The key to watching calories at restaurants is to eat normally, not excessively. Many times, the dining-out experience is one to gather with friends and family, laugh, and enjoy some quality time together. Sure, we need our sustenance, but don’t get pulled into the splurge mode—a natural tendency when surrounded by plentiful bounty.

To help keep calories under control while dining out, try these tips:

1. Start with soup or salad. Filling your empty stomach with soup or salad before a meal is a good way to keep you from bingeing on your entrée later. Be selective. A clear, broth-based soup with vegetables is particularly good as an appetizer because soups in general tend to decrease your appetite. A garden salad also helps hold you over until your entrée arrives. Ask for the dressing on the side so you can spoon on just a tablespoon or so, and use a vinaigrette dressing, and avoid Ranch, Caesar, and Blue Cheese.
2. Have just one piece of bread. It’s easy to inhale the breadbasket while waiting for our entrée. If you like good French or sourdough bread, enjoy one piece at the table. Go easy on the butter. And if the bread is simply too tempting, ask the waiting to take the basket away. When it's out of sight, it's out of mind.
3. Ask for substitutions. These days, most restaurants are eager to please diet-conscious diners. So politely ask your waiter for substitutions. Request a side salad instead of fries. Or order your omelet with low-fat cheese and egg whites. Also, if you want to cut your carbs, ask to have the entrée’s starch (i.e. rice, potatoes, etc.) substituted for extra veggies or a side salad.
4. Enjoy sauces on the side. Ordering salad dressing and other sauces on the side is the most sensible way to control the amount of fat you eat at a restaurant. You can enjoy the most decadent sauces if you limit your intake to about one tablespoon of sauce. You can even order pasta sauce on the side, a good strategy if eating Italian food in the US where restaurants tend to flood the pasta with rich sauces.
5. Order foods grilled instead of fried. Go for fish, steak, or chicken that is grilled, not fried or drenched in sauce. Look for entrées that are blackened with a spice rub or marinated in a balsamic vinaigrette or wine sauce. Those tend to be healthier than food served with cream or butter. Also, look for grilled meats served with a vegetable-based sauce such as salsa. They make a great combination.
6. Share entrées or get leftovers to go. No one says you have to clean your plate before leaving the table. Share an entrée with a friend. Waiters are happy to bring an extra plate. At many restaurants, they'll even split the entrée onto two plates in the kitchen. If your dining partner doesn't want to share, take half your entrée home for lunch the next day.
7. Learn about the menu in advance. Planning ahead may be your best defense against dishes that can sabotage your diet. See if your restaurant has a menu on the Internet, or check out the Restaurant Nutrition Guide online to see if your restaurant is listed. Look over the menu at home, and choose healthier options in advance. Or pick up a menu on your way out of a favorite restaurant. Estimate the calories and fat in different options before your next visit. Some restaurants have already done the work for you. Look for small hearts next to menu items. Any dish that is "heart healthy" is usually also low calorie.