After/While losing weight eating habits

imperfection_is_beauty

While you are losing weight; or after you have met your goal do you still enjoy spaghetti or go out?

I am a major spaghetti fan (like I could get it EVERY night & never get tired of it). Do you allow yourself to still eat spaghetti? I have tried wheat spaghetti and also squash but do not enjoy either one. Now I know you can't eat it every night, and please don't think I am refering to that, but maybe once a week or something?

How do you manage to go out with friends to a restraunt and eat? Do you still eat anything you've previously enjoyed? How do you manage to go out and enjoy your food at the same time?

Thanks so much for all the information.

askeates

Very nice to meet you... I (like you) love my pasta, and have found ways to do it! It is possible to enjoy it and still lose weight, but it involves planning and moderation.

I reward myself when I lose a pound or more in a week.... I don't go hog wild, but instead will eat one of those pasta meals that I love so much, just a smaller portion and with a large salad filled with lots of veggies and fresh fruits. I also make my cheat day a day when I have an extensive work out planned.

The other very important thing to do when enjoying a "cheat" day, make sure you eat slowly... the smaller portion and eating slowly will help to satisfy your "craving" for that particular food item, and you won't get that horrible stuffed feeling.

As for going out to dinner, most places now have low/lower calorie meals. If you plan ahead you can go out and enjoy it if you plan your meals for the entire day around what you are going to have when you go out. If you do go over the plan, don't beat yourself up, start fresh the next day!

Hope this helps And remember everything is possible with planning and moderation! :drinker:

michelefrench

I'm still in the losing weight part...but I eat out when i want to ...I do try to check restaurant websites and look for healthier options most of the time...but if I'm really craving something, i'll order it...I try to go lighter on other meals for the day, and pretty much ALWAYS ask for a box w/the meal and box up at least 1/2 of it before I start eating...restaurant portions are huge....

Cryren8972

My stepfather is Italian. I grew up eating all sorts of pasta. I still eat it on occasion, but I have found there is a quinoa pasta out there that tastes JUST like pasta...although it's a little more firm. They do have around the same caloric count, so it won't help there, but it IS gluten free and quinoa is a healthier option.

bookworm_847

I still eat most of the stuff I used to, including pasta. I LOVE pasta. However, I watch how much I eat of it now. If I start having trouble losing weight, I may have to revisit that though!

I usually know if I'm going to be going out to a restaurant, so I'll look online to get a game plan in place. I'll also do a little extra exercise that morning just to give myself a little wiggle room so I can enjoy myself at the restaurant since I don't go out very often anymore.

Mutant13

Mutants complicated flow chart for eating

Can it fit into your calorie budget?
v
Yes
v
Does it work with your macro goals?
v
Yes
v
Is it glue, poison or somebodies pet?
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No
v
Eat it

Francl27

I still eat pasta, but I switched to whole grains 3 years ago. I had to really look into my portions though, one cup (cooked) is about 200 calories. So 1 cup of pasta and 1/2 cup of sauce and a bit of cheese and you're pretty much at 350 calories. Honestly my portions used to be way off and I was probably eating 700 calories easily every time I had pasta.

As people said, as long as it fits in your daily calories and your macro goals, go for it.

Going out is trickier. I don't really have friends I go out with though so it makes it easier because when it's just us, I pick restaurants that have a low calories menu. Even then it's often close to 600 calories, and you have to watch the fat. I typically check what I want to order on MFP before I go... because unfortunately 90% of restaurant food is horrible for you. Check your favorite meals in the database.

If I can't go to a chain, I'll have a salad with low fat dressing, or grilled chicken or fish with no sauce (unless it's specified that it's low calories) and veggies.