Restaurant's want people to stay fat!

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k2d4p
k2d4p Posts: 441 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Sorry, that was a bit melodramatic, but to a degree I stand by it. I went to Chili's last night and asked the host for a copy of their nutrition information. It was sad, really. This isn't news to any body I know, but what's going on? My options for eating "healthy" are eating about 1/8 of one of their dinners or eating a side salad with a teaspoon of fat free dressing. (no croutons, of course)

The dinner size salad's are far worse than some of the dinners. 1700 calories for one of them if you eat it as served, and 1100 for one of the other ones. What the heck! This provoked a very in depth conversation with my husband about it. We don't go out to eat that often at all, but occasionally we enjoy going out. I don't have to cook or clean after and it is a nice thought. But this morning when I did my Wii fit body test, I am 1.5lbs heavier than yesterday's body test.

I am far to motivated in this weightloss/get healthy process to let this tiny set back get me deterred at all. I have had a few setbacks along the way and I just put it behind me and plow forward. But, now I am extremely frustrated at the thought of going to almost any sit down restaurant. It is rediculous. Most are the same. Short of going to Subway for every meal we eat out, there is a severe lack of healthy options. (love Subway by the way)

This just seems to exclude people that want to get healthy even more. Eating out is a very social activity. Now, whenever I think about going to a restaurant, I get upset because I know I am more than likely either going to leave hungry or disappointed that I ate to much. Also, most of their portion are absolutely insane. My husband's dinner by itself was about what I would have made at home to feed my whole family divided up. Nobody, NOBODY, should eat that much at once by them selves. I believe that. Even people that are Shaq's size should not eat that much, especially food that is that bad for you.

This is more of a vent than any kind of question. Thank you for reading.
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Replies

  • linddd
    linddd Posts: 6,591 Member
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    I swear I'm going to take containers and divide my plate in half as soon as it's set in front of me just to get it out of my sight.

    The dinner salads are a pet peeve of mine. So many people feel that they're doing good by ordering a salad.

    I love Chili's but it's off my map while I'm dieting. I HAVE been able to get some decent things at Applebee's in the past but haven't been there in a long time.

    I love Subway, too... really like their veggie delight on flatbread so much that I order it even when I'm not watching my weight. But I REALLY love the tuna and that's so much worse!

    Just really wanted to let you know that someone read what you wrote and agrees. :-)
  • VictorianJade
    VictorianJade Posts: 705 Member
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    Two words: Doggie Bag

    Portion sizes are insane, so portion them up. If you're paying for it, you might as well enjoy it, even if it takes a few days.
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
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    I swear I'm going to take containers and divide my plate in half as soon as it's set in front of me just to get it out of my sight.

    I've taken this one step further, and sometimes when I order, I ask them to box up half for me in advance, and only give me half on my plate. It's usually still more than enough, and this way, there's NO temptation for me to nibble at the 2nd half while I wait for the server to take it away.

    Ordering soup and a light appetizer is another strategy I use when I eat out sometimes, depending what the appetizer is.
  • resptech97
    resptech97 Posts: 147
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    I agree with you for the most part! I love Subway but am disappointed that they have so much sodium in their sandwiches. So I have to watch my sodium on the days I eat at Subway. And when my husband and I go out we try to find an Applebees. They have a "healthy" choice menu. I like the asiago peppercorn steak and veggies on the side. I usually opt out of the peppercorn part of it though. They also have a Cajun Lime Tilapia that is REALLY good and VERY low in calories. Next time before you go out, hop on the site here and do some research about the place you are going. If you cant find it on here, then you could go directly to the restaurants website itself. Thats what I did when I knew that I would be going out with my sister and mother. We went to Outback. I went to their website and knew exactly what to order (and HOW to order it) when I got there. They cook their veggies in a certain kind of butter that added WAYYY to many calories to an otherwise healthy option. Thats the thing that I hate about eating out is you think you are doing something good and making a great choice and BAM 1200 calories for a salad...LOL
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    Applebee's is the place for eating out and staying well within your calories. They have delicious and filling meals from 310 calories and up. and it not just their under 550 cal options, they also have Weight Watchers approved meals as well as just some other stuff on their menu that you can get for 570-700 calories, if you have them to spare. Both the hubby and I have had a number of them and they're all satisfying and tasty.

    And the waiters are great about swaps. So if you want to sub in their healthier roasted red potatoes or the veggies on a different menu item they will without question. They also have some soups that aren't too high in calories as well.

    So when the hubby and I want a warm, sit down, meal that we don't have to cook, that's typically where we'll head. And the restaurant type makes it a decent place to invite friends to all hang out at as well. I don't drink, so I can't account for how they taste, but they also have a trio of "skinny" drinks for 90-110 calories.

