anxiety from eating out?

Options
bhoperose
bhoperose Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
i feel like calorie counting gives me anxiety sometimes... especially when i eat out at restaurants. chain restaurants are okay, because i can usually get the calorie counts online, but anywhere else and i get super paranoid that i'm overeating without realizing it. (actually, if i'm being honest, even when the info is available, i worry that the numbers are inaccurately low). i usually eat out 2-3 meals per week.

for example, today SO and i were out and he wanted sushi for lunch. i got vegetable spring roll appetizer... found the closest thing on mfp which said 250 cals but i worry that "the closest thing" isn't close enough.

i don't want to stop living my life just to lose weight, but if i have to i guess i will. i eat at home as much as possible but sometimes i have a social event, or i need to eat when i'm unexpectedly not home for a few hours, or whatever.

i have about 50 pounds to lose and i feel like i can't afford any accidental extra calories! i wish i knew how to eat intuitively without counting, but clearly i don't... that's how i got to be this overweight in the first place.

any advice? how do i not drive myself crazy about eating out every once in a while, but still lose weight?

Replies

  • imtriagain
    imtriagain Posts: 104 Member
    Options
    I give myself an extra buffer when I know I am going out (usually made up through exercise that day). I also tend to over estimate.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
    Options
    Just do your best. And if you feel the closest thing isn't close enough throw in 50-100 quick add calories. You still have to enjoy your life - an occasional wrong calorie count isn't the end of the world.
  • marsviolet
    marsviolet Posts: 79 Member
    Options
    I get really stressed out about it sometimes. I usually do what ready2rock said - add an extra 100 calories. And I make sure I excersise that day.
  • apocalypsepwnie
    apocalypsepwnie Posts: 373
    Options
    If I think it looks low, I'll either add another 1/2 serving just to be sure OR if it's a simple dish I'll pick it apart and guestimate the individual ingredients. I'm pretty good at what weight things are by looking at them so it works for me.
    I don't stress if I can't get it right because mostly I do.
  • windycitycupcake
    windycitycupcake Posts: 516 Member
    Options
    eat things you understand. order something that you can look at and break the ingredients down in your head, then calculate the calories one ingredient at a time in the recipe section. for example, look at a spring roll and get the numbers for
    -the rice paper
    -noodles (1/4 cup?)
    -proteinn
    -etc

    i find its easiest to do this with salads but if your not going to go out and be a bunny rabbit order something like a burger because you know how much it weighs, then they throw it on the grill, then you got a bun blah blah usually they dont soak the beef in oil, they grill it. dont get cheese, get stuff on the side, etc

    if youre going to replace fries with a veggie, id do a raw salad cause trust me in restaurants they slather side veggies with butter and oil

    id avoid things that are marinated or battered, or prepared casserole type things.

    i was a prep cook at a hotel and i made the roasted new potatoes. sure they seem like a healthy side on your plate but if you only knew how much oil and salt were slathered on them to make them taste like that.

    also mashed potatoes-id avoid them. we used butter, sour cream, parmesan, heavy cream. it was cray
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
    Options
    I know how you feel! I just have to let go, enjoy my meal, and make up for it with an extra workout later.
  • Songtothesiren
    Songtothesiren Posts: 388 Member
    Options
    It's a killer isn't it.

    We've taken to pre-planning eating out sessions and we go to places where I already have a bit of info on the calorie count (e.g. Pizza Express).

    However sometimes you just got to roll with the punches, but learn not to beat yourself up.

    Eating in a group is a social time, so I do my best to enjoy the company and the food I've selected. I take solace in the fact that I've made the best sensible decisions I can on the information I have and I do ask for menu alterations where possible (i.e. cut out the dressing on a salad, hold back the cheese on the pizza).

    Mavis
  • manhn1
    manhn1 Posts: 137 Member
    Options
    No offence, but why did you order a spring roll at a sushi restaurant? Why not get actual sushi? Beyond the weight issues (and Japanese cuisine is healthier than most), if you don't like that type of food, couldn't you tell your SO that you didn't want to go because you don't like sushi?

    But generally, you kinda have to have a game plan for each type of cuisine. If you go to a sushi restaurant, just order the same thing. I doubt something like a cucumber roll will hurt your diet in anyway. If you go to an Italian restaurant, just order the same thing. If you go to a Mexican restaurant, just order the same thing.

Categories