Healthy restaurant= HIGH calories
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Putting grain inside another grain is always going to make it more caloric, even if the grains themselves are healthy. IT's like rice in burritos (why do we put carbs inside carbs? Rice in burritos is like a french fry sandwich?).
This is in the vein of serving breadsticks with pizza. Why do? Not like I'm opposed, but I'd rather just have more pizza.
I've banned Italian bread on spaghetti nights. No more carb sides for carb meals.1 -
cmriverside wrote: »I have to laugh at people (like that pediatrician) who think that just because there is a number on a website, that is going to be the number.
Obviously she never worked in a restaurant.
Chefs/cooks cook with their hands, not measuring spoons. A recipe may call for 100 calories in sauce or cheese or butter, and you may be getting a lot more (or less) than that.
Just enjoy your food when you eat out, but if you're trying to lose weight, maybe bring lunch from home most of the time.
This. Unless I guess it's places like Applebee's that get their plates delivered as is... they're probably more careful about sticking to the stated portion size there.
Applebees plates are delivered as-is? No wonder they taste so awful. Every time I go there, I always feel like I've licked a block of southwest-flavored salt.2 -
I just stick to my calorie budget. If I want a burger with all the bells & whistles and it goes over I cut it in half and have bonus meal for the next day...or just finish it all on one day and just make sure it balances over the week.
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Putting grain inside another grain is always going to make it more caloric, even if the grains themselves are healthy. IT's like rice in burritos (why do we put carbs inside carbs? Rice in burritos is like a french fry sandwich?).
Healthy and low-calorie aren't the same. Heck, you can have a really unhealthy meal that's low-calorie.
We put carbs in carbs primarily because "carbs" as a food category has only existed for the past couple of decades, and most dishes we like to prepare are older than that.1 -
Putting grain inside another grain is always going to make it more caloric, even if the grains themselves are healthy. IT's like rice in burritos (why do we put carbs inside carbs? Rice in burritos is like a french fry sandwich?).
Healthy and low-calorie aren't the same. Heck, you can have a really unhealthy meal that's low-calorie.
We put carbs in carbs primarily because "carbs" as a food category has only existed for the past couple of decades, and most dishes we like to prepare are older than that.
But restaurants put carbs with carbs because it's cheap. Don't act like bread with pasta is how the Italians have done it for hundreds of years.1 -
annacole94 wrote: »Putting grain inside another grain is always going to make it more caloric, even if the grains themselves are healthy. IT's like rice in burritos (why do we put carbs inside carbs? Rice in burritos is like a french fry sandwich?).
Healthy and low-calorie aren't the same. Heck, you can have a really unhealthy meal that's low-calorie.
We put carbs in carbs primarily because "carbs" as a food category has only existed for the past couple of decades, and most dishes we like to prepare are older than that.
But restaurants put carbs with carbs because it's cheap. Don't act like bread with pasta is how the Italians have done it for hundreds of years.
Italian meals often have several courses. I don't think it would be that unusual to have a breadstick or flatbread and a pasta/polenta/rice dish in the same meal.
Other traditions will offer more than one carbohydrate-heavy food in a meal -- think of naan and rice in Indian food or potatoes with Yorkshire pudding in an English meal.
There are legitimate caloric reasons to be mindful of this tradition, but I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with putting rice in a burrito or having a piece of bread with some pasta.5 -
annacole94 wrote: »Putting grain inside another grain is always going to make it more caloric, even if the grains themselves are healthy. IT's like rice in burritos (why do we put carbs inside carbs? Rice in burritos is like a french fry sandwich?).
Healthy and low-calorie aren't the same. Heck, you can have a really unhealthy meal that's low-calorie.
We put carbs in carbs primarily because "carbs" as a food category has only existed for the past couple of decades, and most dishes we like to prepare are older than that.
But restaurants put carbs with carbs because it's cheap. Don't act like bread with pasta is how the Italians have done it for hundreds of years.
I learned very quickly when I moved to Italy 30 yrs ago, that you ALWAYS have to have bread on the table--pasta or not. Fruit is another must. Italians love carbs and are thin. They also won "The healthiest country" award last week--beating out the Japanese and the French. It was all over the news here.
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BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »Putting grain inside another grain is always going to make it more caloric, even if the grains themselves are healthy. IT's like rice in burritos (why do we put carbs inside carbs? Rice in burritos is like a french fry sandwich?).
This is in the vein of serving breadsticks with pizza. Why do? Not like I'm opposed, but I'd rather just have more pizza.
I've banned Italian bread on spaghetti nights. No more carb sides for carb meals.
Don't even get me started on pizza with bread sticks! Whose bright idea was that?
