Avoid 8 Dining Out Danger Zones

1. Large meat entrees pack calories. Look at the calories in these big steaks, offered in many popular steakhouses: – 14 oz New York 819 – 12 oz sirloin 877 – 12 oz prime rib 1,445 Solution: Choose fish or chicken or a small meat appetizer or share large portions with someone.2. Drinks can be surprisingly high in calories when they are high in fat or large: – Large soda, 26 oz 330 – King soda, 35 oz 430 A shake can have as many as 680-990 calories and creamy coffee drinks 240-510 calories. Most people don’t realize how many beverage calories they are consuming. Solution: Choose a small soda or a diet soda, unsweetened tea or water.3. An unlimited bread basket is a big source of calories, especially when you’re hungry. Solution: Skip the bread basket and order salad with dressing on the side when you are seated.4. Huge portions sabotage you: Look how many calories are in this meal that is made of all large-sized items: – Whopper with cheese, mayo 850 – Large fries 500 – Large soda 330 – – Total 1,680 Solution: Choose regular sized burgers and pair with a salad (dressing on the side) and diet soda to reduce calories per meal to about 415.5. Large desserts and baked items usually contain 500-1,000 calories. Solution: Choose a lower calorie dessert, like fresh fruit or a small scoop of ice cream. Or share one large dessert between 4 people.6. An all-you-can-eat buffet invites stuffing of high-fat/calorie items: Research has shown that the greater the variety of foods offered at a meal, the more calories are consumed. Solution: Choose an all-you-can-eat salad bar and GO LOW-FAT!7. Going out hungry invites stuffing: Solution: Eat a small low-fat snack or meal like fruit before you go out. That way you will make better choices and you won’t overeat.8. High-fat foods pack on pounds: Foods that are fried or contain a lot of fat and cheese usually contain about double the calories as their plain low-fat counterparts. Two ounces of French fries packs a hefty 174 calories, but a two-ounce baked potato only 52. Solution: Try to select restaurants where baked and grilled items are a specialty. Avoid foods with a lot of fat or cheese.