How hard is it to eat well when eating out???!!!

mbarry1000

I met up with my friend today for lunch, the options are so crappie. Everything is full of sauce, comes with a side of chips/frys. Even the crappy side salad was just covered in sauce. I think it's my biggest weight loss challenge.

Corina1143

It's tough. Hints.
Check out the menu with calories online before you go.
Suggest places you can find better choices next time.
Tough it out, but not often. Every meal won't be perfect, but most meals can be good!
Remember you're learning. Forgive yourself. Focus on now and the future.

AnnPT77

At sit down restaurants, politely ask for changes. At worst they say no. Sauce on the side, or no sauce. Substitute side or no side. Leave off the bun. Plate of all the side veggies. Etc.

Even some fast food places will do variations not on the menu board.

I've been doing this for decades (because vegetarian). It doesn't always work, but you might be surprised how often it does .
. if you're nice about it, and appreciative especially.

If you're in the US, and the server helps you, tip well.

Adventurista

Nods, there are places like that.

Would your friend be willing to explore other places and kinds of food?

SafariGalNYC

It’s not tough. It’s a choice. Choose a different type of restaurant or choose wisely at a chain or fast food joint. No kitchen militia is forcing chips or sauce on anyone.

Retroguy2000

It's not that hard. Check the menu ahead of time. Make sensible choices, and use substitutions. Don't eat any pre-meal bread or share any starters that others order. Get a baked potato instead of fries. Get it plain, not loaded or full of butter. Choose something that's grilled not fried. Choose a tomato sauce instead of cream sauce. Refuse things like mayo. Request something be cooked without butter, if applicable. Don't have beer or full sugar soda.

It will probably still end up a bit more calories than eating at home, but it doesn't need to be 2x or 3x or more the calories you'd otherwise have.

Tblackdogs

I like just ordering an appetizer. Still higher in calories etc. than something I'd have at home but way fewer than an entree. And portion sizes for main dishes are always huge so an appetizer is perfectly enough for a meal. And I try to enjoy the company and not focus on the nutrition.

GoRun2

It's hard, no doubt about it. I do all of the things mentioned above. I often get a salad entree with grilled chicken and dressing on the side. I dip my fork a little way into the dressing and then stab the salad. My other choice is a vegetarian omlette with salad instead of potatoes. The other is portion control. Some friends split a dinner with hubby. I try to eat lighter on my other meals that day.

Please keep those hints coming.

springlering62

Excellent podcast addressing “takeaway” restaurants (aka takeout or fast food):

“A Piece of Cake” hosted by Gregg Wallace (host of some British baking show, lost a lot of weight), with guest Henry Dimbleby, MBE, who found Leon, a British chain devoted to healthy fast and takeout foods, and who now advocates for better foods and cooking classes in schools.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0hH3KpXcuLU1ibDSUvmMig?si=u-GjMEphRbuiuCPWIYRJRg

They spend a segment of the podcast on how to make healthier choices at existing fast food and restaurants. Some are quite creative.

The subsequent episode with “normal” people’s take on it was also interesting.

I wish I’d heard of Leon when I was in the UK a few weeks ago.

Retroguy2000

GoRun2 wrote: »

I dip my fork a little way into the dressing and then stab the salad.

That's a good one.

springlering62

I’m not that hostile to my salads lol.

springlering62

BTW, we often take small containers of our own low cal dressings with us.

I understand from others here that that’s against health codes in some areas, but we’ve never once had anyone say anything to us. We try to be discreet about using them.

neanderthin

Is this a daily, weekly, monthly or rare event? If it's daily or weekly make it your option to pick where you might eat and if it's monthly or rarely then it might be feeding into the stress, anxiety and for some disordered eating habits from counting calories and of course this will and can displace or overshadow the enjoyment of getting together with a friend in the first place. imo.

Hobartlemagne

my go-to is a cobb salad or chef salad with a vinaigrette dressing.
The calories may be too much, but at least im not eating massive amounts of fats and carbs

yirara

I rarely eat out. If I do I just eat whatever is on the menu. In an Italian place I might have a pizza. I know I will only eat half of it as a whole one is too much. I usually ask for a lot less cheese. Burger and fries? Well, I hardly ever have one. Sauce on the side, no cheese.

COGypsy

I've lost, gained, and maintained my weight while probably eating out 3+ times per week. For me, it makes no difference whatsoever where my food was prepared. I don't order individual appetizers and take only 1 piece of anything ordered for the table. I recognize that not every meal is an "occasion" and keep my choices practical, even if they aren't the most exciting items on the menu. I add extra vegetables whenever I can. I never eat more than half of the meal, and usually more like a third. The appetizer rule applies to dessert as well. It's second nature to use these rules now and has worked well for me over the years.