Five Ways to Eat Healthier in Restaurants

Planning a diet always seems so simple. You'll buy fresh produce. You'll end your relationship with Oreos and not let them back in the house. You'll learn great healthy recipes and share them with your friends, put Cosmo pinups on your fridge and listen to affirmations in your sleep. It all works really well, too -- until your best friends decide it's time for an evening out at the steakhouse.

What in the world are you going to do? You know you'll be there at least two hours if not three. You are expected to fill that time with carefree munching. You'll never survive. At least, unless you have a plan. These five simple tips can help you safely negotiate the perils of restaurant dining.

Tip No. 1: Don't order appetizers. Personally, I've never understood the tradition of eating before you eat. It doesn't make sense to me. If you're trying to lose weight, be healthy or whatever, don't order them. Of course, your friends are going to order them, and then try to entice you to eat them. You can always follow the three-chip rule of Mexican dining, or just nibble on tiny, tiny bits of things. If you have enough discipline, this may work for you. If not, hands off.

Tip No. 2: Hold the meat. There is a surprising amount of fat and calories in meat. If you can learn to enjoy a vegetarian meal every now and then, you will find it much easier to eat lighter meals in restaurants. Try substituting beans or simply order meals that are rich in filling vegetables like broccoli and carrots. Even a baked potato with sour cream will be better for you than a slab of steak.

Tip No. 3: Order the sauce on the side. No matter what you order, there will probably be a not-so-healthy portion of sauce. This is because American cuisine simply doesn't have a place for sauces so, instead of enhancing the flavor of the food, we tend to cover it up. If you order a pasta and vegetables dish, for example, see if you can get the sauce on the side. Same goes for salads.

Tip No. 4: Avoid alcohol and dessert. This should go without saying. Of course, you don't have to avoid them all of the time, but indulging in these things should be the exception, not the rule. Or you can share a dessert with the table, which girlfriends are often willing to do. Splitting one slice of cheesecake among four will not only give everyone a taste of something good without breaking the diet (or the bank), it will be a wonderful bonding experience.

Tip No. 5: Eat half, wrap half. Restaurant portions are not your friends. If you already know how big something is going to be when you order it, decide how much you are going to eat and immediately ask the server to bring a to-go box. When he does, immediately place the part you're not planning to eat in the box and put it aside. Since everyone, including the server, saw you do it, eating it will be less of a temptation. And you can look forward to treating yourself again the following day, or sharing it with someone you love. If this isn't an option, oversalt the portion you don't plan to eat.

When you're eating a healthier diet, a date with your favorite restaurant isn't necessarily the kiss of death. But it can be an obstacle course worthy of Indiana Jones. As long as, like him, you go in with a plan, you will be better able to wing the surprises and emerge without being run over by a giant boulder of guilt.