dinner out?

oliviawink

My hubby and I are having a date night tonite (which almost never happens now that we have a baby!). I want to have a night where I enjoy yummy food and drink (and maybe even a little dessert) but I also don't want to rack up an out-of-control-high caloric day. I am planning on a good solid 1.5 hr workout today to stock pile/burn some extra cals.

Any other tips for having a satisfying dinner out while watching cals? What do you all do?

speednut

Applebees has those 550 cal dinner menu items. I keep seeing the comercial on tv.

TiniTurtle

if you can, look up the restaurant online before you go. i find that i do better when i know what i can order before i have the menu in front of me. i also have MFP on my iphone so i can look it up while i'm there too. drink lots of water & treat yourself. you deserve it! everyone needs to get out once in a while & one meal won't kill your weight loss. date nights are important to your mental health )

Barelmy

I tend to look up the menu in advance, and pick out good choices. It's slightly easier for me though, since there's usually only one or two options I can eat!

oliviawink

Oh I realized now, I probably should have said we already have a restaurant picked. Great local place.

But that's a good call, to look up the menu online, then I can put things in my tracker to plan in advance.
There's no MFP app for blackberry (yet), but I can still access it on the browser, so that is a useful idea too.

jessicayoung82

We are going out for dinner tonight also. I have already done 1 45 minute workout and burned 350 calories. I plan to do at least one more. Plus the extra calorie burn tonight when we get home.

hgoff31

When I am having dinner out, I watch what is in the food. If there is a sauce then you can be sure there are a lot of calories. You can still have a lot of flavor with out the creamy sauces. There are often times light options on the menu. If you do have salads, ask for the dressing on the side. Have fun and enjoy! If this is your one night out when there is a baby in the house, then enjoy. Remember, you don't have to eat everything on your plate and you can always save some for later. I hope that helps! Have fun and Happy Valentine's day!!!!

AnneElise

The worst part about eating out is the portion sizes. I always end up eating more than I need because it is there. I ask for a to go box when my food gets there and pack up some of it to go... I get a yummy meal out yet still don't forget about portion sizes... and don't forget... don't drink your calories!

kacarter1017

Order what you want, but keep portions appropriate: 3-4 oz of meat, a medium baked potato, 2/3 cup cooked pasta, lots of veggies. Consider getting a to go container right away if the portions are generous and put the extra food in the container before you even start eating. Salad dressing on the side and dip your fork in the dressing and then get some salad on the fork. Eat slowly. Order a dessert, maybe split it with hubby or cut it in half and try to not eat the other half.