How to enjoy take out and still lose...

vikdexkaykai

Hi all,
I'm reaching out for some motovation.
I LOVE take out!
I LOVE desserts!
I LOVE diet sodas!

How do I enjoy these, realistically, and still lose.

My history:
I eat well for a few days...then fall off for a few days which equals in ZERO weight loss. Quite frankly, I'm tired of ZERO weight loss.
I know that weight loss it 80% eating healthy, so right now I just want to focus on eating. Exercising is not the problem. I play badminton and go to the gym regularly.

I guess I keep telling myself that I can continue to eat the way I am, and still lose. I know how dumb that sounds, but it's almost like I'm determined for someone to say that it is possible and that I can still enjoy burgers and fries.
I don't want to give up these 'bad' foods all together, so does anyone still eat the good old burger and fries from time to time and still maintain losing the weight?

I'm trying to be as honest as I can, but admiting to food is a struggle. Any suggestions??
Thanks

zyxst

Only eat half. Ask for a to-go box when you order, or soon after, if you don't think you can stop eating the whole thing. For fast food places, I don't get the combo meals, just the sandwich. Pizza is hard for me, but I can get a thin crust with green peppers, onion, and cheddar cheese from Domino's that I can eat half of the medium pizza and be perfectly under my calories/macros.

I've had to cook a few foods from scratch so I could have what I really wanted without the high cals and sodium. I use tortillas for pizza crust, make my own pasta sauce, etc..

osualex

You can eat what you still love and lose, just maybe not as MUCH as you might want. As long as you're under your calorie goal and throw in some healthy stuff most of the time, you can reach your goals. And for those days where you HAVE to have the whole cheeseburger, fries and soda, keep it to no more than once a week or so. At the end of the day, its calories in vs calories out, but you'll feel a lot better and get fuller faster if you keep the junk in moderation.

cebreisch

I eat out for lunch during the work week most days, so I hear ya. With the burgers and fries, it's definitely a case of "choose your doom". My suggestion: if you're going to order a burger, order it without the bun, and have only half the fries.

At Olive Garden, DO NOT get the salad. The salad dressing is REALLY BAD for you because they put LOTS of it on there. Get the Pasta e Fagioli soup (it has plenty of beans, and meat - they call it "an italian chili"), and order the KIDS portion of whatever you want. It's a way to control your portions. Tell them not to bring the breadsticks or to only bring one.

If you go to a steak house, realize that they put LOTS of butter on the steaks and bake them after they sear them....ask them to go LIGHT on the butter and the seasonings.

In any case, try to leave a few bites on your plate every time you to - it'll get easier every time you do it. That way maybe you only have to count 3/4 of the portion.

If you choose to get dessert - get it to go. That way you can take it with you, and have a few bites at a time over the next few days and it won't be as big a hit on your food journal - AND you won't feel like you have to eat it all at once there at the table or feel bad about not eating it all and having it go to waste.

notsosimplyabby

Girl, I am with you.
If anyone has any tips, I'd like to know em! I just know that if I post pictures of how I would like to look with motivational quotes & reminders ("Hey! Those Sour Patch Kids are not enhancing your bikini body for your Honeymoon!") helps for me!

Good luck, you can do this!

leilaphoenix

There is no evidence to say diet soda stalls weigh loss. There are no calories in it. Drink it in moderation and make sure you also are getting your water in.

I have take outs. I just have a much smaller portion than I used to have. Like for a chinese or indian I'd share a rice and get something that isn't too saucy.

Deserts. I don't buy them but if I'm out for a meal then maybe I'll have one.

It is all about doing it in moderation and when you have a little naughty treat, making sure you make up for it. Maybe go for a mega-run the next day, or stay extra-under your cals.

I've done this and it works. Obviously I lose more slowly than I would without takeaways and cake but I'm a happier person for it.

Leila in moderation
-48lbs

Acg67

Hi all,
I'm reaching out for some motovation.
I LOVE take out!
I LOVE desserts!
I LOVE diet sodas!

How do I enjoy these, realistically, and still lose.

Fit it in your cals, skip a meal or two if you need to make room for them. Ideally you shouldn't be sacrificing getting in your macros and micros to do so though

aippolito1

My experience with eating out usually works well like this:

- Find something that is the healthiest, or at least lowest calorie you think you can fit into your day...and eat half.

- Or have one cheat day, a week or a month. I'm trying to do mine once a week. It won't be eating whatever I want all day, just a little wiggle room to have something I don't normally eat (like pizza or a cinnamon roll, or something). My cheat day was Wednesday of course. I had a good breakfast & lunch, then had some candy and pizza for dinner. I ended up about 1000 over, but if you are within your calories all week, it shouldn't make too much of a dent, especially if you're working out.

tomomatic

Maybe you need to pick up the pocket guide or mobile app version of Eat This, Not That. I used to keep the printed book at my desk and looked at it before I went to lunch.

FitBeto

I eat out a lot, i do do short periods of fasting for family get togethers though and family meals where i really cant control what i eat. It doesnt really bother me too much anyways about what I eat, just how its made or whats on it lol.

white_horse

I still eat out quite regularly (try to keep it to twice a week but some weeks life says otherwise). I've lost 49lbs so far since March. I had a burger on Tuesday night. I got what they called the junior size - 1 patty instead of 2 on their normal burger. No bacon. Small side of fries and only ate a portion of them. Next time we're there the cheese will go from the burger too. I typically know the nights I'll be having dinner out at least that morning and will try to leave 800-1000 calories for dinner that night and usually do ok. Last night we were out and I was over some (~250 calories I think) but I'll make that up by the end of the week. I'll probably be over today because I know we're going out tonight and we have a going away pot-luck lunch at work but I'll try to make good choices that if I'm over I'm not WAY over.

I was never big on deserts from restaurants. I keep small things at home if I want something "sweet" but I make sure they are small things and not huge calories - like little ice cream novelties that run 90-150 calories or pudding cups that are usually ~120 calories are two of the things I keep on hand. As I think someone mentioned, get the desert to go and bring it home. Split it into multiple servings to have over multiple days/meals.

You can still go out. Just watch how much you eat, bring food home, ask for the desert to go, and over time try to make small adjustments to what you're ordering that will lower the overall calories count.

vikdexkaykai

Those are all great suggestions!

Thanks a bunch!