When you’re on a diet, it seems like everywhere you turn you find temptation. And, there’s nothing more tempting than going to a favorite restaurant where everything on the menu looks so appealing and the food smells so good.

It’s easy to give in to that temptation, often rationalizing that it’s only this one time. But, one time turns into two, and every time you go out to dinner, you cheat on your diet. Dining out, however, doesn’t have to signal the end of all of your hard work. You can stick to your diet and enjoy dining out, if you follow a few simple tips.

Take it on the side. When you order a salad or a baked potato, request that the dressing be put on the side. Having dressings on the side allows you to easily put on as much or as little as you need.

Only eat half. Most restaurants serve huge portions that will guarantee you blow your diet. In that case, you can do one of two things. If the restaurant offers a lunch portion, which is generally much smaller than the dinner portion, opt for the lunch portion. Or, if you order the dinner portion, only eat half of it. Have the other half wrapped up, so you can take it home and eat it another day.

Avoid entrees. You can also skip the entrée, simply opting for an appetizer. You might want to add a salad or fresh fruit to the appetizer for a meal that doesn’t mess up your diet but does fill you up.

Avoid buffets. Buffets are a huge temptation that most of us simply cannot resist, no matter how much self-discipline we possess. The best thing to do when you’re dieting is to simply not go to buffets.

Eat less. If you know ahead of time that you’ll be going out to dinner, eat accordingly during the day. Eat smaller meals, but make sure your hunger is satisfied. If you starve yourself during the day, you’re just going to overeat at the restaurant.

Choose a healthy side dish. Sometimes there’s nothing better than a steaming hot plate of fresh French fries. Unfortunately, when you’re dieting, you should avoid French fries, instead opting for healthier sides like steamed vegetables or a baked potato.

Choose your entrée carefully. If you order an entrée, for example, that generally is grilled with oil or butter, ask them to cook the dish without either or with only very little oil or butter.

Avoid certain drinks. Rather than drinking a caffeine-laced soda or alcohol, opt for a glass of water with a bit of lemon, or order diet soda, tea that is unsweetened, or coffee. Caffeine can add a significant number of calories to your diet every time you drink it.

Share dessert. Desserts in restaurants are often extremely filling, so offer to split one of those mouth-watering desserts with someone with whom you’re dining.

Finish when you’ve had enough. Don’t overeat and stuff yourself. Stop eating when your stomach tells you it’s full.