Im sometimes amazed when I go out to eat at restaurants the amount of food that people consume and the amount of food that restaurants serve now. Its extremely mind boggling when you actually measure out the portions, the calories, and the total fat in each meal. Its so un healthy, that I dont even want to imagine sometimes what its going to do to your digestive system and your organs. Just the other day I was at Applebees and I saw someone order the appetizer sampler. This thing had cheese quesadillas with guacamole cheese dip, Buffalo wings with ranch dressing, jalapeno poppers, mozzarella sticks, and mini cheese burgers. And this person ate the whole thing like it was nothing. I mean, this dish had to have been 1,500 calories. Thats enough calories for most people on a single day and I dont even want to get into how much fat and trans fat was in that dish from all the fried food. This is what got me thinking when it came to writing this article some helpful ways to try and eat healthy when you are out at a restaurant.

Tip 1: Avoid fried foods at all costs. The oil used in restaurants is not high quality cooking oil. Actually, scratch that statement. All food that is cooked in oil is not good for you at all, especially when its re used over and over again. This makes it even worse. Its all trans fat, plain and simple. Trans fats can cause cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. All not good things to have happen to you.

Tip 2: Avoid the pasta and bread. I dont know about you, but I love Italian food. I absolutely love it and would eat it every day if I could. Sad thing is that people eat this way every day and no wonder why our obesity numbers are so high. A serving of pasta is 1 cup. This provides around 50 grams of carbohydrates per serving and its not from high quality carbohydrates like oatmeal or yams. In restaurants, the average serving size for pasta is in the neighborhood of 4 to 7 cups of pasta. That is between 200 to 350 grams of carbohydrates at one serving. Unless you are Michael Phelps, there is no way that will all be burned up and used for fuel. It will all get stored as body fat. Period.

Tip 3: Skip dessert. Dessert tastes wonderful, but you really do not need it. It sometimes can be as many calories as the meal itself because in most desserts, they are loaded with sugar and fat to make them taste good. But this ensures your path to diabetes and a bigger waist line. Do yourself a favor, just skip the dessert, or if you are really craving some sweets after you eat, ask if they can provide you any fresh fruit. At least it will be a healthier alternative.

By using these 3 tips, you can definitely ensure your success when it comes to eating out. Especially if you are on a diet and trying to lose weight. Usually, you know if it will be bad for you, so make your best judgment while sticking to these 3 rules.