Did you know that you could still enjoy your favorite restaurants and continue to lose weight, if you would just practice a few easy dining out tips? American restaurants bring in over 500 billion dollars in sales each year, according to the National Restaurant Association. Imagine how that figure would increase if international sales were added. Is it any wonder that people rarely cook at home anymore given our busy schedules, the rising cost of groceries, and hectic work schedules?

Obesity rates and health-issues are not deterring people from eating out. Given this fact, it’s absolutely imperative that individuals learn how to make healthy choices. These quick and easy dining out tips can help you stay on the path to success as you reach for your weight loss goals.

Never show up famished! Saving up all day for your special meal is not good for your metabolism and sets you up for failure. Eat light but regularly throughout the day. If you are especially hungry, eat a small salad or a cup of soup before ordering the remainder of your meal.

Planning is essential. Have a good idea before you go to the restaurant what your general choices will be. Visualize the evening from appetizer to dessert and imagine how you intend to make each course count. When you arrive and study you menu, remember your plan.

Split a meal with your dining companion or order an appetizer as your meal. Save money and have room for dessert. If that’s not an option for you then eat half and carry the other half home.

Order all dressings and sauces on the side and use only a small amount. Order your food grilled, broiled, or roasted–never fried! Know that foods described as “smoked”, “barbecued”, or “teriyaki” are going to have high sodium and anything “breaded”, “sauted”, “au gratin”, “scalloped”, or “creamed” is going to be high in fat.

Another important dining out tip is to order only one glass of wine or alcoholic beverage. The more you drink, the less likely you are to stick to your plan. If dessert is your thing, order one for the whole table so everyone can share.

A good dining out tip is to ask the waiter to keep the breadbasket or chip basket. If your dining companions want these items, then decide ahead of time exactly how much you will have and stick to the plan!

One of the most helpful weight loss tips is to eat slowly. Chew well and really savor your food. Place your fork down between bites. Focus on your dining companions instead of the food. It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to know it has eaten enough, so slow down. Constantly assess your sense of fullness and stop when you are no longer hungry.

Buffets present their own special challenge. Use small plates to serve yourself. Stay away from the salad bar with the exception of lettuce and vegetables. The prepared salads are generally very high in calories and fats. Avoid creamy dressings on your salad and choose something light or just olive oil and vinegar instead. Don’t add seeds, croutons, or cheese to your salad. Stick to steamed vegetables and the carving station. These will be your healthiest choices. Allow yourself only one small dessert.

The wide range of restaurants, cafes and pubs that Sydney has to offer is a reflection of the city’s cultural diversity. There are so many choices that it’s almost like reading an atlas. You can choose from local Australian food, or European, Asian, Mediterranean, Italian, Japanese and lots more.

Want to try traditional Australian food? Consider a trip to Harry’s Cafe de Wheels - they’re rumored to have the best meat pies in town. If you’d like to try bush-tucker - Aboriginal food featuring kangaroo and other unusual ingredients - you’ll find it at a number of select restaurants. While it’s only been legal to serve kangaroo since 1993, its popularity has grown with tourists who want to give it a try.

As Sydney is located on the harbor, many restaurants consider seafood a staple, and some even serve it exclusively. Some of the best restaurants in town, like Five Dock Seafoods Cafe and Fishface offer almost entirely seafood. You’ll know your fish is fresh, too. The nearby Sydney Fish Market offers octopus, calamari, prawns, snapper, mussels and more to restaurants.

The king of seafood in Sydney is still the popular Doyles Hotel. It’s the oldest seafood restaurant in the city, and one of the best. Located on the beachside, it also provides a wonderful view of Watsons Bay.

For great Italian food, try Mezzaluna or Gelbison, though you shouldn’t forget to look for some of the best pasta in the city in Little Italy (Norton Street in the Leichhardt inner city). Sydney’s fashionable cafes also have a strong Italian influence. Check out some of these establishments on Potts Point, Bondi Beach, or Darlinghurst.

Some of the town’s trendiest spots also serve great coffee. For a good cup, check Bar Coluzzi, La Buvette, Bills, or Tropicana.

There’s more than just Italian food, too. European influence shows up in Bistro Moncur and Sel et Poivre - two popular French establishments. Greek food is available at Mykonos, and Spanish cuisine at Capitan Torres. Both are popular with visitors and locals, too. Looking for great Eastern European food? Try Corner 75.

For Asian food, whether it’s cuisine from the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Singapore or Iran, there’ll be many options. Some of the best rated include Chinta Ria, Blue Elephant, Malaya and Lebanon and Beyond.

For those who love sashimi, sushi, teriyaki and tempura, or just a bowl of noodles, local Japanese restaurants are available to please. Raw Bar, Dragonfly, Sushi Suma and Shimbashi all offer great options.

Want to check out all the restaurants in each district? There are probably a few too many, but in general, they fall into these general regions. West suburban restaurants tend to offer great Turkish and Cambodian food, while the South suburbs offer Lebanese and Greek fare. In the north, consider Japanese, African, or Indian food, and in the east, European or Indonesian are a good choice.

Is a view a priority? Consider The Summit, Catalina, or the Boathouse. For vegetarians, Harvest or Govinda’s are great options, and if you’re looking for a trendy place to eat, Bayswater Brasserie Restaurant and Hugo’s won’t fail to please.

Syzygy, which is located on East Hyman Avenue in Aspen, Colorado, has repeatedly won awards for being one of the best restaurants in this ski town. Featuring outstanding jazz music and food that is out of this world, Syzygy is the place to be when it comes to Aspen nightlife and fine dining. This is an Aspen landmark that is not to be missed.

The chef at Syzygy combines European and Asian dishes, and presents them in a modern American way. These combinations are what set the cuisine at Syzygy apart from the food you find at most restaurants. Along with this outstanding fare, you can select wine from a list of over 300 Italian, American, and French wines. If you aren’t sure which wine will work with the fine food you have ordered - simply ask your waiter. They always seem to know exactly which wine will enhance the flavor of the food the best.

One of the nice touches about the service at Syzygy’s is that the Chef likes to send gifts to the table, such as goat cheese, potato crisps, and osemary bread. Syzygy is famous for their atmosphere as well. The glass enclosed waterfalls inside the restaurant are talked about all over the world - and they are really something to see! Every part of the interior of this Aspen landmark works well together to create a mood that makes the food, the wine, the music, and the company absolutely enjoyable.

You may be overwhelmed with all of the wonderful menu choices, and all of the delicious smells coming from nearby tables. You may not be able to make a choice! Syzygy’s has you covered. Simply order the Tasting Menu, and sample everything. Enjoy the music while you are eating - and after your meal as well. Some of the finest jazz artists in the world have performed at Syzygy’s. Call ahead to find out who will be performing - you will be glad that you did.

Syzygy’s is closed on Monday’s and Tuesdays during the off-season. During the season, they are open from 6pm to 10pm each day, and you should definitely call ahead for a reservation. Remember, this is an integral part of experiencing Aspen nightlife, so make sure you get by Syzygy’s at least once while you are in Aspen - the chances are very good that your first visit will not be your last! If possible, try to make it to the Sunday Jazz Brunch.