Tips for eating out?

PAV8888

CorinnaShaw wrote: »

For every one here saying a calorie is a calorie, here you go. Feel free to fight the MyFitnessPal dietitian here.
http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/ask-the-dietitian-is-a-calorie-a-calorie-2/

Why would I fight her? I agree with her!

You asked if you would lose weight if you ate chocolate all day long. The answer is yes, if you eat less than your caloric allotment.

If you were to ask if you can eat frozen pizzas all day long and lose weight, the answer would also be yes, if you eat less than your caloric allotment.

Do you really think that anyone here is advocating that you should ONLY eat chocolate and frozen pizzas each and every day and nothing but chocolate and frozen pizzas?

You do understand the difference between every day and once in a while, right?

CorinnaShaw

That's not the point. The point is I asked for tips on how to avoid unwanted ingredients in a restaurant meal and people said that ingredients don't matter because a calorie is a calorie as if eating clean and macronutrients were irrelevant. That is what irritated me.

There is a reason why people who low carb can eat more than people who calorie count and still lose weight. Different macro and micronutrients all get absorbed and used differently which means they also will require different amounts of energy to use. That is why I want to know if it is okay to ask if sugar is added to things. And then the vegetable oils for obvious reasons.

PAV8888

CorinnaShaw wrote: »

That is why I want to know if it is okay to ask if sugar is added to things. And then the vegetable oils for obvious reasons.

And the answer is that if you are trying to hide from your date that you are not as flexible in regards to food as every other person in the whole world... then you might actually not be able to not be as flexible as you aren't : - )

Or something like that!

Call the damn restaurant tomorrow and find out how they prepare their food. Ask them what they have on their menu that's "clean", however you define clean as.

Then show up, order the damn thing. if it is not prepared the way you ask set it aside and gaze into your date's eyes instead of eating.

Here are some thing *I* consider "clean" and which I sometimes TRY to order: Steak medium rare with steamed veggies, no sauce or margarine, please. Garden salad with oil and vinegar dressing, on the side, please. Salmon or fish entrée with steamed (or boiled) veggies, no sauces or margarine please. Wedge of lemon too!

Why do I say TRY? Because quite often your veggies will still arrive gooped up with margarine (yes, the trans-fatty kind).

When they do, just grin, eat them, log a tablespoon of margarine in MFP, and move on with your life. Or leave them on your plate un-eaten.

Anyway: how many grams of fructose and/or trans-fats have you eaten during your life to-date? You would have to be quite unlucky for the next gram or two to be the ones that kill you!

OH: and try to enjoy your date. If you are more concerned about the food than about the guy you're meeting... it will show!

Have fun!

PAV8888

Yikes. Sorry OP, I was a bit of an *kitten* in my previous response to you!

I see that you don't even know the restaurant you're going to.

Just look through the menu till you spot a dish you can convert into protein+veggies when you are placing your order.

Then, without asking the waiter how they would prepare the dish normally, and without discussing the dish in great detail, tell the waiter exactly how YOU want your dish prepared.

For example: I will take the 6oz steak, medium. Or: I would like the grilled fish entrée, or grilled chicken breast. I would also like some steamed veggies on the side and no sauces or margarines on my dish please.

If the waiter says they won't do steamed veggies, the ask him to substitute a garden salad with dressing on the side

Best of luck.

LovingLife_Erin

OP, if it helps... Last weekend my husband and I went away to celebrate our anniversary. I decided that I would not "diet" and enjoy myself eating out. I also went swimming, still hit the gym one day, and walked a lot, but I also ate a giant brownie, several other desserts, and lots of restaurant food. Oh. And wine. Lots of wine! I still lost a lb this week despite that. I'm sure my activity and eating in a good deficit the other days helped a lot.

My point is that one meal out, especially if you pick your meal wisely or exercise a bit more that day, won't do much damage to your health/weight loss goals.

paperpudding

CorinnaShaw wrote: »

That's not the point. The point is I asked for tips on how to avoid unwanted ingredients in a restaurant meal and people said that ingredients don't matter because a calorie is a calorie as if eating clean and macronutrients were irrelevant. That is what irritated me.

There is a reason why people who low carb can eat more than people who calorie count and still lose weight. Different macro and micronutrients all get absorbed and used differently which means they also will require different amounts of energy to use. That is why I want to know if it is okay to ask if sugar is added to things. And then the vegetable oils for obvious reasons.

Well they said that because those things don't matter from a weight loss point of view.