(whoops- meant to quote @Jruzer )2 -
Fine. I'll guess that they didn't get skinny on thousand calorie meals? Eating out is a minefield of trash food. That's my real point. You CAN eat well, but it requires an absurd amount of strategy and preparation. You don't get there by accident at Olive Garden.0
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annacole94 wrote: »Fine. I'll guess that they didn't get skinny on thousand calorie meals? Eating out is a minefield of trash food. That's my real point. You CAN eat well, but it requires an absurd amount of strategy and preparation. You don't get there by accident at Olive Garden.
So the point is that mindless eating is a bad strategy?0 -
Wynterbourne wrote: »annacole94 wrote: »Fine. I'll guess that they didn't get skinny on thousand calorie meals? Eating out is a minefield of trash food. That's my real point. You CAN eat well, but it requires an absurd amount of strategy and preparation. You don't get there by accident at Olive Garden.
So the point is that mindless eating is a bad strategy?
Yup. And also that the health halo around certain brands is not going to get you a reasonable calorie count. If you've never been shocked by the calories in a restaurant meal, you're either a cynical *kitten* or you've been at this since birth.2 -
annacole94 wrote: »Putting grain inside another grain is always going to make it more caloric, even if the grains themselves are healthy. IT's like rice in burritos (why do we put carbs inside carbs? Rice in burritos is like a french fry sandwich?).
Healthy and low-calorie aren't the same. Heck, you can have a really unhealthy meal that's low-calorie.
We put carbs in carbs primarily because "carbs" as a food category has only existed for the past couple of decades, and most dishes we like to prepare are older than that.
But restaurants put carbs with carbs because it's cheap. Don't act like bread with pasta is how the Italians have done it for hundreds of years.
Why shouldn't I act like that? Of course the Italians have been serving bread with pasta for hundreds of years. There is always bread on an Italian table.2 -
I'm in for cynical *kitten*s!
But seriously the answer to frequent eating out for work etc is ordering what you want to order regardless of the menu.
Protein, grilled/steamed no sauce, veggies steamed or boiled will get you a small amount of calories for lots of money.
Most breakfast places do have a side of oatmeal plain no toppings and a side of two poached eggs. Or two eggs and unbuttered toast.
The menu is just a starting place to pick a dish to modify to your requirements
Now for the OCCASIONAL meal out, just enjoy the one occasional meal.
At most it will add a couple of days to how long it will take you to get to your target weight.
And hey, while I still take a scale to the all you can eat fish and chip shop, I have also ordered a family size steamed Gai lan, no sauce, for an early dinner!
As to the OP, I feel her frustration; but that's one of the points of calorie counting.
Discovering that healthy olive oil and avocados have a lot of calories and cannot be eaten in unlimited amounts.
That salads in restaurants, unmodified, sometimes have even more calories than a burger.
That healthy =/= low calorie and low calorie =/= healthy always.2 -
Strawblackcat wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I have to laugh at people (like that pediatrician) who think that just because there is a number on a website, that is going to be the number.
Obviously she never worked in a restaurant.
Chefs/cooks cook with their hands, not measuring spoons. A recipe may call for 100 calories in sauce or cheese or butter, and you may be getting a lot more (or less) than that.
Just enjoy your food when you eat out, but if you're trying to lose weight, maybe bring lunch from home most of the time.
This. Unless I guess it's places like Applebee's that get their plates delivered as is... they're probably more careful about sticking to the stated portion size there.
Applebees plates are delivered as-is? No wonder they taste so awful. Every time I go there, I always feel like I've licked a block of southwest-flavored salt.
I read a book called The American Way of Eating a while back and the author worked "undercover" at an Applebees. I don't recall her saying plates come as is. It sounded like the entrees & vegetable sides come frozen and then the expeditor slaps the sauces on. Still not tremendously appealing... I can have frozen food at home.1 -
Alatariel75 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Putting grain inside another grain is always going to make it more caloric, even if the grains themselves are healthy. IT's like rice in burritos (why do we put carbs inside carbs? Rice in burritos is like a french fry sandwich?).
Healthy and low-calorie aren't the same. Heck, you can have a really unhealthy meal that's low-calorie.
Not gonna lie, I've had french fries on a sandwich and it was great. I wouldn't do it daily, but it was tasty.
Real arab shawerma sandwiches have fries stuffed in them. Absolute heaven.
White bread sandwich with plain potato crisps and sauce was a hangover staple for my mid-20s...
Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich add cheese, then add your fries to it. It's just amazing.
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BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »Putting grain inside another grain is always going to make it more caloric, even if the grains themselves are healthy. IT's like rice in burritos (why do we put carbs inside carbs? Rice in burritos is like a french fry sandwich?).
