THAT IRRESISTIBLE RESTAURANT MENU

Fix #1
S TA R T W I T H A S A L A D.

No exceptions. Skip the bacon bits and croutons (but you knew that), and ask for oil and vinegar or the house vinaigrette. You don’t need to completely eliminate taste, either. "To me, a small amount of healthy fat and calories is worth it," Dr. Hensrud says. Eating nutritious, low-calorie vegetables, even if they’re sprinkled with a little cheese, beats filling up on the free bread.


Fix #2
E AT T H E F I S H.

Lean protein helps you feel full. Fish is an excellent source, and it may go a step further in helping you fight fat. In 2005, preliminary research at the University of Navarra, Spain, found that the eicosapentaenoic acid (you don’t have to pronounce it, just eat it) found in fish like wild salmon, mackerel, and cod can stimulate the release of leptin, a hormone that’s been linked to appetite control and the regulation of fat storage.


Fix #3
G O V E G E TA R I A N , S O R T O F.

Every time you order pasta, automatically ask for a side of the vegetable of the day and dump it into the pasta dish. "Vegetables are free food, dietwise," Dr. Hensrud says, "and by eating more vegetables and less pasta, you shift the calorie count around in your favor." Add some wilted spinach or other greens to spaghetti or lasagna; drop steamed squash or broccoli into that fettuccine Alfredo you couldn’t resist ordering. You really should resist cream-based sauces, though. Opt for the tomato sauce for all its cancer-fighting lycopene.