What should I do friends want a mini "girls night out!"??

skyblu263

I just started my weightloss journey on Monday. I am committed to working out 5 days a week and logging in my calories daily. HOWEVER!! I'm finding hard to figure out what to do when friends want to hang out. I was asked last week my 2 friends who wanted to have dinner and drinks this week. I didn't want to do it because I knew that on Monday I was going to begin my weightloss journey. They planned it on Tuesday. ugh! So, I worked out on Monday and ate great, staying under my goal of consuming 1550 calories and burning 561 calories at Crossfit. Then Tuesday, I ate great all day at work and burned 581 calories at Crossfit, then had to meet them for dinner. I figured before hand that I was going to play it safe, stick to 1 or 2 glasses of wine and have a Tuna Sashimi appetizer. When I got there and ordered, the restaurant no longer had the tuna!!

NOOOOOOO!!

I knew before I went that if they didn't have the tuna, I didn't know what I was going to eat! Sure enough, I struggled on what to order and ended up ordering an appetizer of chicken nachos. My 2 friends had the best thing on the menu, the Tavern Bacon Burger and Fries.

NOW...I have 2 other friends who wants to have a girl night this week on Thursday. Seriously??! 2 nights in one week on my FIRST week of fitness. She actually wanted to go today and I told her I needed to skip it. So, she said "well how about tomorrow?" Double UGH!

I don't want to make a big fuss in front of friends about my fitness plan because I don't want anyone to poo-poo my ideas. This is my journey. And I'm using MFP peeps as my helpers.

What would you do? What would you order? Here's the menu...btw, they also have tons of pizzas :P

AntiPasto (Appetizers)
Chef's Platter - $15 Stuffed mushrooms, bruschetta, & fried green tomatoes with lump crab & hollandaise Wings - 10 wings $9 or 20 wings $14
Your choice of buffalo sauce, lemon pepper, bourbon honey BBQ or teriyaki Spinach and Artichoke Dip - $8
A creamy parmesan dip, served with pita chips Chicken Nachos - $9
Warm toasted chips with cheddar cheese, jalapenos, grilled red onions, grilled chicken, alfredo sauce, & side of salsa Chicken Fingers - $7
Hand breaded chicken tenders served with honey mustard Fried Green Tomatoes - $6
Lightly breaded, crispy fried with a lemon horseradish sauce Stuffed Mushrooms - $8
Crab-meat stuffed mushrooms topped with mozzarella & provolone cheese Seafood Cocktail - $9 Succulent lump crab & shrimp with spiced cocktail sauce Bruschetta - $6
Diced ripe tomatoes, basil, garlic, & red onion, served with Tuscan bread Fried Calamari - $8
with Chipotle Cocktail sauce

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Insalate E Zuppe (Salad & Soup)
Daily specialty Soup - Cup $4 | Bowl $6 Garden Fresh Salad - $4
Mixed greens, feta cheese, fresh tomato, cucumber & citrus segments
Add chicken $3 | Add shrimp $4 Caesar Salad - $4
Crispy hearts of romaine lettuce, tossed garlic croutons, parmesan cheese, & Caesar dressing Avanti Wedge Salad - $6
Generous wedge of Iceberg lettuce topped with bacon, tomato, red onion, & blue cheese dressing The Sea Breeze Salad - $15
Potato encrusted Atlantic Salmon with a dill buttermilk dressing, mixed greens, sliced red onions, crispy bacon, blue cheese crumbles, & citrus segments The St. Clair Salad - $9
Grilled chicken, mixed greens, mandarin oranges, toasted walnuts, feta cheese & raspberry vinaigrette

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Pasta
House Capellini - $12
Italian San Marzano tomato, garlic, basil, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese, & chile flakes
Add grilled Chicken - $3 Add Shrimp - $4 Rigatoni Gorgonzola - $14
Grilled chicken, toasted walnuts, & gorgonzola cheese tossed with pesto cream Rigatoni Napoletano - $13
Sliced grilled chicken breast, spinach, marinara and cream Italian Trio - $14
Traditional meatballs, homemade marinara, parmesan cheese, & fresh basil over angel hair pasta Fettuccine Alfredo - $10
Fettuccine pasta tossed in a creamy three-cheese Alfredo sauce
add grilled Chicken - $3 or add Shrimp - $4 Ribeye Ravioli - $17
Grilled Ribeye sliced on top of sauteed mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, ricotta cheese filled ravioli brought together with a smoked gouda cream Lasagna - $15
Layered with spinach, Alfredo sauce, beef, ricotta cheese, sausage and house made marinara accompanied with vegetable sauté

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Beef & Pork
We serve only Top quality, Aged "Certified Angus Beef" in house cut

