Going out for Italian! Help!

ShannonBEarley
ShannonBEarley Posts: 94 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How do you eat pasta responsibly? I'm headed to an Italian restaurant for a work function. For dinner. How do you eat at a pizza and pasta place and still stay on track? And without being seen as that crazy dieter! I work in an office of Very skinny people and I just don't want to questions. Any ideas? Suggestions?

Replies

  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
    Does the restaurant you're going to publish calories? If it does, just choose whatever you want that's in your calories for the day.

    If not, I'd personally just go for a margherita pizza, and don't worry about the possibility of going over for one day.
  • egrusy
    egrusy Posts: 196 Member
    I love pasta and pizza!!! :drinker:

    If this were me I'd first try to find a menu online so I could plan ahead. If no online menu, I would just pick something reasonable when I got there. If it's a meal for myself (not a pizza being split) I would probably eat at most half of it and take the rest home. If it were a pizza I would slowly eat at most 2 slices. I would also enjoy myself and not sweat it too much; it's only one meal :flowerforyou:
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    Eat what you would before, only less of it.
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    Eat and then worry about it afterwards. If you do exercise the beauty of this is that you have better control as you can just compensate for any inevitable periodic overeating.
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    Most restaurants have all their nutritional info on their website :)
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Italian doesn't mean pasta.

    Look for something that contains a grilled meat (chicken, beef, pork, fish) and vegetable and skips the pasta or heavy sauces. Chains like Olive Garden have low-calorie menus, and "real" Italian restaurants inevitably have lots of non-pasta meals including fish.
  • mikeroybal
    mikeroybal Posts: 111 Member
    Not all Italian food is pizza and pasta, there are some great salads that have tuna or another protein on them, and most restaurants womt have a problem adding a piece of protein to any of their salads
  • shrimpydoo
    shrimpydoo Posts: 112 Member
    It's part of life! I have had this happen to me, and as the others have suggested, it's only one meal. Opt for the best choice you have, and enjoy. I've gone out and enjoyed 2 slices of pizza and a glass of wine and weighed in a few days later, and no effects to be had. As long as it's just one meal, and you get right back on your food and exercise program, it's all good!
  • rgunn02
    rgunn02 Posts: 169 Member
    if you want pasta - try asking for 1/2 the amount of pasta. I usually do that. And I actually find it yummier because you still have the same amount of sauce and meat!
  • SchroederNJ
    SchroederNJ Posts: 189 Member
    could always skip pasta and go with a chicken or fish dish or salad
  • RunForChai
    RunForChai Posts: 238 Member
    Here's my go-to meal for dining out--no matter the type of place.
    I order a big salad with a chicken breast and cheese on top.
    It is satisfying.
    For me, that's just me, when I eat pasta I gain weight--so I don't--and I don't miss it.
    Good luck.
  • MorgueBabe
    MorgueBabe Posts: 1,188 Member
    Eat a smaller portion. A serving of pasta is about 1 cup which I think is about what fits in the palm of your cupped hand. Or you could eat something else like Marsala or something grilled. Italians just don't eat pasta you know.
  • AsianSuperfly
    AsianSuperfly Posts: 73 Member
    Don't wear a white shirt.
  • ILoveGingerNut
    ILoveGingerNut Posts: 367 Member
    Italians don't live on pizza and pasta and are much slimmer than other population groups. If you know how do eat in a healthy way you can do it in an Italian restaurant too. Your brain won't be removed at the entrance.
  • NewMnky1
    NewMnky1 Posts: 264
    I will typically skip the bread (which I really really love) and then order whole wheat pasta and typically a meat sauce and I ask for the lunch size portion (if available). The other option is to order a large salad with chickin in it.
    Or if it really is just a once in a while thing or a real treat just order what you want and realize that unless you are eating there everyday it probably won't change your weight too much. You can always control your portion, only you are putting the fork to your mouth.
  • toomanireasons
    toomanireasons Posts: 84
    I totally understand, there are times when I like to keep my eating choices to myself and not answer questions about it. I suggest the salad of course, it will usually come with an available vinaigrette, maybe a Portabello chicken breast with vegetables in stead of pasta.
  • ShannonBEarley
    ShannonBEarley Posts: 94 Member
    Thank you everyone! I looked at the menu ( no nutrition information - I am sure it would be scary if it were there!) I have a couple of good, non crazy options and if there is some pasta - half it! I have a plan!
  • ShannonBEarley
    ShannonBEarley Posts: 94 Member
    Agreed. I have a plan, now I just need to stick to it! Wood grilled salmon & asparagus - and 1/2 the risotto!
  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
    Thank you everyone! I looked at the menu ( no nutrition information - I am sure it would be scary if it were there!) I have a couple of good, non crazy options and if there is some pasta - half it! I have a plan!

