How to eat out, Healthly

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Think going out for dinner is a recipe for diet disaster? Not so. Many popular restaurant chains cater to customers who want to eat healthily.

Women's Health magazine evaluated dishes from the diet menus of some of the biggest chains in the country.

Deputy editor Nicole Beland visited "Good Morning America" to reveal the entrees that taste good and keep dieters on track.

Beland first offered general guidelines restaurant goers should follow no matter what they're eating.

"When you look at your plate, split it into three parts —the largest portion would be vegetables, the rest would be a split between a lean meat, such as fish or chicken, and a complex carbohydrate, such as brown rice or sweet potatoes," she said.

She also laid out calorie, fat and sodium breakdowns for dinner.

"For women, based on an 1,800 calorie diet, dinner should be 600 calories, with no more than 650 milligrams of sodium and 20 grams of fat," she said.

For men, based on a 2,000 calorie diet, dinner should be 750 calories, less than 650 milligrams of sodium and less than 25 grams of fat.

Women's Health's restaurant choices are all in the ideal nutritional ballpark. Beland suggested ways to modify the dishes to make them healthier, too.

Applebee's Southwest Cobb Salad
Calories: 660
Fat: 27 g

Beland said Applebee's Southwest Cobb Salad was a great choice for lunch or as an entree salad dinner.

"You get a nice assortment of lean chicken breast, fiber-rich black beans, and vegetables," she said.

But beware of the cheese and dressing.

"The fat comes from the cheese and the salad dressing. But watch the dressing size, we got a megaportion," Beland said. "And though it's touted as low fat, too much is always a bad idea. Ask for it on the side and dip your fork."

Outback Steakhouse's Victoria's "Center Cut" Filet
Calories: 440
Fat: 21 g

Healthy eating can happen at a steakhouse.

Beef isn't necessarily bad it's a good source of vitamins and minerals like iron, which women especially need.

Women's Health picked the Victoria's "center cut" filet because it's lean meat.

When trying to order healthy beef, Beland said to look out for "loin" on the menu, which is usually used to describe a lean cut.

Olive Garden's Capellini Pomodoro
Calories: 420
Fat: 11 g

Dieters can enjoy pasta entrees, if they pick the right kind.

Olive Garden's garden fare menu and whole-wheat pasta options are perfect for those trying to eat healthy.

Beland loves the Capellini Pomodoro because it's filled with heart-healthy fat from extra virgin olive oil and it's heaped with vegetables. The restaurant can substitute regular capellini for whole-wheat pasta, which offers more fiber and fewer calories.

"Also, to cut down on calories, you can order the lunch portion, which is smaller than the traditional dinner entree size," Beland said.

Red Lobster's Live Maine Lobster
Calories: 200
Fat: 5 g

Red Lobster features a special menu for dieters, "Lighthouse Selections."

All of its entrees have less than 500 calories and 10 grams of fat.

Grilled or broiled seafood is a great option for people trying to eat light. According to Beland, a whole lobster has fewer calories and less fat than a small yogurt.

Beland said the Red Lobster dish was so good, it didn't even need butter. She advises against piling it on.

"Butter is all fat," Beland said. "It has 7.2 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon, and anyone who eats lobster with butter knows they are using more than a tablespoon. Three tablespoons is still a conservative estimate. So try the lemon instead."

T.G.I. Friday's Shanghai Chicken Salad
Calories: 305
Fat: 9 g

Like many chain restaurants, T.G.I. Friday's has options to cater to dieters. Beland warns diners, however, to watch out for anything labeled low-carb.

"Be careful with low-carb options because they can be deceiving. Many are loaded with cheese or dairy products such as sour cream that can pack a serious calorie punch," she said.

Friday's Shanghai Chicken Salad is a better choice. The cilantro-lime dressing it comes with is low on oil so dieters can enjoy the salad guilt free and perhaps leave room to splurge a little on dessert.