The Best Restaurant Options

Let's get a little more specific. Here is a guide for the healthiest options at different kinds of restaurants so that you can stay on target.

Mexican: Chicken, beef, or shrimp fajitas with black beans or salad on the side instead of rice; carne asada (steak with onions and peppers); shrimp diablo (this is grilled with garlic butter ask them to go easy on that); grilled fish tacos (with one corn tortilla rather than two); taco and tostada salads with chicken, beef, or shrimp for protein (don't eat the taco bowl). Don't get the rice and only eat the beans if they are not refried.

Chinese: Any dish that isn't breaded and deep-fried. Avoid rice and noodles. Try and steer clear of sugar sauces like sweet and sour. Opt for kung pao chicken (light on the peanuts), beef and broccoli dishes, shrimp and snow peas, garlic chicken, Mongolian beef steak, or dishes that have meat and a vegetable. Ask for the chef to go easy on the oil.

Thai: Any of the satay dishes (chicken, shrimp, beef, or tofu), any protein or vegetable stir-fry, steamed fish, chicken or beef lettuce rolls. Avoid fatty coconut milk curries, noodles, and rice.

American: Hamburgers (without bread or on a whole-grain bun), turkey dogs, meat chili, veggie soups, kosher turkey bacon, white meat turkey burgers, white meat chicken, egg whites. Eat the toppings off your pizza, but don't eat the dough.

Indian: Chicken, lamb, beef, or shrimp tikka (grilled marinated meat skewers); any of the veggie dishes such as bhagan bharta (whipped eggplant), saag paneer (spinach with cheese), aloo gobi (marinated steamed cauliflower), vegetable jalfrezi (mixed vegetables). Avoid curries, rice, and naan bread.

Sushi: Stick to sashimi. Order your favorite rolls as hand rolls with no rice. You can do this with almost any roll.

Italian: Any chicken or fish dish, beef carpaccio, any salad (always with the dressing on the side). Avoid heavy, creamy, and sugary sauces, and don't get pasta.

French: Any steak, chicken, or fish dish; any salad (always with the dressing on the side). Avoid rich, creamy, and sugary sauces, and don't get potatoes.

Breakfast: Any egg dish with egg whites if possible, low-fat cottage cheese, sugar-free yogurt with berries, turkey bacon, smoked salmon. Avoid waffles, pancakes, bagels, muffins, doughnuts, and other pastries.

Dessert: If you cannot resist, opt for the fruit plate and/or an herbal tea such as peppermint, which aids in digestion.