secretly eating healthy at restaurants?
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Didnt read all the responses, but it could be that they just think they are being funny and light hearted. Have you told them it irritates you? If not its a good first step. If you've told them and they're still acting like a bunch of tools, ignore them and do what you want, tell them to screw off, criticize their choices or simply refuse to go out to eat with them are all good options0
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I usually save my calories if I know I'm going to a restaurant. I'll eat a light breakfast so I know I have ~1000-800 cals to spare on one meal out. I don't do this so I don't get razzed by friends, it's more my way of teaching myself that I can eat calorie dense meals once in a while if I plan for it.
I don't think your friends should be giving you a hard time about eating healthy, that's way more of their problem than yours. I don't think you should change anything.
Also, does anyone know of any type of App out there where we can look up restaurant food calorie count while we're out?0 -
Most of the chain restaurants have the NI available on their websites. If I know ahead of time where I'm going (I usually do), I look at the menu, decide what I want and plan my day accordingly. I have gone out knowing that I was going to consume 3,000 calories in one meal. I prepared by exercising and limiting my food intake for the day/week outside of that meal."Businesses should be less convenient for customers. Customers are lazy."
"All healthy food sounds the same - dieters should just order dry grilled chicken salads all the time."
You have no concept of how a business market is supposed to work and frankly, you seem to have a fundamental misunderstanding of what a sustainable healthy lifestyle is. If customers aren't happy, businesses fail. Customers who are monitoring their food intake don't need to be punished with boring food.
Lol that's the same thing I got, glad I don't heavily associate with persons who feel that if I don't order dry grilled chicken all the time I'm lazy and asked to be fat.
The reason restaurants don't put calories on the menu is that most of the food they serve is so caloric that people would be horrified, because most people do not know how much calories the average person eats. You may know that the average person should eat around 2,000 calories. That doesn't mean you know that 6 coconut shrimp can be 800 calories. Or buffalo wings may be close to 1,000. And that's just appetizers.
If more people know, more people will be able to make more sensible choices. That said, businesses don't HAVE to do something that may hurt their bottom line. They don't HAVE to (and quite frankly they shouldn't) be nice to you and help you help yourself at their expense. If they do, it's going to be as a result of agitation and public pressure. So ultimately it's our choice.
Please substantiate the bolded. I'm sure the high cost and many restaurants with constantly changing menus has nothing to do with it at all.
Oh I have nothing at all to substantiate the bolded. Sorry for disappointing. But in response to your point about menus, I'm reasonably sure that most large chain restaurants change their menus pretty frequently, due to new products coming out or being discontinued. I think that if there is a set date for implementation of the policy the cost of it should be absorbed easily. My gut, which is almost always unsubstantiated, tells me that concerns about menus and other costs is a red herring. Unfortunately my gut has no statistics or peer-reviewed double-blind heavily-vetted non-controversial scientific studies readily available so I wouldn't bother asking for any.
Ah just making things up then, gotcha. You do know there are restaurants other than chains, right?
Actually I didn't. Didn't have a clue until you just made that statement. Clearly if I had known, I wouldn't have qualified the word "restaurants" by adding the words "large chain" in front of it. Because mom and pop restaurants (hey, what's that mean?) usually have lower calorie menu options while refraining to include nutrition information in respect of the remainder of their menus. And of course they're major players in shaping policy debates.
ETA: I'm sure the reason a majority of smaller restaurants don't include nutrition info is because they don't know and don't care to find out - and people don't push them on it. But that is another made up statement so feel free to discount.
I every once in a while enjoy that kind of splurge on something I know tastes very good to me. I don't think people would stop eating at those places. They might just be more conscious of what they eat the rest of that day, though.0 -
ok - since you asked for suggestions (I'll avoid the rest of the arguments out there)
Say you aren't very hungry and then....
1. order off the appetizer menu - or
2. 1/2 sand and salad etc.
3. Order whatever you want off the menu and box up 1/2 straight up
4. Know where you are going ahead of time and do the research - sometimes a burger is less calories than a salad.
Lastly - Plan ahead - if you know you are going out - allow extra calories for that meal so you can get something else and not worry about it.
If they really are your friends and you aren't making a big deal about it - then they have the problem. If you are making a big deal "oh there isn't anything healthy on this menu....." Then maybe you need to check the attitude when you go out.0 -
Order what you want and tell your friends to bugger off.0
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If my friends were poking fun at me about that I would just laugh, giggle, smile, make jokes about myself, or point out my great *kitten* or abs or something.
