SHAPE UP
Drop pounds while dining out

By Charles Stuart Platkin

Gannett News Service

Let's face it: Food is entertainment. In fact, the National Restaurant Association estimates that we eat almost six meals per week outside the home (about 290 times per year) — which means it's important to know how to eat out and still stay trim.

The problem is that we go out to eat and want it to be a special occasion — and don't want the fun spoiled by eating "healthy."

But a complete overhaul of your diet is not required — just a few small changes in the way you order can make a big difference.

Even cutting a mere 100 calories every time you eat out can result in losing more than eight pounds in a year (290 x 100 calories = 29,000 calories, and 3,500 calories = 1 pound). Something as simple as NOT putting sour cream on your baked potato or skipping that extra piece of bread can go a long way.

If you do nothing else, this alone will help you stick to a healthy eating lifestyle.

• Call the restaurant ahead of time to find out if healthier options are available, or check the Web site. You can probably even place a special order in advance.
• If no healthful options are available, nearly every restaurant will let you order grilled chicken, fish or lean meat with some type of vegetable or salad.
• Dine at an earlier or later time; special instructions don't take as long if you eat during off-peak dining hours.
• Be aware that it's harder to make the "right" choices when dining out with a group of friends — don't give in to peer pressure.

Eat consciously

Don't just eat to eat. For many of us, this is how we prevent boredom until the real meal comes. To avoid being tempted, ask the waiter not to bring bread to the table. But if you must have a slice of bread, at least don't smother it with butter or dip it in olive oil.

• French bread (4 slices): 384 calories, 4 g fat, 72 g carbs.
• Garlic bread (4 slices): 545 calories, 21g fat, 75 g carbs.
• Butter (2 pats): 72 calories, 8 g fat, 0 g carbs.
• Olive oil (2 tablespoons): 240 calories, 27 g fat, 0 g carbs.

Snacking on peanuts or other bar treats to pass the time while waiting for your dining companions just adds additional calories.

• Peanuts (1/4 cup): 212 calories, 18 g fat, 7 g carbs.
• Tortilla chips (1 cup): 130 calories, 7 g fat, 16 g carbs.
• Pretzels (1 cup): 171 calories, 2 g fat, 36 g carbs.

Eat before

Avoid going out to eat when you're starving. Have a snack beforehand that is high in fiber, like an apple or even a bowl of cereal. Don't skip meals before eating out thinking you'll save calories; the hungrier you are, the more you will eat. Try drinking water before your meal — it will fill your stomach up a little.

Avoid large portions

If you're making the decision about where to eat, choose wisely. Steer clear of buffets and all-you-can-eat restaurants. If you know that the restaurant serves huge portions, don't try to be a "diet hero" by assuming that you will not eat everything that you're served. Just ask the server to wrap up half your portion in a takeout box.

Avoid price-fixed menus; they encourage you to overeat high-calorie foods.

Skip the fries and pasta

If you think you're going to have "just one" or "a couple bites" and leave the rest, well, you're mistaken. Just say no — to the side of fries or pasta, that is. Replace it with a healthy portion of broccoli steamed with garlic or other type of vegetable or salad.

• French fries (1 medium order): 450 calories, 22 g fat, 57 g carbs.
• Pasta with meat sauce (1 cup): 301 calories, 10 g fat, 33 g carbs.

Don't be afraid to ask

Don't refrain from asking your waiter questions or making special requests because you are embarrassed. You are the only one who will suffer.

I often tell the server I'm allergic to certain foods or even go as far as saying I have a medical condition (just to make it simpler).

Remember, restaurants want you to be satisfied because your business is important to them — so don't be shy. Ask how your dish is prepared even if it's called "light" on the menu. Also, make sure to ask:

"Is this dish fried?"

"Can you make this dish without frying?"

"Can you steam the vegetables or fish?"

"What is the sauce made with?"

"Can you prepare this without the cheese/sauce?"

"Can you put the sauce on the side?"

"How large is the serving?"

"How many ounces is the beef, chicken, fish?"

"Can you make this dish without soy sauce or MSG?"

Scan for key words

Look for any of the following: baked, grilled, broiled, poached or steamed. These cooking techniques use less fat and are generally lower in calories.

Avoid any of the following words: a la mode (with ice cream on the side), au gratin (covered with cheese), battered, bisque, breaded, buttered, cheese sauce, creamy or rich, crispy, deep-fried, deluxe, fried, hollandaise (sauce made of butter, egg yolks, and wine), jumbo, nuts, scalloped, saut´ed (unless you make a special request for it to be prepared in a small amount of oil), and tempura.

On the side

Ask for dressing, sauces, butter, or sour cream on the side, instead of on the dish itself.

• Sour cream (2 tablespoons): 62 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g carbs.
• Thousand-island dressing (2 tablespoons): 118 calories, 11 g fat, 5 g carbs.
• Caesar dressing (2 tablespoons): 155 calories, 17 g fat, 1 g carbs.

Liquid doughnuts

Don't go overboard on the alcohol — it adds excess calories and stimulates your appetite. Therefore, if you want a drink, have it with your meal, rather than before. Remember, other drinks (soda, juice, sweetened iced tea) add up, too. Just two or three sodas have about 400 calories.

• Dry table wine (8 ounces): 165 calories, 0 g fat, 3 g carbs
• Beer (12 ounces): 148 calories, 0 g fat, 13 g carbs
• Margarita in a pint glass: 676 calories, 0 g fat, 43 g carbs

The bottom line: Think before you dine out — your waistline will thank you.

Charles Stuart Platkin is a syndicated health, nutrition and fitness columnist and founder of Nutricise.com. Write to info@thedietdetective.com.