Nights out / drinking

danmullen

Hi everyone,

I'm almost two weeks in and doing great so far! This site is really helping.

I was wondering, what do other members do about nights out, either at restaurants or going for a drink? I have no idea about the nutritional value of restaurant meals, so how do you track your calories, fat, etc.?

As for alcohol, I don't go out that often but once a week on average I have a "big" night out including quite a bit to drink. I also like to drink red wine at home. Over the last two weeks since I started my new healthy lifestyle, I've practically cut out alcohol - just had two pints of beer, one each week. However, I haven't gone out so haven't been faced with the problem of being around friends that are drinking.

Would a few gin and (slimline) tonics ruin my diet? Can you successfully lose weight whilst still enjoying a few alcoholic drinks? I'm interested to read your thoughts on this.

Cheers,
Dan

momtojacob

I don't drink hardly any alcohol so I don't think about that. But before we go out for dinner I got to the website of the restaurant we are going to and I look at the nutirional value and choose what I am going to eat before we get there. That way I know the calories, fat, carbs etc.

kfortin86

Hey,

Can't answer all the questions but I have had the same questsions/issues. I have the iPhone app which is REAAAAALLLLY helpful with this because it has most chain/popular restaurants menu options already entered in the food sections of the app. This means I can look at the menu at the restaurant AND see its nutrition facts on my phone. This has helped in figuring out what to order and budgeting my calories successfully. And, while I am not a drinker much, I do believe some alcohol is in there as well.

Hope this helps!!

starkiss100

I go out about once a week and drink Rum and Diet Cokes. I lost 30 pounds earlier this year and still drank these drinks, about 5-7 drinks a week. Drink Diet pop, not juices or wine. If you must drink beer, make it a light one.

Birdnicaj

HI!! I just got started and being that both my husband and I work in the Food and Bev business, this is something I've had to tackle. Here are my ways of coping (and still having fun!) Prior to going out I search the restaurant's web site (most have them now-a -days) and I choose ahead of time what I'll eat by looking up the calories in MFP's data base. I know it's hard to know what restaurants put into food so go with the more obvious like grilled chicken or fish, skip pastas and cheeses, salad for starters and certainly nothing fried or breaded or smothered in any sauces. ...etc. Planning has saved my life!
Drink wise I had to make some choices - switched from red wine which I love to a light white (such as a Sauvignon Blanc) to literally cut the calories in half. Be mindful of the serving size. Out with friends I've had vodka soda or gin and soda, or scotch and soda - you get the picture. Sip it slowly and get a sparkling water in between to slow it down..
To answer your question, a good night out should not "ruin" the good path you are on, but be decisive about what "A FEW" means - it means up to 3 not 5 or 6.

00trayn

I've been doing "The Healthy Thing" for over 7 months now, so I've gotten pretty used to facing situations with eating out and drinking alcohol with people who aren't on nearly as strict of a diet as I am. Here's a few tips for you to start with:

- If you know where you're going beforehand, research! Most chain restaurants will have nutrition info already listed so try to plan a few dishes you can eat before you get there. Or if there isn't nutrition info, just a menu, look for the healthier options and try to estimate their calories on here. If all else fails, try using the MFP app while at the restaurant, or just make smart food choices. Avoid works like "fried", "cream", "coated in", "breaded", etc. Anything that would indicate its high in calories.

- Stick to small portions. It's OK to indulge on occasion with food you enjoy, just don't eat the whole thing! Restaurants have giant sized portions, so resolve at the beginning of the meal to eat only half and put the rest in a to-go container.

- When drinking, don't drink your calories. Use diet mixers like diet coke, or at least lower calorie mixers like cranberry juice. Go for light beer, it has less carbs and calories. My drink of choice is rum and diet coke. I also try to drink as much water as possible, alcohol will dehydrate you. Also, your body does stop burning fat while it's trying to process alcohol, so try not to go too overboard on a weekly basis. Otherwise you could definitely get stuck on the same weight for a while (yep, I learned this one the hard way).


Hope these tips help! They've definitely helped me to survive many social outings.

danmullen

Thanks for all the good advice everyone! I didn't actually realise that some of the bigger restaurant chains are already in the MFP database - brilliant! I suppose for those restaurants that aren't part of a chain or don't publicise the nutritional content of their meals, I'll just be sensible and estimate as best I can. Not that I eat out very often!

The alcohol thing is going to be the biggest change for me. I like the idea of having a sparkling water in between my gin and slimline tonics. When I've tried to diet in the past I have cut out alcohol completely, but going for a night out with friends who are all drinking when you're not isn't much fun! I think depriving myself completely in the past has led to me failing a number of times, but I feel good about it this time round now that I'm using MFP.

Thanks again