Dining out question, new here

YogiRunner12925

Hi all. Using the MFP system for about 10 days and am loving it so far. I'm down "officially" 2 lb, but "unofficially" 3-4. (I only count my Tuesday AM weigh-ins, but weight myself a couple times throughout the week to keep myself in check).

This weekend will be my first time dining out on MFP. So I have a few questions. I'm going to a restaurant for dinner that does not have it's NI online. I already picked out what I'm ordering (it's restaurant week in Boston, so the choices are limited and I'm a vegetarian so there are really only 1-2 options for me.)

Any tips for how to account for my calories when I don't have the NI?

Should I just try to find something close that I find in the database and leave it at that?

Just FYI, I'm not stressing out about it TOO much, I'm training for a marathon and on my 18 mile run today I earned over 2,000 cals, so I plan on eating a quarter or so today and half tomorrow (I will be in the city all day for lunch too).

Thanks!

FemaleWarriorxo

Ask questions (: the chef that made the meal will usually know the calories inside of it. For tracking it on MFP I usually try to add everything it had in it or find something close to it.

futuremanda

I just try to find something close in the database. Aim for a nice, caloric version. Preferably from some other restaurant that IS in the database. This is what I do.

If you know what you're getting, do you know how to eyeball the portions? Ex. If you're getting mac and cheese, you can actually look at images of different portion sizes of pasta to help you eyeball that. (Or snap a photo on your phone if you like and wouldn't feel weird doing it with whoever you're out with!)

Other option is to try to deconstruct your meal and add pieces separately. I am abysmal at this method though, and end up thinking I've eaten like, the caloric equivalent of two or three McDonalds meals.

999tigger

you already nailed it go for soemthing similar or ask the restaurant or find out the ingredients then use the recipe builder to log a rough guess. If your burning that much you will be fine.

YogiRunner12925

Thanks all! I'm going to be with my boyfriends family, I don't really want to seem obsessive about food and taking pictures of my meals. I think I will try to find something similar in the data base and maybe eat only half. Thankfully I have a lot of calories from today's run as back up.