Does anyone have suggestions or tips on dining out?

CEThornton

Hey all!
OK so i have a bit of a dilemma...
I love to cook.. like LOVE to cook. Some recipes work out better for me than others but it's much easier to manage the ingredients and portion sizes when I'm making meals.
I'm supposed to go out for dinner twice this week for my boyfriend's birthday. Neither restaurant has published calorie counts. How do yall manage?

catylina71

Well, since you know the restaurants that you are going to, i would call them and ask them what the lowest calorie meals they have are and what the count is. it is the chefs responsibility to accommodate special diets.

Follow_me

Eat lean meat such as chicken or fish and green veggies. Drink water or unsweet tea and leave the bad carbs (rice, potatoe, bread) alone.

crystalewhite

Avoid anything described as crispy or creamy, and order sauces and dressings on the side if possible.

seltzermint555

Avoid anything described as crispy or creamy, and order sauces and dressings on the side if possible.

I agree with this. At most Asian restaurants, I avoid anything fried and eat about 1/10 of my rice portion. When eating Mexican, I usually get a spinach and/or cheese enchilada with red or green sauce (not queso) a la carte and limit myself to 4-5 tortilla chips and a bit of salsa while waiting.

While I enjoy eating pasta, I only do that at home where I've got control of the portion and what goes into the sauce.

I find that going for something similar in the MFP database and adjusting accordingly is pretty successful. After all, it's not like you are eating out in these restaurants every day. Once in awhile it's okay.

Personally I don't feel it is the restaurant/chef's responsibility to cater to me. Unless the diner really has some serious allergy or aversion, I find that unnecessary & obnoxious. JMHO...not out to step on anyone's toes but I would never ask the staff of a local and/or independent restaurant to give me NI and other specs or go out of their way to prepare something special just for my weight loss effort.

lwanbaugh81

Don't be afraid to tell them what you want!! I eat out a lot and if I've decided to stay on track I just tell the waitress I want a grilled, seasoned chicken breast with a steamed or grilled veggie. I have never been met with anything other then people happy to oblige. You can also modify the menu, ask for cheese left off of things or double veggies instead of pasta or whatever else, salad instead of potato.

navyrigger46

Eat lean meat such as chicken or fish and green veggies. Drink water or unsweet tea and leave the bad carbs (rice, potatoe, bread) alone.

Basically this about 85% of the time. The other 15? Caution, meet wind.

Rigger

jadetigereyes

I'll ask for a take out box to come as my meal is served so that I can portion out what I want to eat for that meal. This prevents overeating and helps a ton with dining out.

WhiteRabbit1313

Hey all!
OK so i have a bit of a dilemma...
I love to cook.. like LOVE to cook. Some recipes work out better for me than others but it's much easier to manage the ingredients and portion sizes when I'm making meals.
I'm supposed to go out for dinner twice this week for my boyfriend's birthday. Neither restaurant has published calorie counts. How do yall manage?

I usually :

1. stick with meat and veggies (typically green ones). Grilled/baked meats and fish are my go-to's.
2. Request sauces on the side, like others said.
3. Try not to eat the dang entire bread basket. Lol!
4. Salads are usually not as low cal as one would hope, so don't assume that it's a good diet option.
5. It's best to box 1/2 or 2/3 of your meal to start and just eat the small portion. I mentally divide my meal before I eat it, and I sometimes separate my food on my plate, casually, of course.
6. I count chips at Mexican restaurants (10 or under) and break those into small portions and nibble on them to satisfy my chip and salsa craving.
7. I always drink water or un-sweet tea.

That's about it. Good luck to you! This is GOOD practice!

monikagiesbrecht

I honestly almost ALWAYS go for a Ceaser Salad with Grilled Chicken and Dressing on the Side. I love that Salad and Its pretty universal for almost anywhere i go! Plus, its still filling!

CEThornton

Thank you all so much!! They are really helpful! We're supposed to be going to a sports bar tonight and an Italian restaurant Friday... sounds like i can apply to both!!

Swiftdogs

There is lots of good advice here. Also, don't worry too much about having to log estimates. An occasional meal, even if you guess wrong, won't derail your progress. Enjoy!