Follow these easy ways to make healthy choices while eating out

Busy lifestyles keep us from eating regular, balanced meals. But that doesn't mean we can't change that with a little bit of planning and thought.

The key is to try to eat a variety of foods. There is no one magic food. Each food offers special nutrients others do not. The second key is moderation. Even soda and chips, in moderation, can fit into a well-balanced diet. For the most part, try to choose natural or lightly processed foods as often as possible, such as eating whole wheat rather than white bread, apples rather than apple juice, and baked potatoes rather than
potato chips.

As more Americans are seeking healthful choices, (many convenience food) chains are developing new products.

If you want nutrition information from any of the larger chains, ask the manager or write directly to the company. You probably won't be able to determine the exact nutrient content of foods served at your local non-chain fast food restaurant, but many restaurants offer some selections with 'healthy heart' symbols for the low calorie, low fat alternatives.

As with all aspects of healthy nutrition, eating out at convenience food chains involves planning. This not only includes a choice of the restaurant and menu, but also requires a global view of your day. If you're going to eat out, it's better to plan for it early. When a burger restaurant is your last-minute decision at (7 p.m.) and you are starving, you may be setting yourself up for high-risk eating. Consuming three out of five calories as fat or refined sugar, as many people do, affects more than our waistlines. It crowds-out fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, and other nutrient-packed foods. We also don't get the fiber we need - fiber that may help protect us against heart attacks and cancers (which are more prevalent in people with a diet high in fat and calories).

With some planning, you can find healthy meals at convenience food restaurants. The goal is to try to have the main entree under 15 grams of fat, and the whole meal under 20 grams of fat. This amount represents about one-third of the fat allowance for a 1500-calorie eating plan or one-fourth of that for a 2000-calorie plan. So, you can eat healthy, even when eating out.

Even when dining at an "upscale"restaurant, advance planning is a good survival skill. Start early. If you expect to be dining out in the evening, anticipate your whole day's food requirements and plan the meals you consume for the remainder of the day around your plans to eat out. You will avoid excesses in your daily calories and fat requirements. It is very easy at the end of a tiring day to decide to go out to eat and to end up eating too much. Fatigue is a high risk trigger for many people. Is it one of yours? If it is, be careful about eating out on the spur of the moment.
At a restaurant, you can:

• Order from the a la carte menu.
• Choose a salad, soup and roll (with jam, not butter or margarine).
• Choose a salad and an appetizer or two.
• Think before you order.
• Before beginning to eat, ask for a "doggie bag."
• Order meats, fish, or poultry broiled or grilled without butter, sauces on the side.
Good choices: petite filet, marinated breast of chicken, broiled fish or seafood, and steamed shellfish.
• Eat half of the main entree and save the rest for lunch tomorrow.
• Look for the hidden fat items on the menu. Beware of terms like: sautéed (cooked in butter), crispy, fried, deep-fried, and au gratin (in cheese).
• Share a meal (entree, desserts). Order separate salads to complete each meal.
• Ask for sauces and dressings on the side. Dip your fork into the sauce or dressing, then spear the food.
• Limit alcoholic beverages. Consider club soda with lime, orange or tomato juice, etc.
• Watch the bread basket.
• If you are very hungry, a small roll or two crackers may take the edge off your appetite. But use judgment on how much bread you should eat. And limit the butter. Better yet - skip the butter or margarine.
(This article represents an excerpt from "Executive Wellness: A Guide for Senior Leaders", an online book written and edited by staff and contributors at the U.S. Army Physical Fitness Research Institute (USAPFRI), U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. It is reprinted from http://www. hooah4health.com, sponsored by the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, the Army National Guard, and the Office of the Chief, Army Reserve.)