Can I lose weight and eat out?
Replies
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Except that research has shown that high levels of sodium over an extended time raise blood pressure. Millions of Americans have high blood pressure and it didn't come as a result of eating veggies.
Thankfully that is true. Or I'd still be nearly passing out on a daily basis due to low blood pressure. Increasing sodium in my diet (to levels considered unhealthy for people with heart conditions for example - such as my dad) means I can manage my BP without needing medication.
Medical advice should be left to specialists. You don't know what medical conditions a person could have and as such telling someone to 'lower their sodium' might actually do them harm - as it would in my case for example. This is usually the reason why comments about sodium/fast food and such are completed by 'unless there is an underlying medical condition' and then the only person apt to give advice is the person's doctor.
Back to the OP: I eat out nearly every day ranging from restaurant sit down meals to fast food. I've gotten pretty good at judging portions and calorie contents and usually complement the meal with a salad or some fruits to balance out nutrients. Just work on adapting the portions to something that works for your satiety and stays within your calories.
EDITED to clean up the mess in the quotes (and my grammar)...1 -
First, I would not call telling someone to watch their sodium intake "medical advice" and secondly, very few people suffer from low bp (although I do). I can raise it without eating super unhealthy fast food though. Even if you can balance the calories, fast food will never be "healthy" and should certainly be eaten infrequently and in moderation.1
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What kind of job requires that you eat out every day? It is tough to lose weight and eat out as many options are high calorie. I don't eat fast food at all and I don't recommend that fast food be a part of any weight loss program.
Really? I had fast food yesterday and still ended up with extra calories at the end of the day.
OP, there are several ways you could go about it. Have you looked into intermittent fasting where you restrict your intake to a certain eating window? In this version of Intermittent fasting you basically skip a meal or two (would be breakfast, or breakfast and lunch in your case) and concentrate your calories into one meal and possibly a few snacks, which would allow you to eat the same portions you are used to most of the time.
Some other options would things like increasing your activity level for extra calories, having smaller breakfast and lunch, being picky with your restaurant menus ordering lower calorie options, leaving a portion of the food on the plate, eating lower calorie days to save up calories for days you expect a social dinner, or a combination of several strategies. I have managed to eat out even on my fasting days when my calorie budget is only 800 calories. After a while you get good at manipulating your intake to fit in your social life and career.
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I get the busy season eating out now and then, but it is just much healthier (and cheaper) to pack your lunch and take it with you. Even if you manage to eat at a deficit while eating out, the sodium content is going to be through the roof. Not only can sodium be bad for your blood pressure, but excess sodium can cause you to retain excess water.
My last blood pressure reading was 102/74. As for eating out being 'unhealthy'-here's the rest of my health screen from last month. As I mentioned earlier, I usually eat out 3-4 times a week-
OCTOBER 2016 Blood Panel/Health Screening Results:
-total cholesterol: 143
-cholesterol/HDL Ratio: 2.6 (anything under 5 is optimal)
-HDL: 55
-LDL: 84
-glucose: 95 (I used to be a pre-diabetic btw)
-waist circumference: 25
-current bmi 21 (I've lost 50lbs and have maintained it for several years now)
As for water retention, I can easily wear a size 4 jeans and a size small top. Eating out regularly hasn't caused any issues for me, I lost the extra weight while doing it and I now maintain while continuing to eat at restaurants several times a week.
OP-just keep track of your calorie intake and you'll be fine 2 -
Hey there, I'm a Flexible Dieter and eating out while sticking to my macros is something I'm pretty experienced with, so here are my tips!
1. Pre-plan your Nutrition the day before. Find the meal you wish to have at the restaurant, and log this into your food diary first of all so it deducts from your targets. Then simply plan the rest of your days nutrition around the restaurant meal that you've logged. Most chain restaurants have their nutritional info online and should be asy enough to find in the MFP database.
2. If you cant find the meal from the restaurant in the MFP database, try and find the same meal or similar from a different restaurant. Although it may not be quite as accurate, chances are the macros will be similar.
