out to eat

tritta01

Yes Yes I know its best not to go out to eat but what is everyone's favorite things to get when you do go out and from where. I dont really like salads so I find it hard to find a good healthy thing when going out to eat.

dezil

Great Topic... as this is a part of everyone's life!! If I get a sandwhich/burger I always ask for whole wheat bread. And no fries, either fruit or vegetables on the side. It's hard, but you don't feel guilty after. Good Luck!

ashleighk2010

A lot of places have started putting the calories right on the menus!! Very helpful, I know Ruby Tuesday and Longhorns do. Just remember when reading the menus that have the calories stated that the side dishes are NOT always included in those numbers, and you have to add them too! But I really appreciate having the numbers staring me in the face.

But when I go out and I need something healthy I'll get a small steak, asparagus, and mashed potatoes usually. It comes to around 700 calories if you clean the plate I think. So it's still really high for one meal but it's better than being unaware of what you're eating!!

shannonkk

i like to ask for brown rice with my teriyaki chicken,

Pebble321

I try to look for stuff that has not had too much done to it - so a steak or grilled fish with steamed veges or salad (ask for dressing/sauce on the side).
Or prawns are pretty low calorie to start with so even if they have some sauce etc they are probably a better choice.
And I just eat part of the sides if they are a bit to heavy on calories.
And you don't have to eat everything on your plate - your mum isn't watching!

wolfchild59

I always look online for a menu ahead of time and then either find the perfect menu item or see what they have that I can piece together. Typically, if I'm going out to eat it for a celebration of some kind so those are usually where I'd allow myself a "cheat" meal anyway, so often I'm not worrying as much.

But for non-celebration eating out I either choose places I know I can get lower calorie options (I know sodium will always be high when eatin out so I focus on cal and fat mostly). So places like Applebee's or even IHOP that offer low cal menus are good choices. Or, as I said, I'll create my own meals. Just order a protein like chicken or fish grilled or steamed with no oils/butter and a side of fresh steamed veggies w/no butter or a side salad with the dressing on the side.

I've been served plates of food that make my dinner companions jealous and I'm getting a fraction of the fat/cal that they are.

tandroes

at applebees they have meals for under 500 (maybe its 550?) calories... I get the steak, red, potatos, and brocolli

darling_nickie

Well what I have been doing is before hand I google the restaurant I plan to go to and see if I can get the nuritional info on their dishes. Also like someone else said, a lot of places are starting to post that info and some have light menus...if there isn't something on the light menu that appeals to you order your fave but try "light sauce" switch out the bread, keep away from anything deep fried (like fries) or make a promise to leave part of the meal on your plate. I remember reading an article once, we're trained to "eat what is put before us" but most of the time that is not the healthy thing to do...portions especially in restaurants are huge in comparison to what we SHOULD consume. It might seem wasteful but leave a 1/4 of that burger on the plate (or whatever) and eventually you will have trained yourself to eat to satisfaction and not neccessarily an empty plate. Also if you go out for pizza try a thin crust, veggie toppings, or a lean meat like chicken most of all though, enjoy your time out!

furrina

Oysters!
Fish is good too, it's really good for you and (unless fried) it's pretty lean.
Good and bad: More expensive restaurants tend serve much smaller portions (compared to the Olive Gardens and PF Changs of the world) so even the most decadent dishes won't kill you calorie-wise...

khrys1

I like restaraunts like Applebee's, that have several items on their "under 550 calories" menu. Otherwise, I aim for a grilled chicken sandwich with no bread- that way, I can have some cheese! ;o)

RockaholicMama

I just went out last night for my birthday and Applebee's has such a yummy under 550 cal menu! The chicken dijon was SO good! Though normally I get a salad with grilled chicken and extra veggies.