This is in the vein of serving breadsticks with pizza. Why do? Not like I'm opposed, but I'd rather just have more pizza.
I've banned Italian bread on spaghetti nights. No more carb sides for carb meals.
Don't even get me started on pizza with bread sticks! Whose bright idea was that?
(whoops- meant to quote @Jruzer )
When I was in Spain for work a few months ago, I ate so much bread that I could barely walk. Darn good stuff, that.
In our house we often have Edamame with pizza, a habit we picked up from a Japanese friend.
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BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »Putting grain inside another grain is always going to make it more caloric, even if the grains themselves are healthy. IT's like rice in burritos (why do we put carbs inside carbs? Rice in burritos is like a french fry sandwich?).
This is in the vein of serving breadsticks with pizza. Why do? Not like I'm opposed, but I'd rather just have more pizza.
I've banned Italian bread on spaghetti nights. No more carb sides for carb meals.
Don't even get me started on pizza with bread sticks! Whose bright idea was that?
(whoops- meant to quote @Jruzer )
When I was in Spain for work a few months ago, I ate so much bread that I could barely walk. Darn good stuff, that.
In our house we often have Edamame with pizza, a habit we picked up from a Japanese friend.
To me, it's like pizza with a side of less-flavorful pizza. Been wanting to try edamame, but not sure I want it with my pizza.
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annacole94 wrote: »Fine. I'll guess that they didn't get skinny on thousand calorie meals? Eating out is a minefield of trash food. That's my real point. You CAN eat well, but it requires an absurd amount of strategy and preparation. You don't get there by accident at Olive Garden.
The Olive Garden is not authentic Italian food--gasp.1 -
annacole94 wrote: »Wynterbourne wrote: »annacole94 wrote: »Fine. I'll guess that they didn't get skinny on thousand calorie meals? Eating out is a minefield of trash food. That's my real point. You CAN eat well, but it requires an absurd amount of strategy and preparation. You don't get there by accident at Olive Garden.
So the point is that mindless eating is a bad strategy?
Yup. And also that the health halo around certain brands is not going to get you a reasonable calorie count. If you've never been shocked by the calories in a restaurant meal, you're either a cynical *kitten* or you've been at this since birth.
Sure, I've been shocked at restaurant nutrition info - but not when it was only 600 cals! 600 cals is LOW for a restaurant meal. Higher than the OP was expecting, perhaps, but certainly not "HIGH". I can think of one chain restaurant that I've removed from our family's options because they only have one item on their menu below 1000 calories, and it doesn't appeal to me.2 -
Try the edamame! Even my kid loves it! Try it first at a sushi restaurant or similar. Making it at home is not quite as good (but close).1
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annacole94 wrote: »Fine. I'll guess that they didn't get skinny on thousand calorie meals? Eating out is a minefield of trash food. That's my real point. You CAN eat well, but it requires an absurd amount of strategy and preparation. You don't get there by accident at Olive Garden.
That's a bit overdramatic. It's not that hard to find lower calorie options at many restaurants without making a big production of it. Lean protein, vegetables, light or no sauces, easy on the breads or starches. Done. Even places like Olive Garden or Cheesecake Factory don't have to be a problem.
Also, there's nothing stopping you splitting the dish and taking half home for lunch the next day.3 -
annacole94 wrote: »Wynterbourne wrote: »annacole94 wrote: »Fine. I'll guess that they didn't get skinny on thousand calorie meals? Eating out is a minefield of trash food. That's my real point. You CAN eat well, but it requires an absurd amount of strategy and preparation. You don't get there by accident at Olive Garden.
So the point is that mindless eating is a bad strategy?
Yup. And also that the health halo around certain brands is not going to get you a reasonable calorie count. If you've never been shocked by the calories in a restaurant meal, you're either a cynical *kitten* or you've been at this since birth.
Actually, my point was that you just have to be mindful of your choices. I don't have to be a cynical *kitten* or have been dieting my whole life to *not* be shocked by restaurant calories. I just have to be knowledgeable of a few numbers, look at the ridiculous portion sizes many restaurants have, and do a little math. That's it. It's called mindful eating. If you can look at a half gallon bowl of spaghetti or a four inch tall wedge of cheesecake and actually be shocked it sounds like you might be in denial.3 -
ashliedelgado wrote: »A rule of thumb a very fit pediatrician I work with shared with me - if the menu does not have nutrition information posted, she doesn't eat there. She figures in this day and age, if they aren't posting their nutrition information, they must be ashamed of it. I ran with it. So I look things up before going places to make my decision. It hasn't failed me yet.
If you're going by the seat of your pants, the wraps, the grains, the dressings, and just pack with veggies and lean meat if you want it to be low calorie. Nothing wrong with the grains or wraps, they just add the number up.
