Hard to eat healthy

hiyomi

So, I started "dieting" again recently and exercising and for me dieting is just eating way less than what I was before. I exercise 5 days a week, and am within my calorie range about 98% of the time. My problem is, eating out.
I come from a family who eats out everywhere and very very often, then when I hang out with my friends on the weekend they always want to go out and eat also. Its easy to stay within my calorie range but I want to actually start eating healthy, but I don't know how to do it when everyone wants to go out to eat all the time (including me, sadly) I would eat salads, but I don't like lettuce at all, I like basically every other vegetable but lettuce lol Does anyone have any tips or alternatives to eating out and actually eating healthy, not just under a calorie goal?
In a month, staying under my calorie goal, still eating fried foods ect, with exercise 5 days a week, I'm about to be at my first 10 pounds lost.

First SW: 275, lost 5 pounds, then stopped dieting and exercising and went to 280. So
SW now: 280
CW:272

pkw58

Google. Eat This Not That....it is very helpful. I always go for the grilled fish or chicken with steamed veggies as much as possible when eating out. If we eat at amexican restaurant, i get the faijitas, skip the chipe tortillas rice and beans , add sliced avocados. At chineses restaurants, skip the rice noodles and go for shrimp and veggies... All the asian restaurants will double the veggies if you ask...

Firefox7275

Plan ahead and read menus online, you suggest somewhere to go that has truly healthy options not just fried food. Many places offer dishes that are fish or chicken with vegetables and fruit salads, just ask for extra veggies, sauce on the side, no potatoes or rice. Or they offer vegetarian options based on veggies and beans that you can add a serving of chicken or fish to.

Be honest with your family and friends that your health is important to you, that you want to be able to meet your goals not just for weight but getting all the nutrients you need so you don't get sick. I am sure that they love you so would not want you to be ill. Otherwise just go out less often, you can still be a good friend or relative and have fun without attending every social event, or eat at home before you go out and just meet up with people afterwards, or offer to cook a healthy meal for everyone.

You should be aiming for nine servings of fruits and veggies a day, three servings of reduced fat dairy, oily fish regularly, mineral and fibre rich foods several times a day (nuts, seeds, beans, lentils) so these are foods to look for on menus. This supplies the basic vitamins, minerals, fibre and essential fatty acids to stop you becoming malnourished and reduce your risk of all sorts of lifestyle health complaints from cancer to type 2 diabetes. Also consider how much salt you are taking in eating out constantly.

AmyRhubarb

Good thing you don't care for salads - often they are higher in calories and junk than a burger!

Like Firefox said, plan ahead and check out the menus online before you go, or some restaurants will have nutrition info on the menu or on a card somewhere on the table (or you might have to ask for it). I try to go for whatever has the best protein and keep an eye on the sodium. I always order just water to drink. And most restaurant serving sizes are huge - I always see if someone wants to split a meal with me, or when I get my order, I cut or divide it in half first thing, and only eat half of it. I take the other half home for lunch the next day.