The Guide to Eating Out and Staying Healthy & Eating Clean!

In this handy guide for eating out and staying healthy, we cover by cuisine some great tips for making healthy choices while eating out at restaurants. Choices that allow you the pleasure and convenience of being able to order food without the concern that eating out will cause you to forsake your goal of eating healthy and getting into shape.

The guides are organized by cuisine and include practical and easy to understand rules for everything from American to Thai cuisine. Use it as a handy way to make better choices while eating out and be sure to print it out for future reference. An e-book version of this blog post will be available in the near future to all newsletter subscribers, complete with actual sample menu selections so if you have not already done so please feel free to join my mailing list here.

Thanks in advance for reading my blog posts and I hope this guide helps you enjoy the important social act of eating out.

Eating Out & Staying In Shape- Restaurant Cuisine Rules for Healthy
Eating

There is such a wide variety of different cuisines to choose from when you
eat out. Each has a range of dishes that you can order with little in the way of
guilt but you have to know the rules. Sometimes there are things that you have
no control over, like sodium levels. Many restaurants pre-season their foods so
they can’t always accommodate you by whipping up a salt free version, but at
higher end establishments I’ve found them almost always willing to do just that.
The following guides will help you navigate the maze of many different food
choices from different cuisines. I couldn’t fit them all but just about most of
the main ones are covered. The rules apply to just about every type of food
known to man in the first place. They are categorized so you can skip ahead to
the cuisine you are interested in learning about but do take the time to read
them all as each contain valuable lessons on how making better choices in terms
of your food. Here is the list of cuisines covered:

American Cuisine
Chinese Cuisine
French Cuisine
Health Food & Organic
Cuisine
Indian Cuisine
Italian Cuisine
Japanese Cuisine (Highly
Recommended)

Mediterranean Cuisine
Mexican Cuisine
Thai Cuisine
Spanish Cuisine


American Cuisine- Eating Out &
Staying Healthy At American Restaurants

The steak is fine but the fries are a
no-no.
American cuisine is an incredibly diverse culinary set of foods that range
from barbequed meats to pies and seafood plates. Given the wonderfully different
traditions (from New England clam chowder to California rolls) that create what
we know today as American cuisine, it’s hard to narrow it down to a couple of
foods. Nevertheless there are some recommendations as to what you should and
shouldn’t eat if you are trying to keep your calories in check when eating at
American themed establishments. The great part about American cuisine is the
meats and seafood. You usually can’t go wrong with any such selections if you
get a vegetable dish or salad to go with it. Steakhouse standards are usually
fine as are grilled selections- shrimp included if it isn’t smothered in butter.
Ribs are usually okay if you only have them very infrequently and even then it’s
only a good idea if it isn’t smothered in sugary barbecue sauce- which for most
takes the fun out of eating it in the first place. Common side orders in many
restaurants are home cut fries and they are best avoided due to their high fat,
sodium and calorie content. Selections that come with bread like hamburgers are
fine as long as they aren’t loaded with salt and you leave the bread on the
side. If you can get a leaner meat like bison for your burgers that makes it
even better. It goes without saying that the obviously unhealthy additions like
mayonnaise are a no-no and the same goes for most commercial forms of ketchup
which are high in high fructose corn syrup and sugar. American cuisine is known
for its dessert selections- apple pie, cheesecake, ice cream and the like and as
we mentioned in the first part of the guide dessert is best avoided unless it’s
fruit. Not great news, I know but it is the easiest way to stay on track. The
practice of only having a small bit doesn’t help you learn how to appreciate
foods that aren’t overly sweet which is an important lesson that you need to
learn in order to be successful long term in controlling your weight and
maintaining good health.

American Cuisine Rules For Staying In Shape

Chinese Cuisine- Healthy Eating Out
At Chinese Restaurants
It’s important to note that most of what passes for
Chinese food here in the United States is actually American cuisine created by
Chinese immigrants who migrated to the country and formulated recipes that would
be appealing to the American public. Since they are just about everywhere, we
will cover these selections as well as the traditional Chinese fares which for
the most part fall into different categories based on what part of China the
food comes from. Cantonese cuisine is on the most popular when traditional
Chinese food comes to mind and it consists of range of edible meats including
duck, chicken as well as more exotic choices like organ meats, chicken feet,
snails and frogs. As alien as many of these foods may be to Western taste buds,
they are actually not bad from a health point of view. Cantonese foods tend to
be steamed, shallow fried, boiled, braised or deep fried and with the exception
of the fried foods everything else tends to be good choices as long as the
sauces stay on the side.
Dim Sum- which means ‘touch your heart’ and refers to a series of small
different dishes that give you an opportunity to taste several different foods.
Picks include rice based dishes, dumplings, buns with different meats inside,
stir fried vegetables and soups. As much as the choices may not always be ideal
calorie wise for someone trying to lose weight, the dishes are pretty small and
if you stick to the foods that are freshest and not fried, you should be okay –
as long as you don’t overdo it and keep the sauces on the side.
Other regional Chinese cuisines are Hunan which is usually spicy foods that
are either stewed, roasted, braised or smoked with an array of vegetables and
spices and Szechuan which uses a lot of garlic and peppers in addition to
peanuts, sesame pastes and ginger for flavoring.