However, there are indeed plenty of food items that you can fit into your calorie goals. Check out the calories online. Or for some things you may need to ask for no mayo or cheese.
Also just want to add that people will probably poke fun if you make too many adjustments. But, as long as you are sweet and polite people will find you delightful and just consider it part of your charm and quirks.
If it's all in good fun just laugh with them.
If they are being actual jerks about it then they don't sound like fun people to hang around with.0 -
Even if you don't know ahead of time, I hear there are these new things called "smart phones" that - apparently - can connect their users to a large database of information that some folks call "the internet;" this "internet" thing allegedly has those website thingies with the nutrition information available.
Most of the chain restaurants have the NI available on their websites. If I know ahead of time where I'm going (I usually do), I look at the menu, decide what I want and plan my day accordingly. I have gone out knowing that I was going to consume 3,000 calories in one meal. I prepared by exercising and limiting my food intake for the day/week outside of that meal."Businesses should be less convenient for customers. Customers are lazy."
"All healthy food sounds the same - dieters should just order dry grilled chicken salads all the time."
You have no concept of how a business market is supposed to work and frankly, you seem to have a fundamental misunderstanding of what a sustainable healthy lifestyle is. If customers aren't happy, businesses fail. Customers who are monitoring their food intake don't need to be punished with boring food.
Lol that's the same thing I got, glad I don't heavily associate with persons who feel that if I don't order dry grilled chicken all the time I'm lazy and asked to be fat.
The reason restaurants don't put calories on the menu is that most of the food they serve is so caloric that people would be horrified, because most people do not know how much calories the average person eats. You may know that the average person should eat around 2,000 calories. That doesn't mean you know that 6 coconut shrimp can be 800 calories. Or buffalo wings may be close to 1,000. And that's just appetizers.
If more people know, more people will be able to make more sensible choices. That said, businesses don't HAVE to do something that may hurt their bottom line. They don't HAVE to (and quite frankly they shouldn't) be nice to you and help you help yourself at their expense. If they do, it's going to be as a result of agitation and public pressure. So ultimately it's our choice.
Please substantiate the bolded. I'm sure the high cost and many restaurants with constantly changing menus has nothing to do with it at all.
Oh I have nothing at all to substantiate the bolded. Sorry for disappointing. But in response to your point about menus, I'm reasonably sure that most large chain restaurants change their menus pretty frequently, due to new products coming out or being discontinued. I think that if there is a set date for implementation of the policy the cost of it should be absorbed easily. My gut, which is almost always unsubstantiated, tells me that concerns about menus and other costs is a red herring. Unfortunately my gut has no statistics or peer-reviewed double-blind heavily-vetted non-controversial scientific studies readily available so I wouldn't bother asking for any.
Ah just making things up then, gotcha. You do know there are restaurants other than chains, right?
Actually I didn't. Didn't have a clue until you just made that statement. Clearly if I had known, I wouldn't have qualified the word "restaurants" by adding the words "large chain" in front of it. Because mom and pop restaurants (hey, what's that mean?) usually have lower calorie menu options while refraining to include nutrition information in respect of the remainder of their menus. And of course they're major players in shaping policy debates.
ETA: I'm sure the reason a majority of smaller restaurants don't include nutrition info is because they don't know and don't care to find out - and people don't push them on it. But that is another made up statement so feel free to discount.
I every once in a while enjoy that kind of splurge on something I know tastes very good to me. I don't think people would stop eating at those places. They might just be more conscious of what they eat the rest of that day, though.
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Even if you don't know ahead of time, I hear there are these new things called "smart phones" that - apparently - can connect their users to a large database of information that some folks call "the internet;" this "internet" thing allegedly has those website thingies with the nutrition information available.
Most of the chain restaurants have the NI available on their websites. If I know ahead of time where I'm going (I usually do), I look at the menu, decide what I want and plan my day accordingly. I have gone out knowing that I was going to consume 3,000 calories in one meal. I prepared by exercising and limiting my food intake for the day/week outside of that meal."Businesses should be less convenient for customers. Customers are lazy."
"All healthy food sounds the same - dieters should just order dry grilled chicken salads all the time."
