Eating out at restaurants without growing the waistline can be challenging, as consumers are often faced with fattening choices and have little control over what goes into their meals.

Luckily, there are many ways to navigate a restaurant menu without packing on the pounds, say experts.

“Over the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in serving sizes at restaurants and an abundance of food that is high in fat or that has a high glycemic index rating, meaning it contains certain carbohydrates that break down quickly and flood the body with sugar,” said Rick Gallop, bestselling author of the new book, “The G.I. Diet Clinic.”

“The wrong food choices are fattening and only leave us feeling hungry so that we eat more,” he said.

But consumers can enjoy evenings out simply by making smarter food choices and following basic tips from Gallop.

•Never go out hungry or you’re likely to overindulge. Have a small high-fiber snack or meal, such as a bowl of high-fiber cereal with skim milk or nonfat yogurt.

•Once seated in a restaurant, drink a glass of water to help feel fuller.

•Once the bread basket has been passed around without indulging, ask the server to remove it. The longer it stays, the more one is tempted to dig in.

•Order a soup or salad first and tell the server to bring it as soon as possible. This will keep a person from sitting hungry while others fill up on bread.

Go for vegetable or beanbased soups, the chunkier the better. Avoid cream-based soups. Keep salad dressing on the side and use a fraction of what the restaurant would normally apply. Avoid Caesar salads, which come pre-dressed.

•Ask for double vegetables instead of a starchy side dish.

•Stick with low-fat cuts of meat or poultry. If necessary, remove the skin before eating.

Fish and shellfish are excellent choices but shouldn’t be breaded or battered. Servings tend to be generous in restaurants, so eat only 4 to 6 ounces, the size of a pack of cards.

•Ask for any meat sauces to be served on the side.

•Eat slowly to give you time to realize you’re full. Put the fork down between mouthfuls.

•Use moderation and common sense. Don’t feel guilty about leaving food on the plate.

•For those who really want an alcoholic beverage, bypass beer and fancy cocktails and choose a white wine spritzer or a glass of dry red wine. Set a limit of one drink and then switch to club soda. Consume alcohol with food to slow the rate the drink is metabolized.

•For dessert, fresh fruit and berries without ice cream are the best choice. If a birthday cake is being passed around, share a piece with someone.

•Order only decaffeinated coffee.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself if you fall off the wagon. It’s bound to happen sometime, so just get back on,” Gallop said.

This story is provided by State Point Media.