Chinese Cuisine Rules
For Staying In Shape

French Cuisine- Eating Out &
Staying Healthy At French Restaurants

There are lots of healthy options at French
restaurants
Given that my better half hails from Paris and that I majored in French
when I was in school, it goes without saying that I have a soft spot for French
cuisine. Most would immediately think that all French foods are unhealthy as
images of wines and cheeses with rich meats and extensive desserts tend to come
to mind when French cuisine is mentioned, but there are many healthy selections.
As I mentioned in the first installment of the Eating Out Guide- if you believe
that there is nothing healthy on the menu you are far more likely to not see the
healthy choices that are right before your eyes and here we will dispel the myth
that all French food is bad for your waistline.
At French restaurants there is always a wide variety of meats and
vegetables and usually all you have to do is to have the sauces on the side.
French sauces are a wonderfully rich and flavorful tradition that gives
signature luxuriance to the meals found at French restaurants. That being said
most Americans don’t realize that the average French person doesn’t eat what you
would find in a restaurant on a regular basis in the same way everyone in Italy
doesn’t eat pasta every day.
There are many different regional differences to French cuisine but for the
most part you can always find something that won’t make you go overboard calorie
wise. Salads and vegetables are always available as appetizers as and make
excellent starting choices. As for entrees, seafood is always on the menu as are
grilled meats ranging from different kinds of poultry to beef, lamb and rabbit.
In moderation, any such protein foods are fine as long as they aren’t lathered
in sauce. For dessert fruit salads are often available and one of the best
aspects of French cuisine is that the portions are not usually as astronomical
as American cuisine which makes it much easier to not overdo it.
French Cuisine Rules
For Staying In Shape

Health Food & Organic Cuisine-
Eating Out & Staying Healthy At Health Food & Organic
Restaurants

Smoothies, juices and protein shakes are common items
at health food restaurants but they aren't necessarily healthy.
Today, there are a number of restaurant popping up that claim ‘Health Food’
as their cuisine type and as is the case with all things in the world of men,
some are better than others. The good ones aren’t simply well dressed fast food
restaurants but use whole and unprocessed ingredients and organic fruits,
vegetables and meats. Good health food restaurants also won’t have much in the
way of fried foods, but a large selection of grilled, steamed and baked dishes,
usually made from scratch.
The good news is that at such a restaurant you can usually get whatever you
like made to order without the extra sodium you’ll tend to find as standard in
most regular restaurants and that you’ll have a nice variety of choices. The bad
news is that just because it comes from a health food restaurant doesn’t mean
that the food you are getting is going to help you with your goal to get in
shape. Many offer lower calorie versions of junk food that are still far too
high in calories, sugars or fats to qualify as a healthy choice. Low fat pizza,
smoothies, protein shakes, muffins and the like shouldn’t be your selections
regardless of how many healthy adjectives are used to describe it on the menu.
Similarly, with lower fat foods like chicken breasts, bison and hummus be
careful if it comes with bread of any kind as it can be a source of some
unwanted calories- even if it is in the form of a thin wrap. Remember as well
that the laws of thermodynamics always apply and won’t changes because the
restaurant has a reputation as a great place for healthy meals. If you overeat
anything it can make you fat, so go easy on the portion sizes and enjoy the
wider selection of guilt free choices at healthy food joints in
moderation.

