Eating out habits...

FemininGuns

So my 'girls night out' has been cancelled, and I felt relief just to know that I would be able to cook my supper at home tonight. One of my mfp friends admitted that she has brought scales to restaurants when meeting up with friends. I laughed REAL HARD, cause I thought I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT DID THIS!!

Other eating out habits:
- bring my own cooked meat in a bag in my purse and plump it on my ordered steamed veggies
- bring my apple cider vinegar and sea salt in my purse as well...
- I also have brought my entire meal with me to a restaurant when meeting up with friends

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR QUARKY EATING OUT HABITS?

JennsLosing

i dunno but tomorrows my bday and we're going out with friends to red lobster and i plan on eating a **** ton of cheddar bay biscuits...seriously we NEVER go out to eat...this is the first time in probably a year. And i plan on having a few drinks as well. AND cake tomorrow too ; ) i wont be a great MFP influence tomorrow lol

Elizabeth_C34

I don't bring anything to a restaurant. I do lookup the food items onine first and usually know in advance what my best options are

angelacasey736

Bump - these are some great ideas. I have learned to do my research before going out. I try to pick places that have their nutritional information available either at the restaurant or on the website. Many places are finally getting hip to the idea of providing this information which is very helpful. So far i have pulled info for Ruby Tuesdays, Panera, Wendys, Subway....but would love other alternative ideas as well.

erzsebet_1560

LOL!!! I HAVE to know in advance where we're eating so I can print out the nutritional information and bring it in my purse. I used to decide before I left, but I've had too many times where they didn't offer a specific dish anymore and I would get all irritated. With the NI in hand I can make a quick change...lol If the place doesn't have NI...I bring measuring spoons in a baggy and my own dressing in tupperware.

ilookthetype

I love talking about going out to eat because I'm both celiac and lactose intolerant so there are very few options for me (especially since I've worked in a kitchen and I know that there are very few kitchens that are safe for me and my sensitivity level to gluten.) I bring my own food most of the time. Full meal, I'll pull it out of my bag when everyone else's food arrives. I also bring my own utensils (mostly that's an OCD thing). But before I did that I had a whole list of things I'd have to ask about (they'd just bring me a dozen labels for the ingredients for me to check) and inevitably still get sick because of cross contamination. I don't care if I look silly pulling my home cooked meal out of my bag - I'm eating what I know won't make me sick and I know I'll like it. Win.

jamie1888

So my 'girls night out' has been cancelled, and I felt relief just to know that I would be able to cook my supper at home tonight. One of my mfp friends admitted that she has brought scales to restaurants when meeting up with friends. I laughed REAL HARD, cause I thought I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT DID THIS!!

Other eating out habits:
- bring my own cooked meat in a bag in my purse and plump it on my ordered steamed veggies
- bring my apple cider vinegar and sea salt in my purse as well...
- I also have brought my entire meal with me to a restaurant when meeting up with friends

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR QUARKY EATING OUT HABITS?

I never thought to bring my own food! Brilliant! I do keep Splenda, Truvia and light mayo packets in my purse! :happy:

katkins3

I don't bring anything to a restaurant. I do lookup the food items onine first and usually know in advance what my best options are

This is just what I do too. Though on my birthday or anniversary all rules go out the window for one meal. I'm going to be with MFP a long time and it will all average out. Cutting loose every now and then keeps me from feeling deprived, (poor me syndrome haha).

Elizabeth_C34

I don't bring anything to a restaurant. I do lookup the food items onine first and usually know in advance what my best options are

This is just what I do too. Though on my birthday or anniversary all rules go out the window for one meal. I'm going to be with MFP a long time and it will all average out. Cutting loose every now and then keeps me from feeling deprived, (poor me syndrome haha).

Same here. My husband took me out on our anniversary to a 5 star luxury steakhouse, and I pigged out

lil_pulp

LOL!!! I HAVE to know in advance where we're eating so I can print out the nutritional information and bring it in my purse. I used to decide before I left, but I've had too many times where they didn't offer a specific dish anymore and I would get all irritated.

I look up the menu beforehand and often call the restaurant ahead of time to double-check that they have whatever I'm thinking of ordering and to get the specials, in case those are better.

marie_2454

I don't bring anything to a restaurant. I do lookup the food items onine first and usually know in advance what my best options are

This is what I do too! I almost always know what I'm going to order before even going to the restaurant, and I just make sure that I allow it in my days calories.

aehartley

I am telling you... we are not the only ones. !!!!! :laugh:

I have been know as I told you earlier that I take scales everywhere if I don't happen to have my food with me.

Cook, weigh out, and measure all your food the day before you leave for the day. Pack all your food in plastic containers or baggies. I pack the entire next day ( even dinner) the night before. So I don't have to think about it or worry about it.

Planes are equipped with hot water that not only works great for coffee and tea, but also for making oatmeal in a sytrofoam cup.

I know where every microwave is in our city and most places even resteraunts will heat up food for you ( if you are really nice)

I learned the hard way that TSA considers peanut butter a liquid... I could have cried when they took it from me. No way I could convince them that I "JUST HAD TO HAVE IT"

My friends really use to think it was a joke... till I lost 50 lbs. ( gained 5 back recently - due to oral surgery) I am working on my goal weight EVERYDAY

jamie1888

I do try to avoid eating out as much as possible. You can't even trust the published nutritional info to be accurate. Last year for my birthday, my co-workers took me to the Macaroni Grill for my birthday lunch. I looked up the menu online ahead of time, ordered the Shrimp Spiedini (shrimp, veggies & a little olive oil) for 320 calories. The plate was swimming in olive oil! And you could tell the veggies were bathed in oil before they were grilled!

coggins6170

i just went to Red Lobster to celebrate a birthday - I got all of my seafood grilled with no extra butter, it tasted better than ever, I didn't miss any of the extra fat, and it was very TASTY!

Sofitness

When I'm eating out, I'll always order a big, big (maybe double portion) salad made of just vegetables - no dressing, no oils, cheese, nuts, meats etc. - when I feel I can go with it - it works pretty great since I love veggies. When I have a really intense craving or really want to try something new, I indulge. There's nothing bad about it every once in a while, because it's not a slice of pizza that made me fat back then, or even an entire pizza - it was choosing an entire pizza for most of my meals, most of my life.

shreddingit

but if your not gonna enjoy with them at the restaurant, why go there and go through all that trouble to bring food.
being around friends needs to be enjoyed so if food is a problem meet somewhere that is not food related.

kitinboots

Do restaurants allow you to bring in your own food?!? :O

wildon883r

When i eat out which is generally once a week i get what i want off a normal freaking menu. I refuse to choose the most healthy choice on the menu when the bad food tastes so much better. Had to laugh at the bring your own food or scale sheesh. You will never maintain weight loss if you approach it from a perspective like that.

akaTheQueen

Ha ha. . . I can identify with this post. My friends tease me because my orders are always full of special requests, and usually "off the menu".

My husband likes to say I order ice water with the ice on the side!

aehartley

I have never had a problem. Once or twice a manager has come to our table to make sure that it wasn't something that happened there before....

jamie1888

When i eat out which is generally once a week i get what i want off a normal freaking menu. I refuse to choose the most healthy choice on the menu when the bad food tastes so much better. Had to laugh at the bring your own food or scale sheesh. You will never maintain weight loss if you approach it from a perspective like that.

I am all for enjoying a meal if I'm going to go out. But, I have to laugh at this. I can look at FemininGuns' photos and see she knows a thing or two about maintaining her weight loss.

FemininGuns

Thanks for all your feedback We are such interesting creatures!