I spent most of today watching a train wreck.  One of those things you hate to watch but you just can’t turn away.  It’s been a fairly blah day here in Georgia so that means indoor family time!  That would normally be the case but today my son has been on a Spongebob coloring marathon, my wife was at work and my daughter had a play performance across town.   I was still in charge of my son but I wasn’t the center of his attention.  Woe to me if he’s never the center of my attention!

While the crayon shrapnel was flying, I was cruising the channels and stumbled upon “Man vs. Food” on the Travel Channel.  THAT is the train wreck I couldn’t turn away from.  If you aren’t familiar with this show, the premise is a man travels across the US in search of food challenges like “eating a 6 lb. hamburger in 3o minutes” or “eating 17 chili dogs in one sitting.”  It truly is a spectacle to behold and the host makes it through almost all the challenges.

This show got me to thinking about the ridiculous portion sizes at restaurants today…not to mention all the button-busting ingredients they use.  That leads us to the point of this post.  How do you go out and enjoy a dinner without completely blowing it?  Here are a few tips that may help you do just that.

Don’t fall for the salad trap

Just because it includes lettuce doesn’t mean it is low calorie or good for you.   A deep fried chicken tender on a salad is just the same as one off of a salad.   The lettuce doesn’t magically suck the calories out of it no matter how much we want it to.   One of the highest calorie salad you can consume is a Caesar salad.  Most Caesar dressings have a whopping 300 calories per two tablespoons.  Do you know how much they put on your salad? 

Don’t get me wrong, salads are an excellent option but you have to be smart about it.  Go grilled, not fried or breaded with the meats.   Here is another big tip: get your salad dressing on the side.  That way YOU control how much goes on your salad.  The best technique for moderating your salad dressing is to dip your fork in the salad dressing and then taking a bite of salad.  By doing this, you will limit the caloric impact and have a guilt free dinner!

Avoid the appetizers

Oh, those seductive Buffalo wings and alluring cheese dips.   In many cases, these “appetizers” contain more calories than your meal.  One of those deep fried onions usually contain over 2000 calories alone!  Not only should you watch out for the appetizers, but also the freebies some restaurants give you while you wait on your meal.  Mexican restaurants give you endless baskets of chips.  Some restaurants give you baskets of bread.  Trust me, these may be free in that you don’t have to pay for them but they are far from being calorie free.

Instead of an appetizer, go for a side salad but remember the salad tips above.  Side salads are usually a safe bet since they are most free of the extra stuff that comes with an entree salad.

Do your research

Most, not all, restaurants have a website which usually contain valuable nutritional information.  Some won’t have the nutritional information you’re looking.  You can still have a game plan.   There is most likely enough information about the dishes that you can get a rough estimate of the nutritional information. 

Here’s another hint:  if the restaurant’s website doesn’t have posted nutritional info for its menu, find the dish you want and Google it.  The info you are looking for may be out there!  I did a quick search for O’Charley’s calorie content and found that CalorieKing.com has almost the entire O’Charley’s menu. 

Drink the water

I like having an ice cold draft with dinner just as much as anyone and, honestly, it is tough to fore go that little pleasure.  Whenever I’m tempted, I just remember how many calories and carbs that beer can add to the overall meal.  Some heavier beers will have 200-300 calories per 12 ounces.  I think about that, then I go for the water. 

You may find that some places have a lite, low carb beer on tap which contains about 100 calories per 12 ounces.  It’s fine to kick back, relax, and have one of these but don’t let it get out of hand.   Those fruity mixed drinks?  Forget about it.  One margarita (12 ounces) can have over 500 calories.

Avoid “white”

Another good general rule of thumb for eating out is to avoid anything white.  This would include breads, pastas, creamy salad dressings, cakes, rice, and potatoes.  Obviously, not everything white is going to be bad for you but by following this rule you can immediately eliminate  a lot of calories.  This does NOT mean that if it isn’t white, it is fair game.  You still have to do your research and use common sense.

Slow Down!

This one isn’t just a tip for eating out but can also be a tip for eating at home as well.  For those of us that eat quickly this can be a key factor in not blowing it when you eat out.  The problem with eating fast is that you don’t give your body enough time to realize it is full.  By the time you do sit back and say “I’m full” it is too late.  You’ve eaten much more than you would have if you’d been able to slow your consumption.

One way to slow yourself down is to take a break.  I’m not talking about taking a walk around the restaurant but rather just put your fork down.  Make a conscious effort to put your fork down and taste your food in between bites.  This inherently slows your food consumption and can help safeguard against over indulging.

Ask for a to-go box with your meal

Because portion sizes in most restaurants are obscene, one way to combat this is to ask for a to-go box with your meal.  If you’re like me, if they put it in front of me I’ll eat it.  Take half of your food and put it in the to-go box for lunch the next day.  I guarantee you that the meal you have left will more than satisfy.  Plus, you won’t have to go home and spend valuable time preparing your meal for work tomorrow.

And do I need to say it?  Just say “no” to dessert!

I don’t think I need to even discuss this do I?  You are done.  Get up and leave.  Leave the dessert behind.  If you really must have something sweet, go home and have some fruit.  Sorbet is also usually a better option than the ice cream alternative.

Do you have any tips you would like to share?  Leave them in the comments below!