Eating out...Do you just stay in?
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Christine_72 wrote: »Reading all of these replies has made me realise what a home body i am! We haven't been out for dinner/lunch in months, probably 5 or 6. I cant even remember the last time we had take away
This was us as well. Growing up in a frugal German family we rarely ate out with the exception of travelling or very special occasions. My wife and I realized that we needed to do this more simply to expose our kids to this.
We eat out a bit more, but take this as a learning experience and try to replicate great dishes at home.
Hhmmm coincidence, but I grew up in a German family too. We very rarely had take out, it was a special treat every now and then, and we never went out for dinner, not that i can remember anyway. Not because of saving money or anything, but my mum was such an awesome cook and she made better tasting stuff
ETA: Now that i think about it, my poor mum would have appreciated a break from cooking every night! But knowing her, she would have taken it as an insult if we chose take away over her cooking lol5 -
Christine_72 wrote: »Christine_72 wrote: »Reading all of these replies has made me realise what a home body i am! We haven't been out for dinner/lunch in months, probably 5 or 6. I cant even remember the last time we had take away
This was us as well. Growing up in a frugal German family we rarely ate out with the exception of travelling or very special occasions. My wife and I realized that we needed to do this more simply to expose our kids to this.
We eat out a bit more, but take this as a learning experience and try to replicate great dishes at home.
Hhmmm coincidence, but I grew up in a German family too. We very rarely had take out, it was a special treat every now and then, and we never went out for dinner, not that i can remember anyway. Not because of saving money or anything, but my mum was such an awesome cook and she made better tasting stuff
ETA: Now that i think about it, my poor mum would have appreciated a break from cooking every night! But knowing her, she would have taken it as an insult if we chose take away over her cooking lol
Being of Scottish blood and adopted by Germans I'm doubly frugal...and prone to love beer.
My mother on the other hand hated cooking, so she would have rejoiced in not having to cook.2 -
I rarely ate out the first several months of weight loss, then gradually added it back in using all the tips of wise ordering and taking home half. Now that I'm in maintenance, I find it's even harder to manage eating out, because there's not much room to fudge with the calories. I can't just starve myself all day so I can eat out later. I need regular meals throughout the day. Still working on this one, but still eating out!0
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I learned how to eyeball portions and eat 4oz protein, veggies etc. I apologize to the wait staff when I order and explain I'm dieting (have to use the dirty word). I ask for no/low oil, substitutions. I'm going back on Nutrisystem, but I was on it last year and lost weight while dining out. I was shocked the first time - I ate chicken, orzo, feta, olives... and was on track. I also tend to overestimate on the calories on MFP just in case (like others have mentioned). One thing I'm trying to learn is that going out to eat isn't about - pardon the expression - going whole hog. I need to eat as I "normally" do and enjoy the company, the atmosphere, etc. Lifelong battle.5
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Christine_72 wrote: »Reading all of these replies has made me realise what a home body i am! We haven't been out for dinner/lunch in months, probably 5 or 6. I cant even remember the last time we had take away
We go out less in the winter, but I guess that doesn't apply to you this time of year, right?1 -
I also plan to bring half my entree home. Sometimes I take it apart and weigh the components.
I also get in more exercise earlier that day.0 -
I rarely ate out the first several months of weight loss, then gradually added it back in using all the tips of wise ordering and taking home half. Now that I'm in maintenance, I find it's even harder to manage eating out, because there's not much room to fudge with the calories. I can't just starve myself all day so I can eat out later. I need regular meals throughout the day. Still working on this one, but still eating out!
Funny: I would have to say that I probably was eating out more often while actively losing weight.
Now I find myself sticking to (chain) places I know the menu and (approximate) calories well enough because it isn't worth it to me to bother to figure things out, or to put in an effort to recover from indiscretions!
Probably not a good attitude!
Should mark on my calendar to start eating out more ;-)
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I do eat out less than before, particularly fast food but eating out socially hasn't changed. Some places list their calories which is nice but if not, I just make a reasonable choice and guesstimate. It hasn't been a problem.
I have had to correct friends and, at first, even my wife about "being on a diet." Diets don't work. Long term responsible, healthy eating habits work. I am taking responsibility for my weight/health/fitness in order to enjoy my life. Part of that includes eating out with friends, family, and especially my beautiful wife.3 -
I ate out regularly while losing and still eat out at maintenance. When I eat at chain restaurants I use the online nutrition information. If not then I just use the nutrition information from a similar chain. It looks weird in my diary when I have an appetizer from one restaurant and an entree from another. But it has worked for me. I do tend to eat at the same places so I just try to be consistent and use the same entries for certain restaurants.1
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Nope. About to leave for Texas Roadhouse in a few minutes. Ribeye steak, loaded sweet potato and fries. I'll have 300 calories remaining as a buffer.
If I know I am going out to eat, I'll eat very light for the rest of the day and/or increase exercise activity-levels to compensate. Or I'll make it up for those lost calories either the week beforehand or the week after. It's all about balance. You don't have to eat your whole plate and can take half your meal home for later/another day.
Remember, you want to have habits that will last a lifetime. You obviously don't want to avoid eating out with your friends for the rest of your life.
