Eating out is basically impossible

GiveMeCoffee

I go out to eat at least once a week, sometimes twice. Now it does help if I know we are going out early in the day, and I plan around it, but if not I do the best I can. I went out 2 nights ago was 300 calories or so over for the day, so it cut into my weekly deficit a little but nothing major.

Since you go out very infrequently the one meal really is not going to make a difference. One salad doesn't make us thin, and one restaurant meal isn't making you fat.

JoshD8705

I frequently eat out. Just eat slowly, be careful with the bread/chips, don't drink alcohol or only one drink, no dessert. You may want to be careful with sauces and salad dressings, but no need for major modifications. Split the entree in half and ask for it to be boxed up. Follow these rules and you will probably continue to lose weight. I lost 60 pounds eating like that.

well that sounds boring…..i have never been one for rules...

The take half home works good with chinese food though. Lol

SnuggleSmacks

You can get grilled chicken or a reasonable seafood option plus steamed veggies or broccoli at an awful lot of restaurants. Many now have menu options labeled for lower calorie or special diets, like low-carb. And don't forget that you can always split it and take half home. I do that sometimes with a large meal...I ask for a box up front and split it as soon as I get my food, put half away in the box, and only eat what's left on my plate.

ccrdragon

We eat out (family) every couple of weeks and we tend to eat fish or chicken (grilled not fried) and both my wife and I are still losing weight. Sometimes I will do some extra exercise in the morning if I know we are going out but most of the time I will just eat 1/2 the entree and lots of veggies - we eat at places like Blackeyed pea where you can choose your own veggies.

Basically, as long as you are not eating a double helping of deep-fried whatever plus french fries, bread and super sugary dessert out several times a week, you are not going to have a problem with eating out every once in a while.

Biggest thing to remember about this little journey - this is a choice that you are making for the rest of your life - do you really want to give up eating out completely or do you want to maybe do a little more exercise or cut back on other meals so that you can still enjoy the journey?!? For me at least, I am not going to give up eating out with my family and friends, so I choose to live a little every once in a while.

melissa_tn

I feel the same way about eating out, and have just chosen not to. I feel like I can have a tastier and more satisfying meal at home. I detest the fake taste of grilled chicken in restaurants. I'm not at a point with my weight loss that I want to blow a day of calories on eating out. I eat 5-6 smaller meals a day, so I'm also hungry every 2-3 hours, and if I miss/skip a meal to be able to eat out, I would more than likely over eat b/c of that. You know yourself and your goals better than anyone else. I do agree with the poster who said to halve the meal. I was just looking through on-line menus, and since they do give so much food, you could easily halve it I think.
*edited to say I don't deprive myself of treats, but again, I can get more bang for my buck so to speak by making it myself

CA_Underdog

I actually ate out four times the last eight days. I do watch my macro/micros while eating out. The meals: Chick-Fil-A grilled chicken sandwhich and 1/2 a small lemonade (high in vitamin C), a Raley's couscous salad cup with dressing, Old Spaghetti Factory spaghetti with marinara and mushroom plus sourdough bread plus green tea plus spumone plus green salad with olive oil and balsamic, Chipotle burrito bowl with chicken and brown rice and tomatillo sauce and cheese and lettuce.

keobooks

Maybe I'm lucky because I have a fairly high caloric requirement, but I have no trouble at most restauants. The only real killer I have trouble with is tex mex. Everything seems to be smothered with cheese sauce and dripping grease.

rogerOb1

I don't have much problem eating at restaurants. But nearly everything I order ends up being modified.

I often order sandwiches without the condiments. Sauces that are fat/sugar based are akin to drinking calories IMHO and add minimal taste explosion for the calories they take up. I'd rather enjoy a snack later..

When it comes to salads, I rarely use the common toppings (nuts, croutons), and for dressing, if I do use it, its sparingly. I swear a bag of dressing at a fast food joint is enough for several days. At a restaurant, always ask for dressing on the side.

I reduce the greasiness factor by sticking to grilled and baked whenever possible, and preferring fish over birds over cattle.

Exactly, it can be done.

Plus, theres always portion control - many places give you more food than you need, so avoid eating past feeling full. You can hit your overall goals while still enjoying your food while eating out every once in a while.

melissa_tn

Maybe I'm lucky because I have a fairly high caloric requirement, but I have no trouble at most restauants. The only real killer I have trouble with is tex mex. Everything seems to be smothered with cheese sauce and dripping grease.

I think this is a big difference for me. I don't have a high cal req, so I don't have a lot to spare, lol!

