If you eat out often, you know how hard it is to choose and eat healthy–fast-food chains are everywhere and there are always a lot of new specialties to try. But even though the struggle of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is real, behavioral economist and food psychologist Brian Wansink, Ph.D. says there are tricks to help you make better food choices when eating out, and here are a few.

Ask the waiter.
Try asking for the waiter’s suggestions. Don’t ask just for the heathy options, but inquire about meals that are light on the stomach. Why settle for just a salad when there are other tastier food choices aside from the usual greens?

Sit at a table near the window.
Unusual at it seems, sitting near the window makes you more aware of the food you’ll eat. According to Wansink, "One of the things we find is that people who order the healthiest in restaurants tend to be those who either sit at the high tables–because you have to have a little more posture, a little more [awareness] of what you're doing–or the people who sit at the windows."

Have butter with bread.
While most people would prefer oil over butter, Wansink says that you consume about 29 percent fewer calories when you choose butter. "Because what happens is, we don't put [as] much butter on compared to olive oil," he explains. "We put the bread in the olive oil and just watch it soak it up."

Be wise when it comes to buffets.
When it comes to glorious buffets, most people tend to fill their plate with food and sit near the buffet table. Wansink advises three things: Choose a smaller plate, survey the food first, and lastly, sit facing away from the food.

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