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5 Meals Under 500 Calories in Northbrook

Sticking to a diet is tough. Here are five suggestions to keep to a regiment.

We know how it is: It feels like you've just mustered up enough willpower to tear yourself away from that House Hunters marathon on TV and force yourself out onto the running trails, and, even better, you're finally saying "no" to takeout and "yes" to veggies from the farmers market.

You're on a roll, and then it happens: The office decides it's time for everyone to go out to lunch together, or a friend's birthday party rolls around, or the siren song of trans fats and their sugary cohorts simply becomes too much to resist.

We get it, and we know you do too, but you don't have to get all of it. Portion control is still possible, even when we allow ourselves to get dragged out and into a situation where there's going to be tasty temptations. We've put together this list of five local spots where you can allow yourself a little indulgence without shame and you spiraling back into couch potato land.

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The name "Butterfield's" must start setting off alarms to conscientious dieters. Fear not! The menu isn't all delectable cheese blintzes, rich French toast and oversized omelets. There are ways to keep things under control here without breaking the 500 calorie mark.

Patch's Under 500 Pick: Caramelized banana steel-cut oatmeal. It consists of one cup of oatmeal (200 calories), one banana (100 calories) a teaspoon of butter (100 calories) and a tablespoon of brown sugar (48 calories). 

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Total: 448 calories

When your co-workers drag you out to lunch, sometimes you just need to go with the flow. If that flow leads you to a hot dog stand, stay strong. Opt for a healthy sandwich instead of a fatty burger or dog, and earn some political points by being generous with your side of fries.

Patch's Under 500 Pick: Grilled chicken sandwich. That is an 8-ounce chicken breast (250 calories), a bun (120 calories...and you can always just eat half of it), various veggies (80 calories) and a tablespoon of mayo (57 calories).

Total: 507 calories, even less if you go without mayo or ask for light mayo

Now and then, cooler heads prevail (that, or everyone just gets really sick of hot dogs) and your group heads out for Japanese. It's tempting to convince yourself that cream cheese is perfectly fine when it's paired with salmon, and besides, each piece of those rolls is so tiny, but the calories can add up fast. Luckily, there are healthy choices that are just as tasty.

Patch's Under 500 Pick: One California roll and one tuna avocado roll. Generally, an eight-piece California roll is about 250 calories, and six pieces of a tuna avocado roll are about the same. 

Total: 500 calories

The popular, palatial playground is just as well known for it's bocce courts and comfortable terraces as it is for it's hulking portions of rich entrees. After a dinner here, you might not have much room left for sweets, so why not start with them? There might be a rule against eating desserts first, but not desserts only.

Patch Under 500 Pick: Gelato of the moment. Pinstripes rotates flavors of this creamy Italian dessert. A half cup of vanilla gelato comes in at 200 calories, and depending on the flavors, sauces and portion sizes can range to as much as twice that. Mangia!

Total: 200-500 calories

Finally, there are those nights when you're just going to have a drink. Maybe you're out catching up with friends, or all that calorie counting paid off and you're on a date, but either way, you're putting away a few. Sure, alcohol lowers inhibitions and it's tough to stay disciplined, but just keep in mind that a few drinks don't have to derail your whole day.

Patch's Under 500 Pick: Amstel Light. Drinking a low-calorie beer doesn't mean you have to sacrifice flavor. This tasty import packs only 95 calories a bottle, so you can get a slight buzz without feeling too much guilt. Alternatively, if you're in more of a cocktail kind of place, a standard martini with two ounces of vodka (120 calories), an ounce and a half of vermouth (64 calories) and a single green olive (42 calories) keeps you under the limit as well.

Total: 95 calories for an Amstel Light or 226 calories for a martini.

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