Eating out a few times this week...

AskTracyAnnK28

I have to eat out three times this week...once at The Cheesecake Factory (thankfully they have a 'skinny menu') once at a pizza place and the other at a pub. I looked at the menus online and prelogged the best I could.

According to MFP a slice of NY style pizza is almost 500 calories - so I might have to skip that luncheon (for a co-worker going on maternity leave).

How accurate is the MFP databse when it comes to chain restaurant menu's? I chose the Ahi Tuna salad at The Cheesecake Factory and it's says it's 440 calories. Does that sound right?

There really is nothing very calorie friendly on the pub menu so I logged for the portobello mushroom burger (with fresh mozzerella and roasted red pepper). I figured I'd eat it without the bun and skip the fries.

I'm trying to be extra good this week because January was a total fail for me

I guess I just need advice because I won't have my food scale/measuring cups to use as a crutch and I hate to pass up my own birthday celebrations...

lindzgayle

Unfortunately, salads have so many extras added in that it could certainly be 440 or above.
One option is to cut your meal in half and take the rest home or share. Restaurant meals are sneaky!

jemhh

I usually check the restaurant's website and use that info over the MFP database (which may or may not be accurate, depending on the person who entered the item.) If I can't get info from the restaurant, I either enter the individual items in the meal (as best possible) or, for something like pizza, I'd probably google to find a restaurant that sells something similar and has the nutrition info for it. If I still couldn't find something from a similar restaurant, I'd just use the MFP entry that seems most reasonable.

Happy birthday, by the way! Have a great day and don't feel bad about wanting to

Codilee87

If you don't mind making odd requests you can ask for a "deconstructed salad" Basically they can just keep all the salad ingredients separate from each other and the dressing on the side - that way you can choose exactly how much of each component you want. A Cobb salad usually comes pre-deconstructed and has hard-boiled eggs which are a healthy source of protein. Then you can get a grilled chicken breast to go on top and you have a great healthy meal, with more control over the portions.

LifeInTheBikeLane

I don't eat out very often but sometimes we go through a week or two where we eat out more then we like. The way I get through a week like that is a lot of research before going to the chosen destination.

Research the menu, plan out what you want to eat and record it prior to the day. Usually the database is pretty inaccurate depending because they can't always make everything exactly as the recipe says (More sauce is added, less cheese is added, more noodles). Most restaurants don't measure stuff on scales like us.

A lot of times we cut our meals in half, like above stated. Overestimate as best as you can (don't choose the least calories given on one of the options MFP gives).

TR0berts

Just don't go crazy with what you order. You can try to make up some of the "lost" deficit by eating just a little bit less on the other days. Again, don't go crazy and eat very little - just maybe 100 Calories more deficit each day, if you can manage it.

AskTracyAnnK28

I should mention that The Cheesecake Factory lunch is with my bosses so I don't want to make a scene with my ordering or seem difficult.

mbcieslak87

Honestly, just make sure to eat healthy the rest of the day. You can fit almost anything you want in your diet if you are just aware. I literally eat pizza all the time and have no problem maintaining my weight or even losing if I am feeling a bit bulky. 500 calories is not going to derail a whole day and certainly not your whole deficit. I don't know exactly what your calorie goal, but let's say it is 1500 a day, because that seems like a pretty healthy deficit number for a woman who has a desk job but exercises 3-4 times a week - like so many of us do nowadays. Well that still leaves 1000 calories for breakfast and dinner - which is plenty. Even if you're trying to be super strict (not my thing) and do 1200 - well that still leaves like 300 cal breakfast and a 400 cal dinner - light but not undoable - just make sure those other calories are protein packed if you're watching your macros.

I do like jemhh's suggestions - this is pretty much what I do. I use the restaurant's nutritional info first (I know Cheesecake Factory has it all laid out in extreme detail). If it's a local place, rather than a chain, I find a chain with something similar and use that. Or, in the case of the Portobella mushroom burger, I would enter individual ingredients. If all else fails I just pick an MFP entrance on the higher end of the range for that item (for intance if I find large NY style pizza slices range from 300-700 in MFP I would probably pick something around 600 calories) and move on - maybe exercise a little more that day when I can't be too sure.

Finally remember that that number on your MFP is a deficit, so if you go over by say 100 calories... you're probably STILL at a deficit and still losing, even though seeing the red can be annoying.

jemhh

Ordering things on the side is a perfectly normal thing to do. When I went to CF in January, I had the French country salad (I think that's what it's called) and then a piece of cheesecake. For me, it was worth the splurge. Maybe you could pick one of your meals out and make that your bigger splurge meal, if it would be easier?

AskTracyAnnK28

mbcieslak87 wrote: »

Honestly, just make sure to eat healthy the rest of the day. You can fit almost anything you want in your diet if you are just aware. I literally eat pizza all the time and have no problem maintaining my weight or even losing if I am feeling a bit bulky. 500 calories is not going to derail a whole day and certainly not your whole deficit. I don't know exactly what your calorie goal, but let's say it is 1500 a day, because that seems like a pretty healthy deficit number for a woman who has a desk job but exercises 3-4 times a week - like so many of us do nowadays. Well that still leaves 1000 calories for breakfast and dinner - which is plenty. Even if you're trying to be super strict (not my thing) and do 1200 - well that still leaves like 300 cal breakfast and a 400 cal dinner - light but not undoable - just make sure those other calories are protein packed if you're watching your macros.

I do like jemhh's suggestions - this is pretty much what I do. I use the restaurant's nutritional info first (I know Cheesecake Factory has it all laid out in extreme detail). If it's a local place, rather than a chain, I find a chain with something similar and use that. Or, in the case of the Portobella mushroom burger, I would enter individual ingredients. If all else fails I just pick an MFP entrance on the higher end of the range for that item (for intance if I find large NY style pizza slices range from 300-700 in MFP I would probably pick something around 600 calories) and move on - maybe exercise a little more that day when I can't be too sure.

