Going Out to Restaurants

pbright2880

I have recently started dating again after a couple of years. So now I find myself sitting in restaurants alot more than I would normally do. Is there a website or a good resource book on how to cope with eating out. Not all restaurants have nutrition info posted and I don't want to eat side salad every date and look like an obsessed dieter. I also have a weakness for mexican restaurants so I do try to avoid them. Any Advice.

vg8pr0

I usually go to Dotties Weight Loss Zone. DLWZ.com and go to Restaurants. They list hundreds of places and most of the food has the calories. This way you can calculate and plan ahead. Good Luck on your Journey!

JulieBGoood

Check out "Eat This Not That" I found them very helpful!

SadKitty27

There are just some restaurants I avoid entirely (all fast food, and places like Olive Garden.)

When I do go to a restaurant, I make sure to visit the actual website. If it's a corporate type chain (for example, Darden) they will have the values posted on their actual webpage along with the entire menu.

If you can't find that, then I absolutely LOVE this site in terms of having a ton of places listed :

http://www.nutritionix.com/restaurants

It's a pretty cool site (you should check it out.)

It really helps if you plan your meal ahead of time to prevent slip ups on your diet (well it helps me at least

neverstray

Most restaurants do not have the info. Just use your brain. It's kind of easy. If it was your kitchen, what would you make? Typically, I try not to be a pain in the butt and modify everything I want from the menu, but sometimes, I have to. Sometimes, I'll just order a few ala carte items. I don't find it as hard as people seem to think it is. Just think it through. Pasta is about 200 cals for the pasta by itself for a serving the size of your fist. Most restaurants give you 3 or 4 servings. So, when you get it, subtlely make a small separation for a portion, and then take home the rest. If you want something different, have a hamburger and ditch the bun. Chicken, ask for it dry with no stupid gross fatty sauce all over it.

nchrty

I went out to eat almost every day while losing 70 lbs and staying faithful to the Medifast program. I always found some lean meat, steamed veggies, salad with oil and vinegar. Just tell them to keep off the butter and oils. No reason this can't be done if you just use your own good common sense when ordering. Don't have the bread and butter. Order the salad without croutons or take them off when it arrives. Have your dressing on the side. And no one says you have to clean your plate. You can do this and enjoy an active social life, too.

WilhelmCF

I eat out despite my weight loss goals and find caution and the week to be my allies. I cut out the heaviest dishes but still enjoy myself. Also, I alot those calories consumed against my weekly totals. Instead of limiting myself to just that side salad I enjoy a good meal then eat a side salad for dinner later that week. The extra calories consumed at a Saturday night restaurant dinner are surrendered on a Sunday or Monday dinner at home. Trying to lose weight doesn't mean you have to lock yourself in a closet. Enjoy life, enjoy dating then take a nice long walk the next day to burn extra calories and have a salad.

nchrty

You are getting Excellent advice!:flowerforyou:

Sirref0275

Hi there
I do most of my refraining from foods that are not that great at home, when I go out I eat what I want just not the whole thing take half home for lunch.

machza

i eat out every day...i eat 50% of what they bring out on my plate...i love mexican food as well...i go with the shrimp cocktail or grilled chiken with green sauce. i also have a hugh weakness for taco bell...3 crunchy taco and water 510 cal.

RobynLB

When all else fails. Order any regular entree of grilled/roasted meat, veggie, and side. If there is any weird sauce or glaze, as for your dish without it, or ask for it on the side. Eat: half the meat or less, the veggies, and don't touch the other "side." You'll probably net between 300 and 500 calories this way, and no one will suspect that you're a weird dieter or anything Enjoy your date.

JennaM222

I have recently started dating again after a couple of years. So now I find myself sitting in restaurants alot more than I would normally do. Is there a website or a good resource book on how to cope with eating out. Not all restaurants have nutrition info posted and I don't want to eat side salad every date and look like an obsessed dieter. I also have a weakness for mexican restaurants so I do try to avoid them. Any Advice.

Get a good workout in befor you go out so you dont have to eat like a rabbit

rml_16

I have recently started dating again after a couple of years. So now I find myself sitting in restaurants alot more than I would normally do. Is there a website or a good resource book on how to cope with eating out. Not all restaurants have nutrition info posted and I don't want to eat side salad every date and look like an obsessed dieter. I also have a weakness for mexican restaurants so I do try to avoid them. Any Advice.

Most chain restaurants have NI listed on their sites, which is really helpful.

