Start with a salad. The best is a brighter green salad, like arugula. I like to add tomato and I always get it with parmesan. It is a high-flavored (and not as high in calorie) cheese that I love. I always rip off a corner of the bread and eat it with butter or oil, then move the rest aside.

Have one glass of white or red wine. If you have two, then you should really watch your breads and pastas for the rest of the meal.

Order a great appetizer, such as steamed mussels, clams, grilled calamari or scampi.

Order two sides of vegetables. I like artichokes or mushrooms – always very oily, but good fiber (ask for them to go light on the oil, but know that they’ll probably ignore you). Try to order one green side dish, such as spinach or broccoli rabe.   Stay away from entrees — they are huge, have too much that come with them and are trouble.   If you want pasta, order a half-order filled with veggies and possibly protein and eat the protein first so you are too full to eat as much of the pasta. If you do decide to eat pasta, go easy on the bread, alcohol and later, the dessert.

For dessert, I choose between a Frangelico on a lot of rocks (you don’t drink that much because the ice dilutes it) or a few bites of a dessert.  Again, if I get into desserts or drinks, I cut back on pasta, bread and wine.  Pick your own poison.  Remember that it all goes to your food Bank Account, so invest it in the way that works best for you.