You want to build muscle—but you also want to live your life. Maybe you travel a lot. Maybe work keeps you out late. Maybe your friends or partner love going out to eat. Whatever the reason, cooking every single meal just isn’t realistic.
But that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your progress. You can absolutely eat at restaurants and still get bigger, stronger, and leaner—if you do it right.
There’s a myth in the fitness world that real progress only happens if you’re cooking every gram of rice and weighing every chicken breast. And while precision helps, it’s not the only path to results.
What actually matters is consistency and decision-making. If 80–90% of your meals are on track, and your restaurant choices are smart, you can make steady muscle-building progress without being a kitchen monk.
Most restaurant meals are higher in fat and sodium and lighter on protein. That’s not a dealbreaker—but it means you’ll need to be more strategic with your picks. Think like a lifter, not like a foodie.
There was a six-week stretch when I was working two jobs and training hard, and I just didn’t have time to meal prep. I relied on takeout almost daily. At first, I thought my gains would stall. But instead of panicking, I made a plan.
I found two local spots with options I could tweak. One was a Thai place that would double the chicken and leave off the sugary sauce. The other was a Mexican grill where I could get rice, beans, grilled steak, and avocado in a bowl. I still hit my macros, I kept gaining strength, and I actually got leaner thanks to the structure those meals provided.
It wasn’t perfect—but it worked. Because I treated eating out as fuel, not a cheat code.
When eating out, you’re usually faced with huge menus and little info. But the basics don’t change: protein is king, carbs support training, fats are fine in moderation, and veggies help digestion.
Start by identifying the protein. Grilled chicken, steak, salmon, eggs, even lean burgers—these are your anchors. Then look for carbs that are easy to portion: rice, potatoes, tortillas, whole grain bread. Finally, keep fats under control by skipping extra sauces, fried sides, and cheese-heavy additions.
If you’re unsure, ask for modifications. Restaurants are used to it. Ask for grilled instead of fried, dressing on the side, or double protein. These small tweaks often make the difference between a muscle-building meal and a calorie bomb.
You don’t need to be a gourmet dietitian to navigate restaurants. Here are some general ideas that work at most places:
At Chipotle or similar spots: Build a bowl with double meat, rice, beans, veggies, and a little fat from guac or cheese if needed. Skip the sour cream, skip the chips.
At diners: Go for an omelet with egg whites and whole eggs, a side of potatoes, and toast. Ask them to go light on oil or butter.
At sandwich shops: Get a whole grain sandwich with turkey, roast beef, or grilled chicken, skip the heavy sauces, and add veggies.
At Asian spots: Order steamed rice and grilled protein, skip the sugary sauces or noodles swimming in oil. Ask for sauces on the side and control the portion.
At fast food: Go for grilled chicken sandwiches (hold the mayo), or even two plain burgers with no cheese and a side of fruit or small fries. Focus on protein first, fat second.
Sometimes the best you can do is the best you can do. You might guess portions. You might eat a little more fat than planned. But if you walk into every restaurant with a clear goal—to eat a high-protein, muscle-supporting meal—you’re already ahead of 99% of lifters.
The trap is all-or-nothing thinking. One “off” meal doesn’t ruin anything. But spiraling after one loose dinner can turn into a weekend binge. Instead, aim for smart-enough consistency. Think balance, not purity.
Related: Build Muscle With Limited Cooking Time
External: Healthline: Healthy Fast Food Options