    I used to hate Applebee's years ago, but I've seen them in a whole new light since I started MFP. lol Though, be warned, while their calorie and fat counts look good, just like with any restaurant, if you're worried about sodium levels it's probably not a good place to eat.
  • bigcurt61
    bigcurt61 Posts: 51 Member
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    somethings that help me out are looking at the menu before we get to the restaurant and already know exactly what I'm going to have. Also if I have planned to go out I'll up my cardio for that day to allow for additional calories if I want to have a heavy meal.
  • Fitnurse27
    Fitnurse27 Posts: 71 Member
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    I agree as well, but I feel the need to point out that Chili's seems to be one of the LEAST healthy restaurants around. My husband get's Men's Health Magazine, and they have put the worst restaurant foods you can buy on their list and Chili's always makes the top. Most of their meals are all above what I am allowed to eat for a day. I also try to read the nutritional guide before going out to eat. I have eaten Mexican with a chicken taco salad, TGIF's with the sizzling chicken and cheese, (I only ate half the entree), and McCallister's deli. McCallister's has a list of meals you can get all under 500 calories. Don't get too discouraged! You can do it, and enjoy a meal out sometimes too.
  • k2d4p
    k2d4p Posts: 441 Member
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    I swear I'm going to take containers and divide my plate in half as soon as it's set in front of me just to get it out of my sight.

    I've taken this one step further, and sometimes when I order, I ask them to box up half for me in advance, and only give me half on my plate. It's usually still more than enough, and this way, there's NO temptation for me to nibble at the 2nd half while I wait for the server to take it away.

    Ordering soup and a light appetizer is another strategy I use when I eat out sometimes, depending what the appetizer is.

    As simple as this seems, I never thought of it. I usually eat about half of my meals then feel bad because I feel like I am eating too much along with wasting money for not eating all of my food. I will more than like be taking 3/4 of my food to go from now on. Thank for the idea.
  • k2d4p
    k2d4p Posts: 441 Member
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    :mad:
    Applebee's is the place for eating out and staying well within your calories. They have delicious and filling meals from 310 calories and up. and it not just their under 550 cal options, they also have Weight Watchers approved meals as well as just some other stuff on their menu that you can get for 570-700 calories, if you have them to spare. Both the hubby and I have had a number of them and they're all satisfying and tasty.

    And the waiters are great about swaps. So if you want to sub in their healthier roasted red potatoes or the veggies on a different menu item they will without question. They also have some soups that aren't too high in calories as well.

    So when the hubby and I want a warm, sit down, meal that we don't have to cook, that's typically where we'll head. And the restaurant type makes it a decent place to invite friends to all hang out at as well. I don't drink, so I can't account for how they taste, but they also have a trio of "skinny" drinks for 90-110 calories.

    I used to hate Applebee's years ago, but I've seen them in a whole new light since I started MFP. lol Though, be warned, while their calorie and fat counts look good, just like with any restaurant, if you're worried about sodium levels it's probably not a good place to eat.

    Unfortunately, I live in Japan on a military base and Chili's is the only restaurant we have. I haven't been to Applebees, or any other restaurant in a couple of years. It's either Chili's or eat at a Japanese restaurant and I hate raw fish.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    Oh yeah, and if you have a phone thatcan store doctored like PDFs or word files, a lot of restaurants offer downloadable nutrition info sheets. My entire PDF library on my phone is filled with nutrition info for everyplace from IHOP to PF Chang's to Applebee's and Subway, and thats just the tip of the iceberg. That way I'll have as much info as possible at my fingertips so I don't end up trying to guess.

    And as others have said, as much as possible look ahead. There have been times I've put something in my phone weeks in advance knowing I'll be eating there. Whether as a reminder to do a little extra cardio, because it needed to be built specially on a non-iPhone friendly site (like Red Robin's or Panera's awesome built exactly what you're eating option) or just so I don't have to worry about it when the night with friends comes. Some restaurants might not offer the info on their site, but if you check it out far enough in advance and contact them, lots of places will send you info. I've done that with a handful and gotten replies on all but one. :)
  • chrish1981
    chrish1981 Posts: 156
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    I don't know about other places, but in Philly, there's a law now that food establishments have to post caloric information.

    My husband and I actually walked out of a Pizza Hut. Like, legit, got up and left, because the menu was so horrendous.

    We then went to Wendy's, which isn't great, but they have some better options.

    Eating out is really, really sad, especially when you're watching your weight.

    I think all places should be made to post information. Honestly, if people CHOOSE to eat crappy, then that's their fault but I truly believe most people just don't know what they're eating.

    I didn't.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    Unfortunately, I live in Japan on a military base and Chili's is the only restaurant we have. I haven't been to Applebees, or any other restaurant in a couple of years. It's either Chili's or eat at a Japanese restaurant and I hate raw fish.

