Eating out

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melanieOG
melanieOG Posts: 18
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone, what are some tips beside...well dont eat out lol...that people can share about going to restaurants and trying to keep to a diet or do people treat dining out as a 'treat day'?
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Replies

  • judykat7
    judykat7 Posts: 576 Member
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    I would say these things are to watch:
    1.avoid sauces
    2.grilled
    3.small portion

    Sometimes it seems the small filet with plain pot and steamed veggie is perfect!
  • colleenkokemohr
    colleenkokemohr Posts: 2
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    I go on line to their websites before arriving there and look at their nutrition guides, choose my foods before hand by what looks good and fits into my plan for the day and stick to it. I still get to eat out, eat foods I enjoy and lose weight.:smile:
  • JessicaRobin67
    JessicaRobin67 Posts: 275 Member
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    I personally don't take as a treat day but I am sure some may. There are some restaurants like Cracker Barrel, Bob Evans, Olive Gardens that have "lite" dishes on their menu. My most favorite at Olive Gardens is the APricot Chicken that comes with asparagus and broccoli.
  • ecjak2
    ecjak2 Posts: 13 Member
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    If I know I'm going to eat out I make sure to look up the menu on my phone & pick out what I'm going to have before I get there.
  • RoadsterGirlie
    RoadsterGirlie Posts: 1,195 Member
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    Eating out can be tough. I calorie cycle, which means I eat more on certain days and less on others. I try to time the days my husband and I dine out with the days that I'm eating more. I usually schedule these and/or Fridays and Saturdays, and it works like a charm.

    If a restaurant has salmon with steamed veggies, you can't go wrong.
  • robin35051
    robin35051 Posts: 2 Member
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    If it is a restaurant that has an online menu try and figure out what you will eat, and the calorie counts, before you go. I have found that if I have a plan I am more likely to stick with it than if I go in and get tempted. This way you know if something should be a half portion or whether you should skip the carb and double the veggies...
  • melanieOG
    melanieOG Posts: 18
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    okay thank you everyone great advice...i hate when im craving pizza but going to go for the salad lol
  • BellaFe
    BellaFe Posts: 323
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    Whoop, my dirty mind struck. Not the eating out I was thinking about.



    And on you 69th post couldn't have planned that better
  • clarkeje1
    clarkeje1 Posts: 1,638 Member
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    Look at nutritional info, only eat until satisfied, don't try to finish your whole plate. if you know a place has big portions, share with a friend or get 1/2 bagged to go beforehand. Rarely eat out, I usually only eat out if it is a special occassion or something (at least that is what i tell myself and what i try to do lol).
  • Honeybea86
    Honeybea86 Posts: 107
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    I can find food to eat any where. Most restaurants now have a low calorie or healthy part of their menu. If not stick to lean proteins with no creamy sauce and always opt for the steamed veggies instead of the loaded whatever they are serving. Another good idea is if you know where your going to eat check their menu before you leave the house and decide so when you get to the restaurant your not tempted with less than healthy foods. I hope this helps
  • PennStateChick
    PennStateChick Posts: 327 Member
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    Be careful of the salads. Red Robin, Applebees, and a bunch of other places have some salads with over 1000 calories. Check nutrition info ahead of time and make a plan.
  • ChristinaR720
    ChristinaR720 Posts: 1,186
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    I go on line to their websites before arriving there and look at their nutrition guides, choose my foods before hand by what looks good and fits into my plan for the day and stick to it. I still get to eat out, eat foods I enjoy and lose weight.:smile:

    This. Also, be sure to pay close attention to the amount of sodium in the foods offered. Restaurants are notorious for majorly overdoing it on the sodium, which can lead to water retention.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    if they have the info on their website, I'll pre-plan my choices before I go - that helps a lot.

    Other than that - look for how things are cooked (baked is better than fried, etc, etc...) Ask for sauces on the side. If the plate arrives and you know right away that it's more food than you should eat - divide it right on your plate and only eat the portion that fits your goals.
  • aforange
    aforange Posts: 116 Member
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    HEHEHEHEUEHEUHEUHEHUEHUE.

