How do I handle going out to eat??

maddiebradley1

So I'm supposed to go out to eat with my friends tonight… normally we just stay home and cook for each other so I generally get a lot more control over my food… how do I make sure what I eat is healthy when I go out?

Timorous_Beastie

Search the menu online before you go out.

AmyRhubarb

If it's a chain restaurant, check out their menu and nutrition info online before you go. If you can, make your selection before you leave the house, and pre-log it. Make it fit into your goals for the day - if a half portion of what you order fits the bill, log it that way, then divide your meal in half as soon as you get it, stop eating when you're through the logged portion, box up the rest to take home for tomorrow.

That's how I do it. Even if it's a local spot and I can't get nutritional info, I might look for a similar item in the database and get as close as I can, and most times a half portion is still plenty.

And mostly, just remember that it's one night - you said you usually stay home and cook, so whatever you end up with, one evening out is not going to wreck ya. Enjoy the time out with friends!

SingRunTing

Plan ahead.

Does the restaurant post it's nutritional values online? If it does, great! Pick something that fits your goals.

If it doesn't post nutritional values, does it at least post its menu. Most restaurants do. Prelog what you want to eat. I tend to keep it simple when I have to go this route. Steak, veggies, mashed potatoes. Or chicken, veggies, rice. Etc. It's easier to log with simpler meals like that. Else, pick something in the food database that is similar from another restaurant.

If you can't pick anything that will fit your goals, pick something reasonable and only eat half. Most restaurant meals are in the 1000 calorie range. I would have a hard time fitting 1000 calories, but I can fit 500 just fine. Then I have another 500 meal that I can eat the next day too.

The biggest thing is to plan and log it ahead of time. I log everything I'm planning on eating down to the drinks and bread/butter. It helps me stick to it when I'm there.

StaciMarie1974

Aim for grilled/baked meat. Avoid things cooked or topped with heavy creams/sauces/butter.

SweetPegasai

Plan ahead. I try to find menus and nutrition counts for the planned place (or somewhere similar if it's not available). I have a hard time picking what I want in the first place, so figuring out what I want to get helps with the that as well.

I also usually ask for a box early on or if they can box half ahead of time so I'm not going to over eat (I'm about a half portion eater anyways, so I'm going today end up boxing half unless I'm starving).

dwaynemachinski

If you know the restaurant you are going to eat ahead of time, you can go online and find their menu.
most of them now have the calorie count for each meal or side dish.
I know Applebees, Chilli's, Longhorn, Outback and others have that.

You can either download it and take it with you, preplan your order be fore you go. Even with myfitnesspal you can also type in the place you are at and it will identify the foods with the calories.

Most places have a healthy menu now, so your options are available.
an example for me at Longhorns:
Longhorn Steakhouse - 6 Oz. Renegade Sirloin, 6 oz. 320 Cal.
Longhorn Steakhouse - Broccoli, 1 side 90 Cal.
Longhorn Steakhouse - Asparagus Side, 1 side 90 Cal.
Total 500 Cal of a healthy meal

Trust me its awkward at first, but once you start doing this, it will come natural

fbmandy55

Enjoy your night out to eat. One meal isn't going to set you back.

FYI most chain restaurant salads are 600-1200 calories. Texas Roadhouse grilled chicken breast is over 1000, for JUST the grilled chicken breast. It's like 3 times a normal serving and soaked in butter juice..

segacs

Guesstimate.

Using the food scale at home is a good way to hone your estimation skills. With practice, you should be able to roughly estimate portion size just by looking at it. You won't be exact, but you should be able to approximate what was in your food. Use the recipe builder when you get home, take a guess at what ingredients went into what you ate, and come up with a number.

Guesstimate high, not low, since the human brain has a tendency to underestimate, and since restaurants like to pile on the fats and butters and oils when they cook to add flavour.

ETA: If you live in the US, many restaurants post nutritional information that can be used as a rough guide. If, like many of us, you live elsewhere, then guesstimation is your best friend.

dawnmcneil10

I find appetizers and drinks are both wastes for me when dining out. If I get a drink it's usually a wine spritzer or a bloody mary, the spritzer is preferred as I sip it and it lasts longer.
I have a few friends that I do plate sharing with, none of us eats a full plate and leftovers just don't work well with some foods. If it works as leftovers I typically split the food in half on my plate and take half home.
Also don't be afraid to ask to have 2 servings of veggies instead of the rice or pasta or potato option if that's what you want, most places don't have a problem with that at all.