The Silver Fox Filet - $24
8oz beef tenderloin with scallion mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus with a roasted garlic mushroom Au Jus New York Strip - $21
12oz Strip grilled to perfection served with a loaded baked potato St. Clair Ribeye - $22
14oz. Tender aged beef Ribeye grilled accompanied with our hand cut Bistro Fries & jalapeno honey drizzle Bourbon Pork Porterhouse - $17
Inch thick cut Pork Porterhouse that’s been brined, smoked, then grilled. Accompanied with a bourbon & roasted garlic Au Jus, scallion mashed potatoes, & green beans Grilled Pork Tenderloin - $18
Moist pork served with roasted red potatoes, sauteed green beans, & smoked tomato Beurre Blanc Tavern Burger - $9
1/2 lb. Black Angus burger with cheddar cheese, bacon, grilled red onions, lettuce, & tomato on a kaiser bun. Served with Bistro fries

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Seafood
Crab au Gratin - $17
Crab meat topped with parmesan cream, served in a casserole and baked until golden brown, accompanied with house vegetable sauté Mediterranean Tilapia - $15
Grilled tilapia over angel hair pasta, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, olives and garlic with a lemon white wine butter sauce Pan seared Salmon - $18
Atlantic salmon pan seared over scallion mashed potatoes, & sauteed green beans with a smoked tomato Beurre Blanc Seafood Imperial - $20
Seared scallops & sauteed shrimp with mushrooms & sweet peppers in a sherry cream over angel hair pasta Big Daddy's Shrimp & Grits - $17
Sauteed shrimp with local Royal smoked sausage, broccoli, basil, in a spicy tomato white wine sauce with fried grits

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Chicken
Pollo Ghione - $16
Sautéed chicken breast, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, scallions & sherry cream over angel hair Pollo Parmesan - $15
Crispy fried chicken breast paired with marinara, melted mozzarella, & parmesan over angel hair pasta with vegetable sauté Pollo Picatta - $13
Sautéed chicken breast cooked in white wine butter sauce with capers, lemons & fresh parsley served over angel hair pasta & vegetable sauté Pollo Marsala - $16
Sautéed chicken breast cooked in a Marsala wine reduction with mushrooms and served with roasted baby red potatoes, escorted by vegetable sauté

GiGiBeans

I'd order the garden salad, then the filet mignon skip the potatoes double asparagus and a glass of red wine.

Robinsond61

I would stick to something that is low carb, but high protein. Maybe a grilled chicken dish..."Sautéed chicken breast cooked in a Marsala wine reduction with mushrooms and served with roasted baby red potatoes, escorted by vegetable sauté" looked promising. Just maybe ask them to replace the potatoes with extra veggies, or just eat them b/c they're red & roasted so not terrible for you. I'm a college student so I have this dilemma every week on the going out nights, it just means that you have to work that much harder to get back on track & keep up with your goals.

"WORK HARD, PLAY HARD"

Hope this helps

BCSMama

Personally, when I started my journey, I knew it was going to be a lifestyle change and I wanted to continue to be able to eat out with friends/family without stressing too much about it. I think it's great that you're looking at the menu ahead of time so you can make a healthy choice.

I'd go with either:

Grilled chicken, mixed greens, mandarin oranges, toasted walnuts, feta cheese & raspberry vinaigrette with the dressing on the side or

The Silver Fox Filet - $24
8oz beef tenderloin with scallion mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus with a roasted garlic mushroom Au Jus and take part of it to go (or if you're not going home for awhile, just leave it on the plate).

I think that most restaurants offer at least something that you can eat and stay in your calorie goal if you watch what you eat the rest of the day. It sounds like you're on the right track; enjoy the time with your friends.

ohmariposa

I would order grilled chicken of some kind and have 2 glasses of vino!

magj0y

I would stick to something that is low carb, but high protein. Maybe a grilled chicken dish..."Sautéed chicken breast cooked in a Marsala wine reduction with mushrooms and served with roasted baby red potatoes, escorted by vegetable sauté" looked promising. Just maybe ask them to replace the potatoes with extra veggies, or just eat them b/c they're red & roasted so not terrible for you. I'm a college student so I have this dilemma every week on the going out nights, it just means that you have to work that much harder to get back on track & keep up with your goals.

"WORK HARD, PLAY HARD"

Hope this helps

I agree with this.. You can also re-arrange your other meals/snacks to accommodate these calories. red roasted potatoes are not evil!

maremare312

Seafood cocktail and a cup of (non-creamy) soup?

thrld

Bruschetta or a Garden salad (vinagrette on side) to start, and a steak entree. But I'd ask for a "to go box" and put 1/2 the steak in it before I began to eat. Also, I would ask to switch out any entree sides (ie mashed potatoes) with brococcli.

Or.... I'd get a a cup of pasta fagoli & a salad with grilled chicken as my entree. To drink -- rum and diet coke, and water.

skyblu263

Thanks you guys!! You all have helped me so much!!! I LOVE steak and chicken. I will definitely order one of the 2 with a side salad. I feel better already. I was starting to get overwhelmed already and wondering how I was going to do this. And I love the advice of halfing the steak and putting it in a to-go box before hand. *Weight off shoulders, Lifted*

skyblu263

I'd order the garden salad, then the filet mignon skip the potatoes double asparagus and a glass of red wine.