CA_Underdog

The meals so listed were 350, 400, 500, and 900 calories. The last one was a splurge, but the others would fit into many diets.

ndj1979

I feel the same way about eating out, and have just chosen not to. I feel like I can have a tastier and more satisfying meal at home. I detest the fake taste of grilled chicken in restaurants. I'm not at a point with my weight loss that I want to blow a day of calories on eating out. I eat 5-6 smaller meals a day, so I'm also hungry every 2-3 hours, and if I miss/skip a meal to be able to eat out, I would more than likely over eat b/c of that. You know yourself and your goals better than anyone else. I do agree with the poster who said to halve the meal. I was just looking through on-line menus, and since they do give so much food, you could easily halve it I think.
*edited to say I don't deprive myself of treats, but again, I can get more bang for my buck so to speak by making it myself

you are going to the wrong restaurants..seriously…

ETA - the reason I go out, most of the time, is to get a better meal then I can prepare …..

dcxens

We all feel your pain! It can be a trial, but if you plan ahead it's doable, particularly at higher-end or non-chain restaurants. For salads I always order it with grilled chicken or fish. I carry my own low-cal dressing with me, and make them leave off cheese, croutons and all that other fattening stuff. I always take fake butter with me just in case I decide to have a baked potato for dinner (if so, that's all I will eat. A BP is very filling). If there is a grilled/blackened fish or chicken option, I will have it with veggies--if it also comes with rice, I will only eat about a 1/4 cup of the rice. I never touch the bread, appetizers or desserts. I DO save caloric room for a glass or two of wine, but I'm careful to ask the server what the pour volume is (usually runs 4-5 ounces), so I can figure it into my allotment. Many restaurants have menus on line, so I often look them up ahead of time and plug the calories I intend to consume when eating out into my calculator, so I can eat accordingly during the day. This way I never accidentally go over. We're very social, so I eat out 2-3 times a week, and this method has worked beautifully. Mind you, my husband has the freakish metabolism of someone half his age (unfair!) and sometimes it's a serious exercise in willpower to watch him scarf down the huge steak, fries and that glorious piece of pecan turtle cheesecake...

ndj1979

We all feel your pain! It can be a trial, but if you plan ahead it's doable, particularly at higher-end or non-chain restaurants. For salads I always order it with grilled chicken or fish. I carry my own low-cal dressing with me, and make them leave off cheese, croutons and all that other fattening stuff. I always take fake butter with me just in case I decide to have a baked potato for dinner (if so, that's all I will eat. A BP is very filling). If there is a grilled/blackened fish or chicken option, I will have it with veggies--if it also comes with rice, I will only eat about a 1/4 cup of the rice. I never touch the bread, appetizers or desserts. I DO save caloric room for a glass or two of wine, but I'm careful to ask the server what the pour volume is (usually runs 4-5 ounces), so I can figure it into my allotment. Many restaurants have menus on line, so I often look them up ahead of time and plug the calories I intend to consume when eating out into my calculator, so I can eat accordingly during the day. This way I never accidentally go over. We're very social, so I eat out 2-3 times a week, and this method has worked beautifully. Mind you, my husband has the freakish metabolism of someone half his age (unfair!) and sometimes it's a serious exercise in willpower to watch him scarf down the huge steak, fries and that glorious piece of pecan turtle cheesecake...

so you seriously bring your own dressing and fake butter to a restaurant????? That must be an interesting site to see….

Do you also bring a 1/4 cup to measure the rice…

this is what I was talking about in my earlier post…you do not need to make going out some complicated event…just go out, try to maintain a deficit, make sensible choices, and have a good time….you cannot make your entire life all about your diet/calorie counting, etc; you need to make it fit into your life, but not become an OCD issue….

melissa_tn

I feel the same way about eating out, and have just chosen not to. I feel like I can have a tastier and more satisfying meal at home. I detest the fake taste of grilled chicken in restaurants. I'm not at a point with my weight loss that I want to blow a day of calories on eating out. I eat 5-6 smaller meals a day, so I'm also hungry every 2-3 hours, and if I miss/skip a meal to be able to eat out, I would more than likely over eat b/c of that. You know yourself and your goals better than anyone else. I do agree with the poster who said to halve the meal. I was just looking through on-line menus, and since they do give so much food, you could easily halve it I think.
*edited to say I don't deprive myself of treats, but again, I can get more bang for my buck so to speak by making it myself

you are going to the wrong restaurants..seriously…

ETA - the reason I go out, most of the time, is to get a better meal then I can prepare …..

maybe you need some cooking lessons! I'm sure I have a lower caloric goal for the day than a male, and most of my meals are between 200-300 cal. You just can't get that at a restaurant. Plus, the sodium is crazy! I ate one salad from Chik-fil-A last week and gained a pound (and I did make good choices for dressing). Like I said, I'm not far enough into my weight loss for that to be worth it. yet... I'm happy with what I'm able to get at home and don't really miss it. Now, when vacation time hits, I'll have to make some sacrifices!