3. If you cant find the meal in the MFP database at all, simply search for each individual food that makes up the meal. For example, a general search for Sweet potato Fries, and a seperate search for a BBQ Chicken burger etc.
4. If you go with option 3, its best to over-estimate your portion sizes just to be on the safe side, so even if you think you've got about 150g of sweet potato fries, always log about 175-200g!
If you need anymore help feel free to add me and message me!1 -
SamMarriottPT wrote: »Hey there, I'm a Flexible Dieter and eating out while sticking to my macros is something I'm pretty experienced with, so here are my tips!
1. Pre-plan your Nutrition the day before. Find the meal you wish to have at the restaurant, and log this into your food diary first of all so it deducts from your targets. Then simply plan the rest of your days nutrition around the restaurant meal that you've logged. Most chain restaurants have their nutritional info online and should be asy enough to find in the MFP database.
2. If you cant find the meal from the restaurant in the MFP database, try and find the same meal or similar from a different restaurant. Although it may not be quite as accurate, chances are the macros will be similar.
3. If you cant find the meal in the MFP database at all, simply search for each individual food that makes up the meal. For example, a general search for Sweet potato Fries, and a seperate search for a BBQ Chicken burger etc.
4. If you go with option 3, its best to over-estimate your portion sizes just to be on the safe side, so even if you think you've got about 150g of sweet potato fries, always log about 175-200g!
If you need anymore help feel free to add me and message me!
^ These are good suggestions.
I'd also add that you should just go with this and see what happens. If you find that you're having an issue losing then you'll need to reduce your calorie target a bit further. Depending on the choices you're making at the fast food restaurants, you MIGHT also find yourself having to set a lower target than you'd anticipate simply because you may be losing out on some accuracy with restaurant food vs self prepared food (you may need to compensate for this).
Another thing you MAY need to do is be a bit more diligent during the meals that AREN'T coming from a restaurant. Sort of like creating a larger deficit during those meals to buffer the energy load coming from the fast food meal later that day.
Ultimately though, you won't know until you try.
Is it possible? Yes of course it is possible. However I DO think it has the potential to make it more challenging, and I think some people wouldn't be able to succeed under those conditions.1 -
sure, you just have to watch the calorie and portion sizes. In restaurant styles- ask for a box right up front, and put half your meal in it. Fast food- get the lowest calorie thing- and it may not be the salad! If you do get a salad, use like, a third of the dressing. Get fruit if available, have a box of granola bars or trail mix, or what- have- you in the car so you can eat that, and then get a kids meal.0
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First, I would not call telling someone to watch their sodium intake "medical advice" and secondly, very few people suffer from low bp (although I do). I can raise it without eating super unhealthy fast food though. Even if you can balance the calories, fast food will never be "healthy" and should certainly be eaten infrequently and in moderation.
What is unhealthy about fast food specifically in your mind?3 -
Yeah but as long as you drink enough, high sodium won't do any harm unless there are underlying medical problems.
Except that research has shown that high levels of sodium over an extended time raise blood pressure. Millions of Americans have high blood pressure and it didn't come as a result of eating veggies.What kind of job requires that you eat out every day? It is tough to lose weight and eat out as many options are high calorie. I don't eat fast food at all and I don't recommend that fast food be a part of any weight loss program.
Really? Why not? I lost 66 pounds and I eat fast food regularly. Not every day, but at least once a week and occasionally more. I also eat at mom & pop restaurants. OP, you can eat out. Just log it and make sure it fits your calorie goal. Lots of fast food places list the calories on their menus. If I go to a non chain restaurant I just use nutrition information from a similar restaurant.
I don't know how much weight you had to lose in the first place or how many calories you eat a day. Fast food is simply not a healthy choice though and this person made it sound like they eat fast food often.
