10 Practical Tips for Eating Out When Trying to Lose Weight

Navigating eating out when trying to lose weight can be tricky and even cause people to give up on their nutrition-related goals. The good news is it is possible to continue to lose weight and eat out occasionally. I’m sharing the top 10 strategies I use and recommend to my clients to balance enjoying dining out while staying on track to weight loss goals.

First, it’s crucial to know that eating at home will always make it easier to lose weight. Restaurants have massive portion sizes and use much more fat in their cooking than we usually do at home. And at the same time, realistically, you’ll want or need to eat out at some point during your weight loss journey. So, how often can you eat out and still lose weight?

From what I’ve seen after working with over a hundred women and based on my 75 lb weight loss journey, most can achieve nutrition-related goals when eating out around 1-2x/week. Eating out more and achieving your nutrition-related goals is possible but requires a high skill level. So I’d generally try to eat more meals at home.

But you’re going to eat out at some point! So when you do, try these practical tips and see how they work.

Tip 1: Plan Ahead – If you’ve read any of my past blog posts, you know I’m a big fan of planning ahead. Planning is the top strategy I use and recommend for almost all nutrition-related goals. You can plan ahead by researching the restaurants in the area and checking out their menus. I love looking up menus in advance to see what items they might have that sound tasty and align with my nutrition goals. After checking out menus in advance, you can know which restaurants look best to enjoy, how they can fit into your plan, or how you can adjust your plan to fit it in!

Tip 2: Don’t Skip Your Regular Meals – Keep your calories high enough throughout the day so you don’t arrive at the restaurant ridiculously hungry. I’ve seen people think they are doing a great thing by skipping breakfast and lunch, then arrive at their dinner ravenous and end up overindulging more than if they had stuck to their routine. If you’re hoping to save some calories, you could swap out one of your meals for a protein and fiber-rich shake, which is low-calorie but will help you still hit your protein and fiber targets. But in general, I recommend sticking to your regular meals.

Tip 3: Prioritize Protein & Fiber in Your Other Meals. It’s hard to get a solid amount of lean protein and fiber-rich foods when dining out, so I recommend getting them in your other meals to help you stay on track with your nutrition-related goals. Get your protein and veggies in before you dine out!

Tip 4: Control Portions—Instead of ordering an appetizer, entree, dessert, and multiple drinks, consider getting an appetizer and splitting the main course with your date. You could also ask for half the portion boxed up to go. Restaurant portions tend to be twice the size or more what we usually eat in a meal, so paying attention to portion sizes can make a huge difference.

Tip 5: Choose Wisely – Look for higher-protein items described as roasted, baked, braised, broiled, seared, grilled, steamed, or sautéed. Avoid any items described as fried, stuffed, crispy, battered, breaded, golden, crusted, or crunchy. And seek out a side of veggies, too!

Tip 6: Don’t be afraid to Customize Your Order—Don’t hesitate to ask for modifications, such as dressing on the side or no added butter. Substitute less healthy sides with healthier options like salad or steamed vegetables. When an item has multiple fat options, like cheese, sour cream, and guacamole, consider picking one instead of having all three.

Tip 7: Be Mindful of Beverages—Avoid sugary drinks and high-calorie cocktails. Opt for water, unsweetened tea, or other low-calorie beverages. If you drink alcohol, use the 1:1 rule: have one non-alcoholic drink between every alcoholic drink to space them out and keep you hydrated.

Tip 8: Slow Down and Savor – Eat slowly to give your body time to signal fullness. Enjoy the flavors and textures of your food to enhance satisfaction. Slowing down your eating allows you to enjoy your company, too!

Tip 9: Skip the Bread Basket Or Chips – Politely decline the free bread or chips or ask for them removed. I love the memes about people saying they could never eat 20 tortillas, but if cut into tiny triangles and deep-fried, no problem! 🤣 Save your calories for the main meal.

Tip 10: Get Back To It – One meal of overindulging won’t ruin all your progress. I see clients struggle with this often when their all-or-nothing mindset kicks in, and they say F’it the rest of the weekend after eating more than they planned in one meal out. The faster you return to your routine, the sooner you’ll see that you don’t ruin anything and will continue to see progress.

If you’re struggling with your mindset and building healthy habits to support your nutrition-related goals, consider checking out one of my coaching options. I have several ways to work together, from more DIY to full 1:1 support.

Click here to check out the different coaching options!

And I’m curious: what tips did I leave off that you have found work well for navigating eating out?

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hi, i'm lauren!

I help successful, high-achieving women like you implement efficient, proven and sustainable ways to prioritize your health and find your confidence again.

Hi, I'm Lauren!

I help successful, high-achieving women like you implement efficient, proven and sustainable ways to prioritize your health and find your confidence again.