Eating out

Where I work eating out has become a 5 day/week ritual. Chinese, Mexican, Chipotle, Bob Evans, Buffalo Wild Wings are all our go-to places to eat. Since I started a year ago I have put on 21 pounds!!!!!!! Does anyone have any eating out tips, yummy packed lunch ideas, or healthy snack ideas?

Thanks and advance!!
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Replies

  • nathalier71
    nathalier71 Posts: 570 Member
    hum, don't eat out? Bring your lunch - it's the only way to "not get in trouble"!

    I find it really difficult to "eat well" when out at a restaurant - plus - there is no portion control there!

    Good luck!
  • kd_mazur
    kd_mazur Posts: 569 Member
    I am a snacker really so I pack lots of fruit and cut up veggies, cans of soup, etc for work each day. People who walk by lust think all I do is eat lol but it works for me. I still go out to eat occassionally with the group but I check the menu online to guide my choices before I go:)
  • Lose_It_Leo
    Lose_It_Leo Posts: 91 Member
    The obvious answer seems: Don't go to those places and eat your own food instead. But I'm sure you would be doing that if it was an easy option. So, I guess my only advice would be to eat salad if it is available (no dressing or on the side so you can control how much) or if they don't offer that (I am British so don't have those restaurants and have no clue what they sell) find the least calorific thing on the menu of each (or closest to) and eat that. Failing that, only eat half of what is on your plate (if meal sizes are anything that they are portrayed to be over here).
  • FizikallyFit
    FizikallyFit Posts: 180 Member
    My job is the same, they make a big deal out of everyone voting where they want to eat and then everyone sits in the conference room and eats together like a big family.

    I just pack a lunch and bring it, everyone understands and they even commend me sometimes on my "strong will"

    My go to foods for lunch are steam-able vegetables *microwavable* and precooked chicken that I marinade and grill at home.

    Chinese *they have steamed vegetables and meat you can try that
    Mexican *they have sandwiches or salads
    Chipotle *burrito bowl with all the vegetables and grilled chicken
    for Bob Evans, Buffalo Wild Wings just look at the menu I am sure they have healthy options
  • skorenfeld123
    skorenfeld123 Posts: 27 Member
    I know how hard it is to resist going out to eat with people you work with--it's sort of expected to get that social time in!

    Sometimes it's easy for me to skip by reminding myself that I'm saving money. If you know where you're going, take a look at the menu before you get too hungry and scope out some healthy items that you know will work for you in your non-ravenous state :)

    Once you're there, sometimes it's hard to just go for a salad, and sometimes a salad is just as bad as anything else! Almost everywhere has a grilled chicken sandwich. As long as you don't get mayo or a ton of cheese on there, this can be a really filling and delicious option and you feel like you're having real food instead of diet food. If you can get them to add a ton of delicious low-call stuff on top like grilled onions and mushrooms it can feel even more like a treat. Skip the fries and get a side salad or fruit or veggies and steal a fry or two from a coworker if you just want the taste.

    Good luck to you!!
  • Just say NO. Plan ahead and bring your own lunch. Stop the ridiculousness.

    Order out maybe once a month and when you do that, split a chinese order with another co-worker. So you only get half.
  • MyJourney1960
    MyJourney1960 Posts: 1,133 Member
    I agree that it's hard to keep up when you eat out every day. I solved this problem by.. not eating out at work. We have a work cafeteria that's subsidized so really cheap, and the food is usually great but i always end up eating too much so i just don't go there. other options are salad/sandwich from the small coffee shop or options down the block (the usual pizza, falafel, burgers etc).

    I save calories and money by preparing meals in advance and bringing from home - i maek a pile of chicken breast and freeze them, then add a fresh salad every day. that's my lunch. (sometimes i'll have a chunk of feta cheese, or tuna, etc.). for snacks i bring yogurt, rice cakes, low fat cream cheese, hummus, fruit etc
  • loserbaby84
    loserbaby84 Posts: 241 Member
    Honestly, it's not easy to prepare food vs. being served at a restaurant.

    My suggestion is to plan ahead. That's the only way I succeed in not faltering and taking the easy road out.

    I never did like cooking much but I've made it a priority!

    Veggies and protein with a piece of fruit thrown in :)

    Treat yourself with a lunch out now and then but make sure it's in your calories for the day and plan around it so that you have "extra" during your outting.

    It will make you feel good and proud of yourself if you make the effort also! Best of luck :)
  • gdrmuzak
    gdrmuzak Posts: 103 Member
    Besides start packing, you'll save money and calories!!!!

