Eating out is a favorite thing to do for many people and for many reasons. Perhaps your entertaining business clients, or maybe meeting friends. Maybe you just don't like to cook. Regardless of the reason, if you want to in shape, restaurant meals serve up a huge obstacle. In case you haven't noticed, eating at restaurants is one of the biggest reasons why so many people fatten up.

I've come up with a few tricks that I use to stay lean when I have to eat out and I'll let you in on my secret...(shhh, don't tell any one.)

Three things every restaurant has that you should avoid:

• deep fried foods (anything battered that got a scorching bath of trans fats)

• refined starchy foods

• any sodas, juices, or other sugary foods (except whole fruits, which are great)

If you can skip these three evil delights, You will eliminate the major sources that do the worst damage in your diet - trans fats, refined vegetable oils, refined starchy carbohydrates, and processed sugars.

And you know what this means don't you? Skip the table bread (ouch!), skip the french fries that are the companion of every sandwich on every menu known to man (say it ain't so!), and reduce those heaping portions of pasta and rice that come as side items as well (oh, the injustice of it all!).

I know, I know, but the healthy thing to do instead is..... try to order just meat with side vegetables, and a salad, asking for the vegetables or salad as a substitute for the typical french fries, pasta, or rice, that most restaurant meals usually come with. Almost every restaurant I have ever been to has always allowed me to substitute vegetables or a side salad for the french fries or chips.

Lets take a look at the typical differences this simple substitution makes in your diet...

This is what most people typically get when they make their order :

• Burger or sandwich
• chips or fries
• soda or other sweetened drink (and no, diet sodas are NOT healthy!)

If you care about your body and health, A much smarter alternative is this simple change:

• Burger or Sandwich
• Salad or veggies
  
• Unsweetened iced tea or water (no diet drinks -- unless you like to drink poison!)

These 2 simple changes result in saving at least 400 - 900 calories every single time you dine out (depending on drink refills and fries portion sizes)... AND - you are cutting out the most harmful foods for your body as well by avoiding those evil trans fats and high fructose corn syrup from the fries and soft drinks.

See, you can "Make Healthier Choices when Fast Food is the Only Option".

I sincerely hope these tips help you make smarter and healthier choices for a lean body next time you eat out.