Dieting Out.

Byline: Cara Litke

Every dieter has heard that they should stay away from restaurants, with their large portions and sneaky way of adding fat and calories to even the most virtuous dish. But because dieters are also human, total abstinence isn't realistic. "A dieter should never have to deprive herself of eating out," says weight-loss expert Stephen Gullo. "Just go in with a game plan and feel comfortable enough to ask for substitutions." Kathleen McNary, Deidre Sully, and Heather Allison have mapped out a way to do just that.

"I find that the more I talk, the less I eat."

PROGRESS REPORT

Kathleen McNary, School administrator

RESTAURANT REVIEW: "Before the makeover, I'd go out at least eight times a month. My biggest problem was ordering high-calorie comfort food. The side dishes always killed me--especially macaroni and cheese and fries. I used to eat a lot of wraps, too, but that was before I realized that they may have more carbs than virtually any bread. And I've always liked salads, but I never thought twice about the dressing, croutons, or cheese--I'd almost always follow up salads with a big entree.

MENU MAKEOVER: "Now I order a veggie burger with no bun over salad. And I love sushi--either salmon and avocado rolls with brown rice or sashimi wrapped in cucumber. If I'm at a restaurant that offers bread, I almost always ask the waiter not to bring it--if it isn't there, I can't eat it. My coworkers and I go out for dinner once a week to catch up, and I've been pretty good at avoiding temptation. I drink seltzer to keep myself from overeating, and I find that the more I talk, the less I eat."