Given today's busy lifestyles, people are eating out more than ever before. Sometimes it seems that going through the drive-through window at McDonald's, is an easier alternative to preparing a meal, especially after working hard all day.

But, eating out, and making healthy, low-calorie, low-fat and low cholesterol choices can prove difficult. Fortunately, there are things you can do to make your dining experience a healthier one.

Here are 10 steps you can follow that will help you make the right choices when dining out.

1. Choose Your Items Carefully

When selecting items from a menu, pay close attention to the descriptions under each item. Avoid dishes that are batter dipped, deep-fried, crispy or breaded. Creamy sauces such as Alfredo or au gratin are usually high in calories, fats and salt.

2. Limit the Size of Your Portions

With more and more restaurants serving larger and larger portions for each dish, consider sharing it with your partner, or take part of it home.

3. Avoid Eating At Buffets

While buffets generally offer a healthier selection of foods, you may end up eating more than you should on a buffet. If you do choose a buffet, stick to low fat salad dressings for your salad, or choose fresh fruits or steamed vegetables instead. Try to avoid going back for seconds.

However, if you're still hungry, wait 20 minutes after your first visit to the buffet. You may discover that you are full, and don't need to make a second visit.

4. Select a Healthier Side Dish

For example, instead of fries, select a salad with low-fat dressing. As an alternative, choose a fruit bowl with yogurt. Other healthy possibilities are corn on the cob, baked potato chips, or steamed rice.

5. Choose Grilled Items

Fried foods, and foods that are breaded, contain high amounts of calories and fat. Choose lean meats such as turkey, chicken breasts or lean roast beef, instead.

6, Make Sure You Eat A Healthy Salad

Another smart choice you can make when eating out, is to add a salad, with the right type of salad dressing. Most people make the mistake of adding a high calorie, high fat dressing. Choose a low-fat, low-calorie dressing instead. If you don't see one on the menu, ask. Many restaurants may be able to provide you with a healthier alternative. Plus, leave off the bacon bits and croutons.

Additionally, avoid salads that contain certain types of fried foods, such as chicken. These types of salads are high in saturated fats and calories. Add grilled chicken or shrimp, instead.

7. Drink Water

Drink water instead of a soft drink when eating out. Many soft drinks contain from 200 to 300 calories, and average around 12.71 calories per ounce. This means that 16 ounces of cola contains slightly more than 200 calories per drink. Double that amount, if you get a refill.

8. Plan Ahead

Before dining out, try to select a restaurant that allows you to choose how your food is cooked. Many restaurants allow you to substitute healthier ingredients that are low calorie, and low fat, such as condiments or salad dressings.

9. Skip the Appetizers

Avoid appetizers before your meal. Many times, appetizers are chock-full of calories. One famous restaurant chain has a dish called, "Fresh Chicken & Broccoli Pasta." which contains a whopping 2060 calories, and 128 grams of fat.

10. Avoid Double Meat

Consider leaving off that second hamburger patty on your burger when eating out. A typical hamburger patty can contain as much as 400 calories per patty. By adding an extra patty, the meat portion of your sandwich could be as much as 800 calories.

Plus, that's not including the condiments and the bread, which can add additional calories and fat to your sandwich.

In conclusion, it is possible to eat out and eat healthy. Many restaurants offer alternatives to their standard fare, which are low in calories, cholesterol and saturated fat.

Not only is eating smart good for your waistline; it's also good for your heart. That's because a low calorie, low fat, low cholesterol diet puts you at a lower risk for a heart attack.

I hope that the 10 steps discussed above can help you make healthy, informed choices the next time you eat out.

I'm sure your waistline will thank you.

Kearney Adams is a writer and Webmaster for a website that focuses on home remedies. You can learn which home remedies work and which ones don't. Discover information on home remedies and treatments for a variety of conditions.

Visit Home Remedies Digest for more useful information on home remedies.

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