    Oh wait.
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
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    Try restaurants like Yardhouse that publish calories.Dont waste your calories. Dont order something dull, make the calories count..
  • Jill_newimprovedversion
    Jill_newimprovedversion Posts: 988 Member
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    If I know I'm going to eat out I make sure to look up the menu on my phone & pick out what I'm going to have before I get there.

    That's a good plan, if you can find the nutritional info. But eating out, to me, also means going to someone's house.
    Generally it's the weekends that this occurs. If I know in advance,
    I'll eat lighter towards the end of the week ( not going under 1200 calories) and make sure I've exercised that AM
    and I eat lighter the day afterwards
    as well as make sure I've drank plenty of water to flush out the inevitable sodium overload


    Also: one tip I learned- it helps. Order a to-go box at the START of the meal, cut the entree in 1/2 and box it up, get it outta sight.
    If it's lunch, save the leftovers for dinner.
    If it's dinner, save it for next day's lunch.

    and order salad dressings on side. Use sparingly, toss the salad well. The lettuce is already dead, I don't need to drown it.
  • oxnina
    oxnina Posts: 203 Member
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    Coming from someone who works in a restaurant:
    Everything is bad. Stick with salads, but ask for dressing on the side. A lot of restaurants have a healthy section in their menu where they let you know the calories etc..
    But: if nothing is sparking your interest, order something, ask for less sauce, or cheese or whatever is fattening in the food, and when you get your food, ask for a take out container, and IMMEDIATELY put half in the container. Out of sight, out of mind. You'll save yourself from eating the whole dish!
    Just drink water at a restaurant too. You'd be surprise how many calories you'll add by consuming something other than water. Also, If your dish comes with a side, always go for the garden greens and a light dressing or no dressing at all. Most restaurants don't take in account of side dishes in their calorie counting, so you then have to add the sides on, which is very high. Typically you can get away with 20-50 calories for a side by going for the salad vs the 250-300 calories.

    Hope this helps!

    Also: If you do go for dinner because its for a birthday or something: don't go hungry. eat some nuts or fruit before hand and drink lots of water. You'll fill up before you eat your meal.
  • lisadlocks
    lisadlocks Posts: 212 Member
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    To watch out for sodium, I ask that they cook my food with no added salt. I also get broiled fish options and steamed vegetable. Even if they don't have it on the menu, ask them to prepare your food in any healthy way that you like and they usually can accommodate (such as no salt, no butter, etc). This may not work with certain beans (already seasoned) etc.
  • slimcakelady
    slimcakelady Posts: 81 Member
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    I go on line to their websites before arriving there and look at their nutrition guides, choose my foods before hand by what looks good and fits into my plan for the day and stick to it. I still get to eat out, eat foods I enjoy and lose weight.:smile:

    I do the same thing. If the restaraunt has something like an under 550 menu then I'll stick with that. From doing this, I've discovered that many of the dishes at these places have a day's worth of calories in one meal...even the salads are extremely high in calories and most think they're super healthy. Sometimes when I go out with another person, I'll split an entree. Also get the dressing on the side and limit the croutons and cheese if you do order a salad. If I know I'm going to go a little crazy and splurge, I'll put in some extra time in my workout.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
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    I always look online first before going to a restaurant.

    I have turned down restaurants due to looking at their menu before going. I look for what types of meals they have and the calorie counts for those meals... I also ensure they have a vegetarian option.

    Look for grilled meats, salads (dressing on the side), steamed veggies, etc. Try to avoid cream sauces... ask how a food is prepared. Sometimes meat is soaked in butter before cooking. Normally restaurants are open with how they prepare food and will cater to your dietary needs a lot of the time. Just ask for food not to be cooked in oil/butter/fried, etc.

    Make a plan before you go. If you plan ahead you don't even have to open the menu and risk temptation.

    Another thing I do is ask for a to go container right away and pack away some of my meal. If it's not on your plate you will be less likely to eat it.

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