Need help losing weight, but tend to eat out more often than not? It's not easy to keep track of those kilojules when dining out. You can however choose healthier, low-fat options. Here's what you should choose on the menu and what you should avoid at all costs…

When eating out always remember that you are the client and that you have the right to request that your meal is prepared to your preference.

For a starter:

Opt for a salad starter excluding the yellow cheeses, bacon, oily vegetables and croutons. A French salad is normally a safe option to go for.

Have a broth, tomato- or vegetable-based soup instead of the cream-based variety. Often soups are garnished with cream, rather request plain yoghurt as the garnish or no garnish.

Choose a fruit starter for a fresh and healthy beginning to your meal.

For the main course:

  • Ask for a ladies portion when having more than one course.

  • Have two healthy starters instead of a starter and a full main dish.

  • Choose tomato-based pasta dishes.

  • Bulk up with a side order of veggies or salad.

  • Avoid the creamy and oily dishes.

  • Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on your food for flavour, instead of adding the cream sauce.

Pizza

Ask for less or no yellow cheese, or ask for a sprinkle of feta cheese instead. Opt for vegetarian toppings, avoiding the high saturated fat meats, and ask for a thin-based pizza. Try and share a thin-based pizza and a salad with a friend.

Steak

Go for a plain or BBQ basted one, as most of the sauces are cream based. Choose a cut in a ladies portion and ask for all fat to be trimmed off. Avoid gravies; rather go for a mint sauce or jelly, mustard, horseradish, cranberry jam or an applesauce. Avoid those deep-fried Cordon Bleu and Schnitzels. Game is a good low-fat choice if you avoid the creamy sauces.

Fish

Choose the grilled or baked option. Low-fat choices include: Hake, Kabeljou, Sole, Kingklip and sushi. Beneficial oily fish: Salmon, Mackerel, Snoek, Butterfish.

Vegetarian dishes

Watch out for the extra cheese as well as for the deep-fried and battered items.

Vegetables

Beware of creamed, sugared, oiled and buttered vegetables, ask for them to be steamed or grilled. Opt for steamed or boiled rice or potatoes instead of fried rice or chips.

Desserts

Have a peppermint to end the meal, rather than a creamy, high-fat dessert. Enjoy a coffee, tea or a cappuccino with skim milk. If you do want some dessert, order a fruit salad, sorbet or poached pears.