Eating out both at fast food and sit-down restaurants are killing us...literally.  We're busy.  We don't have time to cook.  Who wants to be a slave to the kitchen?  Eating out is easy, but it does have it's drawbacks. Many of our favorite restaurants serve HUGE portions, too many options, and to make it taste good (and ensure that you return) an extra splash of fat and salt! Here are some easy tips for eating out: Firstly, reduce the number of times per week that you do eat out.  Bring a sandwich for lunch.  Opt for making a quick "breakfast" for dinner on a busy weeknight.  Forage through your kitchen for leftovers, fresh fruit, some raw veggies that don't require preparation.  A quick meal CAN be done! Think SMALL--not only your body size but your portion size.  Even some of the most healthy restaurant options can be too much of a good thing because of large portions.  Order a la carte, off the kids menu, or split a meal with someone! Add some of the good stuff.  Start your meal with a broth-based soup, a salad with dressing ON THE SIDE (sparingly added!), and dress your meal with grilled or steamed vegetables or fresh fruit.  Many fast food joints now have fruit options, yogurt, apple slices, side salads, and much more! Look up your favorite dishes at the restaurant's website or on websites such as www.calorieking.com .  We love to live in denial...but awareness is the first step in getting control of our OUT OF CONTROL calories! Most favorite burgers tap in betwee 450 and 600 calories (without the extra patty, cheese, bacon or ranch!)  A slice of stuffed crust pizza maxes out at 470 calories, and 25 grams of fat--for ONE SLICE!  Think you are making a better choice for the taco salad...it clocks in at 800 calories and 42 grams of fat!  A large fast food onion ring...577 calories, 38 grams of fat.  Enchilada platter with rice, beans, tortillas, chips & salsa...an easy 1400 calories and at least 50 grams of fat!  Most breakfast tacos average 300 calories each.  Need I say more? Forgo the FRIED!  Skip the fries (or just steal a few of your friend's), tator tots, onion rings, fried mushrooms, fried onion, and every thing else frieds.  It adds more calories and unhealthy fats.  If you have to have a few...so be it!  But stop ordering your own! Non-calorie beverages...water, diet soda, iced tea, and coffee.  Each of these contains 0 calories and 0 sugar.  Order a large soda and you add about 250 calories and upwards of 60 grams of sugar!  That's a whopping 15 teaspoons of sugar. Do you have to STOP eating out...NO!  Certainly not.  We do need to eat out smart.  Follow the tips above, reduce the total number of times you eat out, and of course, GET MOVING!!!!