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My goal was to lose 60 pounds. I am actually struggling a bit with finding my maintenance. My blood pressure was never really high, but it is lower since I have lost weight and I eat out as frequently now as I did before I started calorie counting. Right now I eat 1900-2100 calories per day. I ate 1400-1600 when I was losing. I do not have any issues with sodium. And the OP didn't mention any problems either. The OP asked if it was possible to lose weight while eating out. The answer is yes it is possible as long as you stay at a calorie deficit. The biggest problem I see with eating out everyday is that it is expensive.2 -
Wendy's Baconator, medium fries, and small Frosty: 1710 calories
Wendy's Grilled Chicken sandwich, small chili, and diet soda: 530 calories
In other words, it's all about the choices you make.
Regarding sodium: I've been on blood pressure meds a long time. It's a genetic thing, and weight is a big factor in my case. Some people are sodium-sensitive, many are not. My intake of sodium does not affect my blood pressure; losing weight does. I performed an experiment on myself and drastically cut my sodium intake to way below the recommended level for several weeks: it had zero effect on my blood pressure.
The American Heart Association site says: "High blood pressure can run in families. If your parents or close blood relatives have had high blood pressure, you are more likely to develop it, too. However, lifestyle choices have allowed many people with a family history of high blood pressure to avoid it themselves."4 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »What kind of job requires that you eat out every day? It is tough to lose weight and eat out as many options are high calorie. I don't eat fast food at all and I don't recommend that fast food be a part of any weight loss program.
Really? I had fast food yesterday and still ended up with extra calories at the end of the day.
OP, there are several ways you could go about it. Have you looked into intermittent fasting where you restrict your intake to a certain eating window? In this version of Intermittent fasting you basically skip a meal or two (would be breakfast, or breakfast and lunch in your case) and concentrate your calories into one meal and possibly a few snacks, which would allow you to eat the same portions you are used to most of the time.
Some other options would things like increasing your activity level for extra calories, having smaller breakfast and lunch, being picky with your restaurant menus ordering lower calorie options, leaving a portion of the food on the plate, eating lower calorie days to save up calories for days you expect a social dinner, or a combination of several strategies. I have managed to eat out even on my fasting days when my calorie budget is only 800 calories. After a while you get good at manipulating your intake to fit in your social life and career.
WOW! I don't get anywhere near that number of calories. At 1300 a day I CANNOT eat out at a deficit. I can't imagine you are eating at a deficit with that kind of calorie goal...
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Lol.1
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It's been answered, but heck yeah! We just had a birthday lunch last weekend. Mexican. I got shrimp fajitas, didn't eat the tortillas (you can do that, LOL, tortillas are fine, I just wanted to bank those calories I would have eaten for dinner instead). Was fuller than full, came in under 500 calories and had tons of veggies for the health factor, which I've been working on specifically during the latter half of this year.
I mean I had to roll myself away from that table, I actually woudn't eat as much of the dish next time, thought I was going to go full Creosote. Given the giant size of restaurant portions I had leftovers anyway and had them for lunch the next day. 0 -
I don't know if you personally can, but one certainly can lose weight eating out. Difficulty comes from having to estimate your calorie intake rather than being able to measure it as you can with prepared meals.0
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amusedmonkey wrote: »What kind of job requires that you eat out every day? It is tough to lose weight and eat out as many options are high calorie. I don't eat fast food at all and I don't recommend that fast food be a part of any weight loss program.
Really? I had fast food yesterday and still ended up with extra calories at the end of the day.
OP, there are several ways you could go about it. Have you looked into intermittent fasting where you restrict your intake to a certain eating window? In this version of Intermittent fasting you basically skip a meal or two (would be breakfast, or breakfast and lunch in your case) and concentrate your calories into one meal and possibly a few snacks, which would allow you to eat the same portions you are used to most of the time.
Some other options would things like increasing your activity level for extra calories, having smaller breakfast and lunch, being picky with your restaurant menus ordering lower calorie options, leaving a portion of the food on the plate, eating lower calorie days to save up calories for days you expect a social dinner, or a combination of several strategies. I have managed to eat out even on my fasting days when my calorie budget is only 800 calories. After a while you get good at manipulating your intake to fit in your social life and career.
WOW! I don't get anywhere near that number of calories. At 1300 a day I CANNOT eat out at a deficit. I can't imagine you are eating at a deficit with that kind of calorie goal...
