Are you fighting the battle of the bulge? Thinking about giving up restaurants? It's no surprise. Restaurants are serving up (on platters rather than plates) your favorite foods and you tend to overeat. But don't avoid restaurants. Eating out is fun and relaxing. And, if you know what you're doing, it's relatively easy to keep your weight down eating at restaurants. Instead, try these tried-and-true suggestions:

1. Never go hungry. You'll find yourself nibbling on everything that comes you're way. Don't skip meals. That dieting approach never works - you just end up eating more at the next meal. And eat a piece of fruit on the way to the restaurant to put that appetite under control.

2. Remember it's just the little things. The average American is gaining a pound a year. Did you know that is the result of eating just 10 extra calories a day? So instead of depriving yourself of all your favorites, continue to enjoy them every once in while. Instead, cut back on the things that are "no big deal" for you to change. Consider these: switch to skim milk, diet soda, dry toast, and low fat dressings. Get used to black coffee. Stop at 10 chips and don't butter the breadstick.

3. Name your "pleasers". Sure you want everything on the menu, but doing so will show in your arteries and in your dress size. Decide what your priorities will be for that meal. If you're coming for the fajitas, perhaps you can skip the rice and beans. If you're there for the cheesecake, order a light dinner such as shrimp cocktail and salad with dressing on the side.

4. Don't be afraid to special order. The server and chef will be happy to oblige. For example, if you really have your heart set on the specialty pasta dish with chicken, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms in a spicy cream sauce, consider these changes. Ask the chef to sauté the chicken, tomatoes, and mushrooms in broth rather than oil. And ask her to use just half the cream sauce. These small requests can result in a dish that is half the calories as the original!