no wonder people are over weight..

jenifer4

kind of a funny story...
This lunch hour I went to Tim Horton's to get a soup, I asked for a small vegetable soup.. thinking its probably a low cal soup.. which it was until I looked at the sodium when I sat down. 3500mg of SODIUM!!!! my jaw dropped, because I am only aiming for 2500mg a day, and most days I do pretty good with that. I decided to eat my whole wheat roll and ask for a to go cup, I packed it up and dropped it off at my husbands work (he can eat anything and not gain a pound!! LOL). I then had 20 mins left in my lunch hour and felt rushed to get something into me .... Oh... I also forgot my lunch on the counter this morning so thats why I am eating out in the first place. Decided to get a plain baked potato at Wendy's.. lower sodium and calories...... the girl asked me are you sure you do not want it loaded with sour cream and cheese its only 99cents more...? I replied, no thank you plain, but can i have one bacel on the side.
she then tosses me not one but four bacel's.... this is where my subject come's in place... no wonder people gain weight when they think they are eating healthy... its the hundreds of calorie's they have thrown at them to add to their food. Last time I had chicken fingers out, I was given 3 dipping sauces too LOL....and when I was given my soup just 15 min's before they gave me 3 butters for my roll...
Anyways, you should have seen the girl's face when i told her to keep her bacel because I didnt want it added to my potatoe!!!! I decided to flavor with pepper instead

sweebum

Crazy eh??

I'm convinced eating out is what has caused this whole epidemic. If I eat out, even counting the "reported" calories, I gain. If I eat at home (whole foods, nothing sprout-y or fancy), I lose.

But even with the nurtrition facts, people don't care until it inconveniences them :ohwell:

JulieBoBoo

We barely eat out anymore for just that reason. I can't enjoy my food knowing how much sodium is in it anymore. It's sad really.

themommie

I agree, all those little extras add up and people think they cant eat anything without ranch or some type of sauce added to it. People dipping their pizza in ranch, how fatting is that, our culture adds ranch, sour cream and cheese to everything

OLP76

Subway has way better items...and all their calories are available online. Just a thought.

minervasp73

Besides the hidden sodium - it's all the CORN SYRUP. it's in everything!!! You can't get away from it when you're eating out so that's what drives me to eat at home, stuff I make, not-processed, from scratch.

It's easier than I thought, too. Last night I made some lentils w herbs & some chili powder, with some fresh kale thrown on top to steam the last 5 mins or so. It was over-the-top delicious, my husband agreed.

For one cup of lentils with 3 cups of water I used probably 1/4 tsp of salt.

bowserette

That's why I'm glad restaurants are now required to give nutritional information. My boyfriend works at Applebee's and most of the items on the menu are over 1000 calories! It's insane. More restaurants are adding "low-calorie" choices, but it's still ridiculous that they're allowed to serve food that's so bad for us. And even on the low-cal items, the sodium is out of control! You know it's bad when salads are over 500 calories...

We try to eat at home now, just because eating out is so dangerous. Restaurants should not be allowed to serve such bad food.

smash0719

I agree 110%! People don't know what they're putting into their bodies. Perfect example with your soup! I think most restaurants are putting nutritional information on their menus (or online), but now the problem lies in the hands of the consumer to actually acknowledge it!

Oompa_Loompa

kind of a funny story...
This lunch hour I went to Tim Horton's to get a soup, I asked for a small vegetable soup.. thinking its probably a low cal soup.. which it was until I looked at the sodium when I sat down. 3500mg of SODIUM!!!! my jaw dropped, because I am only aiming for 2500mg a day, and most days I do pretty good with that. I decided to eat my whole wheat roll and ask for a to go cup, I packed it up and dropped it off at my husbands work (he can eat anything and not gain a pound!! LOL). I then had 20 mins left in my lunch hour and felt rushed to get something into me .... Oh... I also forgot my lunch on the counter this morning so thats why I am eating out in the first place. Decided to get a plain baked potato at Wendy's.. lower sodium and calories...... the girl asked me are you sure you do not want it loaded with sour cream and cheese its only 99cents more...? I replied, no thank you plain, but can i have one bacel on the side.
she then tosses me not one but four bacel's.... this is where my subject come's in place... no wonder people gain weight when they think they are eating healthy... its the hundreds of calorie's they have thrown at them to add to their food. Last time I had chicken fingers out, I was given 3 dipping sauces too LOL....and when I was given my soup just 15 min's before they gave me 3 butters for my roll...
Anyways, you should have seen the girl's face when i told her to keep her bacel because I didnt want it added to my potatoe!!!! I decided to flavor with pepper instead

ok..what is a bacel?

35again

I agree 110%! People don't know what they're putting into their bodies. Perfect example with your soup! I think most restaurants are putting nutritional information on their menus (or online), but now the problem lies in the hands of the consumer to actually acknowledge it!