You cant imagine losing weight eating 2400 a day? I can see that easily, with activity 2400 nets me about 1 pound lost per week and I'm not even overweight really. I maintain at about 3000. If I were obese probably wouldn't even need the activity to lose at that amount. 2400 is probably my lean no activity maintenance.2 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »What kind of job requires that you eat out every day? It is tough to lose weight and eat out as many options are high calorie. I don't eat fast food at all and I don't recommend that fast food be a part of any weight loss program.
Really? I had fast food yesterday and still ended up with extra calories at the end of the day.
OP, there are several ways you could go about it. Have you looked into intermittent fasting where you restrict your intake to a certain eating window? In this version of Intermittent fasting you basically skip a meal or two (would be breakfast, or breakfast and lunch in your case) and concentrate your calories into one meal and possibly a few snacks, which would allow you to eat the same portions you are used to most of the time.
Some other options would things like increasing your activity level for extra calories, having smaller breakfast and lunch, being picky with your restaurant menus ordering lower calorie options, leaving a portion of the food on the plate, eating lower calorie days to save up calories for days you expect a social dinner, or a combination of several strategies. I have managed to eat out even on my fasting days when my calorie budget is only 800 calories. After a while you get good at manipulating your intake to fit in your social life and career.
WOW! I don't get anywhere near that number of calories. At 1300 a day I CANNOT eat out at a deficit. I can't imagine you are eating at a deficit with that kind of calorie goal...
Different people with different activity levels, ages, heights, etc., have different TDEEs. Some are much higher than others. So it is very possible that this person was in a deficit.First, I would not call telling someone to watch their sodium intake "medical advice" and secondly, very few people suffer from low bp (although I do). I can raise it without eating super unhealthy fast food though. Even if you can balance the calories, fast food will never be "healthy" and should certainly be eaten infrequently and in moderation.
You can't go around calling individual foods/meals healthy or unhealthy. It is the context of the overall diet that matters. A cyclist with a large amount of calories to eat who rides a fair distance daily is not going to fret over the "unhealthy" burger he/she ate if their overall diet is varied and macros/micros are generally met.
Another way for you to picture this - since you consider fast food to be "unhealthy," would you consider grilled chicken breast and steamed broccoli a "healthy" choice? Either one of these foods can be part of an overall healthy diet, but if one were to eat a diet consisting only of the "healthy" chicken breast/broccoli, they would be severely lacking fat and many other nutrients that are found in other foods. But no one is going to eat a diet of nothing but chicken breast/broccoli, and the vast majority of people do not eat a diet of nothing but fast food.4 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »What kind of job requires that you eat out every day? It is tough to lose weight and eat out as many options are high calorie. I don't eat fast food at all and I don't recommend that fast food be a part of any weight loss program.
Really? I had fast food yesterday and still ended up with extra calories at the end of the day.
OP, there are several ways you could go about it. Have you looked into intermittent fasting where you restrict your intake to a certain eating window? In this version of Intermittent fasting you basically skip a meal or two (would be breakfast, or breakfast and lunch in your case) and concentrate your calories into one meal and possibly a few snacks, which would allow you to eat the same portions you are used to most of the time.
Some other options would things like increasing your activity level for extra calories, having smaller breakfast and lunch, being picky with your restaurant menus ordering lower calorie options, leaving a portion of the food on the plate, eating lower calorie days to save up calories for days you expect a social dinner, or a combination of several strategies. I have managed to eat out even on my fasting days when my calorie budget is only 800 calories. After a while you get good at manipulating your intake to fit in your social life and career.
WOW! I don't get anywhere near that number of calories. At 1300 a day I CANNOT eat out at a deficit. I can't imagine you are eating at a deficit with that kind of calorie goal...
I only get 1380 now and I can eat out and feel full, full, full and stay within my calorie goals. I go for a salad with dressing on the side or if at a Mexican place, I'll top my salad with salsa. Or I get some sort of fish with veggies, or chicken, or an eggwhite omelet with a cup of fruit. I haven't had any trouble eating out at get-togethers.