    All those place have healthy menu options BUT you have to choose them AND portion control is another issue that you have to watch. Just because it is a salad, doesn't mean it's healthy...got to watch what's on it and how much is there to eat.
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    Disappointing thread title.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Bring your lunch. You'll save calories and money (SO much money). If you really miss it, maybe try eating in 4 days a week and going out on Fridays.

    I bring leftovers for lunch because it's super easy and I'm super lazy. Sandwich wraps in low cal / high fiber wraps are my favorite when there are no leftovers.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,472 Member
    don't eat out,,, PERIOD!
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    don't eat out,,, PERIOD!

    Ewwww...especially that
  • R_Queenie
    R_Queenie Posts: 1,224 Member
    My general game plan for eating out is one or a combo of the following
    1. order off the kids menu
    2. search nutrition online BEFORE you go
    3. order but plan to take half the meal home for a 2nd meal
    4. order something enjoyable but "less evil" (dressing on the side, whole grain, less fat)

    But it is no wonder you have packed on pounds if this is a daily occurrence!
    Maybe you can suggest another lunch plan as a $$ savings / health challenge...
    our workplace tried to do a lunch exchange once a week - so you rotate who bring lunch for the group on that day.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,879 Member
    start brown bagging it. weight loss is that much more difficult when you eat out...you're much more likely to forgo practicing portion control or to make good dietary decisions when you eat out all of the time...as evidenced by your weight gain. if you do choose to continue to eat out you need to practice portion control and make better decisions about what you're ordering. Even then it can be tough...restaurants are in business to make food taste good...which means lots of added calories from butter and oils...sugar, etc. A restaurant version of something can be a lot more calorie dense than the pretty much same meal made at home where you have control over the ingredients.
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    If you know where you're ordering from or going before hand, most restaurants list their menus online nowadays, and some will have the nutritional information as well. Just educate yourself on the nutritional info for similiar food, like the amount of fat in a 1/4 burger, or the calories in 2 tablespoons of salad dressing, etc...

    Most places are pretty accommodating with special orders. I love Red Robin, where I can wrap my burger in lettuce, and get brocolli or black beans as a side instead of french fries.
  • Lili0817
    Lili0817 Posts: 109 Member
    Wowzers, 5x per week?!
    My advice, DON"T EAT OUT!
    If getting fit is your goal, then you need to pack your lunch. 70% of your fitness depends on your nutirition. Don't let other people's lack of dedication keep you from getting fit.
    Stay away from those people! lol
  • Rage_Phish
    Rage_Phish Posts: 1,508 Member
    Disappointing thread title.

    lol
  • FrauHaas2013
    FrauHaas2013 Posts: 615 Member
    Go online and check their menu for any possible healthy alternative...and DON'T CHANGE YOUR MIND WHEN YOU GET THERE!!!! Know what you're going to get before you set foot in the door.

    You don't always know the "truth" when you got out - for instance, the last company lunch I went to, I looked at the menu online...great - they had a grilled romaine heart topped with grilled chicken. YUM! And this restaurant doesn't allow any substitutes or changes, so it was pretty much the only thing I could get that wasn't slathered in some kind of sinful sauce or aioli...I asked the waiter how it was seasoned, just to be sure, and he said "oh, it's drizzled with a tiny bit of olive oil and the chicken is marinated in citrus." "So it's healthy and low cal." "Oh, totally!" Then when he brought it out, it had Parmesan cheese all over it. Oh, well...I tried to scrape it off and just stick to the chicken and the romaine heart!

    You don't want to/have to be Debbie the Downer when it comes to doing lunch - just be smart about it. Order a salad with dressing on the side and START with that to help fill you up before the entree.

    That being said, I hardly ever go out. I always bring all my food to work. Here's my lunch/snack box for today:

    nV3UfmV.jpg

    I won't eat all of this; I bring "choices" so I can snack on what I feel like...here my snacks are strawberries, pumpkin/cranberry crisps, 50 calorie whipped cream cheese, 80 calorie (with only 8 grams of sugar!) Greek yogurt, a banana, a 60 calorie string cheese, and asparagus. The other items are the fixins for my go-to turkey/black forest ham sandwich - avocado (instead of mayo), sprouts, red lettuce leaves, cucumbers, and 45 calorie Sara Lee whole wheat bread. Needless to say, I ain't starvin'!!!!
  • NinjadURbacon
    NinjadURbacon Posts: 395 Member
    Disappointing thread title.

    though the same thing lol