6 Restaurant Hacks To Saving Calories

So, you are on this nutrition journey. You are making great progress; you are down 20 lbs, have been able to control your portion sizes, cut out refined sugars, and able to maintain your caloric intake. Everything is smooth sailing, until your friends/family invite you out to dinner. You don't want to be rude and decline the invitation, but you don't want to ruin what you have worked so hard for....so what do you do? Here are 6 restaurant hacks that will save you the calories.

1. Share an Entree

Having a whole entree to yourself might tempt you to lick your plate clean. Sharing an entree will afford you half the calories while still enjoying a meal out. Since portion sizes vary greatly between restaurants, this is a great way to control your food intake. You can always order more if the portion sizes are on the small side.

2. Dressing on the side

If you are ordering salad, ask for the dressing on the side. This way you can control how much dressing makes its way into your nutritious salad. Dressing can be high in sugar, carbs, and fats, which will all add quite a bit to your caloric intake.

3. Substitute for Vegetables

Often times an entree will come with a carb and vegetables for sides. Unless you are wanting a high carb meal, you are better off asking for more vegetables in place of the carbs. Most vegetables are high in fiber, and of course, low in calories.

4. Low Calorie Drinks

You would be surprised at how many calories you drink, especially when out to dinner. Go for a low calorie drink (most restaurants now have a low calorie drink menu) and save some of those calories for more nutritious foods. Alternatively, you can always have water as your main beverage.

5. To Go Box with Order

If you know you are at a restaurant that serves large portions, ask for a to-go box when you place your dinner order. When your entree and box arrive, place have of your entree in the to-go box. This will eliminate the need to finish your whole plate, and even if you do, you only will have devoured half the calories.

6. Half Order

In our "health conscious" world, it is becoming more common to see restaurants offering "half orders" on their menu items. Opt for this over the full order, as chances are the half order is more than enough calories for your meal. If you don't see this option on the menu, ask the server if this is something they would be able to accommodate.

Do you have any restaurant hacks that will save you some calories? Share them below!