I don't agree with premise of second paragraph - I disagree that people who low carb lose more weight than someone who doesn't, if calorie counts are equal.
-
- And anyway it makes no difference if a bit of added sugar is in the salad dressing or not - there will be a bit of natural sugar in the vegetables and fruit of the salad itself anyway, even in things like tomatoes.
-
- A grilled steak/chicken/fish with garden salad or steamed vegies and minimal sauce ( ask for it on the side so you can just put a smidgen on) and no bread or fries is a low carb meal and is suitable for diabetics, even if the sauce contains a tiny bit of added sugar.

You are making a mountain out of a molehill OP

LittleJem01

OP you're massively overthinking this. Go, relax, enjoy yourself, and stop worrying about the content of one solitary meal. You posted about eating less than a third of your daily cals today - to me that kinda seems more unhealthy than ingesting a tiny bit of trans fat on a one-off occasion. You asked in your OP whether you should even be thinking about all this on a first date and whether it would come across as obsessive - in all honesty it does sound like you're overly hung-up on all this in general, and yes, if you sit there agonising over what might be in or on your food then he probably will think it's a little weird.

I don't mean to be rude or unsupportive here; I just think healthy, balanced weight loss can be achieved without minutely analysing every morsel of food, and it sounds to me like you might be obsessing over tiny details without looking at the bigger picture. Good luck on your date, I hope it goes well.

atypicalsmith

CorinnaShaw wrote: »

I have a date tomorrow and he is taking me out to eat. I don't know where we are going but restaurants tend to cook things in unhealthy vegetables oils or put sugar in everything. I plan on getting whatever dish has the most meat and veggies, but how do I keep them from sneaking sugar or unhealthy fats into stuff? Do I lie and say I have allergies? If I tell them I am type 1 diabetic, will they cater to my requests? Is it something I should not even think about on a first date as it may come across as weird and obsessive? Can I make requests for them to use butter or olive oil instead of vegetable oil or canola oil? How do I avoid ingredients I don't want?

It's amazing how the most innocuous question can garner so many assumptions by people who are supposed to be helping, not attacking. She does not know which restaurant she is going to, so she can't look it up in advance. OP, it's your first date, which makes it tough. Sticking to grilled meat or fish and steamed or boiled vegetables should do it, as others have mentioned. Ask if they come with sauce. If the answer is yes, ask them to give it to you on the side, then don't use it. Good luck on your date!

RoxieDawn

I read the post and a couple of responses and I am throwing my .02 worth in.

Unless this person knows you a bit before the date, I would not do anything weird like bring my own dressing or anything. To me that is sort of a thing you do when you get know each other and explain health issues or diet restrictions, or tell more about your self.. but it could be a topic that opens a dialog.. who knows... feel the moment... etc..

This is the time that you need to hold back a little not because you are worried about what he thinks.. but do not spend time explaining or giving too much away.. besides the date may not go well and you have not given too much of your self right out of the gate.

I think the idea is for a second date and a third date (if you really like this guy).

Eating together is something you will always do .. it is one of the primary things we all do together. Keep it simple for now, As for calorie counting, etc.. enjoy your meal no matter what it is. Get what you would order off the menu under any other circumstance and forgive extra calories this time, tomorrow is a new day you will not eat more than 3500 calories to gain a pound...

You are over thinking this a lot... You must enjoy your life and make a good impression, you already thought somethings would look weird.. don't do it. First dates are already awkward.

geminijen77

I clicked on this post curious, but now I feel a little sad. Corinna, you are a beautiful person and are clearly intelligent and invested in your health. I can understand why such a great guy would want to take you out on a date.

That being said, and take it from an old married lady (to a super hunky military dude Men are interested in YOU, really and truly. Hopefully there are a LOT more dates, and then every day meals together, and eventually anniversary dinners and kids' birthday parties to navigate. He asked you out... so he must like what he sees in you

Choosing the best option when you eat and the best meal for your body is what's important, not counting every calorie and gram of fat. Taking care of your body and soul so you have something to offer the relationship is most important.

I've moved all over the world with my husband. We are getting ready to move back to the states from Germany and I can tell you how stressful it is to live without a kitchen and pots/pans/plates for three months. I tend to plump up a little due to the stress and eating out. Love is about who you are, not your body.

Enjoy your wonderful date, be your wonderful self, don't get distracted by the details of one meal.... eat reasonably, focus on the conversation, and see if he's the kind of guy you want to be with. It's easy to miss a jerk if you're focused on if there's butter on your plate or sugar in your salad dressing. At the end of the night you want to be thinking about what awesome things he told you, and how you felt when he looked at you.... not what to log on myfitnesspal. Balance is all things.

