One of the hardest things in the world to do is eat out at a restaurant when you are trying to lose weight. Losing weight is all about burning more calories than you consume and when you are not the one preparing the meal, you are often eating higher amounts of calories than you thought would be in a given serving. In order to stay strict with those calories, there are a few tricks to eating out and losing weight.

* Choosing a salad. The salad section of a menu can seem like the safest place to start. But, salads in a restaurant setting are not like the salads you prepare at home. These are often laden with extra calories from the bacon bits to the cheese, the tortilla strips to the dressing. Two tablespoons of blur cheese dressing alone contains 150 calories. If a salad is on your mind, choose the side salad with lemon juice and use this as a starter for the meal.

* Eating from the kids menu. The kids menu offers smaller versions of the adult menu. But, these choices are often larger than a traditional portion you would serve yourself at home. Kids menu options are also most often deep fried and full of the wrong kinds of fats. Staying away from the kids menu is a great choice whenever dining out and trying to lose weight.

* Choosing chicken. Chicken is a safe choice in many restaurants as long as two simple rules are followed. Do not choose the battered version and do not eat the entire serving. A serving of chicken should only be the size of a deck of cards. This can be added to the garden salad to make for a light and healthy salad while dining in a restaurant.

* Flavored tea. Many restaurants are now serving flavored teas as a part of their menus. These teas can be appealing and there are just tea, right? Wrong. Many of the mango, raspberry and strawberry teas are flavored with sugared syrups and can contain more calories than a can of sugared soda. Ask how the teas are flavored before ordering.

* Choosing low carb. Unless you are on a low carb diet, the low carb menu should be avoided at all costs. Losing weight by counting calories is about just that, counting calories. Low carb options will contain fewer carbs but more fat and calories than many other options on the menu.

* Soups. Soups are another no-no in many restaurants. This is especially true for creamed soups. If soup is a must, ask for the nutritional data on the soup before ordering. Then, choose the soup with the lowest calorie count. And, always remember, you do not have to finish the entire bowl.

Losing weight and eating in a restaurant can be accomplished easily and without starving for that burger next to you. If the meal out is a planned one, eating a snack high in fiber before heading off to the restaurant is the best choice. The fiber will keep you feeling full and you will be less likely to order that huge meal sure to bump you off the weight loss track.