Restaurants :(

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ScaredCaterpillar
ScaredCaterpillar Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
It seems that being an adult means catching up with friends over dinner and drinks - both a trap for calories.
I always tell myself that I'm going to be healthy and order a salad or some grilled veggies and focus on my friends and not the food... but then I see the menu and it all looks SO DELICIOUS!

Portion size is my even weaker area. There's no way I can stop and take half home when a delicious bowl of pasta is sitting in front of me.

Do you guys have any tips on how to make sure you make healthy choices at restaurants? I've been trying to see the menu beforehand so I can talk myself into craving a delicious salmon salad, but it doesn't quite work. Weekends are my worst time for restaurants.

Or... what are healthy alternatives that you and your friends do instead of going out to eat? Movies? Bowling? Anything helps! :)
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Replies

  • JohnMessmer
    JohnMessmer Posts: 536
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    I have a great idea for portion control, ask for a to-go box when you order to be delivered with your order. Set you portion up first and place the excess in the box. This eliminates having to stop in the middle while all that yumminess is staring at you. Your friends probably won't care and if they seem to, just tell them there is no way you could eat all of that food :-)
  • laurenz2501
    laurenz2501 Posts: 839 Member
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    I have a great idea for portion control, ask for a to-go box when you order to be delivered with your order. Set you portion up first and place the excess in the box.

    ^^ what he said. Also, eat something small before you go out: a piece of fruit or a few slices of deli sliced turkey for some protein or something. just enough to take the edge off so you're not starving when you get to the restaurant.
  • purple_tux1
    purple_tux1 Posts: 250 Member
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    For many menu items, you can ask for a 1/2 order. Other than that, you will need to learn to say 'no' to yourself if you really want to lose weight. Temptation is everywhere.
  • mearlie
    mearlie Posts: 224
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    I have a great idea for portion control, ask for a to-go box when you order to be delivered with your order. Set you portion up first and place the excess in the box.

    ^^ what he said. Also, eat something small before you go out: a piece of fruit or a few slices of deli sliced turkey for some protein or something. just enough to take the edge off so you're not starving when you get to the restaurant.

    I love both these ideas! And I think I will do the takeout thing and just TELL my friends the truth! I have no self control so I'm getting half my meal boxed up to prevent me from over-eating. LOVE IT! And it's a great idea to eat a little something ahead too. THANKS for the ideas, I'm glad you posted this thread!
  • RMLMoore
    RMLMoore Posts: 130 Member
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    Sometimes when I know it's too tempting, I don't even look the the menu. Just order grilled fish or chicken with a side salad, dressing on the side or steamed veggies. If I limit the options, I seem to do better.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
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    Suggest restaurants with healthier menus or scout out the menu ahead of time.
  • delorispiper
    delorispiper Posts: 15
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    With regard to other things to do besides going out to eat with your friends, I have what I call "Save me from my bad self" night, where we invite friends over to an evening of board games. My husband and I went out and purchased every game we could find. When our friends come over, we spend all night playing games, and it is great fun! I have nutritious snacks on hand, no alcohol because that will make you food inhibitions go out the window. Just an idea!
  • mizzjessie
    mizzjessie Posts: 42
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    Eating something before does nothing for me. It's the temptation of the bad things on the menu that is hard for me. I try to always ask for a to go box so that I can control the amount that I am eating at that time. I also try and always figure out what i am eating before and stick to that.
  • Jymm
    Jymm Posts: 28 Member
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    Just got home for Appleby's. They had a good selection of meals under 550 calories. Ate at Ruby tuesday the other day they had the same kind of deal on thier menu. Not too bad I say. You could just order form the kids menu. The most insideous calories come from drinks, keep it at water and you'll have a better time tracking things.
  • j1wright
    j1wright Posts: 286 Member
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    Don't look at the menu. Order what you know you can have. Go ahead and log it in MFP before you go.