Let us know if he's a winner and if he's deserving of YOU!!!

lecoman

Just go out and enjoy yourself. You are not going to blow up from a meal even if you eat unclean things. As Neil Diamond sang,"Just go with the feelin' it usually works" Besides we all must eat a peck of dirt. (or gold, according to Robert Frost)

crazyjerseygirl

CorinnaShaw wrote: »

I have a date tomorrow and he is taking me out to eat. I don't know where we are going but restaurants tend to cook things in unhealthy vegetables oils or put sugar in everything. I plan on getting whatever dish has the most meat and veggies, but how do I keep them from sneaking sugar or unhealthy fats into stuff? Do I lie and say I have allergies? If I tell them I am type 1 diabetic, will they cater to my requests? Is it something I should not even think about on a first date as it may come across as weird and obsessive? Can I make requests for them to use butter or olive oil instead of vegetable oil or canola oil? How do I avoid ingredients I don't want?

Sorry for the late reply! Whenever I go out to eat dinner I just choose the best option and log 1000kcal. I'll log it in the morning and eat around it, that way I can afford a decent meal that's not-a-salad and maybe even a little dessert.

I tend towards fish, I woulnt eat the bread given at the beginning, keep non water drinks to the minimum and enjoy yourself!

crazyjerseygirl

P.s. If you are going to a chain restaurant they might post their calories online, if you know where you are going check!

lisaw19855

A tip, most guys, even those big into fitness get pretty pissed off with women who go out just to eat a salad or stress over the calories.

I had dinner with a man last weekend, he has lost weight in the past and is big into his fitness. He openly expressed that while he understands what it is like while losing weight he also understands how obsessive people can get over it and that having a night off won't kill anyone. He would rather see a woman eat than pick at a salad.

He asked me not to check calories on MFP and to just enjoy myself. I had cheese burger and fries in Frankie and Bennys, logged it all the day after and was under my maintenance calories.

Smallc10

I usually order very similarly to how my sister does when we go out - she is a lactose in tolerant vegetarian so hers is for a reason. I usually just say I would like my meat 'dry' and order a steak and eat until I'm full and get a side of steamed veggies. You sadly can't control what they do to your meal in the kitchen but I've found that if you are nice to the waiter and don't pester them, they are happy to accommodate your food preferences.

Good luck, and just peruse the menu when you get there and have an option or two when the waiter comes out. You do have dietary concerns being a diabetic so that's something your date should know, but that doesn't mean you have to ask 1000 questions just to avoid an extra 100 calories since for a first date that can be overwhelming for a guy.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

jgnatca

I suggest you get all your obsessing out of the way before the date, pre plan what you will order, and then relax! Especially if you want a second date.

Keep in mind the goal; a handsome, Christian guy in the military who potentially has the eye for you. Don't weird out if he wants to share a slice of pie with you.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/jgnatca/view/fourteen-restaurant-meal-tips-736082

emdeesea

I think you should go on your date and just be yourself. If that includes weirding out over your food, do it.

Both parties should be honest about themselves up front, because they'll find out eventually. Better sooner than later.

Burt_Huttz

CorinnaShaw wrote: »

Yeah this is like a really good christian guy with a career in the military. I don't want to mess this up.

Then don't be a fussy weirdo. eat a little less earlier that week and later that week. Spend another 15 minutes doing your exercise of choice.

Don't bring your own dressing or order crazy stuff or make weird demands, he'll think you're a pain in the *kitten*. Which you sort of are if you're asking the waitstaff to have the chef make you salad dressing to order.

DawnieB1977

Choose something like chicken/fish/steak and veggies, or if you get a salad ask for the dressing on the side and just have a little bit.

Or have a good workout in the day and just enjoy your meal out. It's not like you're eating out every day so just enjoy your date.

D_squareG

If you like this guy, then focus on him and not your food. I think I'm too late to respond to this, but I hope your date went well and that you had a great time.

abatonfan

CorinnaShaw wrote: »

I have a date tomorrow and he is taking me out to eat. I don't know where we are going but restaurants tend to cook things in unhealthy vegetables oils or put sugar in everything. I plan on getting whatever dish has the most meat and veggies, but how do I keep them from sneaking sugar or unhealthy fats into stuff? Do I lie and say I have allergies? If I tell them I am type 1 diabetic, will they cater to my requests? Is it something I should not even think about on a first date as it may come across as weird and obsessive? Can I make requests for them to use butter or olive oil instead of vegetable oil or canola oil? How do I avoid ingredients I don't want?