Health Food Cuisine
Rules For Staying In Shape

Indian Cuisine- Eating Out &
Staying Healthy At Indian Restaurants

Curried dishes can be a great choice when eating out

at Indian restaurants
Aside from the fact that my great-great grandfather came from India, Indian
foods are very much staples back in Trinidad where I grew up and I have a strong
fondness for curries and other Indian dishes. Like many Asian cuisines, many
think of Indian foods as a bit of a splurge diet wise, but it doesn’t
necessarily have to be the case. Curries for the most part are actually pretty
innocuous as far as calories go and are a simple and delightful way to add
flavor to foods when you are dieting and trying to lose weight. The ingredients
of cumin, coriander and turmeric are not only sodium free but also very low in
calories and are fine additions to both meat and vegetable dishes. While most of
the selections thus far offer quite a number of choices for carnivores, Indian
cuisines have many more picks for those wishing to avoid meat. You will always
have a wealth of vegetable plates to choose from.
Like many cooking styles Indian cuisine has a variety of different regional
variations and ways of preparing their meals, but for the most part the staples
are rice, lentils, mung beans, split peas, an unleavened bread like dishes such
as roti and naan and a variety of vegetables. Northern Indian cuisines use
peanut oils to cook their foods, while coconut oil and milk are more popular in
the west and the south. Tandoori barbecued meats are common in northern Indian
cuisines along with an ample range of spices and herbs. Ghee is an important
part of Indian cooking and is derived from butter. It is very high in fat and
modern versions are made with hydrogenated vegetable oil and should be avoided
as much as possible. You can’t really go wrong with many of the items on the
menu of a traditional Indian restaurant as long as you keep the sauces to a
minimum- although as I said before curries are usually fine. Naan bread and roti
are okay if eaten in moderation and only before you are going to do some form of
exercise or activity. If it is later in the day it would be wise to skip
it.

Indian Cuisine Rules For Staying In Shape

Italian Cuisine- A Guide To Eating
Out & Staying Healthy At Italian Restaurants

Spaghetti isn't the only dish served at Italian
restaurants- there are lots of healthy choices
First and foremost it should be noted that Italian cuisine isn’t only pizza
and pasta. Both are on the verboten list of most trying to get into shape but it
really isn’t representative of the extremely healthy and varied choices
available at finer Italian restaurants. Pasta is cause for concern calorie wise
as it is not too far away from being a simple sugar and has very little in the
way of fiber to prevent a major insulin spike when you eat it. The lack of fiber
also makes it hard for you to know when you have eaten too much as you probably
have already gone far overboard by the time you start feeling full. Add to that
the high calorie and high fat sauces and cheese and you are indeed looking at a
perfect recipe for extra notched on your belt- but Italian foods aren’t only
about pasta.
Here in New York there are more Italian restaurants than any other
individual ethnic cuisine, and more often than not the more expensive the
restaurant the more variety away from pasta and pizza dishes you’ll see. At any
reputable Italian restaurant you’ll always have a great selection of salads and
vegetables- especially as an appetizer. For main courses seafood is usually a
safe bet with any sauces on the side so you can add it later if you so choose to
do so, most of the poultry and meat plates are reasonable choices as well. Give
all the cheeses a wide berth and do the same for the rich sauces and you will
always be fine.

Italian Cuisine Rules For Staying In Shape

Japanese Cuisine- Eating Out &
Staying Healthy At Japanese Restaurants

Japanese restaurants offer some of the best choices
for healthy eating out.
Japanese food has been a staple in my diet ever since I moved to New York.
In terms of cuisine, it is usually the easiest place to find healthy and
wholesome foods that are in line with my diet. So much so that I have a bit of a
mantra- whenever in doubt- go Japanese! With such a wide assortment of fresh
fish, vegetables and sashimi you simply can’t go wrong if you know what to
get.
The first rule of thumb for eating out or getting takeout from a Japanese
restaurant is to order sashimi and not
sushi. Sushi is made with rice and can often contain
unwanted levels of sodium and added sugars whereas sashimi is simply raw fish.
While there is no such thing as a perfect food- raw fish certainly fits the bill
as a good low calorie and high protein food that will not only fill you up but
ensure that you aren’t taking in any added sugars, salt or additives. You can
also add some wasabi and ginger for some added flavor without any guilt as they
are both very low in calories. You can have sashimi at any time of the day and
it gives you an eating out option even on the strictest phase of any diet. My
personal training clients have thrived on it for years with great results but as
good as sashimi may be, all things must be eaten in moderation. You can overeat
anything if you aren’t too careful and be mindful of the mercury levels of some
of the bigger fishes used in sashimi, like salmon and tuna. Having it once in a
while is fine, but not but not every day. Apart from sashimi, traditional
Japanese restaurants offer a plethora of other great choices with meals that
cater easily to vegetarians as well. Getting to the other items on the menu at
Blue Ribbon Sushi there is truly a huge selection of plates that fall into the
good food category. You will always be on track if you have a vegetable based
appetizer with the sauces on the side but be wary of the use of soy sauce- which
is extremely high in sodium and not what I would consider a part of any healthy
food list. Miso soup contains a lot of sodium and soy as well, which I advise
people to either avoid completely or eat in very small amounts and you are
better off having a salad for starters anyway.
For main courses, you can have sushi on occasion if it is for lunch or you
plan on being active afterwards. A general rule during the week is to have rice
dishes on days you exercise or plan on being really active and have vegetables
on the off days when you won’t need as much energy. All of the seafood, poultry,
vegetable and meat selections are usually fine as long as they are not fried-
which eliminates the tempura dishes. Teriyaki dishes as well should be given a
wide berth as they contain soy sauce, sake or mirin, as well as high levels of
sugar or honey. Instead go for the steamed dishes and ask for any sauces to be
either not brought with your meal or placed on the side. To summarize, Japanese
restaurants are prime locations for anyone looking to eat healthy but be sure to
check the Health Inspection Grades and the reputation of the restaurant you go
to if you are going to have sashimi or sushi. Having raw fish that isn’t kept at
the proper temperatures or prepared correctly can cause severe illness- so don’t
pick up your sushi or sashimi at the supermarket- especially in summer! Stick
with the choices only from reputable Japanese restaurants.

