10 Great Tips for 5-2 Fast Dieters While Dining Out

Find it hard to diet when dining out? Most of us do! …but don’t give up hope. Here are some great tips you can put to use to minimize calorie intake and stick to your diet.

1) Choose the restaurant wisely. Even though most places nowadays offer low-calorie items on their menu, depending on where you go there may still be too much temptation and not enough good alternatives. Pick a restaurant where you’re more confident about making healthy choices.
2) Ask if they have a nutrition guide for their menu items. Some places have a document where they publish calorie and fat content of all or most of their menu items. Some fast food places even have a poster on their wall, whereas others may have some sort of pamphlet. Of course you should check this first before ordering! As an alternative, there are some books available that consolidate nutritional info for various restaurants. Even for a non-fast day you want to stay at or below your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).
3) Go with a friend who is dieting and split a high calorie meal between you. Half the calories, half the fat, half the guilt!
4) Ask for a to-go container when food arrives, then immediately divide your meal in half to take portion home.
5) Designate a Cheat Day to dine out.  Have one day a week, month, whatever works where you can go indulge at your favorite restaurant without guilt. For Fasters, definitely try to avoid dining out when it’s your Fast day!
6) Dine out on your heavy exercise day. It is always better to eat more calories on days you burn more.
7) Drink at least one full glass of water before eating as this will help curb your appetite.
8) Down-size the burger! You can order the smaller size patty; do without the cheese and mayo. Lettuce, tomato, onion are always good to add nutrition as well as quantity. Buns are sometimes too big and have unnecessary calories, so you can either remove the top entirely or just trim off some of the excess bread.

9) Avoid or minimize the Fries. Try substituting fries with a salad or fruit. Many places now offer healthy alternatives if you ask. If you must have fries, then order the smaller size. Don’t use ketchup or at least minimize dipping. Also there is no reason to eat every single fry! Leaving a few will save you some calories and fat grams. Still too tempting? You can always offer to share your fries with a friend.
10) Order water as your only beverage. Avoid any soda or alcohol. Diet soda or sports drinks are not really healthy alternatives. Unsweetened tea is a good option available most places. Black coffee is good too. Cream and sugar equals more calories, so go light if a must.

Whatever you decide, the idea is if you’re unable to avoid temptation then you must manage it wisely. So if you find yourself dining out often and tempted to forgo your diet, then try some of these methods and stick with the ones that work best for you.