Great idea

skyblu263

I would stick to something that is low carb, but high protein. Maybe a grilled chicken dish..."Sautéed chicken breast cooked in a Marsala wine reduction with mushrooms and served with roasted baby red potatoes, escorted by vegetable sauté" looked promising. Just maybe ask them to replace the potatoes with extra veggies, or just eat them b/c they're red & roasted so not terrible for you. I'm a college student so I have this dilemma every week on the going out nights, it just means that you have to work that much harder to get back on track & keep up with your goals.

"WORK HARD, PLAY HARD"

Hope this helps

So you know exactly what I mean when it comes to going out with friends! I've never thought about this dish before. This restaurant is a frequent spot. So, I'll keep this on my radar at all times

skyblu263

Personally, when I started my journey, I knew it was going to be a lifestyle change and I wanted to continue to be able to eat out with friends/family without stressing too much about it. I think it's great that you're looking at the menu ahead of time so you can make a healthy choice.

I'd go with either:

Grilled chicken, mixed greens, mandarin oranges, toasted walnuts, feta cheese & raspberry vinaigrette with the dressing on the side or

The Silver Fox Filet - $24
8oz beef tenderloin with scallion mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus with a roasted garlic mushroom Au Jus and take part of it to go (or if you're not going home for awhile, just leave it on the plate).

I think that most restaurants offer at least something that you can eat and stay in your calorie goal if you watch what you eat the rest of the day. It sounds like you're on the right track; enjoy the time with your friends.

Thank you! A lifestyle change, indeed. I was definitely beginning to stress about it.

skyblu263

I would order grilled chicken of some kind and have 2 glasses of vino!

Thank you!!

skyblu263

I would stick to something that is low carb, but high protein. Maybe a grilled chicken dish..."Sautéed chicken breast cooked in a Marsala wine reduction with mushrooms and served with roasted baby red potatoes, escorted by vegetable sauté" looked promising. Just maybe ask them to replace the potatoes with extra veggies, or just eat them b/c they're red & roasted so not terrible for you. I'm a college student so I have this dilemma every week on the going out nights, it just means that you have to work that much harder to get back on track & keep up with your goals.

"WORK HARD, PLAY HARD"

Hope this helps

I agree with this.. You can also re-arrange your other meals/snacks to accommodate these calories. red roasted potatoes are not evil!

I do love potatoes. So, it's good to know that I can have these sometimes

DizzyLinds

I have this problem a lot! I'm very sociable and I love my food and drink.

I always try to avoid anything heavy in white carbs like rice, pasta...if I have potato it's a baked one or as a one off chunky chips (fries). I also like new potatoes.
I never have creamy sauces and avoid cheese sauces or anything fried.
Seafood or fish if not in a creamy sauce. If there's a sauce I'll choose a tomato based one.

From that menu I'd have steak with baked potato and veg...get them to put any sauces on the side or remove completely. I eat so much salad at home I try to avoid this.

Maybe share two starters between you all.

However, I always order dessert to myself!

21Pontoon

The important thing is that you're thinking about it. Red wine is brilliant for a girly night out. Avoiding heavy carb foods, also asking for salad instead of fries / potato, asking if things can be grilled instead of fried or asking for less oil (if you know the food is cooked on site and not sent in of course).
Not stressing is the best course of action, this is a lifestyle choice after all with the emphasis on life and living

Good luck on your journey x

skyblu263

I have this problem a lot! I'm very sociable and I love my food and drink.

I always try to avoid anything heavy in white carbs like rice, pasta...if I have potato it's a baked one or as a one off chunky chips (fries). I also like new potatoes.
I never have creamy sauces and avoid cheese sauces or anything fried.
Seafood or fish if not in a creamy sauce. If there's a sauce I'll choose a tomato based one.

From that menu I'd have steak with baked potato and veg...get them to put any sauces on the side or remove completely. I eat so much salad at home I try to avoid this.

Maybe share two starters between you all.

However, I always order dessert to myself!

LOL! I totally understand keeping the yummies for yourself I love steak. So, I think I'm going with that! thank you!!

skyblu263

The important thing is that you're thinking about it. Red wine is brilliant for a girly night out. Avoiding heavy carb foods, also asking for salad instead of fries / potato, asking if things can be grilled instead of fried or asking for less oil (if you know the food is cooked on site and not sent in of course).
Not stressing is the best course of action, this is a lifestyle choice after all with the emphasis on life and living

Good luck on your journey x

You are absolutely right! I've failed so much because I kept stressing on the wrong thing. Granted, this is only my third day on my fitness journey. But, I'm feeling great! And I love not feeling like I'm depriving myself. With the girl night out's, it was really starting to stress me out about how I could do this. But, it's slowly starting to all make sense....that this is a long journey of health, so I need to chill! ;D

sugarbone

Don't order anything or pick at other people's food if it bothers you? Share food or have half of it bagged beforehand? Seems pretty simple to me, have fun with your friends without making it about food. I think you're stressing too much about the details and letting it control your life.

Babymomakell

Sorry, but I just wouldn't go. I would suggest we do something else for "girls night" why does it always have to be dinner? and why should you sabotage yourself??

Without a nutrition menu, you truly have NO idea what you are eating... I have seen salads go for 1500+ calories and have insane amounts of sodium in them....

If anything, I would eat dinner at home before I went, and then just nibble on a roll and a glass of wine.