So much for local eating then. Or does she imagine local, family-owned restaurants can afford to pay a lab to evaluate calorie content every time they put a new dish on the menu?
A freakin lab is required to determine the calorie content of food?? Well, I've been doing everything all wrong for years. 0 -
Lol, thanks for the concern. I'm within 5 lb of my goal weight, and I don't have most of the chains (including Olive Garden) in my city at all. I'm not in denial, love.Wynterbourne wrote: »annacole94 wrote: »Wynterbourne wrote: »annacole94 wrote: »Fine. I'll guess that they didn't get skinny on thousand calorie meals? Eating out is a minefield of trash food. That's my real point. You CAN eat well, but it requires an absurd amount of strategy and preparation. You don't get there by accident at Olive Garden.
So the point is that mindless eating is a bad strategy?
Yup. And also that the health halo around certain brands is not going to get you a reasonable calorie count. If you've never been shocked by the calories in a restaurant meal, you're either a cynical *kitten* or you've been at this since birth.
Actually, my point was that you just have to be mindful of your choices. I don't have to be a cynical *kitten* or have been dieting my whole life to *not* be shocked by restaurant calories. I just have to be knowledgeable of a few numbers, look at the ridiculous portion sizes many restaurants have, and do a little math. That's it. It's called mindful eating. If you can look at a half gallon bowl of spaghetti or a four inch tall wedge of cheesecake and actually be shocked it sounds like you might be in denial.0 -
annacole94 wrote: »
Lol, thanks for the concern. I'm within 5 lb of my goal weight, and I don't have most of the chains (including Olive Garden) in my city at all. I'm not in denial, love.Wynterbourne wrote: »annacole94 wrote: »Wynterbourne wrote: »annacole94 wrote: »Fine. I'll guess that they didn't get skinny on thousand calorie meals? Eating out is a minefield of trash food. That's my real point. You CAN eat well, but it requires an absurd amount of strategy and preparation. You don't get there by accident at Olive Garden.
So the point is that mindless eating is a bad strategy?
Yup. And also that the health halo around certain brands is not going to get you a reasonable calorie count. If you've never been shocked by the calories in a restaurant meal, you're either a cynical *kitten* or you've been at this since birth.
Actually, my point was that you just have to be mindful of your choices. I don't have to be a cynical *kitten* or have been dieting my whole life to *not* be shocked by restaurant calories. I just have to be knowledgeable of a few numbers, look at the ridiculous portion sizes many restaurants have, and do a little math. That's it. It's called mindful eating. If you can look at a half gallon bowl of spaghetti or a four inch tall wedge of cheesecake and actually be shocked it sounds like you might be in denial.
And I'm down over 125 lbs, have chain restaurants near me, even eat at them occasionally, and am not surprised by their calories. Since I'm not cynical nor have been at this my whole life, I guess I'm an exception to your way of thinking regarding restaurants.3 -
If you accept chain restaurant meals as "normal", then you may be the one in denial. This food is not (and never should have become) normal.1
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annacole94 wrote: »If you accept chain restaurant meals as "normal", then you may be the one in denial. This food is not (and never should have become) normal.
So did you not actually read the paragraph you quoted? What part of "ridiculous portion sizes many restaurants have" equates normal to you?1 -
AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »ashliedelgado wrote: »A rule of thumb a very fit pediatrician I work with shared with me - if the menu does not have nutrition information posted, she doesn't eat there. She figures in this day and age, if they aren't posting their nutrition information, they must be ashamed of it. I ran with it. So I look things up before going places to make my decision. It hasn't failed me yet.
If you're going by the seat of your pants, the wraps, the grains, the dressings, and just pack with veggies and lean meat if you want it to be low calorie. Nothing wrong with the grains or wraps, they just add the number up.
So much for local eating then. Or does she imagine local, family-owned restaurants can afford to pay a lab to evaluate calorie content every time they put a new dish on the menu?
A freakin lab is required to determine the calorie content of food?? Well, I've been doing everything all wrong for years.
I'm guessing, but I'd bet that in order to publish calorie counts, it needs to be determined by a lab. 4 -
I could keep arguing (although I'm not even sure about what?), but I'm in the middle of a very difficult Super Mario Colour Splash level, and then it's time for the bedtime marathon.
Good luck to all, and may the odds be ever in your favour.0 -
I tend to get surprised by how few calories restaurants serve. Naturally I want to get the most food for my hard earned $$$. I usually think at this price I could easily make 3 quality meals at home.
When I am at buffets I always try to eat as much as possible, obviously. Foods are good, are fuel and aren't free, if you are honest.
I have lost all my overweight lbs.0
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