Dining Out 101
Eating out should be simple.
Inside RK Performance, the goal when dining at restaurants is not to perfectly control every calorie. The goal is to make a decision that is simple, repeatable, and consistently keeps you aligned with your physique goals.
The easiest way to do that is by removing decision fatigue entirely by ordering the same thing every time.
The Power Play
When in doubt, the safest and most reliable restaurant order is:
The leanest cut of steak on the menu with,
Double grilled vegetables
This combination does several things extremely well.
First, it provides a large serving of high-quality protein, which supports muscle maintenance and satiety.
Second, vegetables add volume and fiber without adding a large number of calories.
Third, grilled steak and vegetables are typically prepared with far fewer hidden ingredients compared to most other menu items.
And fourth, steak is delicious.
This makes it much easier to control your overall intake while still being able to track the food relatively accurately.
If you want a simple rule when eating out, this is it:
Steak and double grilled vegetables will almost always be the power play.
Hidden Calorie Bombs
I spent ten years cooking in my dad’s restaurant. I can tell you firsthand that restaurant food is designed to taste incredible.
The reason it tastes so good is because chefs use a lot of oils, butter, sauces, and other calorie-dense ingredients during preparation.
When you order dishes that are cooked in a pan, pot, or wok with multiple ingredients, the calorie content can escalate extremely quickly.
It’s not uncommon for a single restaurant dish to contain 3000-4000 calories once all the oils, sauces, and cooking fats are accounted for.
This is why menu items such as pasta dishes, stir fries, creamy sauces, and heavily dressed entrees can derail progress very quickly.
The food may look reasonable on the plate, but the cooking process often adds a massive amount of hidden calories.
To keep restaurant meals aligned with your goals, avoid dishes that are:
Cooked in heavy sauces
Pan-fried in oils or butter
Prepared in pots or woks with multiple ingredients
Covered in creamy dressings or glazes
These preparation methods are where the majority of hidden calories come from.
Grilled, roasted, or simply prepared proteins are almost always the safer option.
Avoid The App-Trap
Appetizers and free bread baskets are one of the easiest ways calories spiral out of control before the actual meal even arrives.
They are almost always calorie-dense and provide very little nutritional value relative to the calories they contain.
In most situations, the simplest strategy is to skip the appetizer entirely.
Save your calories for the main course where you can prioritize protein and make a more intentional choice.
Using Calorie Listings When Available
Some restaurants now provide calorie information on their menus.
If those numbers are available, you can absolutely order other items if they fit within your daily calorie and protein targets.
Just keep in mind that those calorie values are standardized estimates. Every chef prepares food slightly differently, and many will still add extra oils, butter, or sauces during cooking.
Because of this, calorie counts in restaurants should always be viewed as approximate rather than exact.
When in doubt, simpler meals will always be more predictable.
Leave Room for Dessert
If you follow the steak and double vegetable strategy, you often end up with a meal that is high in protein and relatively controlled in calories.
This can leave some flexibility to enjoy a shared dessert if you want.
The key word here is “shared.”
Splitting a dessert with the table allows you to enjoy the experience without turning a single meal into a massive calorie surplus.
Order First
When you’re ready to order, go first.
This is one of the simplest ways to make a disciplined restaurant choice easier.
Once everyone else starts ordering appetizers, burgers, pasta, fries, and heavier entrees, it becomes much easier to second-guess the choice you were originally going to make.
Ordering first removes that influence entirely.
You decide what you’re having before the table sets a different standard.
You order your steak and vegetables, hand the menu back, and the decision is done.
There is no comparing your meal to everyone else’s order and far less opportunity for peer pressure to change your mind.
When you already know what the power play is, get your order in first and move on with the evening.
Final Principle
Eating out doesn’t have to sabotage your results.
Keep it simple.
Prioritize protein, choose simple cooking methods, avoid hidden calorie traps.
And when in doubt, remember…
Steak and double grilled vegetables is always the power play.