Lose the Freshman 15: Staying healthy while eating out

I ate at a hibachi restaurant tonight, and it was an eye-opening experience. But it was not eye-opening because of the amount of food or the taste of the food. It was eye-opening because I saw exactly how it was prepared. 

And I have news for you: It was not diet-friendly. 

I gasped when the chef poured much more than a tablespoon of oil on the stove, followed by generous spoonful of butter. 

It's no wonder why the food tasted so good. 

I don't regret eating the chicken, rice, soup and vegetables tonight. No, it was not what I would call diet food, but I was celebrating a friend's birthday. 

After the chef prepared my food, who fascinated our group by catching vegetables in his hat, I ate about half of my meal and saved the rest for lunch tomorrow. However, had I not seen how it was prepared, I would not have thought it was too bad for me. 

Here is what I learned tonight: Be careful when you eat out. There can be many hidden calories in foods that would normally be good for you. 

Just because something, such as vegetables, seems healthy, doesn't mean it is healthy. It all depends on how it is prepared. 

Next time you eat out, ask to have your food cooked without butter. You will save yourself unnecessary calories. 

You don't have to give up eating out all together to lose weight and stay healthy. You just have to be aware. Don't be afraid to ask your food to be prepared the way you want. After all, you're paying for it.