And I agree 210% with you! lol

shanellereena

Wow that is alot of sodium in one bowl of soup! The most sodium we're suppose to consume in a day is 3300 mg. This is why I eat out as less as possible and if I do it's mostly at subway. Thats just crazy.

zach1356

this may be a little off topic, but what is it about excess sodium that hurts weight loss? Water retention? It has no calories, which is the main focus of weight loss. I'm not arguing that high sodium is irrelevant, I'm just wondering how it is detrimental to weight loss.

lynzyn

well not so much because of the restaurants, they do have healthy menus..Most of them do, it is up to the people to say no to this or that or whatever...I would taken 1 becel margarine and left the rest at the counter....it is up to US to me the right decisions when it comes to dinning out if u have to that is....

I don't dine out at all anymore maybe 1 nite every 2 months, i bring my own lunches and make my own dinners so i know what is in them........The resto didn't force us to eat there...Most fast food restos do have a low calorie menu like salad go for those if u must eat out...

Oompa_Loompa

this may be a little off topic, but what is it about excess sodium that hurts weight loss? Water retention? It has no calories, which is the main focus of weight loss. I'm not arguing that high sodium is irrelevant, I'm just wondering how it is detrimental to weight loss.

me too i know its bad but i fricken love salt! lol

jenifer4

kind of a funny story...
This lunch hour I went to Tim Horton's to get a soup, I asked for a small vegetable soup.. thinking its probably a low cal soup.. which it was until I looked at the sodium when I sat down. 3500mg of SODIUM!!!! my jaw dropped, because I am only aiming for 2500mg a day, and most days I do pretty good with that. I decided to eat my whole wheat roll and ask for a to go cup, I packed it up and dropped it off at my husbands work (he can eat anything and not gain a pound!! LOL). I then had 20 mins left in my lunch hour and felt rushed to get something into me .... Oh... I also forgot my lunch on the counter this morning so thats why I am eating out in the first place. Decided to get a plain baked potato at Wendy's.. lower sodium and calories...... the girl asked me are you sure you do not want it loaded with sour cream and cheese its only 99cents more...? I replied, no thank you plain, but can i have one bacel on the side.
she then tosses me not one but four bacel's.... this is where my subject come's in place... no wonder people gain weight when they think they are eating healthy... its the hundreds of calorie's they have thrown at them to add to their food. Last time I had chicken fingers out, I was given 3 dipping sauces too LOL....and when I was given my soup just 15 min's before they gave me 3 butters for my roll...
Anyways, you should have seen the girl's face when i told her to keep her bacel because I didnt want it added to my potatoe!!!! I decided to flavor with pepper instead

ok..what is a bacel?

bacel is a low cal margarine... maybe its only in Canada.. I figured that it must not be in the US cause i had a hard time searching for it on here LOL

jenifer4

well not so much because of the restaurants, they do have healthy menus..Most of them do, it is up to the people to say no to this or that or whatever...I would taken 1 becel margarine and left the rest at the counter....it is up to US to me the right decisions when it comes to dinning out if u have to that is....

I don't dine out at all anymore maybe 1 nite every 2 months, i bring my own lunches and make my own dinners so i know what is in them........The resto didn't force us to eat there...Most fast food restos do have a low calorie menu like salad go for those if u must eat out...

Yep, which is what I did.. left the rest at the counter.

abyt42

I adore salt, too.... but a little ground on roasted brussels sprouts hits the salt craving as well as a small order of fries used to, and for SUBSTANTIALLY fewer calories (and way less sodium, too...)

Also: Alexia's spicy sweet potato fries (from the freezer section) are my new GREAT find.... totally adore them, and a serving is ana amazingly filling amount of fries.....

AggieCass09

Besides the hidden sodium - it's all the CORN SYRUP. it's in everything!!! You can't get away from it when you're eating out so that's what drives me to eat at home, stuff I make, not-processed, from scratch.

It's easier than I thought, too. Last night I made some lentils w herbs & some chili powder, with some fresh kale thrown on top to steam the last 5 mins or so. It was over-the-top delicious, my husband agreed.

For one cup of lentils with 3 cups of water I used probably 1/4 tsp of salt.

I cant stand all of the hidden HFCS!!! It is in subway's vinegarette dressing for goodness sake. When I found out that Heinz made a non-HFCS ketchup i was ecstatic (nearly hugged nearby shoppers). Its really insane that MOST things have HFCS. For this reason I cook at home 9/10 times ...I wish people would really push for change on this one.

JLeeAlton

I won't eat at any restaurant.. fast food or sit down, if I can't find the nutritional information on the food they have. If I know I am going out to eat.. I look it up and plan my meal before I even get there. That way I don't have to look at the menu and be tempted, I already know what I am getting.

shanellereena

this may be a little off topic, but what is it about excess sodium that hurts weight loss? Water retention? It has no calories, which is the main focus of weight loss. I'm not arguing that high sodium is irrelevant, I'm just wondering how it is detrimental to weight loss.

