Making healthy choices and staying in your daily calorie limit while eating out can be extremely challenging.  It's almost impossible to avoid eating out entirely, so having a few ground rules can help you stay on track while you dine out.  Here are some of my favorite tactics:

Prepare Ahead of Time

If you have the luxury of choosing a restaurant yourself, do some homework ahead of time and research your options online.  Our database contains most popular casual dining restaurant chains and fast food establishments.  For everything else, try using a site such as Yelp or MenuPages to find healthy restaurants and their menus.  Look for specialty organic, vegetarian, "raw" or macrobiotic restaurants.  Many of them are very tasty and extremely healthy.

Even if you can't choose where you eat, you can prepare for the meal by spending a few extra minutes working out or cutting back your intake the rest of the day.  Just make sure you don't starve yourself and show up at the restaurant famished and ready to eat anything and everything.

General Rules

Many restaurants prepare foods with lots of fat, oil, and cream (maybe that's why they taste so good), so avoid dishes that are fried, use fatty meats, or come with heavy sauces.  One of my friends has vowed to "never eat anything in a white sauce", though I find this rule just a bit too restrictive.

Drinks

Obviously the same rules apply as when you are at home.  Avoid all those empty calorie sodas, frozen drinks, and alcohol and enjoy the tap water - hey, it's free!

Appetizers

It's easy to cave with a delicious bread basket.  If there are a few different types of breads you'd like to try, break them into smaller size samples and go light on the butter.

Salads (with dressing on the side) and non-creamy or oily soups are great appetizer options.  If you can't find a suitable entree, you can always order two healthier appetizers.

Main Course

Again, the general rules of avoiding foods with lots of fat, oil, or cream apply.  Look for grilled lean meats, such as chicken or fish, with steamed vegetables or rice on the side.  Many restaurants are more than happy to make substitutions or prepare items not listed on the menu, so don't be afraid to bug your waiter with special requests.  Be sure to eat slowly and remember you don't have to clean your plate.  Some people find it helpful to divide their plate immediately into a portion they intend to eat right away and a portion they intend to take home as leftovers.

Dessert

A hot cup of coffee or tea (with sugar substitute if required) can provide a wonderful, low-calorie ending to a delicious meal.  If you're still hungry and craving a dessert, you can often find healthy choices such as fresh fruit or fat-free sorbets.  Make sure to get extra utensils and split it with the rest of the table.

Nobody's Perfect

We can't be expected to make healthy choices 100% of the time.  If you made a few bad choices, or even went off the rails completely, remember it's only one meal of many in your life.  Most of the time, we eat out to celebrate a special occasion or spend time with our friends and family, so while it's good not to compromise your diet, it's also an occasion that should be enjoyed.

What are your tips for eating out and staying healthy?