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My tips for eating out:
Mostly, I go out to eat on the weekends typically I sleep in on weekends and then have a light brunch beforehand. Usually, no more than 300 - 500 calories because I know I'm going out to dinner, which leaves me about 1000 calories.
If it's a dinner I've known about for a while (all week long) I'll eat less calories throughout the week (maybe 100 less a day here and there) to "bank" calories for dinner.
Restaurant portions are usually large enough for two servings so I never eat all of my food and usually don't feel the need to as I eat slow usually talking with friends and I feel full.
Typically, I go with a low calorie side like steamed vegetables. If I eat a dinner roll, I eat one (instead of the two - three with butter I would consume before). I always request my dressing on the side for my salad (if a side salad comes with it or I'm eating a salad) and if I don't have the calories for a drink I just stick to water.
I look beforehand usually at the menu online and even if the nutrition information isn't available I try and prelog my food using my best estimates as to not go over.
Haven't had a problem with eating out in the three months I've been losing weight.4 -
Christine_72 wrote: »Reading all of these replies has made me realise what a home body i am! We haven't been out for dinner/lunch in months, probably 5 or 6. I cant even remember the last time we had take away
Don't feel bad. I eat out maybe 2-4 times a year when there is a good movie or showing (going to see an ice skating show next month). We also very rarely have takeaways and deliveries, some years we don't at all. last year, we ordered pizza twice, and I craved McDonald's once so I ordered a meal for myself. It has nothing to do with dieting, it's just how it is and how I grew up in a home cooking centered culture. When I say "eat out", I often mean all social gatherings, get togethers and buffets. For us it's mostly having people over (I refuse to weigh my food in social gatherings but at least I know what went into the food), or going to other people's houses, which is more tricky for the logging since everyone cooks differently and the dishes don't come with a calorie tag I can look up online, not to mention the food pushing culture.2 -
I eat out or get drive-thru a LOT. I've lost lots of weight doing it too. It's all about choices you make wherever you do end up going to eat.
Everybody knows that baked or roasted chicken is better than fried. A sirloin steak is going to be better than a hamburger. Baked potatoes are a better choice over French fries, unless you load it up with a gallon of sour cream, cheese, bacon bits, and other such toppings.
I love to go to Longhorn Steakhouse. I'll get a 6 oz renegade sirloin for my protein, and for a side I'll either get baked potato, sliced tomatoes or a salad. With dressings, oil or vinaigrette based dressings tend to be better choices because "less is more" - it doesn't take as much to cover the greens as a creamy dressing does.
If you REALLY want a hamburger and fries, order the burger without the bun. That way you save the carbs for the fries, and if you can get by with only half the fries all the better!
Any restaurant you go to - try to order from the kids menu. The portions are smaller. OR see if you can split with someone.
I try to forego the bread that's usually brought out first. I remember once laughing when the basket got to my end of the table, and I made an alarm sound like it was radio active saying something like "Unfriendly food nearby!!" They giggled and put it where I couldn't see it.
At Olive Garden, the Pasta Fagiole soup is a WAY better choice than the salad dressing which is loaded with high fructose corn syrup (SUGAR). It has protein (meat) and fiber (beans) in it, so it will keep you fuller longer.
For what it's worth...
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I'll avoid eating out if I'm:
1. Broke
2. Avoiding a person that's going
3. Really hate the place
4. Sick
Other than that, enjoy. I usually eat out twice a week. I'll combine two meals and fast under 590 calories two days a week to help stay within my goal1 -
not_my_first_rodeo wrote: »Why would you cut this out? It's a part of life. I'm treating this journey as a lifestyle change. I enjoy good food. I like eating at nice restaurants, especially with friends. I refuse to give up going out to eat once in a while. It's doable. You don't need to drag a food scale with you. You don't have to limit yourself to chain restaurants.
Here's what I do:- Peruse menus ahead of time if possible so I have a sense of what my options are.
- Sites like Yelp often comment on portion sizes or give you pictures so you know what you're facing.
- Lots of places offer small plates.
- Unless the bread is supposed to be fantastic, I skip it.
- Salad--dressing on the side.
- I try and eat lighter/less for the rest of the day.
- I overestimate on the calories when I log it.
All so well said. Agree with it all.
OP, don't stay in. Connecting with friends is good for you too. Another thought in addition to above is if you have a favorite dish at a favorite place, take it to go one time so you can deconstruct it, weigh the parts at home, and enter it in recipe builder for future reference. Or you can divide it in half and weigh half at home if it is a really big dish. cheers!2 -
I go out every weekend just about. I know I'm going out ahead of time, so I have my 200 calorie coffee in the morning, then don't eat until supper time. I have an 8 oz Sirloin and a half of a baked potato with 1 pat of butter. Plenty of food and haven't completely overeaten.
