Frustrated with free food!

bbear

I'm so upset! I had a work meeting today with lunch provided by The Spicy Pickle. (for those of you who are unfarmiliar, it's a panini place). I though I was doing really good by choosing the turkey and guacamole sandwhich, removing the cheese, and only eating half of the sadwich. When I got to a computer, I realized that 1/2 sandwich was 400 calories!!!! Now I'm going to be over on my calories even though I had a great gym day. Things like this make me nuts! I wish someone regulated the ridiculous amount of crap restaurants put in their food (not that I don't have responsibility in this too). Sorry for the rant, I'm just really upset.

questionablemethods

I can relate. First of all, I am working on my PhD and living off of my teaching stipend, so I'm not terribly wealthy. I spend more than the average student on food because I really care about the quality and nutritional value of what I eat. Nevertheless, I still like to take advantage of the occasional free meal that I get as a result of being on numerous committees. Not only that, but sometimes I find myself on campus ALL DAY and even if I think I have packed enough food, I find myself unexpectedly hungry by the time I get to one of these meetings with food. And then.... disaster strikes when I end up consuming far more than I thought I had. I do my best to find out what the food will be ahead of time so that I can either look it up and plan or just have something else, but I still haven't been completely successful.

tlschlp

Don't beat yourself up over your eating! I know it gets frustrating, but you made some good choices with what you had to deal with.

I hate referring to my eating as a "diet" because it implies the removal of "real life." Unfortunately, I have to deal with "real life" every day, so sometimes my eating needs to accommodate that. That's when this "diet" should become a "life choice". Yes, eating 400 calories in one sandwich seems like a lot. But, you don't eat like that ALL THE TIME! This was a one-shot-deal and you should be allowed that from time to time.

Instead of beating yourself up over the calories, you should be enjoying your choices and savoring the other half!

Jennplus2

First of all good job on eating only half a sandwich and removing the cheese! You made your meal much lower in calories due to that. Second, I totally get how you feel. I started asking if I could "help by ordering and picking up the food" so I knew what was what calorie wise and so I could order a healthy choice for myself. That has helped a lot. Plus my boss thinks I am being helpful. :devil:
All is not lost, try to have a really low cal dinner and if you can take a short walk this afternoon. Sometimes when I have a high calorie day that I was not counting on I lower my calories the next day to make up for going over the day before. :embarassed: I know am going to get hate mail for posting that advise, stay above 1200 but skip the extras you can live without like if you have a snack of peanut butter with apples slices pass on the peanut butter for the day and only eat the apple. Things like that can add up fast.

:flowerforyou:

cynthiaj777

I completely understand your frustration. It seems like I am always running into free food. I work at a nonprofit in downtown DC, and I'm also a graduate student on nurmerous committees and there is ALWAYS free food somewhere. On good weeks, we will have a catered lunch at work, then I'll have two functions that are catered throughout the week, then a friend will want to go to dinner....so it seems like I'm always freaking out AND annoying the hell out of my friends because I'm constantly talking about my calorie intake.

I just find it helpful to eat the veggies at free buffets...even if it is with dip, it is better than grabbing the quesadilla! Also, when going out to eat, I try to research the restaurant menu to see what kinds of food it has and look up some that I'm interested in on the datebase. I find while I'm eating I am thinking....okay...I can ONLY have half of this app!

Good luck! There are many of the FREE RANGE eaters out here! lol

weaklink109

Your sandwich was probably a little higher in calories because of the avocado, but it is a wonderful source of good fat that will help you stay satisfied. I also will carry over calories from one day to the next. Today I spent two hours moving boxes from one storage unit to another and 40 minutes walking my dogs. I went out for Chinese with some friends and I knew I had calories "to burn" so I had a drink, and I even ordered a dish with some noodles in it. I only ate half my entree because it was huge. I came home and had something that I like for dessert for about 100 calories. After logging my dinner, I still have 550 calories left over, which I will simple let sit there, as I was over by 200 yesterday. This is something I have done for as long as I have been on MFP and I have been very successful and losing, and also at maintaining during the past 3 months, though I am back on a losing streak now that some personal and health issues are resolved.

Remember, every day is a new day. The other posters gave good advice about not stressing and making the best choices you can in a given situation.

SimonLondon

I always carry a Special K bar with me so if that happens I tend to munch on that and then nibble on the lunch if I need to.

Worst thing for me is team lunches. They go out a lot and always tend to go out and eat in places like Nando's or local burger bars. I skip as many as I can get away with but it is disheartening that even ordering the minimum/healthy can tot up to 600 calories :sad:

I really wish more places would have better healthy options that don't contain a ton of rubbish to them them fresh etc. Healthy always seems a after thought with no real effort put in.

kwardklinck

If I know I'm going to be eating out, I preplan my meal by looking up the calorie content before I order something. So called "healthy choices" could wind up being higher in fat and calories than something else. 400 really isn't all that bad. I've gone to choose salads with more than 500. It helps to look up the nutritional information before you eat something.

sharibrat

I have found that with eating out also. I think I am making a healthy choice, only to get home and look it up and find out it was terrible and t hat something like the fried chicken sandwich would have been better!

You tried!

I always wonder, WHAT DO these restaurants do, to make the foods so high in calories?????????

MissingMinnesota

Yesterday at work they offered as a moral booster Philly Soft Pretzels. I looked it up before indulging and it was 360 calories, 70 carbs and 1200 sodium! That was before the dipping sauces. I told someone that and got yelled at for being the food nazi. I am okay with having 360 calories for a meal but not for an afternoon snack and I never want something with 70 carbs and 1200 sodium.