If you are like most people, you enjoy eating at an Italian pizzeria. However, you may be trying to lose weight for health reasons or a special occasion. So, you need to know what to do when a pizza craving strikes or if you find yourself at a gathering and pizza is the planned as the main course. The following tips can help.

Opt for less meat.

Many people like to eat meat on their pizzas. This has led to some pizzas only containing meat and cheese as toppings. If you love meaty pizzas, choosing to limit your pizza to one or two meat toppings can help curb calories.

Explore other pizza options.

Perhaps you always order the same type of pizza. You may frown on healthier options thinking that they will not taste as expected. Try a pizza loaded with various vegetable and one meat choice or no meat. Another option would be to try a pizza with a low-fat meat such as chicken. A chicken and spinach pizza is a wonderful combination that is healthy, and you may find that it is just as good as your high-calorie favorites.

Choose whole wheat crust.

If you do not have a gluten allergy or gluten sensitivity, opting for a whole wheat crust is a nutritious option for your pizza. Whole wheat offers a number of benefits from a health perspective such as reducing the risk of obesity.

Skip the extra cheese.

Most people who love pizza love cheese. This means that people often want lots of cheese to the point they may request extra cheese. The issue is that if you are trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, the extra cheese can be a bad idea. If you must have extra cheese to enjoy your pizza, then eat fewer slices to ensure you do not consume excess calories. You can also inquire with the pizzeria about whether or not they have low-fat cheese as an alternative to regular cheese.

Choose healthy complementary foods.

There are a number of foods that go well with pizza. A salad is a good complementary food, but do not drench it in salad dressing due to the extra calories. Raw veggies and fresh fruit are other healthy options that are low-calorie.

Watch out for high-calorie and sugar-laden beverages.

If you like water, aim to drink it with your pizza. It can aid in better digestion, and it has zero calories. Sodas have a high sugar content and can add calories on to your meal. Also, be mindful of consuming beer with pizza because it can also add unwanted calories.