Japanese Cuisine Rules
For Staying In Shape

Mediterranean Cuisine- A Guide To
Eating Out & Staying Healthy At Mediterranean
Restaurants

Hummus is fine when eaten in moderation
Thanks to the commercial success of many of the Mediterranean diet books
most of us are aware that the emphasis on seafood, beans vegetables and olive
oil and garlic infused meals create healthy items on any menu. One of the
problems is that it is hard to define Mediterranean cuisine as a whole as it
encompasses so many countries- from the African Middle Eastern countries like
Egypt and Tunisia to Israeli, Greek and even French and Italian cuisines. That
being said most Mediterranean restaurants here in the United States tend to have
what many would term Middle Eastern food- but appellations aside they do offer
great healthy choices for eating out or ordering in.

Hummus is perhaps one of the standards these days for many eating at
Mediterranean restaurants and it is a spread made from made from cooked, mashed
chickpeas, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. The
sodium content can sometimes be high but at higher end restaurants it tends to
be a bit lower. Hummus is a great food choice that’s high in fiber and protein
but you must be aware that it isn’t a low calorie food and it is easy to overdo
it. Usually used as a dip with pita bread or with falafel, grilled chicken, fish
or eggplant. Aside from falafel- which is a deep fried patty made from chickpeas
or fava beans- having hummus with the other selections is fine. Combined with
pita it creates a complete protein for anyone following the vegetarian route but
be aware as well that pita bread does come with some added calories and can be
easy to overeat. I usually recommend that people avoid breads altogether but if
you must have it then do so in moderation. Other hallmarks of Mediterranean
cuisine are variety of lamb, goat, yogurts and cheeses. Most restaurants have
roasted meats on the menu which are always good choices but the cheeses and
yogurts should be on the side if you want to keep your diet in check. There are
also an assortment of vegetable dishes- okra, lentil pilafs, eggplant and wheat
germ plates that are fantastic foods for anyone not wanting to eat meat. As good
as the food may be, do keep in mind that you can overeat anything- so be
vigilant of your portion sizes and get all sauces on the side so you can be in
control of how much of it you eat- if any.

Mediterranean Food
Rules For Staying In Shape

Caribbean Cuisine (See rules for
Spanish and Indian Foods)


Mexican Cuisine- A Guide To Eating
Healthy At Mexican Restaurants

Mexican restaurants offer a variety of healthy
choices
Mexican restaurants are often thought of as places where healthy food isn’t
on the menu and nothing could be further from the truth. As a rule, most quality
Mexican restaurants offer a range of wholesome food choices that you can have
while staying within the boundaries of eating healthy- you just have to make
sure that you don’t overdo it. Of late, chain restaurants like Chipotle have
opened across the country with a variety of healthy selections on the menu doing
much to show that Mexican cuisine does indeed have a lot to offer those who are
health conscious. Be mindful though that not everything on the menu falls into
that category, even though it might be marketed as such.
To start or as your main course, any chicken or meat based salad is fine-
but you have to forgo the cheese, the dressing and the guacamole if you want to
keep your calorie count down. If you must have salsa- ask for it on the side as
opposed to drowning your food in it- that way you can moderate how much of it
you eat as it can be a source of added calories and unwanted sodium. Things like
chips and guacamole are obviously not great candidates nor are soft tacos with
cheese and sour cream added to it. If you must have a taco, have it custom made
without anything added to the protein selection except for beans, corn and or
rice. It’s a bit of a splurge so don’t have it too often and only if you plan on
being active afterwards. Burritos can be a problem since everything is wrapped
up but burrito bowls are fine as you can ask for the sour cream, guacamole and
salsa to be omitted or on the side. Again these are foods you have before doing
something- not late night dinner choices and be sure not to go overboard with
it.
At many Mexican restaurants, steak is usually on the menu as is poultry,
ceviche, seafood salads and soups. As long as the salt levels aren’t too high
and you stay clear of the usual suspects like quesadillas and nachos you should
be fine. While I am not a huge corn advocate, if the restaurant serves
organically grown fare then corn tortillas should be okay in moderation.


