Eating out / Japanese & Sushi

What I'd Order at a Sushi Restaurant to Lose Weight

Sushi can be one of the leanest meals out or one of the heaviest. The rolls with the fancy names are where it goes sideways.

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

Type your goal weight and every order below shows how much of your calories and protein it covers. Same math I use with clients: goal weight x 12 for calories, goal weight x 0.7 for protein.

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.

What I order

Sashimi platter

Lunch style

12 to 15 pieces, miso soup, seaweed salad

500calories55gprotein

For a 150 lb goal: 28% of your calories and 52% of your protein for the day.

Two classic rolls plus sashimi

Carb meal

Your carb meal: tuna or salmon rolls, not tempura or crunch

750calories50gprotein

For a 150 lb goal: 42% of your calories and 48% of your protein for the day.

Edamame, sashimi and a naruto roll

Lunch style

How I order it, the calories and the protein are in the Eating Out Playbook, along with 60 other chains and 25 kinds of restaurants.

See the Playbook ($7) →

The move: Order sashimi first, then decide if you still want rolls. You'll usually want one, not three.

Skip these

Specialty roll with spicy mayo and crunch550 cal
Shrimp tempura600 cal
Chicken teriyaki with rice900 cal

Drinks: Sake is about 40 calories an ounce and the carafe adds up. A highball is lighter.

Estimates for a typical restaurant portion in the US. Treat them as a close guide.

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 every japanese & sushi spot. 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 healthiest thing to order at a Sushi Restaurant?

Sashimi platter: 12 to 15 pieces, miso soup, seaweed salad. Around 500 calories and 55g of protein.

What should I skip at a Sushi Restaurant when I'm losing weight?

Specialty roll with spicy mayo and crunch (550 calories), Shrimp tempura (600 calories), Chicken teriyaki with rice (900 calories).

What about drinks?

Sake is about 40 calories an ounce and the carafe adds up. A highball is lighter.