Healthy eating while out?

j3nndar3lla

So.. today I decided to go shopping in town and didn't take anything with me to eat. So I ended up eating subway for both lunch and dinner, and a satsuma as a snack, as they list the calories in each sandwich. I go out a lot with my daughter and I don't always have time to prepare food for while I'm out. And every "grab and go" kinda meal in the shops is usually pretty high in calories.

It's probably a dumb question, haha but it got me thinking today... if I really want to count every calorie and make sure I'm not going over my daily allowance, how can I eat healthily while I'm out? Even salads are usually high in calories if they're pre-made in a store. That's my experience anyway. I'm pretty sure I'm over-thinking things here, haha but I'm really determined to get serious now and lose this weight.

MorgueBabe

Salads:
No fried chicken
No cheese
No creamy Dressing

Order:
Grilled or baked foods
Broth based soups not creamy ones

If it's a sit down place the SECOND the meal comes - ask for a to go bag and box up half of eveything

betreich

I have lunch out at the local shopping mall quite often - we have a café where I am able to get a made to order sandwich. I have grain bread with chicken, avacardo, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, carrot, no butter. Yummy and healthy. Occasionally if I am out and want a healthy snack I will just go to a near by supermarket and buy an apple. easy.

curlytoes79

My iPhone is my best friend when I'm out and about because if I decide to stop for food, I can look up the calorie counts on the fly. If the restaurant is a chain, I can probably find it either on the web or in one of my apps. In fact, I just came back from Elevation Burger, and I knew exactly how much the sandwich I was planning to order was going to set me back.

Some places post calorie counts in their menus - I know Chipotle does.

SharonNehring

There are several apps available that can help you or just look up the restaurant's website and browse their menu/nutrition list. Armed with knowledge, you can make the best selections from what's offered.

coragoldoleary

If i am going out to dinner. I know what I am going to order and I look up the calories for everything before i even get there. All chain fast food joints too! I google a lot which helps. If I can't really get the exact number i tend to over estimate. But just how the other girls said.. "arm yourself with knowledge" that is the way to go when you are eating out!!! :happy:

CarolinkaCjj

Try to plan if you can. Go to the restaurant websites - if they are a chain, there will be nutritional information and if it is not a chain, there will likely be a menu and you can use mfp to get an estimate of the calories. Take control of your portions - cut it in half if it is over your caloric budget. Dressing on the side really helps too. Even if you cannot plan, if you have a smart phone, use it - check your choices - I may want to have fettuccine alfredo but at this point in my path, there are much better choices that are just as tasty.

Have survived eating Mexican (check out the shrimp and skip the beans and rice - Camarones Al Mojo De Ajo was the tastiest dish at the table), Thai (half a portion of pad thai with tofu was just fine), Vietnamese (motivated me to exercise so I could eat my favorite) and even Olive Garden without going over my daily intake goals.

jennwhite34

My mom and I go out to eat for Lunch most Fridays. We will often order one meal and split it.

mniakm

Counting your calories is a great way to watch your intake, it will help you be successful. I used to do it when I was skinnier and happier with my weight, so I encourage you to continue to do it. (Only stop if it becomes an obsession, and that is unlikely to happen anyway).

My advice for eating out:
- at Subway, always get the cheese, veggies, meat, toppings but do NOT get the sub sauces because they hold all the fat/bad calories
- if you get a pizza slice, only eat half and save the other half for later for another meal
- get the small sized soup from the local cafe, because it is usually no more than 250 calories per bowl and do not eat the crackers that come with it, in fact tell the server to just hold the crackers
- avoid getting the burgers and fries, try to make that at home, since you can make it for way less calories and get the same satisfaction (well, almost)
- when you have to buy something that is high in calories, just eat half and trust the feeling in your tummy, meaning that once you feel full and you know you have eaten a meal's worth of food, stop and save the rest for your next meal
- if you are out with friends or family, share the meal with that person

sarafischbach9

Do your research on the restaurants if you can. A lot post calories and nutrition info. If you know ahead of time, you can decide what you want ! If they don't have the nutrition info, even looking at the menu helps. You can have more time to look the menu over and see what the healthier options are.

Salads are not always the best options, although they are healthy and a good way to get in your veggies. Some salads can have more calories than a plain hamburger. Sometimes you're better off getting a plain hamburger or a grilled chicken sandwich and pairing it off with a mixed green salad( small size, not lunch or dinner size ).

If you do get a salad, make sure to get the dressing on the side. Ask for low fat or low calorie options. Try grilled instead of fried chicken. Avoid salads with tons of toppings. A few toppings are okay and make the salad taste good, but too many toppings add too many calories too quick. Maybe pick a salad with a few toppings or less... grilled chicken, maybe dried fruit, low fat cheese, etc etc.

If you get a sandwich that has sides, try to add a salad or a other vegetable side instead of fries or potato chips.

seltzermint555

- at Subway, always get the cheese, veggies, meat, toppings but do NOT get the sub sauces because they hold all the fat/bad calories
- if you get a pizza slice, only eat half and save the other half for later for another meal

Who eats half a slice of pizza? Just no.

And I personally think a sub w/o any sauce is just sad. I'd honestly rather "give up" the meat or the cheese, or just have half of the bread. Some places maybe it would be ok but Subway is almost flavorless w/o their chipotle sauce IMO

seltzermint555

I think (as others have mentioned) it's more than doable to eat out and still lose weight and stay within your calories. But it does take some thinking and adjusting.

When I go out for lunch, I generally "force" myself to eat a light dinner at home that night. Even if it means rearranging my schedule somewhat.

I do not have a smartphone (nor do I want one) and it can be a little irritating sometimes to be out for the whole day and not know exactly where I stand re: calories. But it gets easier the longer you've been logging/counting. You start to know within about 100-200 cal even with eating in restaurants for a couple of meals that day.

A few things I've started doing...when I get Chinese food, I order veggie or seafood options most of the time but if I opt for chicken I will choose the kind that is not breaded & fried. I do eat rice, but only a tiny bit. Like maybe 1/8 of what I am served. I am not one of those who believes carbs = evil, but I'd rather get the calories from the meat/veggies and sauce. I do get sauce on the side whenever possible, though. If I get some kind of combination plate that comes with an egg roll or spring roll and a crab rangoon...I give away the roll to whomever I am dining out with, and just take 1-2 bites of the rangoon (the best cheesy bit). This has really worked for me. Up until about 2 months ago, every time I got Chinese out I would end up 2 lb heavier the next day from the heavy food and sodium. Now that does not happen anymore.

With Japanese places I usually just get sushi (non-fried, no creamy sauce) or a bento box with the healthier options. Thai is the one time I do tend to take home 1/2 of my portion, which also works.

For Mexican food, I preplan to "afford" the calories and then splurge on enchiladas but eat maybe 1/4 of the beans and rice served. Or get 1-2 items a la carte.

If I do get a burger, I get it with mustard, onion & lettuce only. No pickle or cheese or other sauces. Definitely no fries. This actually "forces" me to only get GOOD burgers that taste awesome with those things. I would rather splurge every month or two on a diner burger or Culver's double butter burger (like I did last week) than have a McDouble every week. But that's just me. Do what works best for you.

I would advise against eating out 2-3 times a day though. That can make it really tricky to fit your cals/macros even if you get a lot of exercise.

j3nndar3lla

Thank you all for your replies! I didn't realise it was so easy to eat well while I was out. I don't think I could order something and just eat half of it though, haha... my mind wouldn't rest until I'd devoured the whole thing! I know of some restaurants that list the calories though so I'll try to stick to them. and get salads wherever possible.