Chinese restaurant for dinner - help?

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lizziebeth72
lizziebeth72 Posts: 4
in Food and Nutrition
I am going out for dinner tonight with my husband and another couple. We are meeting them at a Chinese restaurant. What can I eat???? Any advice would be very much appreciated.

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  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
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    Steamed chicken and veggies.
  • beachylove
    beachylove Posts: 137 Member
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    before I go out anywhere I check their menu online, most have calories so you can have a plan before going.

    Usually I stick with chicken/veggies (nothing deep fried or covered in sugary sauces like sweet and sour) and egg drop or Hot and Sour soup.
  • Rivers2k
    Rivers2k Posts: 380 Member
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    restaurant or buffet? Restaurant I get the steam chicken and veggies with brown sauce and it is pretty good. Go low on the rice. I Don't feel like I am missing out at all. Buffet is a little harder.
  • marciebrian
    marciebrian Posts: 853 Member
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    Steamed chicken and veggies.

    I 2nd that.... best choice that I can think of other than just steamed veggies but you have to enjoy yourself while you're there ;-)
  • CorlissaEats
    CorlissaEats Posts: 493 Member
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    Go for the dishes with sauteed veggies and the meats that are not breaded & deep fried. (beef and broccoli, or stirfries, etc)
    Take more veggies than meat from every type of dish. and keep rice/noodles to less than 1/4 of your plate.
    Know that you dont have to eat the appetizer or any dessert. Its NOT rude to refuse a serving- just say that you want to be able to eat more of the dishes you love if they require commentary and then eat that broccoli with a smile. And if you want to have some of the deep fried stuff- eat it slowly and savour each bite.
    Be prepared for the extra sodium to affect your scale for a few days.
    Drink lots of water- before, after and during your meal.
    Stop eating before you get stuffed.

    Lastly, and most importantly, enjoy yourself. Celebrate the company and the experience. One meal didnt make you fat, one meal wont distroy all your progress to date.
  • lizziebeth72
    lizziebeth72 Posts: 4
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    Lastly, and most importantly, enjoy yourself. Celebrate the company and the experience. One meal didnt make you fat, one meal wont distroy all your progress to date.

    Wow! Lots of replies so quickly! Unfortunately, the restaurant is just a small local place so no nutritional values on their website. I really appreciate all of the replies! Thanks for the last tip - sometimes just having a little perspective helps, too.
  • mrsfyredude
    mrsfyredude Posts: 177 Member
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    I had the same dilemma last friday...hello buffet and I LOVE fried dumplings and almond cookies! I counted everything as best I could and yes, I went up, but now i'm right back down and on track to maybe losing another pound this week. Don't stress.
  • TKhamvongsa
    TKhamvongsa Posts: 287
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    Lol good luck - I'd just count today's meal as a cheat meal and go on with life. It's absolutely difficult to track chinese food unless you bring a scale and ask the owner for the recipe and calculate it haha
  • pseudomuffin
    pseudomuffin Posts: 1,058 Member
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    Beef & broccoli. Yum!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I love shrimp in lobster sauce with some rice, it's pretty low cal too. Or egg drop souce and steamed dumplings.
  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
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    Green beans and chicken is usually low call. Steamed veggies with tofu I is always good. Brown rice is a good option, be careful of your portions.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
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    Chicken Balls, Almond Guy Ding, Beef and Broccoli, Fried rice, wonton soup, egg rolls, ______________, etc. etc. etc.

    Don't stress too much about it, one meal is not going to undo all your hard work, or upset the lifestyle you are now striving towards.
    I doubt you will pack on any fat weight from one meal. (3500 calories=1 pound of fat)

    Eat what you want, feel happy about your choices, and enjoy your evening with friends and family.
  • CorlissaEats
    CorlissaEats Posts: 493 Member
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    Lastly, and most importantly, enjoy yourself. Celebrate the company and the experience. One meal didnt make you fat, one meal wont distroy all your progress to date.

    Wow! Lots of replies so quickly! Unfortunately, the restaurant is just a small local place so no nutritional values on their website. I really appreciate all of the replies! Thanks for the last tip - sometimes just having a little perspective helps, too.

    If you have a take out menu, just do searches for the dishes in the database. It wont be precise but it will give you a better idea of which menu items have hidden calories and which ones are generally better on the waist. Knowing what you are going to eat before you get there is one of the best game plans for eating out.

    Do the other couple know that you are on a diet? I actually take smaller portions at gatherings so that I can have seconds (and sometimes thirds of the veggies) because it draws attention away from my restricted calorie diet. It makes others more comfortable- because there is nothing worse than mentioning a diet when you are out to eat. :flowerforyou: Talking more also helps because then it takes you twice as long to finish that plate. :wink:
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I usually just start with hot and sour soup (because I LOVE that stuff) and stick to something not fried and without a sweet sauce for the entree, and only eat half the rice. I usually end up taking half home because the soup is pretty filling.
  • LFernan85
    LFernan85 Posts: 19 Member
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    I found a few articles online but this seems okay : http://www.caloriescount.com/(X(1)A(oJho5rKKzwEkAAAAYzg2NGUyZTgtZTc4NC00ZTcxLThmYjEtZjgzOTRjMzY4N2Vk4jny6Cv7T2DWTxj1K8O2nTHQ62s1))/wbl_whattoeat_chinese.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

    Stay away from eating all the rice and get a dish that isn't fried.
  • kandell
    kandell Posts: 473 Member
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    Avoid anything with lots of sauce, especially dark sauces. Sesame chicken is my favorite chinese food, and it's also the highest calorie XP

    Steamed lo mein is pretty low cal (100-200 calories per cup). If they have a chicken and broccoli dish that may be a good option. Again, just avoid sauces if possible. That's where they get you :/

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