Dining Out Challenges

daisydieter

I've seen plenty of those "Eat This, Not That" segments on the Today Show. But I still have three challenges that perhaps others have found away around them when it comes to dining out (which is what my social circle likes to do at least three-quarters of the time we get together):

1) This is actually the least of my concern as it is gone in a few days: Sodium Bloat! But would love to avoid it or better yet, it only last just ONE day. Tips?

2) The fat (and most likely calories too) is way off. At the risk of being gross, I tried Alli last summer for a few weeks. I had researched the heck out of it. Saw that there are some DISGUSTING side effects if you go over 15 grams of fat per meal. I never had a single side effect unless I went out to dinner... and yes I stuck to restaurants that either listed the amount of fat they used in a meal OR carefully studied the menu looking for key words in the description that indicate added fat and double-checked with the server. The disgusting side effects mean that far more fat was used than disclosed. Proof was in the toilet. Not that I'll ever take a fat-blocker again before a restaurant meal but obviously when you think you're eating 300 calories, it might be twice as much.

I have a good friend in the restaurant business who explained that salt and fat are cheap ways to make food taste good and the chef is tasting the food as he/she prepares it. Just because the corporate recipe provided is low fat, the chef may tweak it not thinking it will alter the calorie/fat count that much that anyone would notice and/or care. In fact, they'll leave the restaurant thinking how great the food tasted. But I digress...

3) When presented a choice of dishes, the ones that look the most delicious, I know are way over my calorie count. Part of me resents PAYING for food that isn't what I really want. Then even harder is ordering the lower calorie versions and watching my friends eat in front of me what I really wanted. Kind of taints the whole fun aspect on a level.

Help!

fiberartist219

I eat what I want, but I try to get a box to take half of it home with me. The calories are almost always going to be outrageous, so just get a good workout in and try not to worry too much about it.

I don't really count calories anyway. I'm more of an intuitive eater, and right now, that is working for me. If I eat out, I try to eat smaller meals for the rest of the day to balance it out.

If you are really concerned about restaurant's crappy food, perhaps you should organize a pitch in with your friends, or just offer to host where you cook the food. I find that when I cook a meal for 6 of my friends, I spend about the same as if my husband and I ate out anyway. Then, the other 4 people don't have to pay, and they like that. I don't really ask them to clean up either, so maybe that's why they take me up on the offer. :happy:

Maybe you can also suggest some more active things for you and your friends to do together, like bowling, roller blading, playing disc golf or any other activity of your choice. As long as the activity isn't too competitive and we are able to still chit chat during, we most of my friends are usually up for it.

daisydieter

Excellent thoughts and ideas, thank you! (I wish I was an good intuitive eater... my natural inclinations is typically double or triple the calories I think it will be. I have to measure and look up calories if I want to consistently stay at the 1200 mark.