Granted that example was McDonald's but they have salads too (though their salads are pretty bland), or I'd get a lettuce-wrapped grilled chicken or lettuce-wrapped burger or whatever...there's food there that would fit into my calorie goals.
I do get Del Taco every once in a while and their regular tacos are only I think 160 calories...I can have two. Or at The Habit, their lettuce-wrapped char is under 300. (I would have to look these up for the exact counts as I don't remember off the top of my head but that's the ballpark.) Then a salad can go on the side and as I said, after that I'm feeling quite full.1 -
We grab Chick Fil A with some frequency. I typically get the grilled nuggets or grilled sandwich with a large superfood salad, depending on how many calories I want to spend on the satisfaction of having a bun. I squirt on a packet of their bbq honey and it's pretty good.
At Chipotle I get a kids meal with beans, rice, fajita veggies, and a chicken quesadilla.
At Noodles & Co I will either get a small med salad w/ grilled chicken, penne rosa w/ grilled chicken, or spicy Korean beef.
At Red Robin I get the chicken ensanada platter w/ two chicken pieces.
Oh. And Modmarket I get a half three cheese pizza with a side of arugula salad.
That's all I've really tried since being on MFP.
Our life is crazy busy, so convenience foods are a part of that and I've just had to learn how to adapt to keep it within my calories. We have scaled back on how often we lean-to restaurants, but sometimes it's unavoidable and between these places which are all in my area, I always have something to turn to that fits my needs.0 -
Hey everyone,
I am struggling to find a solution that will allow me to sustain a long-term weight loss strategy. Due to the nature of my job, I eat out every day, some days restaurant style and some days fast food. I would like y'alls opinion on whether or not you believe I can lose weight counting calories if I'm eating out everyday at work.
Thank you all in advance!
Yeah, but IMO and experience, eating out regularly makes things more difficult. Why can't you brown bag some days?2 -
First, I would not call telling someone to watch their sodium intake "medical advice" and secondly, very few people suffer from low bp (although I do). I can raise it without eating super unhealthy fast food though. Even if you can balance the calories, fast food will never be "healthy" and should certainly be eaten infrequently and in moderation.
Actually, low BP is not a rare condition...
Also, one's sodium intake and what is appropriate will be highly variable...you can have too much, but you can also have too little...the more active you are, the more sodium you need, etc. I often take a couple swigs of pickle juice for example after a long sweaty ride...0 -
What kind of job requires that you eat out every day? It is tough to lose weight and eat out as many options are high calorie. I don't eat fast food at all and I don't recommend that fast food be a part of any weight loss program.
Consultants that travel weekly for work, stay in a hotel and get paid a per diem usually eat out daily. One could buy groceries and bring back to the hotel but why when you can eat out for free:).
I think fast food has "healthy" options as well but any option as long as it's in your calorie goal is fine too. Most people eat fast food occasionally some eat it often and still lose weight.1 -
I eat out at least once a week. I've lost about 39 pounds so far. I seldom go to places where menus are posted with any kind of nutritional info. Logging is a challenge so I try to estimate and I will usually overestimate because really I have no idea.. I will typically drink more water if the food is high in sodium. If my entree can be ordered as a small plate, I'll do that. Unless the bread/rolls that come with my meal are supposed to be phenomenal, I skip those, dressing on the side, etc. I'll also try to get in more walking/steps if I'm eating out.2
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amusedmonkey wrote: »What kind of job requires that you eat out every day? It is tough to lose weight and eat out as many options are high calorie. I don't eat fast food at all and I don't recommend that fast food be a part of any weight loss program.
Really? I had fast food yesterday and still ended up with extra calories at the end of the day.
OP, there are several ways you could go about it. Have you looked into intermittent fasting where you restrict your intake to a certain eating window? In this version of Intermittent fasting you basically skip a meal or two (would be breakfast, or breakfast and lunch in your case) and concentrate your calories into one meal and possibly a few snacks, which would allow you to eat the same portions you are used to most of the time.
