Healthcheck: Healthier Options While Dining Out

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Eating out can be a major obstacle if you're watching your weight, but one local restaurant is making things easier for customers.

Davio's has two locations in our area, King of Prussia and Center City. It's known for its fine dining.

There are a lot of business lunches, dinners and celebrations. The chef and owner says a few years ago, he noticed more people asking for healthier substitutions. So he took that direction and now offers an additional menu called Awaken 180.

Regional executive chef Ted Iwachiw took Action News into the kitchen as he prepared a few of the most popular dishes on the Awaken menu.

Meals are loaded with vegetables, such as zucchini, spinach or cauliflower rice.

It's paired with a lean protein such as filet mignon, chicken, shrimp and tuna. All the dishes are prepared without sugar and with healthy fats, such as extra virgin olive oil.

Chef and owner Steve DiFillippo partnered with the owner of the Awaken 180 Weight Loss plan to create the new menu because customers started asking for healthier options.

"So if someone comes in who is health conscious, they know they can order from this menu and be safe," he said.

But don't confuse safe or healthy with boring and bland.

"That's what's so great about the menu, you're not missing out on the seasoning and the flavor. You are eating healthier but you are not being disappointed with flavor being lost," Iwachiw said.

DiFillippo says he lost 35 pounds making similar changes to the way he eats.

"I feel fantastic I really do, I do things I thought I wasn't going to do anymore, just picking up things, going running every morning," he said.

Whether you're eating at Davio's, somewhere else or even at home, if you're watching your weight or just striving to live healthy, moderation is key.

"You don't need to eat a 16-ounce steak, maybe it's okay to eat 10 ounces," he said, adding "eat more chicken, eat more lean meat and eat a lot of vegetables."