How To Eat Out? Success Tips?

courtneyweiss

Hey all,

So, tonight my hubby and I were on our way home from work and hit a few snags. This left us both ravenous and in need of a some serious dinner. I started getting a little stressed out because I know that eating out can easily derail the best-laid plans. We ended up going to a rotisserie chicken place and getting chicken breast (took the skin off), marinated veggies and a potato (smothered in butter and dill when we got it, but I ate it anyways...sigh).

I think this would all be easier if I were an avid salad-eater, but I'm not.

This experience had me wondering, how do all you successful losers (I mean this in the "Biggest Loser" sort of way) deal with the restaurant situation? Any tips for us noobs? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

ivykivy

Stay away from the bread. have grilled chicken salmon steak and a side of vegetable. If you get a salad ask for dressing on the side.

mamaturner

Hmm well it is hard when it's a more out of the blue gotta get something to eat situation. But if I know we're going out I hop online and check out that particular restaurants nutition facts! Otherwise yes, it's salads! lol Or something I know isn't super high in calories, fat and carbs. Just familurize yourself with certain foods and whats in them that will help/hurt you. Or just eat it and prepare yourself for when you check and put it in your food diary that you may need to work some of it off.

ittybittybadonkadonk

my tip is when you get your food ask for a take home box ..... divide it in half ..... put half in the box and take it home and eat the other half that is on your plate at the resturant .....i look for low cal section on the menu .... i am sure rost. chicken doesnt have that lol

vraehn

The web site calorieking has resturant foods on their site. I would choose where to go first and plan my menu accordingly.

Hope this helps! :happy: :flowerforyou:

sparkles321

I made a list of the restaurants I would most likely go to. Then I went online to their websites and found the nutritional info page. I made my own "menu" and keep a copy in both of our vehicle's glove boxes. I have found myself at other restaurants and will either use a similar restaurant that I do have listed as a guide or, if I don't have one listed, I'll wing it and hope for the best. Then I'll update my menu when I get home so I don't have to worry should we stop there again.

Also, being a salad eater isn't always the best option. Some of these salads that look like they would be healthy choices have an incredible number of calories and fat (and that's without the dressing).

The tip of asking for a to-go box when your food first arrives is excellent. Most often, even the healthy meals are still far too many calories for one meal. Try to order something that will reheat nicely (either in microwave or oven) so you can enjoy it again the next day.

shinybonnie

For me, it depends on the situation of why I'm going out to eat. If, like last night, it's a special occassion that only happens once a month or so, I'll just order whatever I want (including desert!) and only eat half of it.

If it's a wednesday, and me and the man just don't feel like cooking, there are a handful of restraunts that we go to and I know what I can order and how many calories are in them. Like, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Wendys, Subway, etc, I have already gone to their websites to find out how many calories are in their stuff.

If I'm unexpectedly going out to eat at a restraunt I'm not familiar with, I look for the healthy stuff: grilled chicken or fish, soup/salad, etc, and avoid the stuff I really like (burgers, cheesey goodness, pasta alfredo, etc). Again, I only eat half of what they give me. I try to keep the mindset that I am only there to find fuel for my body and not for the taste.

LJCannon

If the menu doesn't say how the food is cooked, ASK the server. There is nothing wrong with being "High Maintenance" when you go out to eat. After all, it is YOUR life that is at stake.

You can ask for toppings or sauces on any meal to be left off, or served on the side. If you don't see anything on the menu, ask if they have anything that is or can be grilled or broiled.

Good Luck.

courtneyweiss

OMG, did anyone see Biggest Loser last night? It was all about eating out and making the right choices while doing so. I learned so much! Didn't realize that sautee was a bad word...dang.

My new mantra will be: "baked, broiled, poached...baked, broiled, poached". LOL.