Dealing with Eating Out

PDiddy0913

Hi everyone!

So eating out always has me stressed. It makes me go over my calories on MFP just about every time! I try to preemptively decide what I will order and enter it into MFP so I can adjust my remaining caloric intake for the rest of the day. Anyone else struggle with this? I used to always love to eat out. Now it's just stressful!!

shovav91

Don't let food become your enemy. By looking up what to order, you're doing all you can do! Go out and enjoy. Additionally, experts recommend a cheat meal a week; may as well love it and not let it stress you out

cydonian

Try portion control... instead of eating the entire plate, ask for a box when the food comes out and put 50-75% of your food in the box before you even take your first bite. That has helped me a lot because I am a huge porker when it comes to pasta at restaurants!

dls06

I wish I had a better answer but we all struggle with this. Just try to make the best choice possible.

notablekbc

P, one of the things that helps me is deciding what I'm going to have before I ever get to the restaurant! Don't look at the menu at all when you get there. Menus are just food porn - stuff that isn't really food!

Go online to the restaurant's nutrition info and pick your meal before you leave the house, or use your myfitnesspal app and order from there - order with the calories and sodium and carbs in front of you instead of those pictures in the menu!

Eating out doesn't have to be stressful - you can make it AWESOME by making it a victory over the evil restaurant empire's attempts to make you fat and wreck your plan. You can leave there feeling like you "took them down, took them out, ate what you wanted and BOOM got out!"

One other thing - variety is highly overrated when it comes to losing weight. Pick a meal that you like and that works, and order it every time you go.

These are some things that work for me.

PDiddy0913

Thanks everyone! I'm going to go to the restaurant's website and plan my meal now!

PDiddy0913

P, one of the things that helps me is deciding what I'm going to have before I ever get to the restaurant! Don't look at the menu at all when you get there. Menus are just food porn - stuff that isn't really food!

Food porn - SO TRUE!!! The pictures get me every time!!

MariaAlbinaxoxo

I always plan ahead. If I know where I'm going, I look at the calories for the menu and go from there!

Helice

P, one of the things that helps me is deciding what I'm going to have before I ever get to the restaurant! Don't look at the menu at all when you get there. Menus are just food porn - stuff that isn't really food!

Food porn - SO TRUE!!! The pictures get me every time!!

I definately agree! Especially when the deserts are on the same menu!

kristal_1973

I go to the restaurants web site, pick out everything I want to eat, enter it into MFP and then figure out how much I need to work out before hand to eat and drink everything I want and still be at or under my calorie goal. It works! I eat out once a week and don't have to feel guilty one little bit!

jconnon

Hi everyone!

So eating out always has me stressed. It makes me go over my calories on MFP just about every time! I try to preemptively decide what I will order and enter it into MFP so I can adjust my remaining caloric intake for the rest of the day. Anyone else struggle with this? I used to always love to eat out. Now it's just stressful!!

Every time. I have to have a beer or two when I go out and when I do my self control goes out the window. I do find myself eating less now but that is not the answer, I still go over.

jr1985

I've decided that I'm going to basically be doing a slim fast type diet, at least for a while... Going out to eat is fun, its social, its a way to enjoy food and enjoy people... but it becomes a much less enjoyable experience if you are constantly worrying about going over your calories... I probably eat out one or two meals a week, then do protein shakes or cook the rest of my meals... I don't go crazy and order drinks and appetizers and entrees and desserts... but if I really want t cheese in my mashed potatoes, I get cheese in my mashed potatoes, and I don't feel bad about it... I enjoy the evening out with friends and I still stay within my calories for the day.

CashierCantin

If I know I am going out to eat, I plan for it by eating a little less OR eating things with less calories (a lot more veggies, less carbs) so I can 'splurge' a little at the meal. I then make the best choice I can (grilled or broiled protein, steamed veggies) and then leave half on the plate and take it home. That way, I can STILL enjoy the meal, but take in half the calories. I fill up with a side salad and beverage (water with crystal light in it or an unsweetened tea).