    Ah, gotcha. :( That definitely sucks then. But remember that not all sushi is raw fish, only sashimi is always raw. Lots of rolls are made with cooked fish, shrimp or crab and veggies. I hate raw fish as well and I love sushi rolls, I've never walked away hungry from a meal out at sushi. lol Also, I would assume that they also have chicken, pork and cooked fish entree options as well that have nothing to do with sushi or sashimi, just be wary of the teriyaki sauces since they can bring a lot of calories because they have a lot of sugar in them. Plus, you'll get sick of Chili's eventually. ;)
  • roland72
    roland72 Posts: 58 Member
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    I doubt that restaurants "want" people to stay fat. Restaurants are there to provide you with delicious food or things you would normally not make at home because of cost/preparation/equipment needed/mess ... I think the problem starts when people eat out a lot or rely on restaurants for most if not all of their meals. Restaurant food is going to contain more calories and fat than a meal at home for the simple reason that someone else makes it for you, with richer ingredients, sauces, fried stuff, etc. and it is tempting to eat more than you would at home.

    The food itself is really not the problem, its the amount of it that people put it in their mouth that is. Do you really need a starter, a main course and a desert when eating out? Do you really need to eat an entire rack of ribs or a large pizza on your own in one sitting? Why not eat half and have the other half wrapped up and take it home? That way you can enjoy the food a bit longer and feel less guilty.

    Or how about just ordering your food as it is on the menu but leaving out all the extras. "Do you want fries with that ?" may be a very powerful question, but it is up to you if you say yes or no. All the extras such as bread baskets, side salads, onion rings and fries, dips etc all are extra calorie bombs which you can easily avoid.

    If you are really worried about the amount of calories in a restaurant meal then why not save up calories during the week by doing extra exercise. You can "bank" those calories for when you go out and still enjoy your meal out without worrying too much. After all the whole point of going out for a meal is to enjoy a treat, enjoy the food and company and have a good time.
  • kaitlyn1818
    kaitlyn1818 Posts: 8
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    OH yeah I know. It's crazy how if I eat at home it takes me ALL day to get to 2100 calories. but if I go somewhere and just eat (what they consider one meal ) it's half of the day's calories!
  • fitnesspirateninja
    fitnesspirateninja Posts: 667 Member
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    Most places, especially independently-owned, local places, will make you up a dry grilled protein (like fish or chicken) with a side of veggies and rice. If I can't find something healthy on the menu, I tend to ask for substitute foods. Also, broth-based soups tend to be pretty healthy.

    These days, it seems like most restaurants are happy to accommodate dietary restrictions. More and more customers are demanding healthy options. I think that in the next few years, businesses are going to have to get healthy to stay in business. The Cinnabon at a mall near me went out of business!

    Honestly, you just have to work harder to find a healthy option. If you go to the same restaurants, they'll recognize you and your "special" order. Yes, it's a pain, and no, it's not fair, but hey, we have to pay more for healthy foods when we buy them at the store.
  • chrish1981
    chrish1981 Posts: 156
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    OH yeah I know. It's crazy how if I eat at home it takes me ALL day to get to 2100 calories. but if I go somewhere and just eat (what they consider one meal ) it's half of the day's calories!

    One of the worst places to eat is a Mexican place called On The Border. Almost every meal is 1000 cals. It's a shame because I LOVE it there, but it's really bad for you.

    Seriously: you'd have to eat like crazy at home to get all those calories!
  • k2d4p
    k2d4p Posts: 441 Member
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    [/quote]
    Plus, you'll get sick of Chili's eventually. ;)
    [/quote]

    We have been sick of Chili's since about 1 month after getting here. When we finally get back to the states, we will probable not eat at Chili's for about 10 years.
  • marianmaj
    marianmaj Posts: 96 Member
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    If you want to eat out plan on not eating much all day so you can have some fun ....never let them put any bread on the table! Ask if they soak the chicken in oil before cooking...sad but true; many places do this to make it more tender...adds so many hidden calories! No dressing on the salad just lemon; no croutons; no cheese. Sip a nice glass of wine; no mixed drinks! Ask for lemon in your water. All sauces on the side. NO potatoes (thyroid inhibitor) extra veggies; no dessert. Make entree clean as possible. I order salmon poached or grilled. I can never find any food in a restauant that is as healthy and tasty as I can make at home. We love eating out on date night but it is really hard! Always take 50% home!
  • FitJoani
    FitJoani Posts: 2,173 Member
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    They also will to-go half of it if you ask...nicely of course. its a great way to curb ther temptation ive donwe it many times
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
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    Most places, especially independently-owned, local places, will make you up a dry grilled protein (like fish or chicken) with a side of veggies and rice. If I can't find something healthy on the menu, I tend to ask for substitute foods. Also, broth-based soups tend to be pretty healthy.

    These days, it seems like most restaurants are happy to accommodate dietary restrictions. More and more customers are demanding healthy options. I think that in the next few years, businesses are going to have to get healthy to stay in business. The Cinnabon at a mall near me went out of business!

    Honestly, you just have to work harder to find a healthy option. If you go to the same restaurants, they'll recognize you and your "special" order. Yes, it's a pain, and no, it's not fair, but hey, we have to pay more for healthy foods when we buy them at the store.

    I agree. I went to a sports bar once, and ordered a peice of grilled chicken, plain salad, and some fruit. Many restaurants will accomodate you, but you'll probably be charged for a similar meal on the menu. I think I was charged for a ceaser salad.

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