Restaurants to Avoid!

Options
1…567911

Replies

  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    Options
    I agree that some of the onus is on the orderer, but that being said a couple weeks ago I went to McD's with a friend (so the kids could play) and being realtively new to MFP, decided to do the smart thing and plan ahead. I looked up their nutritional info online and was EXTREMELY dissapointed in even the salad's and how much fat was in there (lots was the drsg, extra's, etc.) . If I'm going to intake the fat, I may as well enjoy what I'm eating. I settled on a 6pc. chicken nugget meal, and still lost my avg. 2 lbs that week :) I will be trying to avoid restaurants for the most part while I'm doing the majority of my weightloss. If there's a social obligation, I will go and do my best, but I'm not going to make it a big stressful ordeal!

    ALL of the onus should be on the orderer. No one is forced to choose the higher calorie options. All of these places have something you can get for 500-600 calories or less.
  • Pashen4fit
    Pashen4fit Posts: 63
    Options
    Red Lobster! Man, can I really pack away all of that butter-soaked seafood. Don't even get me started on the caesar salad and tempting deserts. <drools>

    I agree the biscuits alone ...
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    Options
    A restaurant's job is to serve you something that you'll come back for.

    Adding butter, sugar, salt, oil etc to anything will make it taste better to most.

    Eat at home.
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    Options
    I try to avoid all restaurants! You never really know what you're getting. The nutritionals that are posted on their websites are not always accurate due to each person making the dishes differently. :grumble:

    If you're really trying to keep track of what you eat, cook/eat at home. That way you can control everything.

    Couldn't have said it better myself! :-)

    This is less likely that you think. Stuff often comes portioned/measured already and things are just combined and heated. And if that is your criterion, McDonalds is the best of all restaurant choices, because there is no freedom for people at McDonalds to make sandwiches any different. Even ketchup comes from a metered dispenser. If I had to avoid all restaurants forever I'd just quit this whole thing. It's not worth it, for certain.
  • I1ahunt
    I1ahunt Posts: 72
    Options
    I prefer to not eat at restaurants with a sh!tty beer list.
  • sassiebritches
    sassiebritches Posts: 1,861 Member
    Options
    Though high in sodium this is a Protein eaters dream. I have the Admirals special loaded with garlic butter....MMMMMM Love eating Atkins :)


    Red Lobster! Man, can I really pack away all of that butter-soaked seafood. Don't even get me started on the caesar salad and tempting deserts. <drools>
  • mistresseeyore
    mistresseeyore Posts: 717 Member
    Options
    Why avoid anything? I get a doggie bag and put half my meal in the bag, and a 1k calorie meal becomes a 500 calorie meal. I like to think outside the box, instead of banning something out of my life.

    Edit: Oh yeah, and an easy lunch for the next day too!
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    Options
    I wonder how many people die in hospitals. I think we should outlaw hospitals!

    I venture more people die in cars and busses than restaurants, too! My, we'll be outlawing lots of stuff. Most of my coworkers come 20 or more miles to work. Boy will that be hard after they outlaw cars!
  • I1ahunt
    I1ahunt Posts: 72
    Options
    I just went through this all thi spast weekend. Our son got married on Saturday....we had family come in from out of state and they came in early to spend sometime with rarely seen family...so there was a lot of going out to eat... I ate out a lot last week .....but with som eresearch and healthy choices...cutting calories in other snacks or meals.....I ate well, I was full and with my workouts I stayed within my goals...it can be done...if you do your home work......My wife will almost always sak for things on a menu with out gravy, or hold the bread, or keep the cheese etc...if you do that you can control your calorie intake as well......that being said... I do prefer to eat at home......:glasses:
  • garita93
    garita93 Posts: 276 Member
    Options
    Why avoid anything? I get a doggie bag and put half my meal in the bag, and a 1k calorie meal becomes a 500 calorie meal. I like to think outside the box, instead of banning something out of my life.

    Liking your way of thinking!! I have a hard time forcing myself not to so this is definitely a good plan that I think I will adopt!
  • xonikitashafferxo
    xonikitashafferxo Posts: 150 Member
    Options
    Red Robin (Yum...love it but its a calorie/fat killer)
    Arby's

    Red robin isnt too bad... you just have to be careful what you get. i usually get the whisky river bbq wrap and i think its 450 calories after i take a lot of stuff off of it
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    Options
    There's a restaurant around here called the Tilted Kilt. The food's great, but it's typical "pub food," which means it's going to be high-calorie, and they don't list nutritional info anywhere, so it's impossible to get even a remotely accurate number.

    As for other places, the only places I "avoid" are the typical fast food places, in part because I have no desire to go there, and in part because just about everything that I'd get is fried, and places that give really bad service or are just not clean. I generally try to find the healthier options and budget for my meals.