It doesn't have to be stressful.....you just have to wrap your mind around the fact that it can't be 'fun' anymore, that its just fuel. Still trying to get that through my head LOL

And if you go over a bit, its nothing to worry about (stress/guilt adds pounds dontcha know). Work out a few extra minutes the next day or go light on one of your meals the next day. WALA. By the end of the week its not going to matter come scale day!!!

livinginwoods

I do better by myself at restaurants. If I am with a group of girls I struggle because they order such deviously bad stuff and appetizers and sometimes desserts. I give in. I am going out Monday and plan on ordering first and hope to set the tone for the meal.

Beth720

Pretty much what everyone else has said. If possible, try and plan ahead (that can help with the budget too...if you know you're on a limited amount you can spend, you can plan out the healthiest thing within your budget!) with what you're going to eat. If you know you'll be working out that day, you can have a little more wiggle room in what to order. If not, well, you can plan it out. (That's what I've done for today. I know I'm eating out and it's a rest day on my training plan. I've found a grilled chicken salad with avocado and ginger dressing (that alas is mixed in) that I've entered as best I can. And I'm still under my calorie goal for the day, so I've got a little wiggle room just in case.)

Also a "cheat" meal or a day where you're not uber strict once a week is a good idea - it keeps your metabolism on its toes. I've found I actually lose more when I'm good about making sure I have a "cheat" meal or day when I go over. I'm just trying not to do that by too much today because I'm sure tomorrow I'll be over as it's my running club's awards night dinner.

leslie0422

It is very difficult to eat out and stay under your calories for the day so I limit myself to only eating out 1 day per week. And when I do eat out I consider it my 1 cheat day for the week. Time permitting, I also try to get a good workout that day.

Sweet_Potato

Try portion control... instead of eating the entire plate, ask for a box when the food comes out and put 50-75% of your food in the box before you even take your first bite. That has helped me a lot because I am a huge porker when it comes to pasta at restaurants!

My girlfriend and I usually split an entree when we go out. We save a lot of money that way!

Debbe2

Really look over the appetizers and side dish choices before deciding because often there is something there that can be a delicious meal in a smaller portion offering less stress or temptation. Fruit, salad (dressing on the side), cottage cheese, tomatoes etc can always be gotten instead of french fries. I like to leave a restaurant feeling in control and this helps.

Geckokat

P, one of the things that helps me is deciding what I'm going to have before I ever get to the restaurant! Don't look at the menu at all when you get there. Menus are just food porn - stuff that isn't really food!

Food porn! :laugh: So true!!
My DH and I will often split an entree or get an app to share and have a big salad, dressing on the side. I also will try to eat a piece of fruit or some raw vegs before going out to fill up a bit.

Chagama

I'm new at this, but I've found recently that ordering by checking the nutrition on the website or the MFP app has helped me make better choices. Other than my wife occasionally getting upset that I'm playing on my phone at the table.

My wife has had success having a take out box come with the meal and boxing most of it up right away. Other than the kids making fun of her because every restaurant is take-out for Mom.

ahealthy4u

I try not to let it stress me out and I just try an make better choices when dinning out but yet it is hard sometimes especially when place don't offer healthy food. I have been places where there isn't low cal food on the menu. I personaly feel they should give the amount it serves, cal, protien and so on. It would make it lot easier. I hate going in some where and saying hey do you have turkey bacon to hear no I am sorry we don't offer that.

But in the end I have just learned to embrace it and eat smaller amounts and to enjoy myself. Hope you can find a happy medium so you are not so stressed out when dinning out... :happy: Get a take about box this is something I need to do it would help out a lot!! Right at the being of the meal.

lalaberryhill

I deal with the same thing sometimes; I just remind myself that I will be exercising. For example; I went over 30 cals on my goal. I exercised a bit later and burned 376 cals. So remembering that you always have to eat back most of the calories you exercised otherwise your body will store more fat, I ate everything besides 50 cals. Meaning I didn't go over! It's well worth motivation to exercise. Hope this helps

Articeluvsmemphis

sometimes it's best to get one of the "healthy options," but if that isn't your cup of tea, order what you like and eat half, still not working? eat it all, and make all your other options for that day healthy and few, log it, exercise, plenty water, life is good

MinnieInMaine

The best advice I've ever gotten about dining out was from my last Weight Watchers leader.. You have to think about the difference between dining out and a special occassion. People who dine out a lot due to work or that just being their lifestyle tend to have a hard time with controlling their portions because they look at every meal out as a special occassion. I know I used to do this! Just because you're not cooking (and/or cleaning up), doesn't mean you can go all out! Make the same types of decisions that you would if you were dining at home. Think about proper portion sizes - and if you don't know them, google to find a visual guide.

