So much for Carinos :,(

thefallguy

So much for enjoying a nice dinner at my favorite restaurant to celebrate our wedding anniversary. After researching all the calories in that food, I found out that I don't have the allowance for one meal, and that's just one meal for the entire day!! I thought, well maybe if I portion it smaller.... ya, no!

Any other healthier suggestions for a nice dinner? I'll eat a salad, but it's like medicine and I really want to enjoy the dinner. I do love seafood! .... and I'm a recovering carb-aholic... I love breads! Any healthy alternative ideas??

xXmimiXx

I'm not too sure it depends what other restaurants you have around..sushi?

If it's your anniversary, personally, I would just enjoy it!

jrich1

Its your anniversary, enjoy it!

franzy

enjoy it but work extra hard this week on your exercise. :flowerforyou:

Sharonbed4d

Split a meal and dessert and you won't feel so bad besides it's one meal and it is your anniversary!!

Aeriel

I went to a steak house for my birthday. I researched the best foods, and then ate half of each portion. I was still high for the day eating half, but I did the exercise that day and the next to earn the extra calories, and then I got to enjoy that meal twice. I just split everything in half as soon as it came and put it on the bread plate so I knew when I was done half.

ItsJustVicki

One time isn't going to kill you~you have to do it every once in a while to celebrate!!

Amarillo_NDN

One night out, even going hog wild is not going to hurt you. What the worse that can happen? You gain a pound, or maybe your body says, "Holy cow lots of food, so I can burn up my stored fat for a while."

Belive it or not, going wild now and then can be a good thing. Just don't do it often.

suzikelley

I agree with everyone else - enjoy your anniversary at your favorite restaurant!! Even if you gain a pound, or MAYBE two... it won't be stable weight and will come off in no time!! Happy Anniversary!! :-)

Mindful_Trent

I looked at the menu and see no reason why you can't enjoy a dinner at Carino's. If I were going, I would get the Parmigiana — Eggplant or the Lemon Rosemary Chicken, with a house salad. I don't eat dressing on my salads, but if you do, just get it on the side and dip your fork in it - you won't use much that way, and still get the flavor.

Is it the healthiest? No, but the point is to enjoy some time with your husband and a nice dinner out. As long as you're not doing it all the time, it's not a big deal. :flowerforyou:

Eat a light breakfast and lunch that day, and workout in the morning or afternoon if possible (or maybe have an evening walk with your husband after dinner?) you should be just fine! Even if you go over a little, it's really not something to stress about.

Sarahbear83

I agree with a previous commenter about splitting a meal. Or even just going ahead and putting half the meal in a to-go box before you start eating. The portions at restaurants are monstrous and nobody needs that much food in one setting. Go enjoy your favorites, just be reasonable about it.

AnnaPixie

If I were you I'd just go out and enjoy your celebration :bigsmile: One, extremely large and calorific meal, never made us fat!! :laugh:

But if you want to be really good, just workout the day before, the day after and miss lunch so you have plenty of unused calories

Have fun :flowerforyou:

thefallguy

Thanks everyone! I think I'll eat smaller portions of the meal like some of you suggested, and definitely walk it off. I really appreciate the feedback!

brookejoye

Enjoy your day! Good luck with whatever you decide. Personally, I say just do it but do it smart (portions). A small treat for yourself!

delraybuzz

My first restaurant venture the other night actually scared me, since it was my 3rd day of starting to diet (again!). And we went to my husband's favorite Italian restaurant.
But being as this has to be the start of the rest of my life,...and I never want to feel deprived... I ordered a nice vegetable barley soup to begin; and to fill me up right away. Did I mention the huge glass of water w/lemon first?
Then a beautiful chicken marsala with vegetables

---

and a box! I immediately put 2/3 of the chicken and veggies into it and it still left enough to end up filling me up (along with more water). (Parmigiana is loaded with fat and calories, unfortunately)
Since dessert was included, I ordered a delicious chocolate homemade cake with my coffee, but again, the taste was the important factor, so I ate tiny bites, and put 3/4 away for the next 2 nights. We left more than satisfied, and I felt a bit virtuous as well, and no longer afraid of how to handle eating out!
AND, my weight was down 1/2 a pound the next morning!

I love lobster, but no longer dip it in butter, squeezing lemon over all the edible parts instead. And baked fish is almost as tasty as fried, and a palm size piece of steak or roast beef can be very filling with vegetables alongside.

Try feeling great about the taste, and cut portions and simply enjoy what you're eating, and think how good the leftovers will be the following night!,

And, hey...A BELATED HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

thefallguy

thank you. That's very sweet of you. Our anniversary is actually the 20th, but we celebrated early because I have school Thursday with lots to prepare. I didn't eat out after all. I made a home cooked meal of chicken, shrimp, & broccoli - with a mixture of red&green bell peppers, tomato,celery, minced garlic, chopped jalapeño, cilantro, onion, and red chilies. Instead of stir frying with oil, I use just under a tbsp of vegetable oil, and a small amount of water some red wine vinegar and a splash of soy sauce. served that on top of a small bowl of Japenese Somen noodles. Delicious! .....I did splurge on some chocolate chip cookies he baked me .