What I'd Order at Olive Garden to Lose Weight

I tell clients to order the grilled protein entree, eat it first, and let the unlimited breadsticks be a decision instead of a habit.

John Schaefer, fat loss coach for 27 years · Updated October 2026

What do I order?

Tell me where you're eating and your goal weight. I'll tell you exactly what to get, with the calories and protein.

Want me to email you your numbers? Your calories, protein, carbs and fats for your goal weight, plus this page so you have it at the table.

Answers are estimates from published nutrition data, not medical advice.

My Olive Garden orders

Chicken Margherita

Lunch style

Grilled chicken with tomatoes and mozzarella, skip the breadstick

590calories69gprotein

For a 150 lb goal: 33% of your calories and 66% of your protein for the day.

Linguine di Mare

Carb meal

Seafood linguine, eat the seafood first and the pasta last

570calories44gprotein

For a 150 lb goal: 32% of your calories and 42% of your protein for the day.

Herb-Grilled Salmon

Lunch style

How I order it, the calories and the protein are in the Eating Out Playbook, along with 59 other chains and 25 kinds of restaurants.

See the Playbook ($7) →

The rule at Olive Garden: the lunch style order is built on protein, fat and fiber. The carb meal is the one you have when this is your dinner, or the one meal of the day you're spending your carbs on.

Skip these at Olive Garden

Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo1,980 cal
Chicken & Shrimp Carbonara1,590 cal

Numbers from Olive Garden's published nutrition data via fastfoodnutrition.org. Menus change, so check before you order.

How I fit any restaurant into the day

Protein firstEat the protein, then the vegetables and fats, then the carbs. You're satisfied before the bread matters.

One carb meal a dayBread, rice, pasta, potatoes, fries. Keep the big carb hit to one meal. On a night out, that's dinner.

Zoom out to the weekFat loss runs on your weekly average. One dinner out is easy to absorb when the rest of the week is steady.

The Eating Out Playbook

Every restaurant you go to, already figured out.

60 chains and 25 kinds of restaurants, including Olive Garden. Search the place you're going, pick an order, and see how it fits your goal weight before you sit down. Works on your phone, $7 one time.

Get the Playbook Free: my numbers

Quick answers

What is the best high protein order at Olive Garden?

Chicken Margherita: Grilled chicken with tomatoes and mozzarella, skip the breadstick. It comes to about 590 calories and 69g of protein.

How many calories should I eat at Olive Garden to lose weight?

It depends on your goal weight. I use goal weight x 12 for daily calories, so a 150 lb goal is 1,800 calories a day and a lunch around 500 to 800 of them. The chicken margherita is 33% of that day with 66% of the protein. Type your own goal weight on this page to see your numbers.

What should I avoid at Olive Garden if I'm trying to lose weight?

The ones that stack calories with little protein: Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo (1,980 calories), Chicken & Shrimp Carbonara (1,590 calories).

Can I eat Olive Garden and still lose fat?

Yes. I've never told a client to stop eating out. Build the order around protein, keep the carbs for one meal a day, and Olive Garden fits fine. I tell clients to order the grilled protein entree, eat it first, and let the unlimited breadsticks be a decision instead of a habit.