You have no concept of how a business market is supposed to work and frankly, you seem to have a fundamental misunderstanding of what a sustainable healthy lifestyle is. If customers aren't happy, businesses fail. Customers who are monitoring their food intake don't need to be punished with boring food.
Lol that's the same thing I got, glad I don't heavily associate with persons who feel that if I don't order dry grilled chicken all the time I'm lazy and asked to be fat.
The reason restaurants don't put calories on the menu is that most of the food they serve is so caloric that people would be horrified, because most people do not know how much calories the average person eats. You may know that the average person should eat around 2,000 calories. That doesn't mean you know that 6 coconut shrimp can be 800 calories. Or buffalo wings may be close to 1,000. And that's just appetizers.
If more people know, more people will be able to make more sensible choices. That said, businesses don't HAVE to do something that may hurt their bottom line. They don't HAVE to (and quite frankly they shouldn't) be nice to you and help you help yourself at their expense. If they do, it's going to be as a result of agitation and public pressure. So ultimately it's our choice.
Please substantiate the bolded. I'm sure the high cost and many restaurants with constantly changing menus has nothing to do with it at all.
Oh I have nothing at all to substantiate the bolded. Sorry for disappointing. But in response to your point about menus, I'm reasonably sure that most large chain restaurants change their menus pretty frequently, due to new products coming out or being discontinued. I think that if there is a set date for implementation of the policy the cost of it should be absorbed easily. My gut, which is almost always unsubstantiated, tells me that concerns about menus and other costs is a red herring. Unfortunately my gut has no statistics or peer-reviewed double-blind heavily-vetted non-controversial scientific studies readily available so I wouldn't bother asking for any.
Ah just making things up then, gotcha. You do know there are restaurants other than chains, right?
Actually I didn't. Didn't have a clue until you just made that statement. Clearly if I had known, I wouldn't have qualified the word "restaurants" by adding the words "large chain" in front of it. Because mom and pop restaurants (hey, what's that mean?) usually have lower calorie menu options while refraining to include nutrition information in respect of the remainder of their menus. And of course they're major players in shaping policy debates.
ETA: I'm sure the reason a majority of smaller restaurants don't include nutrition info is because they don't know and don't care to find out - and people don't push them on it. But that is another made up statement so feel free to discount.
I every once in a while enjoy that kind of splurge on something I know tastes very good to me. I don't think people would stop eating at those places. They might just be more conscious of what they eat the rest of that day, though.
Oh, you mean what DORKS do when everyone else is trying to settle down to a meal. :bigsmile:
I kid. I kid.0 -
Just tell the others you're updating your Facebook or checking Twitter. Nobody complains about that. :grumble:
Even if you don't know ahead of time, I hear there are these new things called "smart phones" that - apparently - can connect their users to a large database of information that some folks call "the internet;" this "internet" thing allegedly has those website thingies with the nutrition information available.
Most of the chain restaurants have the NI available on their websites. If I know ahead of time where I'm going (I usually do), I look at the menu, decide what I want and plan my day accordingly. I have gone out knowing that I was going to consume 3,000 calories in one meal. I prepared by exercising and limiting my food intake for the day/week outside of that meal."Businesses should be less convenient for customers. Customers are lazy."
"All healthy food sounds the same - dieters should just order dry grilled chicken salads all the time."
You have no concept of how a business market is supposed to work and frankly, you seem to have a fundamental misunderstanding of what a sustainable healthy lifestyle is. If customers aren't happy, businesses fail. Customers who are monitoring their food intake don't need to be punished with boring food.
Lol that's the same thing I got, glad I don't heavily associate with persons who feel that if I don't order dry grilled chicken all the time I'm lazy and asked to be fat.
The reason restaurants don't put calories on the menu is that most of the food they serve is so caloric that people would be horrified, because most people do not know how much calories the average person eats. You may know that the average person should eat around 2,000 calories. That doesn't mean you know that 6 coconut shrimp can be 800 calories. Or buffalo wings may be close to 1,000. And that's just appetizers.
If more people know, more people will be able to make more sensible choices. That said, businesses don't HAVE to do something that may hurt their bottom line. They don't HAVE to (and quite frankly they shouldn't) be nice to you and help you help yourself at their expense. If they do, it's going to be as a result of agitation and public pressure. So ultimately it's our choice.
Please substantiate the bolded. I'm sure the high cost and many restaurants with constantly changing menus has nothing to do with it at all.