Some other options would things like increasing your activity level for extra calories, having smaller breakfast and lunch, being picky with your restaurant menus ordering lower calorie options, leaving a portion of the food on the plate, eating lower calorie days to save up calories for days you expect a social dinner, or a combination of several strategies. I have managed to eat out even on my fasting days when my calorie budget is only 800 calories. After a while you get good at manipulating your intake to fit in your social life and career.
WOW! I don't get anywhere near that number of calories. At 1300 a day I CANNOT eat out at a deficit. I can't imagine you are eating at a deficit with that kind of calorie goal...
That day was 1463 net calories, or a bit over 500 calorie deficit for me. That's only 163 calories higher than your budget. I was supposed to eat at maintenance because I'm doing alternate day fasting (1 day at 800 calories, maintenance the next), but I failed to make it to maintenance yesterday. This is what today looks like:
Regardless, if you remove the pie and replace the fries with apple slices it's pretty much manageable even for lower goals.3 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »What kind of job requires that you eat out every day? It is tough to lose weight and eat out as many options are high calorie. I don't eat fast food at all and I don't recommend that fast food be a part of any weight loss program.
Really? I had fast food yesterday and still ended up with extra calories at the end of the day.
OP, there are several ways you could go about it. Have you looked into intermittent fasting where you restrict your intake to a certain eating window? In this version of Intermittent fasting you basically skip a meal or two (would be breakfast, or breakfast and lunch in your case) and concentrate your calories into one meal and possibly a few snacks, which would allow you to eat the same portions you are used to most of the time.
Some other options would things like increasing your activity level for extra calories, having smaller breakfast and lunch, being picky with your restaurant menus ordering lower calorie options, leaving a portion of the food on the plate, eating lower calorie days to save up calories for days you expect a social dinner, or a combination of several strategies. I have managed to eat out even on my fasting days when my calorie budget is only 800 calories. After a while you get good at manipulating your intake to fit in your social life and career.
WOW! I don't get anywhere near that number of calories. At 1300 a day I CANNOT eat out at a deficit. I can't imagine you are eating at a deficit with that kind of calorie goal...
Of course you can, many of us have done it/do it. You just need to do a bit of pre-planning (which is a good idea, regardless of where you're eating), which is what many of us have recommended to the OP.
A couple of examples-
I decide to go to Subway for lunch and I have 1,300 calories for the day to play with. I go on Subways website and decide I'm going to have a 6 inch chicken and bacon sub on Italian bread. I opt to go without cheese, chose all the veggies and then light mayo. Total calories= 430. And I decide to include a serving of their broccoli cheddar soup as well. That brings my lunch calorie total to 600 calories (I drink a diet coke with the meal).
That leaves me 700 calories for the rest of the day. Knowing this, I then plan my supper and decide to do a chicken/rice/ veggie combo, for 370 calories (400 if I add a bit of sweet n sour sauce).
That leaves me 300 calories, which is enough for a serving of oatmeal in the morning with 1/2 banana added in
and then a 100 calorie Greek yogurt for afternoon snack.
Grand total-right around 1,300 calories.
Now let's go to McDonalds. Again-I jump on their website and plan the day around my lunch there. I decide I want a Big Mac. Instead of fries I go with a side salad and half a pkt of their low fat Italian dressing. I'm out the door with 600 calories.
That's gives me 700 for the rest of the day. I go with 2 whole scrambled eggs with bacon bits and salsa mixed in, for a breakfast calorie total of 180.
Snack is going to be an apple, for around 100 calories
and then supper is going to be baked salmon and veggies, for around 300 calories.
I have enough left over for a cup of hot cocoa before bed (regular, made with water)-I may even get crazy and add a splash of Peppermint schnapps to it as well
Grand total-right around 1,300 calories.
I can do this over and over again, with different restaurants and food/meal combos. All showing that you can most certainly eat out on a 1,300 calorie plan. Plus there's many of us here who have higher calorie allotments, including the OP who has a daily calorie goal of 1,580.5 -
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