Eating out and losing weight don’t belong in the same sentence…

At least, that’s how you view things. 

As far as you’re concerned, it’d be like trying to meditate in a busy neighborhood.

It.

Just.

Wouldn’t.

Work.

Friends asking you out to eat makes you anxious. 

“What would eating out do to my diet?” you think to yourself.

I mean…You haven’t come this far with your calorie deficit to just throw it all away.

In your mind, eating out on a diet = sacrificing all the hard-earned progress you’ve made.

Here’s something you should know though…

You don’t have to think about eating out and losing weight as polar opposites.

The two can 100% coexist.

In this article, I’ll be helping you come up with a game plan so you can eat out guilt-free and actually enjoy yourself while staying on track with your weight loss goals. 

Weight loss and eating out can definitely coexist, and I’m here to show you how.

Today, we’re going to be talking about how you can make eating out on a diet fun and enjoyable without fear of ruining all your progress. 

 

 

Tips for eating out on a diet and losing weight

 

1. Realize one meal won’t erase all your progress

I reeeeaaally need you to take this one to heart when it comes to weight loss and eating out…

Write it on a notecard, memorize it, drill it into your brain. 

One meal can’t make you fat, the same way one meal won’t get you super lean or make you skinny. 

One eat out isn’t a reflection of your progress.

Results are driven by what you do most of the time, not all the time. 

If you’re consistent with that, you’ll continue to make amazing fat loss progress. 

When you think about eating out on a diet, I want you to let go of this “all-or-nothing” mindset, or any guilt or anxiety you might feel.

It’s.

Just.

One.

Meal.

Emphasis on ONE.

 

 

2. Get a game plan together 

Benjamin Franklin once said:

“Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” 

I don’t know about you but that quote is true for me a solid 100 out of 100 times.

How relaxed, confident, and at ease does it feel heading into something when you actually have a plan? 

Here’s how to create that game plan in terms of eating out on a diet…

Look up the nutritional information of the restaurant you’re going to. 

A lot of restaurants post their nutritional information right online.

Just google something like “*insert restaurant here* menu calories.” 

Or you could go into MyFitnessPal or whatever app you use to count calories and get menu/nutrition information that way.

Pick out 2-3 dishes you’re thinking about ordering (If, for whatever reason, your first choice isn’t available you’ll have an option or two to fall back on). 

Once you have a list of potential dishes you might want, you can build the rest of your day out around that to ensure you’re staying within your calories.

FYI, you might run into a situation where you’re eating out on a diet somewhere local and can’t find their nutrition information online. 

When that happens, simply find a comparable restaurant with a comparable dish and log your calories that way. 

Things won’t always be 100% perfect but something will ALWAYS be better than nothing.

 

3. Hold some calories back for your eat out 

You could be eating out on a diet 6 times a week (I’m not recommending this and I bet your bank account wouldn’t either) and as long as you’re in a calorie deficit, you’d still lose weight.

But considering the fact your eat out is probably going to be a higher-calorie meal, you want to “budget” accordingly for the rest of your day.

By “budget” I mean holding back some calories to make room for your eat out.  

Saving some calories with your other meals gives you more leeway when it comes to eating out on a diet.   

How do you keep your calories low with your other meals?

• Lean protein sources: 1. Protein keeps you fuller for longer and 2. Just eating it actually speeds up your metabolism. 
• High-volume foods like fruits (no, their natural sugar won’t make you fat) and vegetables where you get to eat a lot on fewer calories
• Stay hydrated with 0-calorie drinks (water, diet soda, MiO, etc): Sometimes, thirst masks itself as hunger.
• Lower-calorie alternatives of foods you’re already eating (that still taste great): Bolthouse Farms Condiments and Salad Dressings, Ole Xtreme Wellness Wraps instead of flour tortillas, Live Carb Smart Bread, Greek yogurt (Dannon Light + Fit yogurt packs are my go-to), PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter, light mayo, low or fat-free cheese.

 

4. Have a snack before you go out

What happens if you go out to eat on an empty stomach?

You set yourself up to make some not-so-great food decisions by going out to eat on an empty stomach.

But when you get to the restaurant and growling louder than a full-grown lion that hasn’t eaten in a week, what are you going to do?

I’ll tell you what…

You’re going to say “screw this diet” and overeat. 

To combat this, eat a snack prior to going out, something higher in protein you bought at the store this past week using your weight loss grocery list.

 

5. Drink water 

I mentioned this a few sections up but sometimes people make the mistake of thinking they’re hungry, when, in reality, they’re really just thirsty.

That’s because thirst can disguise itself as hunger. 

Ultimately, you want to be hydrated regardless of whether or not you’re eating out on a diet but drinking water before and throughout your meal can help keep hunger in check. 

I’d recommend having 2-3 glasses of water right before going out to eat, one before your food arrives, and then during your meal as well. 

I bet you’re wondering just how much of an impact can water really have when eating out on a diet? 

