Gold's Gym's "Golden Plate Awards" Serves Up 2nd Annual Winners

Gold's Gym and Robert Irvine Team Up to Reveal Restaurants' Healthiest Dishes

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Sep 09, 2015, 09:00 ET

DALLAS, Sept. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second year in a row, Gold's Gym, the world's leading authority on health and fitness, has partnered with celebrity chef Robert Irvine for the "Golden Plate Awards" to reveal the best bets – and bites – when it comes to dining out. The Golden Plate Awards recognizes ten of the healthiest food choices – including appetizers, entrees, and to-go options – at some of the nation's most popular restaurant and cafe chains to help consumers make informed decisions about "eating clean."

The submissions were collected from Gold's Gym members and consumers across the nation who shared their favorite meals at restaurants. Then Gold's Gym Fitness Institute Expert and Celebrity Chef, Robert Irvine, sorted through hundreds of nominations to determine which meals made the healthy cut – and which got chopped. The 2015 Golden Plate Award winners represent the best options for the body and the palate.

The winners are:

Applebee's – Sizzling Asian Shrimp and Broccoli
Boston Market – Skinless Chicken with Steamed Vegetables
Chipotle Mexican Grill – Steak Salad or Chicken Salad
Corner Bakery Cafe – ½ BBLT and Mixed Green Salad Combo
Denny's – Fit Slam®
P.F. Chang's – Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps
Panera – Half-Sierra Turkey Sandwich on Focaccia Bread with a Bowl of Low-Fat Vegetarian Black Bean Soup
Ruby Tuesday – Spaghetti Squash Marinara
Starbucks – Chicken and Hummus Bistro Box
Zoës Kitchen – Protein Power Plate

"Today's consumer is much more empowered to make smart and healthy decisions about dining out than the generations before them, thanks to a growing awareness and concern for personal health and wellness. To chefs and culinary professionals dedicated to quality and nutrition, this is a wonderful thing," said Chef Robert Irvine. "I love partnering with Gold's Gym for their Golden Plate Awards because it is yet another great example of the power of nutritional education, as it provides millions of American's with a cheat sheet on how to dine out wisely."

Recent research from the National Restaurant Association shows that the average adult purchases and consumes a meal or snack from a restaurant 5.8 times per week. "This staggering number led Gold's Gym to organize the Golden Plate Awards for a second year in a row, recognizing the importance of helping consumers figure out their best options when dining out to stay on track with their health and fitness goals," continued Irvine.

"Being healthy is about more than just working out; it's a balance between being physically active and eating the right food to properly fuel your body. That's why we created the Golden Plate Awards, to help people make smart choices while enjoying a meal at their favorite restaurant with family and friends," said Dave Reiseman, vice president of marketing, brand communications for Gold's Gym. "We're celebrating 50 years of helping people look and feel their best, and that doesn't stop at the doors of the gym. With the help of Robert Irvine, we want to inspire our members to be their best selves – both in and out of the gym."

For more information regarding Gold's Gym or the Golden Plate Awards, please visit www.goldsgym.com/goldenplate.

About Gold's Gym
Since 1965 Gold's Gym has built a Legacy of Strength − a legacy that goes back to the very first Gold's Gym in Venice, California. Fifty years later, Gold's Gym is the most recognized gym chain in the world with more than 700 locations in 38 states and 23 countries. Gold's Gym offers the latest equipment and services, including group exercise, personal training, cardiovascular equipment, group cycle, Pilates and yoga. With nearly 3 million members worldwide, Gold's Gym helps all kinds of people achieve their potential through fitness.

For more information please visit www.goldsgym.com, www.facebook.com/goldsgym or www.twitter.com/goldsgym. To learn more about how Gold's Gym is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary, visit http://www.goldsgym.com/50th-anniversary/.

About Robert Irvine
With more than 25 years in the culinary profession, Chef Robert Irvine has cooked his way through Europe, the Far East, the Caribbean and the Americas, in hotels and on the high seas. As the host of one of the Food Network's highest rated shows, Restaurant: Impossible, Irvine saves struggling restaurants across America by assessing and overhauling the restaurant's weakest spots. Irvine was previously the host of Food Network's Dinner: Impossible and Worst Cooks in America, has authored two cookbooks, Mission: Cook! and Impossible to Easy, and one healthy living book, Fit Fuel: A Chef's Guide to Eating Well and Living Your Best Life. Irvine is currently on tour with his new, interactive live show Robert Irvine Live, and appears regularly as an expert guest on national morning and daytime talk shows. In 2015, Irvine launched Robert Irvine Foods, a company that features a nutritionally improved line of food products without compromising great taste. Irvine recently established the eponymously named non-profit organization, The Robert Irvine Foundation, in an effort to support military personnel and their families. For more information on Chef Robert Irvine, visit www.ChefIrvine.com.