This is a good thread because dining out is part of life and everyone does it. There is a way to eat healthy when going out though.

Here are some pointers I tell my clients to use when going out to eat:

-drink water and ask for refills
-ask for salad dressing on the side
-if you order fetticini alfredo or some type of pasta with sauce, ask for the sauce on the side
(restaurants tend to overload the sauce and dressings)
-If you know you have a long workout the next day, you can get away with the rice, potatoes, or bread, if you don't, then ask for extra veggies and skip the starchy carbs
-Stick to ordering fish or chicken or a lean steak (again depends on if you have a heavy or light workout the next day) don't want to eat too heavy of food the night before a long training session
-Watch your portion control, most of the time you can take half of the plate home and eat it the next day
-Stay away from anything fried
-Limit mayonaise on sandwiches, use mustard instead
-If you have an alcoholic drink, order it with your meal instead of before. And try to drink a light beer or a glass of red wine. For every alcohol drink balance it out with a glass of water.
-At mexican food, order whole beans instead of refried, and ask for whole wheat tortillas, some places offer an alternative, and limit your chips

Remember, you can eat healthy when going out. Just make sure to tell your server what you want and how you want it prepared. Learn to make healthy choices and you will see a difference in your training!

Good Luck!

WooHoo! Barbacue at Ironmom's house! (I'll bring beer.)

Seriously...I don't eat out much anymore but usually do at someplace where I can get a good fish or veggie dish...and portion control...you don't have to eat ALL that,take it home..I know it's hard in some places but here in the DC area we have, well, anything you could possibly want in restaurants that are organic ...

Very good question...this may not be the type of feedback you're looking for, but I look at it this way: I am very careful what I eat most of the time, and eating out with friends is my "vacation" from being careful. I'll still just drink water most of the time, but I'll eat everything they put in front of me, and right now, I'm okay with that. Maybe some day I'll be more disciplined, or have a smaller appetite, but right now I simply don't have the will to deprive myself on those special occasions when I go out to eat.

Tijuana Flats, baby! I cant get enough Tex Mex, and TF has the blackened chicken and seems more wholesome than Moes or On the Border.

On a "not caring" note... I save the favorite food places for the long bike ride day. I have a rule: if I road over 4 hours I can eat whatever sounds good!

There is an all-you-can-eat Mexican food place just under a mile up the street -- they recognize me :)

My wife will rarely if ever eat meat, but is kind enough to cook chicken once a week. Most of my protein intake is in the form of soy. So when I go out my body is usually telling me to eat a burger or a roast beef sandwich, but not from a fast food place.

I try to avoid fast food and chains at all costs. And luckily where I live there are plenty of really good non-chain restaurants. I order a lot of baked fish and rice when I'm out.

Unfortunately there are times when you just need something quick. For quick I'll go to Taco Bell and order a Tostada (Fresco Style) from the value menu ($0.99).

http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/item/56169.html

It has carbs, low fat, low calories, low sugars, and some fiber. It'll even get better when they move to canola oil in the very near future. Taste pretty decent too.

This is not where I go to get GOOD Mexican or Tex-mex though. I too am addicted to Tex-Mex. I see a reccuring theme here. If a race had Tex-mex at the end I'd register every year for sure.