Check this study out…

Over 12 weeks, participants who drank two glasses of water prior to eating lost 5 pounds more, on average, than those who didn’t (both groups ate in a calorie deficit). 

 

6. Build your meal around protein and veggies

Here’s the eating out on a diet cheat code for what to order…

Build your meal around protein and veggies.

Both are foods that make for an easier calorie deficit.

If you recall back to tip #3, protein is king when it comes to staying full, which will help you keep calories down. 

You also burn calories just by eating protein (roughly 20-30% of the calories you eat in protein get burned off due to the thermic effect of food). 

Choose a lean source of protein like chicken, turkey, white fish, pork loin, or tofu.

FYI, just because something is a leaner cut of meat doesn’t automatically make it lower in calories (think fried chicken or battered fish). 

Then, you have your vegetables.

If you’re looking for low-calorie options when eating out (aka high-volume foods), you really can’t go wrong with a plate full of veggies. 

 

7. Find a “happy medium” with your order  

 

The truth about weight loss is that it’s a lot more sustainable when you make room for your favorites. 

You don’t have to ONLY eat lean protein and veggies.

This example applies to pretty much any restaurant but let’s say your eating out on a diet meal is Chick Fil A. 

Typically, you’d get a fried chicken sandwich, large fries, and a lemonade.

Can’t forget their lemonade! 🤤

Instead of your normal order, you could back on calories and have some balance with your meal by opting for a grilled chicken sandwich and then getting a small side of fries with a diet lemonade. 

Or let’s say their nuggets are an absolute MUST for you.

Still get those but instead of fries, have a fruit cup to go with it.

See what I mean by finding that “happy medium?” 

 

8. Ask the wait staff to box half your meal before bringing it to the table

Sometimes, restaurants can double or triple up on the portion sizes they serve you.  

Which, I guess is a good thing if you want to get the most bang for your eating out on a diet buck.

But not so much when you’re trying to stay in a calorie deficit.

Consider asking for half your meal to be boxed before you even see it so you won’t be tempted by the “I don’t want to be a food waster so I have to finish everything on my plate” syndrome.

Also, sometimes restaurants will have a half-entrée option, or “lunch portions” (smaller serving sizes and fewer calories).

 

9. Keep liquid calories in mind

Liquid calories don’t just evaporate into thin air when eating out on a diet.

It’d be nice if they did though… 

So, yes, that means accounting for soda and alcoholic drinks (FYI, alcohol contains 7 calories per gram).

You can definitely still fit your favorite mixed drink or soda that isn’t diet into your eat out but these calories can add up fast if you’re not careful. 

Just one glass of red wine contains about 125 calories.

What about a serving of regular Sprite?

140 calories.

And if you’re having more than one glass of wine or multiple refills of soda, think for a second just how many calories that would end up being…

I’m not saying to not drink or not get regular soda.

Just keep the fact that they contain calories in mind and plan accordingly.

 

10. Seriously, just enjoy your meal

If this is a special occasion (like a birthday, you’re on vacation, etc), can you do just one thing for me?

Enjoy.

Your.

Meal.

Don’t worry about counting calories, tracking your macros, or fitting anything into your diet. 

There’s a time for all that but celebrations, being on vacation, and things like that just aren’t it.

I’ll come back to what I said earlier…

You don’t get fat from a single meal and one meal won’t make you fit or super lean either. 

Now, if you’re eating out 5-6 times a week and not counting calories or treating weekends like a big, giant “eat whatever you want” period, obviously, it’s going to be preeeeetttyyy difficult to maintain a calorie deficit.

 

 

Eating out on a diet FAQs

 

Is it possible to eat healthy while eating out?

Keep in mind that “healthy” doesn’t equal automatic fat loss.

But yes, we’ve gone over numerous ways to stay on track with your calorie deficit while still enjoying eatouts. 

Just refer back to the tips from this list! 

 

Are there any foods to avoid when eating out?

Yes, I have a list longer than a kid’s Christmas list to Santa Clause who’s been well-behaved all year… 

Don’t eat carb-heavy foods like bread, rice, pasta, donuts, and cookies.

Limit foods that contain fats.

Oh, and don’t even THINK about eating foods with any sugar.

Siiiiike.

I’m just playin’. 

There is no such thing as “good” or “bad” foods.

You can eat out and lose weight without “avoiding” anything.

Think about eating out on a diet like this: 

What food choices can I make at this moment to help me stay on track with my weight loss goals?

 

Should you workout extra or do more cardio after eating out on a diet?

Not a chance.

Even if you binged out and went over your calories, don’t feel like you have to punish yourself with an extra fasted cardio session or switch up your workout routine and add an additional strength training workout.

Things happen and you don’t have anything to “make up” for.

It should be ingrained into your mind by now but I’ll say this one last time…

One meal can’t make you fat, the same way one meal won’t get you crazy lean and into excellent shape.