What to do about going out to eat??

mevelt83
mevelt83 Posts: 30 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
We don't go out to eat much at all, but when we do, how would I put it in my fitness the calories. I don't know the right amount because it's a restaurant. Do you guys guess??? I am afraid that I didn't get up to my calories and if I don't I will gain instead.

Replies

  • RealWomenLovePitbulls
    RealWomenLovePitbulls Posts: 729 Member
    just type it in the search bar, there are a lot of things from restaurants already recorded
  • Gardengail
    Gardengail Posts: 596 Member
    Many restaurants also have their nutrition information online, so if you know the restaurant ahead of time you can look at the menu and plan what you will order.
  • Judysiguaw
    Judysiguaw Posts: 12 Member
    Although not a huge fa of the restaurant, Ruby Tuesday's now lists calories for specific items in their menu. Helps me stay on track when I do go there. Otherwise, dining out is generally high calories. Most restaurants use much butter and sugar to make it taste so great.
  • ladyark
    ladyark Posts: 1,101 Member
    Many restaurants also have their nutrition information online, so if you know the restaurant ahead of time you can look at the menu and plan what you will order.
    [/quote


    I rarely ever go out to eat any more since looking at the restaurant nutrition websites. It was frightening to see what i was consuming , especially what i thought wasent that bad. Now i have written a few of my fav places down and the best things to order and keep it in my purse so i know what i am having and dont even have to look at the menu and be tempted.
  • lbaileyjohannsen
    lbaileyjohannsen Posts: 133 Member
    I have a similar problem, especially because I almost never go to chain restaurants. My method for dealing with this is trying to only order dishes that are relatively simple--meat and veg, simple pasta, etc. Dishes that probably have less than five ingredients, not including seasonings. If the restaurant doesn't have nutritional info, I search the database and try to break down and find the most straight forward components of the dish. I also always over estimate on calories on purpose, because restaurants like to use extra fat and salt--that's what makes the food taste good!
  • choppie70
    choppie70 Posts: 544 Member
    When we do go out to eat, which is not that often, I look up the menus online. A lot of restaurants have the nutritional value right on their websites. I decide what I am going to eat before I get there and order exactly what I have decided on.

    Last night we went to Red Robin. I was able to get a chicken sandwich and french fries (haven't had them in a long time!) and the meal was under 500 calories.
  • neaneawy
    neaneawy Posts: 146 Member
    I agree with everything that was said. You can also try to avoid things that you know are going to be high in cals. No fried food, no breading, no cream sauce, and ask for all sauce/dressing on the side. I usually only need 1/2 or less of the amt. of sauce on a meal. One of my favs is Chili's quesadilla explosion salad. It's on the "eat this not that" list for one of the worst salads. I broke down the ingredients and made is manageable by drastically reducing the salad dressings and not eating the quesadilla. Watch out for the amt. of cheese as well on menu items.
  • BR3ANDA
    BR3ANDA Posts: 622 Member
    If you cant find the nutritional info online, just try to estimate as best you can, a protein, or meat, serving should be the size of your palm for an average of 4oz, always tell your server to have your food prepared without butter or oil, same goes for veggies, & skip the bread. If your serving is larger than a normal size, then just eat half. Anything grilled or steamed is better than fried or sauteed. Most major chains have healthier menu's to choose from too, like Applebees or Chili's.
  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
    Also, If the restaurant doesn't have the nutritional information I'll try to find a similar dish from one that does. As an example, my boyfriend wanted to get pizza tonight so I told him my half had to be Veggie. Then I went to Boston Pizza's website and found the info for their Veggie Pizza and went from there. All you can do is either limit yourself to mainstream places (which for me are not close by) or do your best to come up with something close ;)
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
    I just look for some estimates/approximates from other places or "homemade" listings on MFP.
  • BarbBlue
    BarbBlue Posts: 251
    When I have gone out to eat, I have done a search on the food and restaurants on mfp. I haven't come across anything yet that does not list the calories. One other reason why I like this site so much!
  • mevelt83
    mevelt83 Posts: 30 Member
    Thanks everyone.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,333 Member
    Did you know restaurants are permitted to be up to 20% wrong on nutritional information? That wiggle room could ruin a diet. I don't trust the calorie counts on complilcated meals with sauces and such. Tonight I had the waiter make me a grilled chicken salad with fresh vegetables...dressing on the side. not exciting...but no hidden calories.
  • SafioraLinnea
    SafioraLinnea Posts: 628 Member
    I stick to the super safe options at a restaurant:
    green salad with grilled chicken, no dressing at all and raw veggies/fruit on the side
    or
    my favorite vietnamese restaurant, same meal every time, and I trust the nutrition information because I know the chef!

    But in general, I just don't eat out.
  • kitinboots
    kitinboots Posts: 589 Member
    I take a photo of my food on my phone so that when I log my memory doesn't fool me.
  • queenhiphop
    queenhiphop Posts: 286 Member
    Yeah I just wouldnt eat out......
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    I've eat Mexican this week but ate about a cup of beans, wasn't really that hungry, then went to chinese the next day and ate like a half of cup of rice, some beef and peppers and some baked crab stuff. then went to Red lobster and had broccoli and lobster(yukky stuff there) and with all three days eating out I've still lost 4 lbs this week. You just have to be diligent in your selections, you can request the cook to NOT cook with butter on your dish, I've done that before. Went to Bob Evans and ordered the scrambled eggs and told them plain no butter no salt no nothing and I got what I ordered. And it was still yummy. Don't hesitate to tell them what you need or don't need on or in your food, if they can't do that on that dish then find something else
  • nikkitodhunter
    nikkitodhunter Posts: 110
    There's some good advice on the posts above but really.....you're all making it too hard on yourself! =/

    If I know I'm eating out, here's what I do:

    - I ORDER WHAT I WANT :D I don't go crazy; I try to go for fish or meat I know will be lean, and don't order extra sides. And generally skip starters (if I am eating out, I am damn well having a dessert and anyone who refuses to is just wasting an opportunity :L yum!)

    - I eat less for my other meals. I have my normal breakfast, and then a light salad for lunch or dinner. In fact (and I know its bad to skip meals but I wasn't hungry, so why force myself to eat) the other day I went for lunch, ahd a big veggie curry and a dessert, it filled me up til I went to bed so I was actually under on cals that day!

    - I do a little more excersize that day. If me and a friend are going out for lunch, I insist we go and do some shopping (walking round and trying on clothes, acrryingf those bags - more excersize than you might think!). I go for a run, I walk, I do some housework!

    Eating out should be a treat, so let it be! Order what you want as a reward for eating so well the rest of the time. Ask for salad dressing on the side, don't go places where you know portion sizes are huge (I am obsessed with clearing my plate so I know not to get a dish I know is huge...simple.)

    And eat dessert. Goddammnit live a little once in a while :'D
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    Did you know restaurants are permitted to be up to 20% wrong on nutritional information? That wiggle room could ruin a diet.

    No, it really couldn't.

    Succeeding at weight loss never comes down to one meal or one day It's consistency over the long term.

    If you are not eating out all the time, just pick something sensible off the menu and enjoy yourself.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    grilled protein, veggies, salad.
    tell the chef you have a specific diet.

    i don't see what is so hard.

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