Choosing the ethnicity before going out is key for me.  I love Mexican and Italian, but I also know that these are going to be my biggest fat culprits.  I'm likely to splurge and over eat at these restaurants.  Going to restaurants that serve seafood, Asian fare, good entree salads and grill options help me stay on track.  I've found that nothing is going to keep me from eating the chips and salsa once I've stepped foot in a Mexican restaurant!

I recently discovered wellsphere - an online community for wellness bloggers. They have a welternatives tool (still in beta testing) that let's you choose better options when eating out. All you do is type in the restaurant name and menu item. It will then provide the nutrition information and rating and suggest a healthier option if available. www.wellsphere.com/wellternatives.s.

They have a great selection of restaurants including Planet Smoothie, Chillis, Outback Steakhouse, Dunkin’ Donuts and countless others. You can search by restaurant name or type of food. Wellsphere gives each a rating and a wellscore (1-100).  Very cool tool!

As for me, I much prefer to cook at home so I know all the ingredients that go into my meal. I do love a nice dinner out though once and a while – especially sushi! If I dine out I ask for my vinaigrette salad dressing on the side, stay away from pastas and cream sauces, and ask for my veggies steamed without butter.

Also, I always order a glass of red wine. I find that it makes me eat more slowly and really savor every sip and bite!

When our waiter or waitress comes to our table I say, "Hi we're the special order family." If we are spending money to eat out then it needs to be what our family wants and enjoys. For me personally, I usually skip over appetizers or any bread products and try to load up on a salad option or a good side of steamed vegetables. I also always order any salad dressing or sauces on the side so I can control the amount.

I like to scope out restaurant menus ahead of time online and narrow my choices down to a few, so I'm not stuck scrambling at the table and run the risk of making a poor choice (especially if I'm super hungry at the time).

You are absolutely right Lisa - the temptation to order something unhealthy is so much stronger if you don't go in with a plan. I always try to order a cup of soup or a small salad before my meal and always try to ask for any kind of sauce on the side. And then I'll have a bite or two of whatever my husband ordered just to have a taste of something more indulgent. :)

Since the portion sizes at most restaurants are so huge, my boyfriend and I always split a meal and get a side salad or soup to start. We feel cheap at times, but I think the wine makes up for it! (haha)  

I think you can find healthier options in just about every restaurant. You just have to look..or even better, ask for what you want.

I try to look at salads with lots of vegetables and some protein. For dinner I like anything grilled with a side a fresh vegetables. What I watch out for is the dressings, sauces, cheeses, etc. All that fat can really add up.

To stay on track when I dine out I always eat a salad with a low calorie dressing before my entree; I tend to eat only half my portion and then I have lunch for the following day.