Eating Out

jesiniccole

Hello group!
Quick question How do you control portions at restaurants? Do you know exactly what it looks like? Also I'm really wanting to know for anyone who has lost weight cutting calories how often do you eat out or do you ever? Thanks;)

shadow2soul

I plan in advance for eating out. Lighter breakfast and such.
I look at the website so I can see if nutritional information is available and make my decision before I get there.
If I go to a buffet, I do my best to eyeball how much of something I have on my plate (my food scale use at home has helped with this).

I go out to eat at least once a week. I try to limit it to places where I can look up the calorie count.

LazSommer

It's Friday night.

callsitlikeiseeit

i eat out all the time. and usually the entire entree. i plan the rest of my day, around that meal.

lost almost 90 pounds total.

AnnPT77

I go out once or twice a week - but that's less often than before working on a healthy weight. I always log it. If possible, I use the restaurant's web site. If there's nothing available, I use the MFP database to estimate, eyeballing my portions, then picking a similar MFP entry . . . and I choose an entry that's on the higher side calorically, not a lowball one. I make a mental note (or occasionally, a note on my phone) of the foods, and approximate quantities. Beyond that, what I do depends on my immediate goals.

For a major special occasion - my birthday, say - I'm likely to eat & drink freely.

On other kinda-special occasions, if it's predictable in advance, and I want to eat more, I'll bank a few calories (no more than 100-200) daily for several days ahead, and eat lightly the other meals on that day. I may do some extra workouts, without getting extreme about it. It may or may not equal out, but I just go back to my regular healthy routine afterward.

If it's not predictable, but spur of the moment, I just eat and record.

For a special meal, I may decide to eat above my calorie goal, or even above maintenance calories, but I don't do that enough to stop my weight loss progress. There's maybe a short delay of progress, and I may decide it's worth it, as long as it's rare.

Other times, I try to keep strictly to my calorie goal, especially if it's just a routine kind of reason for eating out. I do things like eat half & take half home, order lighter things on the menu (planned ahead if possible), eat an appetizer or side(s) instead of a meal. Also, don't be afraid to ask your server if modifications are possible - they often are.

If I go over calorie goal, usually I don't try to catch up afterward (other than maybe eating lightly the next day if I'm less hungry) because that risks setting up a deprive-and-overeat cycle. I just go back to my healthy routine.

jesiniccole

Thanks everyone! I just get so panicky and so much anxiety with all this counting!

GaleHawkins

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

i eat out all the time. and usually the entire entree. i plan the rest of my day, around that meal.

lost almost 90 pounds total.

That is awesome. I had my first quarter pound McD burger today without the bun and a senior coffee with 180 calories from half and half. Well it was actually 3 cups since I had two refills. I need to find out the bun calories to compute the calories.

That only cost one cent more than normal coffee, 2 round eggs and two pieces of sausage.

kgirlhart

We eat out a lot. So far I've lost 43 pounds and have 17 to go. If I know I'm going to be eating dinner out I eat lighter early in the day. I prefer to eat at places that have their calorie information online and I usually decide what I'll get before I go and log it so I know where I stand. If I eat someplace that doesn't have nutrition information available I use an entry from a similar restaurant. It's just a guess but better than not logging it. You don't have to clean your plate at a restaurant. I think that is hard for a lot of people, me included. We paid for it and we don't want to waste it. But you can always take it home and have it the next day or just not eat all of it. If you over eat you are still wasting the food.

You can still eat out and lose weight. You just have to make good choices. Maybe skip the appetizer or the dessert. I rarely get dessert at a restaurant and I will usually choose between an appetizer or a drink.

If it is a special occasion then I wouldn't worry too much about it. But it is possible to eat out frequently and still lose weight.

betchy5

I went out tonight and ordered a salad. Looked it up online and realized it was 800 calories.. For a SALAD!! I immediately cut the portion in half when the plate came and ate 3 of the 9 strips of chicken. Not the best but I estimated it was about 375 which kept me in a better place for the day. Honestly I wouldn't stress if it was a holiday meal or special occasion but from now on for normal eating out I will definitely plan ahead.

endlessfall16

I eat out at least 3 times a week. Some week 4, 5 times. My favorite is a buffet of some sort (Indian, Mexican, Country style, Souplantation, etc.)

I do not care the calories.

It's a fact that there are just too many regular meals preceding and following these "special" meals and that's when I cut back. I do not have much cravings or hang ups on foods. Losing 20 lbs+ since Feb 5.