Birthday Meal out Italian...HELP!

Stephaniebingletastic

Hi, I have been sticking religously to my 1200 cal allowance for the past couple of weeks. I now have 30th Birthday Meal celebrations tonight and tomorrow for two different friend groups, at two different Italian restaurants!
I love italian food. I am frightened I will go crazy and pig out.
Can anyone recommend what I should eat to stay relatively low cal? I do not want to un do all my hard work so far......
I am not drinking so all the cals can go on food, not wine.

CARNAT22

A few tips for eating Italian:

Top 5 tips

• Enjoy a few olives before your meal but don't over-indulge
• Ask for salad dressing or oil and vinegar to be served separately
• Avoid high fat choices such as salami, pepperoni and cured meats, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, creamy or cheese-based sauces and rich salad dressings
• Opt for flavoursome tomato-based pasta sauces, grilled meat, seafood, chicken or veal
• If you just can't resist dessert, share a portion with a friend


Healthy Choices

Starters:
• Marinated calamari, marinated or baked mushrooms and vegetables
• Steamed or baked shellfish
• Minestrone, vegetable or lentil soups

Pasta:
• Tomato-based sauces such as Arrabiata
• Marinara sauces
• Pasta Primavera

Salad and Side Orders:
• Seafood, chicken, green or tossed salads with dressing on the side

Main courses:
• Veal, chicken or seafood in lemon or wine sauces such as Picatta or Cacciatore
• Primavera dishes
• Grilled fish

Pizza:
• Vegetable toppings including spinach, onions, tomatoes, garlic, peppers and herbs
• Seafood or Marinara
• Chicken

Desserts:
• Fresh fruit or fruit salad



Foods to avoid

Starters:
• Cheese-smothered crostini
• Parma ham or salami antipasti

Pasta:
• Creamy or cheese-based sauces such as carbonara
• Cheese tortellini or ravioli
• Salami or cured meats such as Parma ham and proscuitto

Salad and side Orders:
• Caesar salad or other salads with bacon, parmesan cheese, olives or deep-fried croutons
• Garlic bread
• Sautéed mushrooms or onions

Pizza:
• Extra cheese or cured meat toppings

Desserts:
• Avoid rich, creamy desserts such as tiramisu

Chenoachem

Try checking to see if there is nutritional information online for where you are going. Also, enjoy. Birthday's are only once a year.

CarolineT82

cracking response there........

I am going out for an italian tonight and have been on the restaurant's website to get the cals before I go. I don't eat sea food, which would apparently be the best choice, so I'm going to go for a plain (but tasty) spag bol......

Here's the link to the nutritional information that may help.....

http://www.prezzorestaurants.co.uk/assets/prezzo/pdfs/prezzo_nutritional_info.pdf

But most of all - have fun x

runnermel

well... at our local Italian rest. the healthiest option is to get grilled salmon and broccoli. drink lots of water and remember not to eat the "freebies" that the restaurant offers. especially that dang fabulous itialian bread!

Wanda66

Don't forget to work out (extra hard) those days you're going out. Then, you can eat up your exercise calories. Oh, stay away from the bread - 3 pieces of ficcaccia is not enough...

therobinator

A little splurge wont hurt you, and in fact may help your weignt loss journey, in many ways. Eat whatever you went, then get back on plan right afterwards the next day.

Stephaniebingletastic

Thanks everyone, I do not have time for the gym tonight but tomorow I am going to spin class to earn myself a nice fat chunk of extra cals.
I will closely scrutinise the menu.
The restaurants are local and do not have nutrition charts online like Prezzo but I will use this as a guide.
At least I can rest assured it is all freshly prepared and tasty! I just have to stay off the garlic bread....

When I visited Rome earlier this year I gained 6lb in four days! THAT is how lethal I am when it comes to Italian..... ha ha

CARNAT22

Thanks everyone, I do not have time for the gym tonight but tomorow I am going to spin class to earn myself a nice fat chunk of extra cals.
I will closely scrutinise the menu.
The restaurants are local and do not have nutrition charts online like Prezzo but I will use this as a guide.
At least I can rest assured it is all freshly prepared and tasty! I just have to stay off the garlic bread....

When I visited Rome earlier this year I gained 6lb in four days! THAT is how lethal I am when it comes to Italian..... ha ha

Rome is lethal.

Although I came home pretty much the same weight as we were literally walking 7/8 hours a day. Plus we were having our main meal at lunch and just something light in the evening - we were so tired from all the sightseeing to go out for dinner LOL!

Garlic bread is a former favourite of mine, we used to have it several times a week - I still have the occasional slice but not the thrice weekly half a baguette that I used to!

Just go, have fun and and be extra good for a few days afterwards !

AquaFan

I love Italian too and subscribe to the 'everything in moderation' philosophy. Life is too short to me to not enjoy yourself. I say order what you like but watch your portions. Maybe you could split a meal with someone. It saves calories and cost. My husband and I try to split meals when we go Italian. I also skip the bread.

Stephaniebingletastic

Luckily I am a tomato based sauce rather than cream based sauce fan anyway. But I need to stay away from Pizza and breads.... my downfall everytime.
I suppose I am due a cheat day...but I will not go silly. Spinning in the morning will kick my garlicy butt!