One in five calorie-conscious youths are shunning their friends in favour of their figures, admitting they would cancel plans, or have done so in the past, for fear of ruining their diet. But there are many options to get the right food while dining out with family or friends.

According to a survey of 1,000 people carried out on behalf of restaurant group PizzaExpress, over a quarter of women and 12 percent of men admit to sabotaging their weight loss at the slightest sniff of a meal out, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Fitness and wellbeing expert Jessie Pavelka has created a series of top tips on how one can gorge on foods without thinking of weight.

* Plan ahead – if you know you’re going to be eating out, think about what you need to do to moderate what you’re having throughout the rest of the day. One trick is to look up the menu online first so you order wisely.

* Don’t be afraid to ask for your food to be adapted to suit your needs – many restaurants are happy to adapt dishes to your needs.

* Look for dishes with lots of colour – if all else fails, eating lots of fresh and colourful ingredients means you’re getting a range of nutrients.

* Check out lower carb options – we need carbs for energy.

* Go easy on alcohol – it is okay to treat yourself, just don’t overdo it.

BDST: 1706 HRS, FEB 05, 2015