    My friend and I go shopping and get Mani's and Pedi's as well as going out to eat so we are not spending a whole bunch of time at a restaurant. Walking around shopping gives me a few extra calories since I have been walking around. If you only have time for food, ask a friend to share an entree.
  • redhousecat
    redhousecat Posts: 584 Member
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    hubby and I share one entree.
  • vabchloser
    vabchloser Posts: 223 Member
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    I enlist the help of my friends. The "real" friends are the ones that help. I say something like this, "I have no self control, please help me make a good choice and I'm only allowed one beer."

    One of my very close co-workers will not even flinch and call me out if I order something "off plan." When we go out to eat, he will stand right there and tell me I need to pick something else. I know that sounds weird, but I will tell him he's right 90% of the time and change my order. Sometimes I tell him to back off...and he will...but he always helps the next time around. He's a good friend.
  • Troublemonster
    Troublemonster Posts: 223 Member
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    One of the things I have liked about MFP is that it has taught me the consequences attached to certain kinds of foods. Having learned that I now look at the menu and order based on what items I know are going to be trouble, for example that big plate of pasta vs a grilled steak.

    Another way to handle it would be to create a bigger deficit going into the meal, either kick your own butt at the gym pre-dinner or save up some some calories that day, or both.

    If none of those are doable then you'll have to do the old fashioned "work your butt off the next day" at the gym to burn the excess you ate in the evening.

    Filet mignon is a nice replacement for a ribeye and is most often offered in a reasonable portion size, as is sirloin.
  • martintanz
    martintanz Posts: 280
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    Many restaurants have their menus posted online. So if you know where you are meeting your friends, scope out the menu ahead of time and use MFP to figure out what the damage will be, rather than just winging it when the server is standing there taking your order. Just decide ahead of time what you will eat and stick with it.

    If for some reason you find yourself at a bar, tavern, or restaurant on the spur of the moment, stay away from the "free" dinner rolls or chips a lot of places bring, avoid deep fried anything, pastas with creamy, cheesy, or oily sauces, and desserts. If you order a burger or a sandwich, never just let them bring fries. If you can substitute a salad or vegetable, do it because it will be hard to resist a plate of fries once it is sitting in front of you. When you order salad, always ask for dressing on the side so you can control portion size of the dressing.

    And don't forget drinks. Some are loaded with calories, so use MFP ahead of time to determine what to go with, and how many. It is hard, but if you want to lose weight, you might have to stick with water, club soda, unsweetened iced tea, or black coffee while your friends are slamming down Mageritas, beer, or flavored martinis.
  • donnamariewilliams
    donnamariewilliams Posts: 44
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    Sometimes my husband and split a meal. Even if they charge a little more, you still have $$$ and don't eat as much. The trick for us is to find something we both like! :bigsmile:
  • Lyssa62
    Lyssa62 Posts: 930 Member
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    My best friend and I stick to one restaurant when we go to the cities and that's steak and shake. They have an awesome grilled chicken salad with light ranch dressing that is the best thing ever. If I were going to go out to eat somewhere else i would need to be able to see the menu beforehand..and just really try to go for undressed salads or unbreaded lean meat.


    *edited to agree* KIDS MEALS !!!!!
  • hellohappylisa
    hellohappylisa Posts: 141 Member
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    Well I'm allergic to basically everything, so that helps a lot! hah! I usually order a burger with no bun or cheese, or chicken sandwich with no buns, or a salad with some crappy balsamic dressing, no cheese, croutons etc.

    I hate eating out lol
  • TexasTroy
    TexasTroy Posts: 477 Member
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    Im notorious for drinking half my body weight in liguid before the meal even gets to the table and then the other half of my body weight during the meal, lol. So drink plenty of water while at the table. I find that I hardly ever finish the meal cause im so full of water.
  • BSchoberg
    BSchoberg Posts: 712 Member
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    Restaurant portion sizes are crazy! I try to (a) scout out the menu ahead of time... knowing what I want to order means not perusing the menu; and (b) order an appetizer as an entree - or suggest to the table that we order a bunch to share. Keeping the portions down is critical!
  • Seahawk27
    Seahawk27 Posts: 72
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    I eat at least 15g of protein before I go out to eat, and drink at least 16 oz of water before I even look at the menu - by then I'm so full I barely want to eat! :) I also ask for a to-go container and I box up half before I start eating - out of sight, out of mind.

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