Oh I have nothing at all to substantiate the bolded. Sorry for disappointing. But in response to your point about menus, I'm reasonably sure that most large chain restaurants change their menus pretty frequently, due to new products coming out or being discontinued. I think that if there is a set date for implementation of the policy the cost of it should be absorbed easily. My gut, which is almost always unsubstantiated, tells me that concerns about menus and other costs is a red herring. Unfortunately my gut has no statistics or peer-reviewed double-blind heavily-vetted non-controversial scientific studies readily available so I wouldn't bother asking for any.
Ah just making things up then, gotcha. You do know there are restaurants other than chains, right?
Actually I didn't. Didn't have a clue until you just made that statement. Clearly if I had known, I wouldn't have qualified the word "restaurants" by adding the words "large chain" in front of it. Because mom and pop restaurants (hey, what's that mean?) usually have lower calorie menu options while refraining to include nutrition information in respect of the remainder of their menus. And of course they're major players in shaping policy debates.
ETA: I'm sure the reason a majority of smaller restaurants don't include nutrition info is because they don't know and don't care to find out - and people don't push them on it. But that is another made up statement so feel free to discount.
I every once in a while enjoy that kind of splurge on something I know tastes very good to me. I don't think people would stop eating at those places. They might just be more conscious of what they eat the rest of that day, though.
Oh, you mean what DORKS do when everyone else is trying to settle down to a meal. :bigsmile:
I kid. I kid.0 -
Even if you don't know ahead of time, I hear there are these new things called "smart phones" that - apparently - can connect their users to a large database of information that some folks call "the internet;" this "internet" thing allegedly has those website thingies with the nutrition information available.
I know this may blow some minds, but not everyone has a smart phone. Some people don't even have regular cell phones ...0 -
I order what I want, if people comment about it, I just say "Your plate is over there, I'm not commenting on what you ordered, please don't judge my order. Enjoy your meal"0
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why is it a secret though0
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You can be a smart @$$ about it... "Well...maybe my salad is funny...how about your massive coronary? Will that be funny?"
You can be dismissive and just let it roll off your back...eat what you want.
No need to be secretive about eating healthy. That's plain silly.0 -
Yesterday I had a very 'unmanly' lunch of a chicken caesar salad when I had lunch with my daughter, but I think (can't be sure of course) I had the largest muscles in the room.
So who's the most 'manly' in the restaurant?0 -
Haha! Omg I find it hilarious when people say things like "oh it's so hard to eat out healthy" and I get made fun of all the time for eating healthy out. Like I went out with a few friends the other day and I ordered grilled salmon with mixed veggies and subbed the fried rice for the sautéed broccoli rave instead and they both looked at me like I had 4 heads rofl.
I personally don't eat at chain restaurants anymore, mainly because the portion sizes are too big and even tho they say it's "healthy" it really most of the time isn't, also usually is very very salty (I don't cook with much salt anymore) etc.
But y recommendation is to just order what you want don't let others get to you. If they want to eat unhealthy that's their problem. Also always just tell the waiter or waitress you need it to be low sodium, dressing on the side, sauce on the side etc and see what you can substitute on the plate
all restaurants have to let people with dietary needs sub things etc good luck! 0 -
Also another great option when eating out and trying to be healthy! Is ordering salads. You can always be safe with a salad esp at chain restaurants! Just make sure to get dressing on the side! I learned a tip from my trainer, that when u have a salad and dressing on the side dip your fork into the dressing then into the salad! That way each bite you take gets a taste of the dressing but doesn't over power the salad or make it soggy0
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i've had to remind me people im not just trying to lose weight. im focusing on my health, and weight loss is a part of that. but in my situation people dont often think about health being related to weight loss, to so many people its just about looking better. in fact i know very few people who think about their health at all. so once i use that word they get all confused and flustered and i win lol.0
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You can be a smart @$$ about it... "Well...maybe my salad is funny...how about your massive coronary? Will that be funny?"
You can be dismissive and just let it roll off your back...eat what you want.
No need to be secretive about eating healthy. That's plain silly.
I think it takes it too far to say the other people are going to have a heart attack. That sort of takes it into an aggressive fighting level.
Better just to smile and laugh and say... Yeah that's me, I care about my fitness, look at my booty, do you think I don't need to work at this!!! 0
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