    Have you tried just Googling the Restaurant's name with the word 'calories' or looking elsewhere on their site? A lot of places don't put calories on the menu, but do publish them elsewhere. The restaurant might not publish them, of course, just saying if you've only checked the menu they might be elsewhere.
  • donnat238
    donnat238 Posts: 309 Member
    Most restaurants will make substitutions if you ask. I went to an Italian restaurant a couple of weeks ago and asked if they would substitute the pasta side with steamed broccoli and there was no problem.
  • gobonas99
    gobonas99 Posts: 1,049 Member
    We eat at an Italian restaurant just about every Friday night from Nov to mid-April.

    My tips:
    1 - Skip the bread, unless you are capable of eating just one small slice with no butter (I will have one small piece that I save for dipping in my sauce). :smile
    2 - Eat your salad, but rather than use the "house" dressing or whatever, ask for oil and vinegar (and use lots of vinegar with just a little bit of oil).
    3 - Order a half portion of whatever you decide to get (my go-to dish is a type of pasta called "hats" or Orechetti). Chicken Marsala or Franchese are my backups (I love their haddock franchese, but they won't do a half order of it, and fish doesn't reheat well for me) Try to avoid dishes that are smothered in cheese (like chicken parm, lasagna, ravioli, etc). I just put a little grated parm on my hats. :smile:
    4 - Only eat HALF of your half order. Take the rest home and have it for lunch or dinner the next day. :happy:
    5 - Skip dessert, unless it is a special occasion - in which case, make sure you split it with someone. :tongue:

    Following this has allowed me to still eat my favorite foods at my favorite restaurant weekly for 6 months out of the year, and still lose over 40 pounds in the last year. :smile:
  • ashzacher
    ashzacher Posts: 114 Member
    I went out for Italian the other night (ok, I went to the Olive Garden.. lol). I allowed myself a breadstick, but I got salad (watch the dressing, it can be the worst part), and cappellini pomodoro. Light tomato sauce on pasta, with grilled chicken. I ate about 1/3 and took the rest home. Enjoy yourself and those you are with without over-indulging, but get something that you will enjoy and don't deprive yourself! :)
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    Not all Italian food is pizza and pasta, there are some great salads that have tuna or another protein on them, and most restaurants womt have a problem adding a piece of protein to any of their salads

    was going to say this :laugh: OP if you're going to an "Italian" restaurant then you're screwed .. if you're going to a real Italian restaurant then it should be fairly easy.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Not all Italian food is pizza and pasta, there are some great salads that have tuna or another protein on them, and most restaurants womt have a problem adding a piece of protein to any of their salads

    was going to say this :laugh: OP if you're going to an "Italian" restaurant then you're screwed .. if you're going to a real Italian restaurant then it should be fairly easy.

    And if she went to a real italian restaurant, why would she pass up the pasta that is likely made in house and pretty awesome?
  • ILoveGingerNut
    ILoveGingerNut Posts: 367 Member
    ]

    And if she went to a real italian restaurant, why would she pass up the pasta that is likely made in house and pretty awesome?

    :heart:
  • laceyfowler
    laceyfowler Posts: 127 Member
    If you're going to drink wine, only have one glass - other than that, stick to water as far as beverages go.

    Try to skip the bread/butter that comes out before the meal if you can, or if you're able to eat just one piece and want to spend a few calories there, go for it (I have a hard time eating just one... the Pringles effect, I guess).

    If you want pasta, go for it but get a pasta with a red sauce as opposed to a butter and/or cream sauce... and/or ask for light sauce (light as in less, not as in diet).

    Sub steamed veggies somewhere if possible.

    If getting meat, choose a non-breaded option.

    OR - dedicate yourself to exercising the equivalent of buring 2000 extra calories during the next few days, and have whatever you want (within reason... since at least for me it would be possible to go over 2000 cal if I was really gorging myself).

    I have been staying in Italy the past few months for work, and for the most part I cook for myself (both to be healthy and to save money - I've got my wedding in a few months to be saving up for!), but I do go out with coworkers every once in a while. I've had a glass or two of wine with my meal, and have had pastas, a few even with a light amount of creamy sauce, and this has not dereailed my progress - BUT, I only go out very rarely, so between my workouts and otherwise very healthy eating, these few meals are a-o-k.

    Also, I choose to not eat bread or pasta often for a couple reasons - one is the relatively high calorie content (I know, I know, a cup of pasta doesn't have That many calories... but it sure has more than a cup of cauliflower, and I probably wouldn't stick to one cup anyhow... and I love cauliflower with sauces on it), but the other is that I've found that eating breads and pastas make me, personally, feel bloated, weighed down, and sluggish for a couple days after eating them. That's just me - I have friends who have similar experiences and other friends who eat bread and pasta regularly and are happy and healthy :-) So, I'm not advocating for or against bread/pasta, just giving my personal experiences with it.

    I hope you really enjoy your Italian meal, and hope you stick to general healthy eating at least the rest of the week even if you splurge at this meal, and don't waste much energy beating yourself up if you end up eating more than you'd planned... long-term success usually includes many ups and downs :-)

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