As for dessert all I'm going to say is this is the 1 thing I don't avoid, if I truly want dessert I have it but again I have friends to share desserts with so we'll order a few different desserts and nibble on each. Usually for me a bite of each dessert is plenty and I feel like I fully enjoyed the entire meal.

Hopefully that helps a little and as the poster above mentioned, check the menu online beforehand if that's an option.

Need2Exerc1se

maddiebradley1 wrote: »

So I'm supposed to go out to eat with my friends tonight… normally we just stay home and cook for each other so I generally get a lot more control over my food… how do I make sure what I eat is healthy when I go out?

If you can't find online nutritional information (which will be inaccurate, but hopefully at least close), then just use common sense. Choose grilled or broiled over breaded and fried. Sauces on the side. Nothing smothered in cheese or cream.

throoper

I eat out at restaurants a ton for work. Here's my usual route: get an entree salad with grilled chicken or salmon, make sure it doesn't have a ton of cheese / croutons / creamy sauce on it, ask for light dressing on the side, and don't eat a bunch of bread and butter if it comes beforehand. Done and done!

mrson241

Everyone is saying plan ahead for good reason.

I'd like to add that the fact that you cook at home is going to assist as well, so you will be a better judge of what you know you are safe to eat. Just remember that a restaurant is going to use less healthy cooking methods, so most foods will be 25% higher calories higher than what it would be if you made them.

I have also found that taking the time to consult MFP to see what items have already been listed for the restaurant you are visiting. That will help you even more, and over time will help you learn which restaurants have friendly options!

AmandaLipphardt

Plan ahead. Don't drink your calories. Avoid the telling words: creamy, crispy, battered, tempura etc. With nicer restaurants you can ask that they substitute a side for vegetables and make sure that you ask that the veggies be steamed. Many places will cook it in butter or some other fat if you don't. Get salad dressings and sauces on the side and use the fork method to eat them (dip your fork lightly in the dressing and then spear your salad so you get some dressing but not too much).

mrson241

PS.
Just caring enough to ask is going to make all the difference.
Stay focused, you have got this!

dbkle

You can always ask for something simple, like steamed vegetables, when you order. Typically, restaurants are pretty flexible and capable of getting you something you don't feel horrible about eating. They'd rather have you paying them than not eating.

yopeeps025

google nutrition facts.

segacs

Also, you can do all these things to get blander, healthier meat n' veggies food at restaurants... Or, if you prefer, you can view your restaurant outings as treats and just order whatever you like. Just eat less of it. Get half to take home and eat it tomorrow for lunch.

This isn't a diet; it's a lifestyle change for life. You don't have to spend the rest of your life avoiding restaurants or foods you enjoy. That's not sustainable. Just eat in moderation and have fun!

gabrielleelliott90

I mean, I'd probably just say ''F it'' and just eat whatever I wanted. Tomorrow is another day, just eat the correct amount of cals tomorrow. I mean, when I go out to the pub and get drunk, I don't log the shots or the double malibu and diet cokes or the ouzo and diet cokes, I get really drunk and enjoy it. Granted, I'm 135lb and 163cm 5'4 so I'm a healthy weight, but I'm still losing, it just is more gradual with a social life.

hdrenollet

A lot of restaurants nowadays have healthy menu options, like Applebee's Under 600 Calorie menu - just an example, but a lot of your bigger chain restaurants have these options. Even the small family-owned restaurants in my area are catching on and offering healthy alternatives. I normally pick from these menus if we dine out - unless it's a cheat meal - then I eat whatever I want.

hdrenollet

I just looked at your profile - you're in my area... lol. You shouldn't have a problem finding healthy meal options wherever you go.

GiveMeCoffee

segacs wrote: »

Also, you can do all these things to get blander, healthier meat n' veggies food at restaurants... Or, if you prefer, you can view your restaurant outings as treats and just order whatever you like. Just eat less of it. Get half to take home and eat it tomorrow for lunch.

This isn't a diet; it's a lifestyle change for life. You don't have to spend the rest of your life avoiding restaurants or foods you enjoy. That's not sustainable. Just eat in moderation and have fun!

This. Enjoy the time with your friends.

cwolfman13

- You know what is healthy...so let that help you decide...i.e. lean proteins preferably grilled, veggies, etc
- For calories you can look at chain restaurants on-line...otherwise you have to just find something similar and do the best you can
- I don't eat out often at all...I discovered long ago that I had better results when I didn't eat out very much...when I do go out though, I usually just enjoy myself...try to make goodish decisions, and not worry about it too much...it's such a rarity that in the grand scheme of things, it's pretty irrelevant these days.

