Anxious about eating out?

MayaSPapaya

For the past week, I've been eating out a lot:
Thursday- Wendy's for lunch, grilled chicken sandwich and fries
Friday- 6 pieces of a salmon avocado roll for dinner (but i know sushi is healthy)
Sunday- Half a tomato fresca sandwich (tomato, mozzerella, pesto and proscuitto on ciabatta) and a ceasar salad as a side

And my dad just came back from Italy so he's taking us out tonight.
I'm starting to think this all cant be good for my diet, and I eat really well the rest of the day, but when I found out we were going out again tonight, it made me nervous.
Am I making ok choices?

cricket_77

I don't worry so much about the "choices", I just try to make sure that I stay under my calorie goal or that I make up for it the next day.

lovelyleanne

For the past week, I've been eating out a lot:
Thursday- Wendy's for lunch, grilled chicken sandwich and fries
Friday- 6 pieces of a salmon avocado roll for dinner (but i know sushi is healthy)
Sunday- Half a tomato fresca sandwich (tomato, mozzerella, pesto and proscuitto on ciabatta) and a ceasar salad as a side

And my dad just came back from Italy so he's taking us out tonight.
I'm starting to think this all cant be good for my diet, and I eat really well the rest of the day, but when I found out we were going out again tonight, it made me nervous.
Am I making ok choices?

It's really difficult to know how much you are eating when you are eating out, and its difficult to then work out what to add to your food diary. A lot of restaurants now are able to supply the nutirional info on each meal available so it may be worth contacting them ahead of the event or review the website to find out what would be the healthiest choice.


Eating out is important socially, and you don't want to come across as diet obsessed to your friends and family, so don't feel nervous or guilty just enjoy yourself within reason and try to eat super low calorie/fat/sugar etc for the rest of the day. Think about the best type of drink to have too so you avoid wasting calories on a soda etc.

If you know you are going to be eating out a few times try to build in an hours worth of cardio for each meal out - swimming, running etc are all good for fat burning.

Hope this helps :-)

seena511

remember that even too much of something healthy can be detrimental to your diet if it puts you over your goal. keep striving to make good, healthy, sensibile choices and try to eat half of what is brought to you. restaurant portions are often 2 or 3x a normal serving size. take a sip of water and put down your fork between EVERY bite. as soon as you feel full, ask for a box to package up the rest of it and take it home for tomorrow :-)

chymerra

unless i know what the menu is, i don't eat a full meal there... what i do is i eat before i head out to the restaurant, about 2hrs before dinner and then when i'm there, i have a healthy appy like a small salad etc. this way i can still enjoy the company and "eat" socially.

deannajf4

Have you ever had Perrier water (or other carbonated water?) My hubby and I just "discovered" it and love it with lemon!

This is such a treat - zero calories, a little squeese of lemon - the fizz we're used to in pop plus, it doesn't draw attention to yourself that you're "dieting" making others roll their eyes lol

I agree that calling ahead to the restaurant or checking the website is a great way to easily make a wise choice!

Another tip is as soon as you receive your meal take your knife and divide it in half, ask for a take out container right away and package the extra half! There's normally a ridiculous amount of food per plate (at chain type restaurants anyway..not at someplace more fancy...)

Enjoy yourself!

deannajf4

Have you ever had Perrier water (or other carbonated water?) My hubby and I just "discovered" it and love it with lemon!

This is such a treat - zero calories, a little squeese of lemon - the fizz we're used to in pop plus, it doesn't draw attention to yourself that you're "dieting" making others roll their eyes lol

I agree that calling ahead to the restaurant or checking the website is a great way to easily make a wise choice!

Another tip is as soon as you receive your meal take your knife and divide it in half, ask for a take out container right away and package the extra half! There's normally a ridiculous amount of food per plate (at chain type restaurants anyway..not at someplace more fancy...)

Enjoy yourself!

zoomerrs

This is a timely post as I've had the same issue these past couples of weeks, two birthdays dinners out, girls dinner night out, co-workers wanting to go out for drinks after work etc. It can get stressful with all the landmines I'm trying to avoid. Couple of things I've done is I go out with my co-workers, but order a diet pop or coffee (trying to remember it's a social thing not necessarily a drinking thing), at the restaurants I only eat half my meal or order a soup and salad instead of a main. For me it's staying away from alcohol for two reasons it makes me retain water and secondly it lowers my resistance and I'll end up eating more food.

ahzoe

It's ok to pass on social outings if you think you'll cave in to those cravings. I used to limit outings to once a week and my friends and family were very understanding when I told them the reason.

Cr01502

Don't be nervous.

There's really nothing to it.

You just wait for when the timing is right (usually this after drink 4 or 5) and get it done.

Lift_This_

Don't be nervous.

There's really nothing to it.

You just wait for when the timing is right (usually this after drink 4 or 5) and get it done.

sound advice here.

jbutterflye

On the plus side, eating out a lot will help you to learn what choices to make, when you're faced with all the restaurant variety. I'd look at it as a class and really study up on how to function well when eating out. It's good to know because a diet is not a lifestyle, and you'll need these skills for the rest of your life when faced with such a situation.

I'd focus on quantity and choices, learning when to ask for modifications, asking for a to-go box early on and put half in there from the start, etc. Plus collect a big database of restaurant foods to draw from quickly.

DontStopB_Leakin

Don't be nervous.

There's really nothing to it.

You just wait for when the timing is right (usually this after drink 4 or 5) and get it done.

How YOU doin'?

HealthWoke0ish

Don't be nervous.

There's really nothing to it.

You just wait for when the timing is right (usually this after drink 4 or 5) and get it done.

This is what I expected when I read the TOPIC...not that diet-mumbo-jumbo.

ashzacher

ME, ME, ME! I stress SO badly about eating out. Mainly because I don't want to spontaneously order something that will in the long run undo all of the work I've done in the past few days.

For example, my boyfriend and I met my best friend and her boyfriend for dinner at UNO Grill on Friday - I did a little research and found a few dishes I could choose from. I always log it that day so I know ahead of time where my calories stand - but, I was going out for St Patty's this weekend, so I knew I had to pick my battles and I chose something pretty healthy at the restaurant (Ended up eating pizza the next day and didn't feel too badly about it!)

I agree with the 'just eat half' mentality - plus, it's always great to have some leftovers the next day.

The worst part about going to eat with friends, is you want to enjoy the meal and not let the 'calorie counting' mentality consume you. I'll admit, I obsess over it sometimes, but you just gotta go with it and make healthy choices. But there's no shame in enjoying a burger and fries every now and then.. :-)