble, One Thing, Pork And Beef, Portion Sizes, Sauces, Seafood Cocktail, Vegetables —