LoupGarouTFTs

I agree with planning ahead if that's what you want to do and I agree with ordering broiled or steamed rather than fried or sauteed. However, I rarely go out to a nice restaurant or even a casual dining restaurant. When I do, it's such a treat that I generally log it and move on. I've been at this tracking and weight loss long enough now that I'm less concerned that a single meal is going to derail my newly-acquired good habits and change my weight loss into a weight gain.

WinoGelato

As others have said, plan ahead, use what you've learned so far with cooking at home, but most importantly, this is supposed to be a lifestyle change. You are not going to go the rest of your life without eating out, so you need to figure out ways to make that work for you. Also, life throws you curve balls. You may do your research thinking you and your friends are going to Applebees, and then suddenly someone will say, "man I really want Mexican" and you need to adapt on the fly. It's part of life and it is meant to be enjoyable, so don't sweat it. Go out, enjoy dinner, log it, and move on. Even if it puts you over your calories for the day, consider your weekly deficit. If you stay within that, you won't hinder your progress.

Enjoy!

Need2Exerc1se

segacs wrote: »

Also, you can do all these things to get blander, healthier meat n' veggies food at restaurants... Or, if you prefer, you can view your restaurant outings as treats and just order whatever you like. Just eat less of it. Get half to take home and eat it tomorrow for lunch.

This isn't a diet; it's a lifestyle change for life. You don't have to spend the rest of your life avoiding restaurants or foods you enjoy. That's not sustainable. Just eat in moderation and have fun!

Why the suggestion that healthier must mean blander? It's so untrue.

SingRunTing

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

segacs wrote: »

Also, you can do all these things to get blander, healthier meat n' veggies food at restaurants... Or, if you prefer, you can view your restaurant outings as treats and just order whatever you like. Just eat less of it. Get half to take home and eat it tomorrow for lunch.

This isn't a diet; it's a lifestyle change for life. You don't have to spend the rest of your life avoiding restaurants or foods you enjoy. That's not sustainable. Just eat in moderation and have fun!

Why the suggestion that healthier must mean blander? It's so untrue.

Seriously.

When I go out to eat, what I WANT is a really good steak. Because I can't ever cook it as well as they do no matter how hard I try. Steak is heavy, so I naturally would balance it out with veggies. It's delicious and, bonus, easier to calculate than the chicken alfredo or whatever.

segacs

I meant blander in terms of "dressing on the side, steam everything, hold the sauces, hold the butters and oils, no ingredients you don't recognize, plain meat n' potatoes".

When I go out I like to visit different types of restaurants, from various cultural or ethnic cuisines to "foodie" places. I'm typically not visiting a chain or just ordering basic fare that I could cook at home.

Nothing wrong with a good steak if that's what you're in the mood for, either. Chacun à son goût and all that. But if you want to order something WITH all the flavourings, sauces and extra calories, I'm just saying that you don't have to feel compelled to modify or avoid any foods in order to lose weight. You can fit it all into your calorie goals, give or take a reasonable margin of error, if you just practice portion control.

skeo

I typically stay away from cheese/butter/cream sauces, and go for a lighter meat option like poultry or fish, and swap some carb items for steamed or grilled veggies.

terar21

I find it pretty simple to eat out within a reasonable calorie range. Recognize that salad isn't always the best way to go with all the stuff they put in it plus dressing. You can end up with a salad (tasty of course) that is just as many calories as a regular course. If you do go the salad route, stick with the grilled meat, no cheese (or light cheese because for some reason, I swear the restaurant cheeses pile on so much calories) and dressing on the side so you can manage it.

I personally like to go with a meat because I know I can get close on estimating the portion size. Steak is a good option. Just a nice simple steak with a little seasoning and you can't go wrong. Bonus because they tell you how many ounces it is lol. It only gets high calories when there's various sauces on it. I just order the most simple steak and do some sauce on the side. I'm not partial to chicken but that's another easy one and usually a staple of a restaurant's "lighter side" menu. Grilled/baked fish is a good option as well. Provided the meat doesn't say it's based in some kind of cream/butter sauce, you're good.

Beyond that, it's ok to let yourself live a little every once and a while. Provided your on track for the week, some extra calories won't hurt every now and then.

pplastics

Plan ahead, choosing wisely;
Dressings on the side only and use the "fork method" (dip fork in dressing first, then salad, then eat it);
Only eat half at the restaurant, using the other half for a great lunch or dinner later;
If you really want to go hard core, ask for no added butter on your meal....restaurants use a lot of butter, even on their steamed/grilled entrees and sides!;

and, most importantly...don't stress so much about it and have fun!