I generally don't eat fast food though, that I can totally over eat and eat more calories than with the steak and potato.1 -
Loads of great replies, thank you.0
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I eat out once or twice a week no problem. I often check my calories from over the week and find I've been netting low and there's plenty of room for a big meal of whatever. If I have been cutting it close all week I'll order a chicken salad with dressing on the side or something light and simple like that. Grilled chicken or fish with sauce on the side is usually a good way to go too. I went out for a birthday last week where we were ordering a little bit of everything family style plus I had two beers. I had no idea how to log it so I just entered 1200 calories and went easy the next day. Lost just fine that week. Unless you are eating at small places with no calorie count everyday it shouldn't be too big of a deal.1
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There are some great ideas in this thread for managing social life while reducing calories. My personal approach atm is not going out so much, cos I am cutting back on cash too - but when I do eat out I'll be looking back at this threadthelatecomer wrote: »Hmm, you all seem to manage eating out. Plan is to tighten up
the logging and as suggested, move more! Thanks all.
I'd say this is your issue - you say you are near your target (Congratulations) and your loss has stalled - which seems to me the basic issue. You maybe set your base level requirements too high now you are slimmer - "less of you" needs less calories as a base level. Then generally towards goal weight I find I get a bit blase, thinking I know what I am doing and bits of extra calorie slip in here and there. It probably wont be the "eating out" once a week that is sabotaging your weight loss now.0 -
I don't. I usually will view a menu online before I go, pick out a meal that will fit my calories, and stick to it. If there are none, I usually eat before I go and have a small side salad while I am there....but I usually bring my own low calorie dressing.
I have started to learn what I can have at most restaurants so I can fit it into my calories. It takes a while, but it does make it more enjoyable to know what is available for me.0 -
Eating out and drinking (mostly drinking!) with friends is how I gained my weight. I have significantly curtailed those kind of nights but still manage to fit in at least one social outing a week...although this week I went out twice and the scale is still punishing me for it. 0
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I still eat out. It's important to try to make lifestyle changes that you can actually stick to. Are you never going to eat out again?
I just try to be more deliberate about my selections. When possible, I review the menu ahead of time so that I can pick out what I may want and how many calories it may be. Keep in mind too that some restaurant portions in the States would be considered family size elsewhere.1 -
I eat out, it is my main way of socializing. Plus at present I am doing a post grad course - with it comes lunch away in a rather nice place. Not always easy to log these things but I do it in a similar manner to other mentioned. The best I can and find something similar in the database.
A few of my others are: Always make sure I have had something to eat beforehand so I don't get stuck into the bread with butter or oil (a downfall) Order water on the side Soups for started skipping the bread as much as possible. Mains often grilled fish, salads with dressing on the side (saves lots of calories) order additional veggies and no dessert, but some tea.
What also works if I am in a place where I know the portions are rather huge - order a starter as a main.
It has worked for me for the last 3 years and I still loose even with this. Over time you learn what can and cannot fit the caloriecount needed.1 -
_Justinian_ wrote: »Nope. About to leave for Texas Roadhouse in a few minutes. Ribeye steak, loaded sweet potato and fries. I'll have 300 calories remaining as a buffer.
If I know I am going out to eat, I'll eat very light for the rest of the day and/or increase exercise activity-levels to compensate. Or I'll make it up for those lost calories either the week beforehand or the week after. It's all about balance. You don't have to eat your whole plate and can take half your meal home for later/another day.
Remember, you want to have habits that will last a lifetime. You obviously don't want to avoid eating out with your friends for the rest of your life.
And for the record, that was a steak (meat) and a lot of carbs. I weighed myself the morning after and showed a loss of 1.2 pounds. It really is simply calories in/calories out.0 -
I haven't stopped eating out but I never have take out during the weekdays and I eat less if I know I'm going out with friends! It's hard because I used to have beers with friends more sporadically but.. that's alright. It's healthier this way anyway!0
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I would go out! Drink water for your drink (to save calories) and pick something grilled with veggies. Try to find out where you guys will go beforehand, so you can plan accordingly. If you eat a sandwich, make it an open faced sandwich and eliminate the condiments. I usually find that I am happy with an open faced grilled chicken sandwich with avocado and no mayo. If I know that I will be going out that day, I try to eat less the rest of the day. Even if I do go a little over on the meal that day, at least I know that I made a healthy choice and it will not overall affect my weight loss.1
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Christine_72 wrote: »
The same with my husband and me, that is why we eat out a couple of times a week, plus on birthdays, anniversaries, gathering with friends, and for any other fun excuse that we may find . Social life with only two people as part of it can be very limited. We don't want that.
We like to try local places or what ever has been recommended by friends and I always find something to fit my way of eating, calories or macros. I usually don't log my restaurant meals at all, and it never affected my weight loss or my maintenance. We don't go to fast food places (no take out either) but sometimes we hit chain restaurants with nutritional information so logging, if any, is more feasible.
Life is too short to spend most of it in the kitchen. At least it is for me.1 -
Depends on where they are inviting me to eat and if I feel like going. The thing that keeps me from dining out more times than not is not so much trying to stay on track but trying not to eat at places where I do not feel they are clean. I have worked in food service of all kinds and I just do not trust the people behind the scenes with my food.1
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I don't often eat out, but it is due to celiac disease. I get sick at least 1/3 of the time - even when I order from the GF menu. Not worth it.
I do still go out though. I'll order coffee or drinks instead. I'm there for the company and not the food.3
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