Finally remember that that number on your MFP is a deficit, so if you go over by say 100 calories... you're probably STILL at a deficit and still losing, even though seeing the red can be annoying.

my calorie goal is 1200 - 1320 a day and I don't exercise so I have to be very careful. I only have about 10 'vanity pounds' left I'd like to lose...but the month of January set me back a little with my logging and I'd like to be diligent for the next month or so and still 'have a life'.

I deconstructed the portobella burger using the MFP database and did a quick add of 100 calories to be safe. If I have a very very light lunch I'll still be able to have 3 Miller Light's without going over my calorie goal

Lemme tell you how hard it will be to go to The Cheesecake Factory and not have my favorite Red Velvet Cheesecake...but at over 800 calories it just isn't worth it

astrose00

tracyannk28 wrote: »

I should mention that The Cheesecake Factory lunch is with my bosses so I don't want to make a scene with my ordering or seem difficult.

I ordered the chopped veggie salad and told them to hold the sweet dressing. I opted for oil and vinegar instead. Mine had grilled chicken as well. I estimated the chicken was about 4oz and the total salad was under 500 calories. It took the place of my lunch and a snack that day. As for the ahi tuna, most of that is probably the dipping sauce. Just eyeball the size of the tuna and you can see what that is per ounce. Don't eat the dipping sauce if you're worried about it.

I_Will_End_You

When I have weeks where I eat at restaurants several times, I try to save half of it for lunch the next day. Win win. Less calories, lunch is ready for the next day, and I get to eat some delicious restaurant food twice.

astrose00

Oh yeah, and I would be SHOCKED if a typical slice of NY pizza wasn't closer to 1000 calories. I have made homemade pizza with pita bread instead of pizza dough and the whole thing was probably 500 calories. It was much less oily and rich than NY pizza. I'm from NY and I know the slices can be pretty big. Pizza restaurants usually have great salads. I'd opt for one of those.

AskTracyAnnK28

astrose00 wrote: »

Oh yeah, and I would be SHOCKED if a typical slice of NY pizza wasn't closer to 1000 calories. I have made homemade pizza with pita bread instead of pizza dough and the whole thing was probably 500 calories. It was much less oily and rich than NY pizza. I'm from NY and I know the slices can be pretty big. Pizza restaurants usually have great salads. I'd opt for one of those.

I think I'm going to skip the pizza lunch because I can eat tons of other things for the fraction of the calories that won't blow my deficit for the day or sit in my tummy like a lead balloon.

aplcr0331

tracyannk28 wrote: »

I deconstructed the portobella burger using the MFP database and did a quick add of 100 calories to be safe. If I have a very very light lunch I'll still be able to have 3 Miller Light's without going over my calorie goal

You'll be drinking 330 calories in beer, but you're concerned over pizza or a burger?

Priorities. Beer is usually first, I get it.

AskTracyAnnK28

aplcr0331 wrote: »

tracyannk28 wrote: »

I deconstructed the portobella burger using the MFP database and did a quick add of 100 calories to be safe. If I have a very very light lunch I'll still be able to have 3 Miller Light's without going over my calorie goal

You'll be drinking 330 calories in beer, but you're concerned over pizza or a burger?

Priorities. Beer is usually first, I get it.

My friend wants to take me out for drinks for my birthday, so yeah - beer comes first this time

Francl27

Really, 500 calories for a slice of pizza? How? I thought NY style was relatively thin crust? Even for a plain cheese pizza? That sounds excessive... I mean, the regular Papa John large pizza is similar and only 290 calories a slice... Personally I'd go anyway and have a couple slices, and just have a lighter breakfast and dinner.

Anyway, I'd trust the nutrition info for Cheesecake Factory, at least for the Skinnylicious menu (I'm guessing people in NY posted the info as it's not on their website). There's no way to know how accurate it is otherwise though, so I wouldn't drive myself nuts over it. Everything I've ordered from the Skinnylicious menu is great.

cwolfman13

Pro tips...

1 - get online and look at chain restaurant menus and compare to what is in the MFP database

2 - For salad, get the dressing on the side...I hate a salad that is drowning in dressing and that's what most restaurants do...and that's where most of the calories are

3 - Pizza is a tough one because it varies a lot...I can have a whole small Margarita pizza at Il Vicino for around 500 calories or a slice of pepperoni at Dion's for the same (it's massive).

4 - when I eat out, I will often order something my wife and I can split or otherwise only eat half and box up the rest...if I'm planning on just getting my grub on, I usually lighter on my other meals to compensate.

5 - Exercise regularly.

AskTracyAnnK28

Francl27 wrote: »

Really, 500 calories for a slice of pizza? How? I thought NY style was relatively thin crust? Even for a plain cheese pizza? That sounds excessive... I mean, the regular Papa John large pizza is similar and only 290 calories a slice... Personally I'd go anyway and have a couple slices, and just have a lighter breakfast and dinner.

Anyway, I'd trust the nutrition info for Cheesecake Factory, at least for the Skinnylicious menu (I'm guessing people in NY posted the info as it's not on their website). There's no way to know how accurate it is otherwise though, so I wouldn't drive myself nuts over it. Everything I've ordered from the Skinnylicious menu is great.

NY pizza is a pretty regular crust - but the slices are really really big. It still seems excessive which is why I haven't had pizza in 7 months lololol

segacs

Just don't finish it. Order something with double your calories, ask them to divide it in two and take half of it home. Problem solved.