Eating Out

Eating out can be a daunting task, but you shouldn't let it scare you. Just avoid the fast food, and you should be good.

Asian Restaurants:

When eating at an Asian restaurant, make sure they have brown rice. Avoid noodle dishes, and stick with the vegetable and rice dishes, ordering brown rice instead of white rice. Also, try to stay away from dishes that contain soy sauce or other sauces containing high amounts of sodium. I have also found that there are some sushi restaurants that will use brown rice instead of white rice, although sometimes they do tend to charge a little extra. Some stores such as Whole Foods and Central Market routinely serve brown rice sushi at their sushi bar.

Mexican Restaurants:

At Mexican restaurants, my favorite is grilled vegetable fajitas, served with corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas and extra beans instead of rice. Many places also serve salads, but tell them to hold any tortilla chips they tend to put on top and have them put the dressing on the side.

Italian Restaurants:

This is the hardest of the bunch as Italian restaurants tend to have massive amounts of carbs and heavy sauces. One of the restaurants that I found to have options is Macaroni Grill where you can create your own pasta using whole wheat penne and your choice of meat and vegetables. I personally use the olive oil and garlic sauce, but if that's not your thing, stick to the basic marinara sauce and avoid the alfredo. I also have found the The Olive Garden has a good choice where you can substitute whole what linguine for any of their pastas. I eat the Capellini Pomodoro, which is basically just olive oil, garlic, basil, and tomatoes on top of pasta. What else is good about The Olive Garden is that they serve unlimited salad, and all you have to do is pick out the croutons. Beware of the free bread at most Italian restaurants, it can be very tempting, but isn't worth the carbs.

American Restaurants:

Try to stick with salads and unfried foods. Instead of fries, most places will allow you to substitute fruit or steamed vegetables. Also, if you are going to get a sandwich, make sure that the bread is either whole grain or whole wheat. I typically will get a veggie burger with a side of steamed vegetables or a piece of grilled fish and vegetables.

One of my favorite restaurants is Corner Bakery. They have many healthy salads, sandwiches and soups. My favorite sandwich is the California Grille Panini which is vegetables served on a multigrain panini and grilled. I personally order it without cheese, but that's completely up to you. You can also substitute the chips for carrott sticks or a fresh fruit cup.