Dining Out - Mexican Restaurant

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2

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  • techteachergirl
    techteachergirl Posts: 161 Member
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    I get the chicken, shrimp or seafood fajitas. I ask they use as little oil as possible and they only bring me the meat and veggies. I pour a little salsa on them and ENJOY!

    I have never had an issue when I ask for low/no oil and none of the fixins'. I will also ask for some avacado slices if I have some extra calories and/or want the creaminess....
  • PatasDeGallina
    PatasDeGallina Posts: 155 Member
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    Refried beans, guacamole, salsa, corn tortillas. Maybe some fries or chips. I'd rather have fries than chips.

    If you avoid rice, flour tortillas, meat, or cheese you should be ok. And make sure the beans are vegetarian. Otherwise they might have lard in them. Charro beans are also good, but look out for hidden meat.

    Refried beans are actually not that bad calorically. I eat them a lot. Ahem. :blushing:

    The meat in Mexican restaurants is high fat. Even the chicken. It's all cooked in lard. Well, it is if it's done right. :wink:

    Rice will have hidden cals, extra fat, meat. Corn tortillas are always a safe bet. The flour ones are crazy caloric.

    My advice is to workout before you go. Give yourself a little wiggle room.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    OK I must be a weirdo, I think Mexican is the absolutely easiest place to stay in calories. It probably helps a lot that I hate sour cream, and I don't like much cheese (if any) on my tacos. :D

    As long as I can avoid the chips, I can have 3 tacos, feel stuffed, and barely have more calories than a normal meal. (650 calories give or take). And corn tortillas have lots of fiber and iron. So I feel downright healthy for choosing mexican.

    It is easier for me to skip the chips than skip french fries with a burger.
  • Melyssaks
    Melyssaks Posts: 69 Member
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    Try to plan ahead if you know you are going to go. Eat a small breakfast/ lunch and make sure you work out so that you can still fit that 1000 calorie meal in. That's what I do. I travel a lot and get stuck eating out a lot but as long as I plan my breakfast/ lunches and make sure to get an exercise in (even if it's just jogging in place while watching TV or taking a walk during my lunch break) so that I stay under my calories for the day.
  • Meaganandcheese
    Meaganandcheese Posts: 525 Member
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    We justgot Mexican last night!

    I order chicken fajitas and just eat the meat/veggies with some guacamole. Depending on how many calories I have, I'll skip the chips and salsa, or just measure out a portion onto my plate and avoid going back for more.

    I used to love margaritas, but they are becoming less and less worth it.
  • cyclerjenn
    cyclerjenn Posts: 835 Member
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    The resteraunt I go to does veggie fajitas with broccoli, zuchini, yellow sqaush as well as the pepers and onions. I get it served with black beans, pico and gucamole with corn tortillas. I eat half and take the other half home for the next day.

    If i'm don't want the left over, some times I will stop on my way home from a bike ride, I just get two sides, black beans and grilled veggies.
  • Seminolegirl97
    Seminolegirl97 Posts: 307 Member
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    Great responses everyone, THANKS! Apparently we all love Mexican!! Glad to know I am not alone!
  • rbn_held
    rbn_held Posts: 682 Member
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    We hardly ever do mexican food anymore because there isn't much you can order that is healthy, but if we do go usually I order off the sides menu and usually it's a couple chicken soft tacos or a taco and side salad. I never order an entree because I don't need the beans and rice. I limit myself to just a few chips
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    The meat in Mexican restaurants is high fat. Even the chicken. It's all cooked in lard. Well, it is if it's done right. :wink:

    Lard gets an undeserved bad rap. It isn't any worse than butter. Especially if it comes from "clean" animals. If it comes from ones eating grass, it is actually a good source of omega-3s. And adds a lot more taste to things. So it is better for you than canola or soy actually.
  • Kissybiz
    Kissybiz Posts: 361 Member
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    I had Mexican food last night. I had two taco al carbon on corn tortillas, no rice, no chips and queso.. just the tacos, guacamole, pico de gallo and charro beans. I skipped the margarita too, and opted for a good beer (not a fan of light domestics). It was still a high calorie meal but it was good, I didn't feel deprived, and didn't blow my diet. I worked out really hard beforehand, so I didn't even use all my calories. It's possible.
  • hconte
    hconte Posts: 2 Member
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    chicken taco salad - no shell, no beans, no cheese, no guac, no sour cream.

    chicken, lettuce, tomato and salsa only.

    Ole!
  • Mary067
    Mary067 Posts: 31
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    I love mexican food so if I go, its not very often cuz its a reward now that I am losing. I will eat the chips and half of my shrimp coco loco and take the rest and beans and rice home for later or the next day. I can't stay away from the chips and salsa which is why I don't have it in the house any more.
  • spacecase76
    spacecase76 Posts: 673 Member
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    I usually have Mexican on my cheat day. Last time I had an 8 oz strip - it was amazing and pretty low fat / cal, though the basket of chips i polished off before it meant the meal wasn't :tongue:
  • Ninatoots
    Ninatoots Posts: 192 Member
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    Well, nothing tastes as good as my own mexican cooking. Here is one link on how to eat healthy at a Mexican restaurant.
    http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/10-ways-eat-healthy-mexican-cantina

    Nina
  • KM11102011
    KM11102011 Posts: 41
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    Ceviche – most restaurants serve variants of the dish (Mexican shrimp cocktail)
  • ♥Amy♥
    ♥Amy♥ Posts: 714 Member
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    I love going to Mexican Restaurants and I almost always order the Chicken Fajitas. I just eat the chicken, onions and peppers from the skillet with my fork. I save the tortillas and bring them home (my husband and sons use them on taco night here or when I make them breakfast burritos). And I don't like the rice & beans so those come home or one of my guys eats them. I also don't like salsa, so no worries there for me either. I have had to restrict myself with the chips though. I used to be able to eat an entire basket of them with a bunch of added salt on top, but now I eat maybe 5 chips, if even that many, and just drink my water and talk while waiting for my food.
  • DBiddle69
    DBiddle69 Posts: 682 Member
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    My favorite is bistec a la mexicana, with beans, rice, guacamole salad and some chips and salsa.
    The bistec a la mexicana is around 5 - 9 oz worth and only around 400 calories.
  • tyra47
    tyra47 Posts: 97
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    I just eat whatever I want there...
    theres very little unhealthy stuff there.. its just that everything they have is very calorie dense..

    so I just eat whatever I want to order... and nothing else for the day. its hard to go there and not eat around 2000 calories when you count everything. chips, queso, beans and cheese, sour cream..etc.. it adds up fast.


    I also do this and when i go that is my cheat day.
  • Kimbosbc
    Kimbosbc Posts: 143 Member
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    I always go for the chicken fajitas without the sides. Sodium is horrible but calories are still managable. Try to avoid cheese, sour cream and the chips.
  • MrDude_1
    MrDude_1 Posts: 2,510 Member
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    The meat in Mexican restaurants is high fat. Even the chicken. It's all cooked in lard. Well, it is if it's done right. :wink:

    Lard gets an undeserved bad rap. It isn't any worse than butter. Especially if it comes from "clean" animals. If it comes from ones eating grass, it is actually a good source of omega-3s. And adds a lot more taste to things. So it is better for you than canola or soy actually.

    If its in a fryer all day, its WAAAY better for you then vegetable oil.... thats for sure. lol.

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