There are some healthier options tho when ordering from a restaurant. First, cut back on sodium by ordering from restaurants which use no MSG (monosodium glutamate). Also limit soy sauce. Many fried dishes will have extra calories and fats from oils. Choose steamed over fried dishes when possible. Dishes such as sesame chicken and sweet and sour pork tend to be higher in calories and fat. They also have heavy sauces which add sugar and fat to your daily caloric intake.
Some Healthy Options
Steamed vegetarian dumplings instead of fried egg rolls
Broiled, steamed or lightly stir fried vegetable, poultry or meat dishes
Vegetable main and side dishes
Steamed brown rice (instead of fried rice)
Dishes such as beef and broccoli or beef and veggies tend to be good dishes to order as they run around 495 calories (depending on serving size). These dishes are usually cooked in an oyster sauce rather than a heavy sauce. The stir fry dishes tend to be lower in calories and fat as well.
One of the dishes I was surprised to find will set you back a lot of calories is brown rice! Many restaurants cook their brown rice with butter and oil. Ask how the brown rice is cooked before ordering it. You may save yourself a lot of calories and expanded waist line. Noodle dishes also tend to have more calories than veggie based meals.
Make the meal fun by using chop sticks. By using chopsticks, you will slow down your eating allowing the brain to process the eating and allow you to feel full. You will also leave most of the sauce in the bottom of the dish saving calories and sodium intake!
Finally, you can choose healthy dishes but if you are unaware of the serving size, you will still consume a lot of calories in one meal. American Chinese food meals tend to come in large servings. This is because the ingredients are cheap and mass produced. Be aware of your serving size... even too much of a nutrient dense, low fat dish can add inches to your waist!