Mexican Food Rules For
Staying In Shape

Spanish Cuisine- Eating Out &
Staying Healthy At Spanish Restaurants

Seafood dishes are great healthy choices for eating
out at Spanish restaurants but go easy on the rice if you aren't going to be
active later on
By Spanish food, I will include not only the foods of European origin but
also the foods found in restaurants with cuisines from South America and the
Spanish speaking Caribbean as well as they tend to be similar in many ways. The
Spanish influence on the colonies is quite evident and for the most part Spanish
food tends to have an impressive assortment of plates. From seafood, paellas,
and other shrimp dishes to steaks, chorizo and rice dishes. As always you can
hardly falter if you choose to have a protein or vegetable based appetizer and a
main course of seafood, poultry or meats with the sauces on the side.
Rice dishes such as paella are common throughout most Spanish cuisines with
rice and bean plates such as arroz con gandules more common in the Caribbean
islands. All are fine choices when eaten in moderation and with an eye for what
you are going to do next. A good way to look at it is that starchy carbohydrates
like rice, potatoes and the like are energy foods you eat before doing some form
activity, so if you plan on not doing anything after your meal you should go
easy on them and have more fibrous carbohydrates like vegetables instead. On
your training days rice dishes are fine- but have veggies on your off days or if
you are eating later in the day and plan on going to bed afterwards. It is a
myth that eating and then going to bed will make you fat as the time of the day
that you eat doesn’t influence whether you store calories or not. What is
important is that at the end of the day most people are more likely to overeat
and not do anything with the excess calories ingested- so make it a rule not to
load up later in the day.
Tomato based dishes are fine as well as long as they are not too high in
sodium as are shrimp plates. There is much said about shrimp being an inherently
unhealthy food and while I personally don’t eat it due to the way it is farmed
and the harm such farming does to the environment, I see no reason why it can’t
be consumed in moderation as long as it isn’t fried or smothered in butter even
though it has a high fat content. With more Caribbean Spanish foods, pork dishes
such as pernil and chuletas are fine as long as you limit yourself but beware of
the fried dishes, especially ones like maduros- fried plantains which are highly
addictive!
Eating anything in excess can make you fat- so be especially aware if you
are having tapas that while you are enjoying the ambiance and perhaps the
company that you may not know when enough is enough if you don’t pay attention
to how much you are eating. And of course be sure to avoid alcohol as much as
you can.

Spanish Cuisine Rules
For Staying In Shape

Steakhouse (see American Cuisine)

Thai Cuisine- Eating Out &
Staying Healthy At Thai Restaurants

Ask for the sauces on the side and you will always
have something healthy to eat at Thai restaurants
The first thing that strikes you in any Thai Restaurant is the abundance of
peanut and curry sauces. Curry is actually fine and used by many while dieting
to add flavor to their food while shedding extra pounds. The peanut sauces are
okay as long as you are able to moderate yourself. As high calorie as peanuts
can be, our bodies don’t metabolize those calories the way it does other foods
so a little here and there should be okay. Most Thai restaurants and Asian
restaurants in general boast an abundance of seafood and healthy protein dishes
to choose from. Appetizers menus tend to be filled with protein foods, salads
and vegetables which are always good choices. As always, don’t have appetizers
if you are eating later in the day or are not going to be terribly active after
your meal.
In Thai cuisine, there is an array of dishes with beef, pork, chicken, duck
and fish with the occasional exotic foods like frog, crab and muscle tendons
(which aren’t bad at all if you are adventurous enough to order it). In general,
the roasted and barbecued meats are always good choices as are the steamed
seafood selections like red snapper, tilapia, striped bass crab and shrimp.
Vegetable dishes abound as well and curries and peanut sauces are fine as well
as we mentioned before in moderation. If possible though try to get it on the
side and dip you food in it for flavor as opposed to having your main course
swimming in it. That way, you’ll cut the calories down a bit. Rice dishes are
fine for active days while vegetables should replace them for dinner or later
meals where you aren’t going to be doing much after your meal.

Thai Cuisine Rules For
Staying In Shape