Burger and Beer Night

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Thursday is burger and beer night with friends at our local pub. This is the first time since I have started working hard at weight loss (with the help of MFP), that we are able to go. My plan is to substitute the fries with tossed salad, and the beer with vodka and diet. My plan for the burger is to only eat half, and am considering forgoing the top of the bun. My problem is, how do I track that. I can find pub (bar) burgers in the database, and can half that (4-500 calories) but how do I figure it out if I don't eat the top bun?
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  • mandijo
    mandijo Posts: 618 Member
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    Maybe find out what a regular bun would be and calculate it all separately. A bun is typically 150-200 calories so do half that and then the patty and toppings! Hope that helps. Have fun!
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
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    Just "guesstimate" it!
    Knock off 100 - 150 cals
  • imagymrat
    imagymrat Posts: 862 Member
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    Thursday is burger and beer night with friends at our local pub. This is the first time since I have started working hard at weight loss (with the help of MFP), that we are able to go. My plan is to substitute the fries with tossed salad, and the beer with vodka and diet. My plan for the burger is to only eat half, and am considering forgoing the top of the bun. My problem is, how do I track that. I can find pub (bar) burgers in the database, and can half that (4-500 calories) but how do I figure it out if I don't eat the top bun?

    You'll have to break it down..ie:burger how many oz, bun whatever you can find that would be close, then the condiment...In my opinion, don't shoot me, you're doing more damage to your diet with that fat laded calorie sucking piece of burger you're going to eat, then what damage the bun will do...i'd half the meat, before I halfed the bun...acutally I would do both, and up the tomato, onion and lettuce..but that's just my opinion, feel free to tell me to bugger off :laugh: :wink:
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    Definately ditch the bun, ask for some extra ice burge lettuce, bars are probably going to use 76/34 meat, search for what size you estimate the patty to be prob would be as close as you can get. The bun alone is probably 250 cals
  • ultraviolencexo
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    Good Idea!

    Not sure if you can do this on here but you could see how many calories are in the burger etc as a whole then add it as a new food with only half calories or something :)

    x
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
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    A little grocery store bun is 150 - 250 cals. I would guess that a big "pub burger" bun would be a bit more.
    But, really... it doesn't matter. Knock off a a few cals for the top bun and enjoy your evening!

    Maybe find out what a regular bun would be and calculate it all separately. A bun is typically 150-200 calories so do half that and then the patty and toppings! Hope that helps. Have fun!
  • SpaceMarkus
    SpaceMarkus Posts: 651
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    I would say go with a light beer like MGD 64/Bud Select 55/ or Mic Ultra over the Vodka and Diet. Even the diet has a lot of ingredients that your body can't process.
  • ladybug1620
    ladybug1620 Posts: 1,136 Member
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    maybe lookup the meat and bun seperately on mfp then use only .5 servings of the bun?
  • Corrie62
    Corrie62 Posts: 191
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    You'll have to break it down..ie:burger how many oz, bun whatever you can find that would be close, then the condiment...In my opinion, don't shoot me, you're doing more damage to your diet with that fat laded calorie sucking piece of burger you're going to eat, then what damage the bun will do...i'd half the meat, before I halfed the bun...acutally I would do both, and up the tomato, onion and lettuce..but that's just my opinion, feel free to tell me to bugger off :laugh: :wink:

    I am going to half the whole burger, then thought I would remove the remaining top bun, but maybe I won't. I do like the idea of upping the tomato onion and lettuce. So the plan would be cut the burger in half and move all the tomato onion and lettuce to the half I am going to eat. Oh...and I think I will eat the salad first...then see how much burger I can get through before I am satisfied. I have learned to stop before I get grossly full so that is good.
  • Corrie62
    Corrie62 Posts: 191
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    I would say go with a light beer like MGD 64/Bud Select 55/ or Mic Ultra over the Vodka and Diet. Even the diet has a lot of ingredients that your body can't process.

    Hate beer so always have the vodka...thanks for the idea though
  • Corrie62
    Corrie62 Posts: 191
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    Oh yeah...thanks for all the wonderful support...this is why MFP is so wonderful :love:
  • Nalga
    Nalga Posts: 2
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    Try to use a light dressing or oil and vinegar or italian on the salad as well. "Real" Ranch or Thousand Island dressings are most common in pubs and are loaded with Cals.
  • Allibaba
    Allibaba Posts: 457 Member
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    Vodka cranberry and diet 7up is good, but sadly bars don't have the diet 7 :(

    Enjoy your evening!!!
  • recipe4success
    recipe4success Posts: 469 Member
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    I would say go with a light beer like MGD 64/Bud Select 55/ or Mic Ultra over the Vodka and Diet. Even the diet has a lot of ingredients that your body can't process.

    Honestly, the calories in drinks (beer etc) come from the alcohol, not the carbohydrate! So there is really no point in drinking light beer (unless you like the taste) as the alcohol content is the same.
  • recipe4success
    recipe4success Posts: 469 Member
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    A good drink is gin and tonic, very few calories, and you can add lemon etc to it

    If you really want the burger, then by all means get it...but if not you could always get a salad instead? I bet at least one person there will say "ohhh i wish i ordered that" when they see the salad. Salads can look really fresh and tasty next to a burger and fries, in my opinion.

    If i had to guess, the burger could be around 800 calories or so. Pubs are not noted for cooking lean :)
  • iwannawearatutu
    iwannawearatutu Posts: 150 Member
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    Another salad dressing tip is to be sure you get it on the side; dip each bite into the dressing, instead of pouring it on top. I assure you it will be just as tasty and you'll be amazed how much less dressing you use this way. I've actually learned to enjoy salad dressing-free and I think it's largely due to doing this for a few years.

    You might also take a quick look over the menu and see what else they have. I'm not a big pub/bar person so I have no idea what the selection might be like but if they have a grilled chicken sandwich that's pretty much guaranteed to be lower fat than a burger.

    Have fun, and keep your eyes peeled for every opportunity to lower the calories!
  • kspirig
    kspirig Posts: 3
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    What about having a grilled chicken or salmon sandwich instead?
  • Corrie62
    Corrie62 Posts: 191
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    That is actually my first plan of attack...check the menu for alternatives to the burger...even though it will be more expensive...But Hey...another 50 lbs or so the regular size sales rack will save me tons of money :laugh:
  • SemiSweetRae
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    I would say go with a light beer like MGD 64/Bud Select 55/ or Mic Ultra over the Vodka and Diet. Even the diet has a lot of ingredients that your body can't process.

    Hate beer so always have the vodka...thanks for the idea though

    Check out skinnygirlcocktails.com....
  • SemiSweetRae
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    There is a pub here that does Burger night and I actually have asked them for the nutritional information. If they aren't super busy and I get the right waitress, then they will give it to me. It definitely keeps me going back!