IF you’re trying to lose weight and plan to eat out, order ahead, and you’ll slash calories. That’s according to research from a team at Carnegie Mellon University. The team’s field experiments indicate ordering in advance might contribute to consuming fewer calories.

    In the study, sets of participants ordered lunch early. In the first experiment, participants were given five hours to order their lunch (starting at 7 a.m.). Those who ordered the earliest were more likely to choose healthy options over those who ordered at the last moment. The difference was 38 calories for each hour before lunch the meal was ordered. That means those who ordered at 7 a.m. saved 190 calories over those who ordered later, closer to actual lunchtime.

    The idea that early ordering leads to healthier choices was reaffirmed with the team’s third experiment, which involved college students. A survey promising free lunch for participating was provided to students in a class held near lunch time. Those who ordered before class chose healthier options (by about 100 fewer calories) than classmates who ordered after class.

    Here is what you can do.

    1. Order hours in advance.

    Ordering ahead may prevent you from choosing something unhealthy in the moment and considering the impact later. Research shows those who know the caloric content of their order will choose food with 10 percent fewer calories.

    2. Order via smartphone.

    If you can’t order hours in advance, you can order before you get to the restaurant in some cases. Several apps like Dianping, Meituan and Eleme can allow for planning meal orders besides providing discounts.

    3. Consider the menu.

    If you can’t truly order ahead but you know you’ll be dining out, scout the menu and its nutrition facts. Pick an option that fits your daily calorie goal. When you get to the restaurant, don’t bother even perusing the menu. Place your order, and enjoy your meal.

    4. Plan your nights out.

    Carefully planning your week can help you avoid buying too many groceries, overeating, or running through the drive-thru in a hungry hurry. Make a meal plan, and if you know you’ll have an open night or two for dining out, pick a place right then and there. You can even search their menu for your dinner. Fill in the dish on your plan, plot your calories, and you’ll get to enjoy dining out without the calorie guilt.

    (SD-Agencies)