Serah87

No issues here. I just eat in moderation or just have a splurge day. :bigsmile:

OP: What are going to do when you are on vacation?

Biggirllittledreams

I agree with you that it's hard to eat perfectly healthy when going out, but it's by no means impossible!

You need to remember that a healthy diet is by no means overly strict or rigid. So if you go out to eat every now and then, let yourself get something slightly unhealthy! You can't eat perfectly 24/7, nor do you deserve to never treat yourself.

That being said, if you eat out rather frequently (I was literally raised on McDonalds, take out Chinese food & diner food, so I can understand your struggles if you're in a similar situation) you may want to really look into your options when you order certain dishes, by doing things like asking to have your food baked instead of fried, holding the butter/dressing/toppings/etc., or whatever else you can given your options.

It's a lot easier than it used to be, as at least a few more places are jumping on the 'health wagon', so hopefully things do get easier for you. Just dont be afraid to indulge every now and then!

ndj1979

I feel the same way about eating out, and have just chosen not to. I feel like I can have a tastier and more satisfying meal at home. I detest the fake taste of grilled chicken in restaurants. I'm not at a point with my weight loss that I want to blow a day of calories on eating out. I eat 5-6 smaller meals a day, so I'm also hungry every 2-3 hours, and if I miss/skip a meal to be able to eat out, I would more than likely over eat b/c of that. You know yourself and your goals better than anyone else. I do agree with the poster who said to halve the meal. I was just looking through on-line menus, and since they do give so much food, you could easily halve it I think.
*edited to say I don't deprive myself of treats, but again, I can get more bang for my buck so to speak by making it myself

you are going to the wrong restaurants..seriously…

ETA - the reason I go out, most of the time, is to get a better meal then I can prepare …..

maybe you need some cooking lessons! I'm sure I have a lower caloric goal for the day than a male, and most of my meals are between 200-300 cal. You just can't get that at a restaurant. Plus, the sodium is crazy! I ate one salad from Chik-fil-A last week and gained a pound (and I did make good choices for dressing). Like I said, I'm not far enough into my weight loss for that to be worth it. yet... I'm happy with what I'm able to get at home and don't really miss it. Now, when vacation time hits, I'll have to make some sacrifices!

I grew up in an italian household, I make my own marinara, alfredo, etc from scratch, so I know how to cook.

Chik-fil-a, applebees, etc is not "eating out"…I am talking about going somewhere where they cook good, real food, like a local spot that has fresh fish, sushi place, steakhouse, etc…..

Biggirllittledreams

I feel the same way about eating out, and have just chosen not to. I feel like I can have a tastier and more satisfying meal at home. I detest the fake taste of grilled chicken in restaurants. I'm not at a point with my weight loss that I want to blow a day of calories on eating out. I eat 5-6 smaller meals a day, so I'm also hungry every 2-3 hours, and if I miss/skip a meal to be able to eat out, I would more than likely over eat b/c of that. You know yourself and your goals better than anyone else. I do agree with the poster who said to halve the meal. I was just looking through on-line menus, and since they do give so much food, you could easily halve it I think.
*edited to say I don't deprive myself of treats, but again, I can get more bang for my buck so to speak by making it myself

you are going to the wrong restaurants..seriously…

ETA - the reason I go out, most of the time, is to get a better meal then I can prepare …..

maybe you need some cooking lessons! I'm sure I have a lower caloric goal for the day than a male, and most of my meals are between 200-300 cal. You just can't get that at a restaurant. Plus, the sodium is crazy! I ate one salad from Chik-fil-A last week and gained a pound (and I did make good choices for dressing). Like I said, I'm not far enough into my weight loss for that to be worth it. yet... I'm happy with what I'm able to get at home and don't really miss it. Now, when vacation time hits, I'll have to make some sacrifices!

You can get that at a restaurant. Just like cooking takes education and practice, so does eating healthy. If you educate yourself about nutrition, you can easily find healthy dishes eating out.

By the way, Chik-fil-a is a fast food place, not a restaurant. I think you may have the two confused...

CA_Underdog

Plus, the sodium is crazy!

Indeed. However, it's not too difficult to fit a single 600mg sodium meal into the recommended 1500-2300mg/day. My breakfasts, for example, have almost no sodium. Same for fruits, vegetables, yogurt, rice, etc. those help balance it out.

Eating fewer calories, it should be easier for you than me.