And while most local places don't have they do often have a menu online, so you can decide what you want to eat ahead of time. I'll use a database like MFP or calorieking.com to look up something similar and just go with that.

bumblebums

You can eat whatever you want in a restaurant and still lose weight--as long as you do not eat all of it at once. Many restaurants (especially outside of major cities) serve much larger portions than an average person should be eating. If you count calories regularly, you get used to seeing what a reasonable portion should be; just eyeball it and eat about that much.

Oh, and assume that everything has a lot more oil and salt in it than what you might use at home. I've worked in a restaurant. We never measured anything and just threw handfuls of salt and bucketfuls of butter and olive oil on everything. So if the dish is glistening, it probably has 2-3 tbsp of lipids in it.

Francesca3162

My husband is a chef, so dinner almost every night is like a restaurant.
I choose proteins that are broiled or steamed not fried.
I choose vegetables or side salad for sides.
I avoid butters and sauces.
And I always take at least half of it home....

rfsatar

Most restaurants do not have the info. Just use your brain. It's kind of easy. If it was your kitchen, what would you make? Typically, I try not to be a pain in the butt and modify everything I want from the menu, but sometimes, I have to. Sometimes, I'll just order a few ala carte items. I don't find it as hard as people seem to think it is. Just think it through. Pasta is about 200 cals for the pasta by itself for a serving the size of your fist. Most restaurants give you 3 or 4 servings. So, when you get it, subtlely make a small separation for a portion, and then take home the rest. If you want something different, have a hamburger and ditch the bun. Chicken, ask for it dry with no stupid gross fatty sauce all over it.

Yep agree... most times I try and make room in my macros or switch to Maintenance over the weekends so there is some wiggle room, but otherwise, I try and check out the menu online, and plan as much as I can for the day - for example a Xmas catch up in Sticky Fingers - I ate well but sparingly during the day, and worked out that I could have half ribs, chicken breast combo and I just asked them for a baked tatty on the side ... I was happy to pay for it if it was a hassle (instead of obligatory fries) and they were absolutely fine with it.

I almost always ditch the bun if I go for a burger... I've only ever had ONE person (a fellow diner at our table) gripe at that but people go wheat free all the time and before I even got the words out, the waitress assumed that's what I was and was more than happy to accommodate.

miccon

This is what I do-- First off-- portion control. Eat half. Build your plate with a protein, large amount of veggies and a smal amount of grain/starchy veggies. No sauces-- on the side if you have to have them. Pass ont he bread basket. If you want to drink alcohol order a wine spritzer,

juliee274

I usually go to Dotties Weight Loss Zone. DLWZ.com and go to Restaurants. They list hundreds of places and most of the food has the calories. This way you can calculate and plan ahead. Good Luck on your Journey!

^^This. And many chain restaurants now have nutritional info on their websites. It requires some planning ahead but takes off the pressure when the menus come. I usually have a choice A and choice B just in case choice A is no longer on the menu or I change my mind! lol

lottycat

I eat out all the time and have managed to loose the weight I wanted and maintain it for 6 months or so (bar a VERY indulgent xmas...). If it's a chain it's pretty easy to find the nutritional info online. But to be honest I am all for supporting small local restaurants wit freshly prepared interesting choices that change regularly. But as plenty of people have said before; it's really just down to common sense. My rule of thumb to basically to stick to one carby thing, not don't get pasta AND garlic bread, or potatoes AND a roll. I'm pescetarian, so usually go for a fish dish with some veg. I ask for no butter/oil/dressings - which is fine as I don't much like my food smothered in sauces anyway. Avoid creamy/oily sauces. And as people have said before, there is nothing wrong with saving half your meal and having it for lunch the next day if you're worried. Good luck and enjoy the dating!! x

PaveGurl

So much good advice!

Like many here, I end up eating out pretty frequently for various reasons.

Thing the first: divide everything in half as soon as it comes.

Thing the second: Beware these high-fat menu buzz words: Cream sauce, butter, oil, au gratin, breaded, Alfredo, battered or batter-dipped, "with gravy," or smothered.

Thing the third: eat an apple about an hour ahead of your planned dinner date - it really does help!

Thing the fourth: if you're going somewhere you know you're going to want to splurge, plan for it by building in a deeper deficit in the day or the day before.

Thing the fifth: ask if you can get fresh veggies instead of bread (sometimes it works really well) - the fiber in veggies helps fill you up on good stuff instead of leaving you starving for high-calorie, low-impact foods.

Thing the sixth: ENJOY YOURSELF! Dating is fun - if you're always worried about what you're eating, you're not having as good a time as you ought

Jizes318

All is really great advice! What I wanted to write is already on here now LOL BUT wanted to say good luck!!!