Out to eat for parents' birthdays...any restaurant advice?

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ThePinkPenguin
ThePinkPenguin Posts: 138
in Food and Nutrition
Hi guys. I am sort of new to this whole eating good/tracking calories thing, as I just started tracking this week and have been under my calories for the first two days (yay!). However, I have a challenge ahead of me, as tonight is my mom's birthday and Monday is my stepdad's birthday, so we always go out to eat for someone's birthday in my family. And no, they are not all this close together...things just happen! LOL.

So I was hoping someone could give me some advice. I'm not sure what specific restaurants I'll be at yet, but I was reviewing information for the likely ones and I am shocked at how many calories there are in some of the things I would normally eat like certain sandwiches and burgers. I definitely want to limit that, but I also don't want to deprive myself. Since I'm still really early in the whole eating well thing, I find that I'm still craving junk food like french fries, a greasy burger, etc. I'm not at the point yet where I don't want that stuff at all, so I pretty much have to force myself away from it, which is kind of frustrating for me, but I also don't want to mess up.

For what it's worth, I am going to the gym today and I already walked my three dogs, which takes about 20 minutes. I haven't planned my lunch and snacks yet. How can I still enjoy being out tonight and Monday yet stay in control?

Replies

  • BlackKat75
    BlackKat75 Posts: 210 Member
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    Try to find out where you're going to go and have a look at the menu in advance if possible. Nothing worse than thinking you've made a smart choice, only to realize after the fact that what you picked was actually really calorie laden. (This can often be true for restaurant salads which can often hide a lot of calories and fat.) I find that knowing in advance what I'm going to eat before I'm at a restaurant really helps. Also, focus solely on the entree - avoid sharing appetizers / bread basket. These often lead to mindless nibbling.

    If you're at a place with burgers and fries, you can still enjoy it if you're a little smart about it. I generally get a side other than fries / chips, *but* I ask my husband if I can have a few of his fries if he's getting something with fries - that way I get a taste, but I'm not tempted to eat a pile of fries myself. Maybe you can do that as well. Also, I generally cut any burger / sandwich in half before I start to eat it - I find that if I eat my sandwich more slowly, I end up actually not needing the second half and taking it home as leftovers. There are also fairly easy substitutions you can make to sandwiches to reduce overall calorie counts - the obvious one is no cheese / no mayo.

    Good luck!
  • BaristaX
    BaristaX Posts: 151 Member
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    I would suggest you do what I always do when it comes to special occasions and restaurants, just get what you may enjoy and enjoy it, you don't even have to eat it all, just eat half a plate and take the rest for later, just as long as you keep working out / staying active and watch what you eat for the remainder of the week, a treat here and there wouldn't hurt
  • missjanetleigh
    missjanetleigh Posts: 149 Member
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    no Chinese
  • kellymiller23
    kellymiller23 Posts: 16
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    I completely agree with BlackKat75. Go online and look at the menu of the restaurant in advance (if possible), and decide what to order before you even get there. If you go in with a plan, it's much easier. If the restaurant itself doesn't post its nutrition facts, there are websites (like MFP) that you can go to and get that info before you go.

    I recently ate at (yikes) Cheesecake Factory, and this helped me so much.

    Happy celebrating!
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
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    Skip the appetizers, drink water and only eat half your meal- save the other half for lunch tomorrow.
  • jw17695
    jw17695 Posts: 438 Member
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    I agree with sharing your meal with someone else. Also, if it isn't a buffet, ask if the chef can skip the oil. (That's usually where a lot of extra calories some from.)
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
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    One important aspect of turning this into a lifestyle and not a temporary thing is learning to accept and not stress over the fact that it's perfectly okay to enjoy yourself now and then. If going out to eat is something you don't do often, don't stress over the diet when you're at a restaurant and get whatever you want. There is NOTHING you can do in the span of a single night that will set back weeks or months worth of progress. You'll do yourself more harm stressing over it than you will just enjoying a wonderful night of gluttony in celebration of your parents' birthdays than you would just enjoying it.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    1. Research before you go.
    2. Relax and have a good time and try not to worry too much about what you eat.

    One night will not destroy what you do, keep that in mind. Just be sensible on what you decide to eat. Skip the appetizer...go for the chicken over the beef, fish over the chicken, veggie over the starch, etc...

    I won't lie...I have stopped worrying so much about when I go out to eat. Why? Because I eat out like once or twice a month, and that is really the only "cheat" or over day I have. The next day I pick up where I left off and dont' even worry about what I ate. Enjoy life.
  • Fatandfifty3
    Fatandfifty3 Posts: 419 Member
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    Don't go out hungry!
    Eat a nice big salad or some veg soup before you go. That way you'll be less likely to eat what you really shouldn't.
    Try to make sensible choices but don't spoil the event by not eating at all.
    After that - just make sure you Log Everything You Eat! It really does help to know what you have eaten and you can 'budget' your calories during the coming week.
    Good luck and wish your parents Happy Birthday from me!
    :-)
  • MorgueBabe
    MorgueBabe Posts: 1,188 Member
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    I would suggest you do what I always do when it comes to special occasions and restaurants, just get what you may enjoy and enjoy it, you don't even have to eat it all, just eat half a plate and take the rest for later, just as long as you keep working out / staying active and watch what you eat for the remainder of the week, a treat here and there wouldn't hurt

    This.
    I don't fret too much over special occasions.
    But Here are some good eating out tips:
    1. If you're that serious; try to not order anything fried or breaded.
    2. Stick to lean meats
    3. Order baked or broiled things.
    4. Don't eat chips salsa/bread basket thing.
    5. When you meal comes, ask for your to go container and put half of everything in it right away.
    6. Ask that they don't put butter or sauce on your veggies. ANd no extra butter or oil on the meat for look.
    7. All sauces on the side so you can dip your fork in it, then grab the meat.
    8. WATER WATER WATER
    9. If you can't find calorie info online (i.e you aren't eating at a gross chain) look up something similar and log that.
    10. Eat a light lunch.

    Most of all if it's your parents birthday let them pick the place, and honestly don't get too crazy about it.
  • jdryer001
    jdryer001 Posts: 1 Member
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    Chili's has an excellent light menu. I had a 6 oz sirloin with steamed broccoli topped with picante sauce for 380 calories! I don't usually drink Margarhitas but they have a skinny one for 110 calories. It was delicious! Appleby's also has a light menu. Most restaurants have a menu on line, too.
    Good Luck,
    Jackie
  • ThePinkPenguin
    ThePinkPenguin Posts: 138
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    Thanks everyone! I think we might end up at Chili's or Applebee's so it was really good to get some tips. :) I'm a little less stressed now...maybe I just needed that workout to relax. Seems to always help!

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