Good luck with this. I am a type 1 diabetic, and restaurants rarely give a second thought to making sure that they are giving me what I took insulin for. There are a few restaurant chains that I avoid because of the stuff some managers tell me about nutrition (one manager at Don Pablos told me that a Calorie is equal to one gram of carbohydrate, so if a serving of cheese enchiladas is 200 Calories, then I need to take insulin for 200g of carbs. Hahaha, that big of an insulin overdose would kill me) or the simple fact that that chain refuses to post nutrition information.

This might be because I'm tending to a super high blood sugar and trying to frantically figure out whether it is a pump issue or not (when, if it is a pump issue, I could experience potential ketoacidosis if I do not catch it within the next few hours), but the bolded statement is really rubbing me in the wrong way (Edit: I apologize, I did not see you are also a T1 diabetic). Yes, I am irritable, but it will not kill you if your meal somehow has canola oil or sugar in it. Something like that is not life or death. If anything, you just need to make sure to prelog as much as you can, exercise a bit more the day of, or cut back a bit on the other meals you consume to make sure that you still are in a deficit despite any surprises that might be in the meal

IAmTheGlue

emdeesea wrote: »

I think you should go on your date and just be yourself. If that includes weirding out over your food, do it.

Both parties should be honest about themselves up front, because they'll find out eventually. Better sooner than later.

^^This!!

When I first started dating my husband, I was very clear... "You be you. I'll be me. No best behavior or pretending to be someone you're not. If it works out, great! If not, neither of us are any worse off." It worked beautifully and he's absolutely perfect for me.

Seriously, if you're going to stress out about salad dressing and whatever in 6 months... by all means do it on the first date. If going out and having a nice meal at a restaurant is going to stress you out now (and in 6 months or whenever you are done hiding it), let him know.

If it's bad enough he's going to bail on the first date, he's going to bail in 6 months. I would rather be in an honest relationship. He also deserves to know if you have some issues that he can't handle just like you deserve to know if he has some issues you can't handle.

I hope that you have fun. I hope he's a great match for you, but if not, no loss. You are no worse off.

To answer the original question: You can't go wrong with grilled steak, chicken or fish/ steamed or grilled veggies. Sauce on the side.

Good luck!

janejellyroll

CorinnaShaw wrote: »

If there is steak, I am definitely ordering that. I am not worried about butter. I just don't want them using canola or vegetable oils since those turn into trans fats when cooked at temperatures over 300F. Oh well. I will just get the plate with no starches on it and try not to eat anything else for the day. I almost never eat out so this is a tricky situation for me.

This should be a really, really fun date.

paperpudding

OP you are a type 1 diabetic and you are going to try to eat nothing until dinner time ???.

Are you newly diagnosed?
Have you seen a diabetic educator?

Because this is a very very bad idea - how to get a hypo before your date.

Diabetics on insulin must have regular meals.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

Cortneyrenee04

What if you chose the restaraunt? Or have a few choices in mind and you could ask him what he prefers? That's what I would do, and/or eat something at home and then have a salad or a small portion of whatever at dinner.

This is a big concern I have about dating again. That's how I gained a bunch of weight in the first place, so I'm hoping my dates will be centered around activities like hiking/biking/bowling... Not food, food, food. Good luck on your date!

Justygirl77

This is so funny!
Hope you are looking forward to your date. So much angst.
Why are you considering lying?

brianpperkins

CorinnaShaw wrote: »

arditarose wrote: »

CorinnaShaw wrote: »

So, I could lose weight and be perfectly healthy eating candy bars all day long?

Who said eating candy bars all day long?! You can lose weight, be perfectly healthy, and still eat chocolate. Yes.

I eat a piece of dark chocolate daily.

What I am gathering from the "a calorie is a calorie" thing though is o can go to McDonald's and order a large meal (which will run around 1,000 calories depending on the meal) then go to the 99 cent store and spend the rest of my calorie allowance eating a ton of candy so long as each serving is low in calories (which all non-chocolate or vanilla candies are) and still lose weight because I stayed under my caloric deficit.

What you keep posting is nothing more than reductio ad absurdum.

From an energy, and weight loss, perspective ... a calorie is a calorie. One will lose or gain weight based on caloric deficit or surplus no matter the source. The blog from the dietitian discusses macronutrients ... another component of food all together.