The weekend is here and with that comes major distractions to ones diet! I know this from personal experience! I posted last time about how to avoid food cravings. But what about food distractions?! The food that is blatantly in front of your face and so easy to just reach out and grab?! How do we go about eating out the healthy way? Like when your friends say, “Hey, lets go out for happy hour.” So you go and they want to order a pitcher of margaritas, and then the server brings you chips and salsa, and then everyone decides to order dinner…. wow, the calories just keep adding up don’t they!

When it comes to the drinks, if you want to not drink a lot – and avoid those “empty” calories, order something you wouldn’t normally order. That way you will be less likely to pound it down and order another… instead you’ll sip on it and pretty much babysit it.

And when it comes to those darn chips and salsa – avoid them at all cost! They are usually fried and full of calories and not much nutrition. Before you know it your filled up on chips and no nutrition to claim from it. BOO! I know they taste so good, but really, seriously, avoid them. And this goes for any appetizer type food… they are usually fattening (not always, but most likely). And why do you need these extra calories anyway? Restaurants usually give plenty of food for your main entree (see below for tips on this, too).

Instead stick with the dinner idea. Order something with healthy words like grilled, baked, roasted, steamed, and sautéed. And avoid foods that are fried, breaded, buttered, smothered or creamy and cheesy. These words in your meal not the way to eating out the healthy way!

When ordering a salad, remember that not all salads are healthy… some have tons of toppings that can add up in calories and the dressing can be super bad too! Always get the dressing on the side and dip your fork in the dressing before each bite instead of pouring it over the salad. Avoid salads with different fattening fixings such as fatty cheeses, dried fruits, nuts, croutons, etc. They are okay in moderation (well, except for the oil filled croutons and the fatty cheese), but when eating a raw vegetable filled healthy salad, then adding these ingredients really negates the healthy part.

And last, but not least, always keep in mind portion size! Most restaurants give more than enough food for you to either split the meal with a friend or take some home for another meal.

But always remember if you make a mistake – don’t beat yourself up about it! Everyone should allow themselves a cheat day during the week, so make this that one day.