My Go-To Dining Out Orders for Weight Loss

My Go-To Dining Out Orders for Weight Loss!

As a dietitian who has struggled with weight loss and body image, I know how stressful it can be to eat at a restaurant and not know what TF to order to stay on track with your goals.

That’s why I want to show you exactly what I’d order at restaurants I normally go to so you can feel more confident making decisions on the fly and hit your weight loss goals!

Whenever I go out to eat, I try to follow the same guidelines for every meal – ensuring I have a protein, starchy carb, and a veggie!

1. Chicken or steak fajitas. I LOVE Mexican food but it can also be a very calorie-dense meal. You’ll get protein from chicken or steak and then a ton of veggies to fill up on. To keep the meal more calorie-friendly, I’ll get more picky with my carb choices as well. Fajitas usually come with tortillas, beans, and rice. Instead of eating 100% of all three, I’ll eat maybe 25% of all of them OR just eat the tortillas and a little bit of beans or something.
2. Build your own salad bowl. I’ll opt for this at places like Chipotle or Mediterranean-style restaurants like Cava. I choose a salad base and then add my calorie-dense options if I want them (rice, beans, chickpeas, etc.). My go-to order at Chipotle is a BYO salad bowl with black beans, chicken, pico, and light queso.
3. Burger with a side salad or roasted veggies. Do I get a salad or veggies every time I get a burger? Of course not. It really depends on what the rest of my day looks like or if I decide that I want this to be a more flexible meal.
4. Grilled chicken nuggets/tenders with fries and a sauce. This one is more obvious at Chick-fil-A, but I’ve also gone to BBQ places and ordered the exact same thing! If grilled options aren’t listed on the menu, sometimes restaurants can accommodate those requests if you just ask 🙂
5. Filet mignon with grilled veggies and a baked potato. I’m a sucker for a good steak and you have more options for healthier sides at a steakhouse. You pick your main protein option and then your starchy carb side, with a veggie – boom, boom boom!

My biggest piece of advice is that just because you have the option for certain foods at restaurants, doesn’t mean you have to choose them. If you choose to go all out every time you go out to eat, it’s likely going to set you back with your health and fitness goals, especially if it’s a frequent occurrence.

As someone who travels frequently throughout the year, (which includes a lot of eating on the fly), my life can be crazy. But having a hectic schedule is not an excuse not to achieve your dream body. You can still go out to eat and have a social life without sacrificing your goals, it just takes some planning ahead and being mindful of your choices.

I hope you can take some of these tips and use them to help you feel more confident making these choices when you’re out and about!

XO, Mel