Yeah I agree. Sodium doesn't really contribute to weight loss or weight gain too much except for the retaining of fluids, which can be flushed out with water. It actually has nothing to do with your body fat content. The worst side effects would be high blood pressure or heart attack/ heart failure. So even though it doesn't really impact our weight, too much sodium has several severe negative effects.

toots99

kind of a funny story...
This lunch hour I went to Tim Horton's to get a soup, I asked for a small vegetable soup.. thinking its probably a low cal soup.. which it was until I looked at the sodium when I sat down. 3500mg of SODIUM!!!! my jaw dropped, because I am only aiming for 2500mg a day, and most days I do pretty good with that. I decided to eat my whole wheat roll and ask for a to go cup, I packed it up and dropped it off at my husbands work (he can eat anything and not gain a pound!! LOL). I then had 20 mins left in my lunch hour and felt rushed to get something into me .... Oh... I also forgot my lunch on the counter this morning so thats why I am eating out in the first place. Decided to get a plain baked potato at Wendy's.. lower sodium and calories...... the girl asked me are you sure you do not want it loaded with sour cream and cheese its only 99cents more...? I replied, no thank you plain, but can i have one bacel on the side.
she then tosses me not one but four bacel's.... this is where my subject come's in place... no wonder people gain weight when they think they are eating healthy... its the hundreds of calorie's they have thrown at them to add to their food. Last time I had chicken fingers out, I was given 3 dipping sauces too LOL....and when I was given my soup just 15 min's before they gave me 3 butters for my roll...
Anyways, you should have seen the girl's face when i told her to keep her bacel because I didnt want it added to my potatoe!!!! I decided to flavor with pepper instead

ok..what is a bacel?

I was wondering that myself, glad you asked!

JillyBean819

3,500mg of sodium is ridiculous. Tim Horton's would come out better just selling individual bags of table salt to their customers as a meal.

ashlee954

.

FitJoani

I actually said this not too long ago when I realized how big portions really are. i used to inhale those mega portions ie Half an italian hoagie(around 8 inches of bread alone) half a pizza and half dozen wings washed down by a two liter of regular soda...now i see stuff like that and CRINGE. It takes me back to the days when I was in the 200 club

atomiclauren

Speaking of HFCS - I recently watched the King Corn documentary (right after Food Inc.! Blah!) - corn is EVERYwhere!

bloodbank

bacel is a low cal margarine... maybe its only in Canada.. I figured that it must not be in the US cause i had a hard time searching for it on here LOL

I think maybe you had a hard time finding it because it's spelled Becel (which is probably what confused everyone, also)...

amysj303

I can't figure out what is wrong with sodium either. I guess excess sodium can make your body hold onto water-but so does working out. If you don't have high blood pressure or something, what's wrong with sodium? I cannot worry about sodium.

minervasp73

Sodium itself is very necessary for us...but it can lead to sometimes dangerous fluid build up in people who already have health conditions. Too much of anything isn't good for anyone.

The reason I worry about it is because it makes me totally puffy !!

soulfire711

My boyfriend works at Applebee's and most of the items on the menu are over 1000 calories! It's insane. More restaurants are adding "low-calorie" choices, but it's still ridiculous that they're allowed to serve food that's so bad for us. And even on the low-cal items, the sodium is out of control! You know it's bad when salads are over 500 calories...

OMG! I just ate at Applebee's the other night and I was on MFP for about 20 minutes trying to find SOMETHING that wasn't going to more than double my cals for the day. I ended up going with one of their Weight Watchers meals, but even that was loaded with fat and sodium. Another thing that kills me are the portions! Even my WW meal was too big to eat. I have a hard time wasting food...but you can't really take a salad home. I thought about asking them to separate it into 2 bowls and leave the dressing off of 1, but I chickened out. People think I'm nuts when I do things like that. You should see the looks I get when I ask for a kids meal!! I can't eat 6 chicken strips people!! nor SHOULD I. I only want 2 and a side a veggies or something...but evidently you have to be under 12 to eat reasonable portions. Come on!!!
*sigh* Sorry about the rant. I get really riled up about this. It's like everyone is trying to fatten me up to eat me. :-/

chocolatnoir

Restaurant food IS ridiculous.
Non-chain/"nicer" sit down restaurants still don't have nutritional information, so it makes it hard to eat out. For example, I am going to my cousin's birthday dinner tonight at an Argentinian place and I'm going to have to do my best unassisted to figure out the calories and such. I'm going to eat as many light fresh foods/salad until dinner and work out prior. No other choice, other than to avoid my little cousin's birthday and that isn't an option.

Barneystinson

I've still lost weight eating out 2-3x per week, sometimes more when I'm traveling. There's really nothing to geek out over - even if you don't know the EXACT caloric figure that you're eating. More important is that you have a handle on portion control (i.e. don't eat the entire plate because it's probably a huge serving). Most dine-out meals can easily provide a second leftover meal for the next day.

Sodium is going to be considerably higher in most restaurant / processed food. Just a fact of life. As long as all your meals are not that salty, you're fine. Keep in mind we still need sodium.

There's certainly some crap out there that you should absolutely avoid, but if you want to make anything a lifestyle you've gotta make it work. Most of us live lives that take us out to social events, fast food joints, and other potential pitfalls. Just gotta learn to manage cheats or find alternatives on the menu. And believe me, I've found very few situations where I couldn't find something to eat.