Eating Healthy While Dining Out

When most people begin a new diet program, dining out doesn't seem like an option. Well, I am here to tell you, it is possible.

The key is to choose meals that are not fried, avoid creamy sauces, pastas and load up on the veggies.

Recently, I went to dinner at P.F. Changs, Outback and Houlihans. Here is what I ate.

P.F. Changs: Changs Spicy Chicken, brown rice and a side of steamed broccoli.

The portions of chicken and rice are way more than a serving, so I ate 1/3 of the chicken and one spoonful of rice and took the rest home. Ordering a side of broccoli not only allowed me to get veggies in my meal, but also prevented me from overeating. I filled up on the broccoli first, that way I wouldn't be tempted to eat too much chicken and rice. As for a drink -- water, of course.

Outback: Chicken Grillers with broccoli.

This dish actually comes with whole grain wild rice, but you can substitue it for a different side and I chose broccoli. I really like this dish because the chicken is grilled and you don't have to worry about extra calories from unwanted sauce. And you can never go wrong with steamed broccoli. As for a drink -- you guessed it, water, with lemon.

Houlihans: Blackened tilapia with sweet potatoes and a side of broccoli.

Now, I must admit, I was a little worried about whether I would find a healthy option here, but I was pleasantly surprised with the tilapia. As with my strategy at P.F. Changs, I ate the broccoli first so I wouldn't eat too many potatos. While sweet potatos are the ideal potato when eating healthy, the portion size was a little large. So, I ate the fish, all of the broccoli and a couple bites of potato. And yes, water with lemon was my drink of choice.

As you can see, eating healthy while out isn't impossible. Just remember to look for grilled meats without heavy sauces, load up on the veggies and watch the portions. If it is too much, half it. Eat one half at the restaurant and take the other half home.