    And about Heart Attack Burger, who would even want to go there? Their food doesn't even sound appealing. :sick:
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    Options
    Red Robin (Yum...love it but its a calorie/fat killer)
    Arby's

    Red robin isnt too bad... you just have to be careful what you get. i usually get the whisky river bbq wrap and i think its 450 calories after i take a lot of stuff off of it

    If you take a lot of the stuff off of it, is it still a Whisky River BBQ? :tongue: :wink:

    The fries are really what get you there. Lettuce wrapping and picking a different side go a long way.
  • LilBelieve
    LilBelieve Posts: 23
    Options
    Olive Garden, never really eat there but I remember reading something about only a couple of options under 1,000 cals there too. I used to love Panera, never would've thought though that a simple turkey sandwich would get my close to 1,000 cals... until I started logging on here, to say the least I'll never eat there again. xD I here a lot of sammy shops are like that, you would expect it to be healthier but it's even worse.

    Actually Olive Garden has several healthy options that are under 500calories each including soups, a few appetizers, and entrees. Eat one breadstick, salad without the dressing, and one of those entrees or an appetizer as your entree (the ones under 500 calories) with a glass or two of water and you should feel full and happy.

    If you dont remember to look up their nutrition information online before you go out then feel free to ask the host for a nutrition menu.

    (I was a server at Olive Garden so if there's anything you need to know feel free to ask.)

    Last time I checked the nutritional info about 3 weeks ago there wasn't a single entree under 1000 cals...in fact I don't remember a single one under 700...

    One breadstick...possible.
    Soup...good stuff.
    Salad without dressing? Why eat the salad at all then?
    An appetizer is not going to be filling.
    There are no entrees under 500 cals.

    I just ate at Olive Garden for the first time since joining MFP, and I have to admit that it was a challenge. However, it was completely possible. I ordered a lunch portion (which they do not advertise but will serve to you for lunch or dinner). I was concerned about feeling full, but since I had already been using MFP and cutting back on my portions, I found that I couldn't even finish it. I had to take half home, which never happens for me. You can eat just about anything, as long as you don't try to finish the dinner portion while sitting at the restaurant after having had breadsticks and multiple salads soaked in dressing (which I did all the time, pre-MFP). As with most places, it's all about portion size.
  • asudheimer
    asudheimer Posts: 82 Member
    Options
    CHEDDARS!! I love love love their food... but hate that they refuse to give any type of calorie estimates... when are they going to comply with the restaraunts have to post calories law that was passed? :(
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
    Options
    I know it's a little off topic, but reading some of these posts makes me think of a certain cable TV show. Anybody on here watch Man vs. Food on the Travel Channel? Any time I'm tempted to over eat or binge on junk food, I'll watch an episode of MVF. Watching that show makes me wanna puke....and I used to binge like that at least once per week. Seeing the look on Adam's face after eating like that is a stark reminder of how I always felt after a binge. It never fails to curb my appetite when I see that. I NEVER wanna feel that full again. It's actually painful.
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
    Options
    CHEDDARS!! I love love love their food... but hate that they refuse to give any type of calorie estimates... when are they going to comply with the restaraunts have to post calories law that was passed? :(

    A Cheddars just opened up in our area. My brother works there, but I have never eaten there. He's been working in the restaruant industry for about seven or eight years now. He's always been a big guy, but I can't believe how much weight he's gained in the last few years because he's always eating restaurant food. It breaks my heart because I know he's on the verge of causing himself some serious health issues.
  • marywilsoncline
    marywilsoncline Posts: 301 Member
    Options
    Has'nt anyone heard of the "EAT THIS, NOT THAT" line of books? I own 4 of them and the restaurant guide one is awesome to have on hand. It covers sit down restaurants as well as fast food ones and basically they tell ya the better choices over the bad ones on each menu. Well worth the twenty or so bucks for these books. Oh yeah and by the way, taco bell and wendys are among the best two choices when it comes to fast food. Taco bell has a new "fresco" menu that is light on fat and calories :wink:
  • kealambert
    kealambert Posts: 961 Member
    Options
    you can opt for the free salad instead of fries, which is what i (try) to do when i go there. Nice that they don't charge you for a salad like almost any other restaurant does.

    also any appetizers on the menus of most restaurants I try to avoid, as they're just loaded with fried and terrible for you food.
  • asudheimer
    asudheimer Posts: 82 Member
    Options
    Their food is really good, I usually box up 1/2 my meal at the beginning because it's enough for 2 generous servings, and than over-estimate what I think the calories are. Would be nice to have some nutritional info, so I am not just stabbing in the dark. And I know what you mean about the food industry jobs putting weight on you! My best friend who worked fast food for several years and she passed away last October at 28 from a heart attack, she was 375lbs +. No heart problems until it took her without warning so I really hope your brother can get turned around before it's too late!!

    Do you think that your brother would have any nutrition estimates? Feel free to add me on here if you like!

    CHEDDARS!! I love love love their food... but hate that they refuse to give any type of calorie estimates... when are they going to comply with the restaraunts have to post calories law that was passed? :(

    A Cheddars just opened up in our area. My brother works there, but I have never eaten there. He's been working in the restaruant industry for about seven or eight years now. He's always been a big guy, but I can't believe how much weight he's gained in the last few years because he's always eating restaurant food. It breaks my heart because I know he's on the verge of causing himself some serious health issues.

Categories