Restaurant Junkie Needs Help

Hlthy4Good

I am getting back to MFP again, and I am doing some soul searching. I have realized that I am a restaurant junkie. I'm not talking Burger King or McDonald's - thankfully I don't like those places at all.

I live in an area of the country (NJ) that has AMAZING food. Pizza, bagels, Italian, Chinese, deli's......I could go on and on. Herein lies the problem! I find that I am having a hard time resisting the temptation to order in or stop by for a takeout order. It starts with the delicious Jersey bagel shop down the street from my kids' school. Breakfast is ruined. Then there's the independently owned Jersey pizza shop at the corner of my street where "everybody knows your name". (I know - it's a problem when the pizza guys know you!) Then there's the Italian restaurant within walking distance from my house (although I drive there), or the amazing Chinese delivery place just a few miles away. These places scream to me.

I literally understand how addicts feel - it consumes my thoughts and I am not satisfied until I get food from these places! Not to mention the expense of eating out all the time when there is plenty of healthy food going bad in my house! When I am home, I weigh, measure and portion control perfectly! I shop for healthy food and fresh fruits and vegetables. No temptations because I don't bring things into the house that will tempt me. I KNOW what the right and wrong decisions are. Restaurants are another story....most have healthier options, and I know what they are, but I can't pass up the "good stuff" for those healthier options. So every day I say to myself "oh well, I ruined today. I'll start again tomorrow". I have been in this cycle for FAR too long!

So my May goal is to avoid restaurants at all costs. Even if I have to miss social events to do so. Right now, I can't trust myself to make the right decisions and it's best to avoid the temptations.

Is there anyone else out there with a similar problem, or who has "kicked the habit"? I am looking for any suggestions for how to live in my environment without feeling like a prisoner in my own home or giving up my social life! Thanks in advance.

icimani

I hear you - my pizza guy knows my name too, and there are 2 amazing diners on my way home from work that call my name.

It's eating out that gets me into trouble too. For me, it's just not realistic to say I'm never eating out again so I try to limit it to 1-2 times a week and try to make wise choices when I do choose to eat out. My plan doesn't always work, but I try.

BadgerSensei

Y'know what I do? I let myself have a day a week where I don't watch what I'm eating. (Or at least, when I loosen the reigns considerably. No drinking pure bacon grease or eating mayo by the spoonful (I'm kidding (Mostly)))

Your mileage may vary, but I find that having that one cheat day means I don't have to go, "Crap, I can't have things I want!" Instead, I think, "Alright! Just have to make it to Saturday! It's only two days away!"

katinachaos

Eat before you go out, leave your credit cards in the car, stock up on groceries so you are aware of the cost of wasting all that food if you don't prepare it at home. So many people say how expensive it is to eat healthy, but it's so much more so when you're going out to eat all the time. Budget not only your calories, but your food cost, and maybe you can avoid the urge a bit more.

GiveMeCoffee

I understand all to well, I live in NJ too, and the temptations are always there. I mean what's better then pork roll, egg & cheese on a hard roll.... well what I found is better is being able to breath when I tie my shoes

My husband loves to eat out, so before we go I decide what I'm going to order, and pre log it. That way when I go to the restaurant I don't even look at the menu. I know we will always go out to eat its not realistic to think we won't, but I do try to limit how many times we go out. I also try to cook a few different meals over the weekend, so that we have something quick and easy and it's not as tempting to pick up the phone and have something delivered. Does this always work, nope but it does at least 90% of the time.

Maris_Swan

Make a plan! How about saving those restaurants for a special treat once a week. I hate to say this in a manner of 'rewarding yourself with food", but it sounds like you really love eating out and it may be a bit helpful to wean yourself off without going cold turkey and back tracking. Work hard, and you can enjoy all the things you love in moderation.

Hlthy4Good

Ahhh! Breathing sounds amazing! :happy: Thanks for the ideas.

Disneynut

Do not live anywhere new NJ, but we do have some wonderful "eating establishments" here, my advice for what it is worth, do not go "cold turkey", have the odd treat now and again of going out or ordering in, but the emphasis is "odd one", and may I suggest walking for the take out's or restuarant, that way you can burn a few calories both ways to help offset any probable damage.

Life is for living so you have to have your treat's, just try and moderate them :happy:

BamBam125

Do you plan your meals for home?
We have a marker board that we write out the menu for the week on. Having both the food on hand and knowing what to do with it helps us beat the "oh lets just go out" temptations.

Second, we bought a house. It's in a great neighborhood, but actually further from our favorite restaurants than our old apartment was. It's in one of those sprawling suburban neighborhoods and it takes about 5 minutes just to get out of the neighborhood. That's a big incentive to just cook at home as well. Money that used to go to eating out now goes to improving the house.

GormanGhaste

Maybe the food you have at home is Too healthy? If you feel too deprived at home, you're going to stray

Have you tried looking for recipes for food you get at restaurants that have a reasonable amount of calories?

DonaA123

bump

AJL437

What type of person are you? Is it easier for you to cut something completely or to have a little big of it so you don't obsess? I agree with the pre-planning. That has made the biggest change for me. In the morning, I log everything I am going to eat. My husband and I love pizza on Friday nights. I log in eating half the pizza because I know that is what I am going to do. I adjust breakfast and lunch and add an extra workout so I still hit the target calories. Are you eating for comfort? From boredom? Can you get take out and make it last for 3 meals?

sarahthin

What we did was to learn how to fix those great dishes. Saves money and also we learned how to cut some of the excess fat, sodium, and calories. I cut the portion sizes because the restaurant servings are far too large. When we do go out or order in a lot of times we order one serving and split it. Would I have thought of that when we were younger, NO WAY, but as we age we find we really odn't want as much to eat. Especially if it is good.

Hlthy4Good

What we did was to learn how to fix those great dishes. Saves money and also we learned how to cut some of the excess fat, sodium, and calories. I cut the portion sizes because the restaurant servings are far too large. When we do go out or order in a lot of times we order one serving and split it. Would I have thought of that when we were younger, NO WAY, but as we age we find we really odn't want as much to eat. Especially if it is good.

I like the idea of splitting meals when we do go out. If not with my hubby (he may or may not want to "diet" with me and doesn't need to **ugh**), maybe with my 13 year old daughter. She never finishes her meals anyway! Start with a salad (dressing on the side) and half of her meal (keeps her choices healthier too) and this could work out well!

Angylgrrl

OMG, I could have written this! I live in NJ as well (central), and there are TONS of amazingly delicious food establishments in and around the town I live in and also the town I work in. I try to make good choices, but I know how hard it can be when all you want is the crazy delicious sounding pasta with cream sauce or the risotto with cheese or whatever is your poison. I just think long and hard about whether I REALLY think that going over calories is a good idea. I like to go to places where I can get a calorie count or know that they have some yummy, lower calorie options. When in doubt or unsure, I try to choose a dish with veggies, a lean protein, and less carbs/cheese.

bergpa

Maybe the food you have at home is Too healthy? If you feel too deprived at home, you're going to stray

Have you tried looking for recipes for food you get at restaurants that have a reasonable amount of calories?

Agreed, you have to have tempting food a home.

I've learned to make a version of my favorite breakfast sandwich that has half the calories.

Edited to add that tempting doesn't have to be bad, just something that you actually want to eat.