On the other hand, if it is a special occassion, like a birthday or anniversary, there's nothing wrong with letting that be your cheat meal for the week or month. Don't go completely crazy but maybe share a dessert with someone or go ahead and have that margarita you've been wanting for a while.

yesthistime

I pretend to love soup when I go out to eat. I order the soup and have it come with everyone's entree, sip it slooooooooowly, and drink a whole lot of water, iced tea, or diet coke with it so I am constantly putting something in my mouth but it is less likely to be as calorie-dense as other food on the menu. Mmmmm, soupy!

melissa_e

A tip a read recently and really like is that you should have a "do not order" list in your head of basically your favorite fatty, caloric treats. Only indulge in those at home, when you can control the recipe and appreciate the effort of making and enjoying them more.

MaximalLife

Folks, I just don't go out unless I can eat something fabulous.
And that mean high calorie.

I refuse to order some rabbit food-looking dish of green something or other with a few shards of meat while everybody else is chowing down on the good stuff. To HELL with that!

Why even go?
Either eat out on a "free day" or exercise a few hours before and/or after to account for it.
That's my solution, and when I go out, I get exactly what I want with no restrictions.

Life is to be lived!

mixmastermolly

Eating out sucks when you're trying to stay within nutritional limits. I think we can all agree that most restaurants give way larger portions than anyone should eat and we consider that the norm. I try to make the best choices possible at restaurants while still enjoying going out. I try to make it a rule, now, to eat only half of what they bring to me. I sometimes ask for a box right away and portion it out and often try not to take that box home so I'm not tempted to eat it later. (Sometimes I pass it off to homeless or just ask the restaurant to do something with it for me) We have also made eating out the norm when it really is supposed to be reserved for special ocassions so I try to only eat out once on the weekends now.

journalistjen

I hear ya! It's kinda hard to be good when your spouse is ordering two chili cheese foot-long hot dogs to eat. My saving graces are my goals. If you find something to be really passionate about and make it your goal, then you will have enough motivation to make the right choices. Also accountability is everything. If I feel temptation, then I look the questionable food item up on myfitnesspal to see the calories and nutrition info. Most of the time, I'm shocked, and I tell myself that it doesn't taste good enough to be worth that many calories. Another trick I do is to look at the appetizers as meals. Last night, I went to Outback and ordered the appetizer of grilled shrimp and as a side, a plain baked sweet potato.

Fattack

Totally agree with everybody's advice to look at the menu and work out cals beforehand.

One important thing to remember that the food isn't the event. The event is socialising with your friends, colleagues, significant others - view them as the treat!

Plus, if you pick something that is healthy and within your limits, you'll feel great about it for the rest of the week at least.
If you pick the less than healthy option, you'll *maybe* enjoy it for about an hour, but then you'll probably feel a bit bad about ruining your day's allowance - and probably for a fair amount longer than an hour!

If you want to push the boat out, then account for it - otherwise compromise on your meal.

On the other hand, if it is a special occassion, like a birthday or anniversary, there's nothing wrong with letting that be your cheat meal for the week or month. Don't go completely crazy but maybe share a dessert with someone or go ahead and have that margarita you've been wanting for a while.

THIS!

Thriceshy

Like you, I pull up menus beforehand and make decisions based upon those before I ever get to the restaurant. While I do, on occasion, go over on my calories, it's not by much, and I feel good about the decisions I make. I've gotten very good at sharing appetizers and desserts so that I only have a small amount, and if no one wants to share, I eat a few bites, then push it away and have the server remove it. I ask for dressing on the side (dipping rather than pouring markedly reduces the amount of dressing I have), and I've even been known to bring my own low-cal/low-fat dressing. I always opt for broiled/grilled rather than fried, and I stay away from sauces and gravies.

Like I said, I'm not perfect, sometimes I come in a couple hundred calories over for the day, but I don't consider that a failure when I'm sitting in a steakhouse where I could have easily gone into the 2,000+ calories over range.

Kris.