Lite Bites at Lexington Social House

Last night I took the bf out for a delicious dinner at Hollywood hotspot, 

Lexington Social House. 

They were doing a special press dinner, previewing their new fall menu. We're talking butternut squash ravioli, fried jidori chicken, and golden beets galore.

Now, eating healthy when you go out is hard anyway. But when it's all complimentary, well, you'd have to have the willpower of Portia de Rossi to stay on track.

But this wasn't my first time at the rodeo. 

Here's some helpful tips I've learned along the way to avoid going overboard when you go out to eat.

Tips to Eating Healthy at Restaurants

1. Drink a lot of Water. Everyone always tells you to avoid the bread basket. 

"But how????" you ask. 

Often thirst is mistaken for hunger, so the minute you sit down, chug your water and ask for a refill. 

Obviously, you don't have to be a complete saint. I definitely like to try a bite of every bread basket I encounter (for research purposes, of course). But if you know that one bite is going to lead to an Olive Garden bread stick massacre... just don't. Sip your water, and wait for your salad.

2. Share an Appetizer... with as many people as you can. I'm not going to tell you to skip the scrumptious crab cakes. I certainly didn't last night.

These were what my friend Sean would call, "Pha-nomenal."

But an appetizer is just that - a precursor to your meal - not the main event. Apps often end up having more calories than your main dish, so don't go overboard. Either make sure you have several people to share them with (or a bf with a hearty appetite), or don't get them at all. Again, one to two tastes here should suffice.

3. Save it for the Salad. This is where you have license to go nuts. 

We got two fantastic salads: the Locals Beets and the Burrata.

Now I know I said, "go nuts," but there is a trick here as well. Pick salads that are mostly vegetable based and avoid things like actual candied nuts, croutons, and excessive amounts of cheese. Also, make sure you pick a salad with a light dressing like balsamic vinegar (nothing creamy), or get it on the side. 

Here, I took a small bite of the fried goat cheese on top (again, for research) then set the rest aside and enjoyed the beets and arugula. The bf ate most of the burrata, but in that case as well, focus your fork on the tomato and avocado. 

4. Don't Be a Member of the Clean Plate Club. Your mother is going to kill me for saying this, but you're an adult. Stand up for yourself for goodness sake.  You do not need to finish everything on your dinner plate. 

Order a nice piece of lean protein (preferably grilled) and blow the rest of your calorie load on that. Sides, like appetizers, are often the hidden calorie bombs here. Try a bite of them, but fill up on the main attraction.

Scallops are my jam, so if they're on a menu, that's always what I'm getting. At 100 calories for 3 large divers, they're a dieter's best friend.

As you can imagine, I wasn't thrilled about the cream sauce they were served in. Yeah it tasted like an orgasm in my mouth, but there's a reason for that. Avoid the added calories by scraping off as much sauce as you can. You'll still get the taste, and save a couple hundred cals. 

5. Don't Drink your Dinner. Cocktails are fun, but so are bad boys, and hopefully you've moved on from that phase in your life.

I usually stick to wine. But if your going to try one of the restaurant's amazing liquid creations, choose wisely. 

Most cocktail concoctions range anywhere from 200 to 500 calories. The best tip to lighten the load: always ask about extra sugar. It is often not listed in the ingredients on the menu. One ounce of simple syrup has 50 calories and eliminating it rarely 

effects the taste.

We ordered this "Super-Hero," after verifying it's lack of simple syrup. Vodka, lime juice, and a hint of cranberry kept the cal count relatively low. I can't say the same about the Pop Rocks, but hey, they're Pop Rocks... who would pass that up?!

My best tip for health conscious eaters when you go out though is to enjoy it. You can't be perfect 100% of the time. You're not Miranda Kerr. 

Unless of course you are. In that case, ignore all of this. Stock up on ice chips and hole up in your love shack with Orlando Bloom. The VS Fashion Show is next week and you cannot afford to gain an 1/8 of a pound...everyone will totally notice.

Thanks to Lexington Social House and the ladies at EFG for the fabulous meal!