You've been a nutritional saint for a while now, eating sensible, low-fat foods and exercising four or five times a week. You feel great and you look great. But now you're faced with your first real test of character, your first confrontation with a high-fat, high-cal, rip-roarin', gut-bustin', pig-out situation: eating at a restaurant.

One friend orders the Godzilla burger with fries and gravy. The other orders the prime rib special. You salivate, thinking "Ah, what the heck! What are a few extra calories, anyway?" Just remember that one "Ah, what the heck" restaurant meal can amount to over 1,500 calories that'll wind up around your middle. And after throwing caution to the wind even once, it's easy to talk yourself into doing it again and again.

Let's be realistic. All of us want to be able to enjoy an evening out at a nice restaurant every once in a while, and there's no need for this occasion to be fraught with guilt. These 14 tips will help you enjoy a nice evening out and help you keep calories and fat in check.

1. Avoid "All You Can Eat." Usually, you end up eating all you can and then some.

2. Vegetarian does not necessarily mean low-fat. A lot of vegetarian restaurants serve dishes that are soaking in oil. They may boast that they use olive oil exclusively, but remember, all culinary oils contain 14 grams of fat per tablespoon.

3. Sticking with a few favorite restaurants is a good way to get to know the chef, the servers and the way the food is prepared. It's also a good way for them to familiarize themselves with your special requests (and don't be shy about asking for special orders -- remember, you're the one who's paying).