a guide to eating out

Marinaclare
Marinaclare Posts: 30
in Food and Nutrition
Can someone point me in the right direction if this has been asked and answered already but where is good to eat out on my fitness pal? How do you monitor it if its an independent restaurant with no calorie listing?

Also do you skip lunch to allow for the extra calories etc

Replies

  • weightliftingdiva
    weightliftingdiva Posts: 522 Member
    Try and go to a place that has nutrition information (many fast food options and chain restaurants have nutrition information).
    If that is not an option, try to stick to lean meats and vegetables with no sauce and no sweetened beverages.

    That being said... If this is a a big celebration or a rare treat, just eat whatever you'd like without stuffing it. One night out won't hurt.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    If I know I'm going to have a big meal coming up I'll either eat a super light lunch, or work out a bit more. I get fussy if I miss a meal completely. :)

    It can be hard to guess calories at a restaurant but to at least get a very huge ballpark estimate you can try to input the ingredients as best you can into the recipe creator thing.
  • shadowloss
    shadowloss Posts: 293 Member
    I'm learning the hard way. I go out with a group for lunch everyday. I try to choose the most healthy option and stay away from anything fried. Then I come back to the office to log the food I thought was good, only to find it was nearly the worse thing on the menu. Needless to say it's water and lettuce for dinner. (not really I just learn).

    Now I'm learning to look at on-line menus before hand and making the suggestion as to where to go to lunch. That way I know what I'm going to order and know I'm going to stay within my plan.

    That doesn't answer the question for when their menu or nutrition is not on line. As others have mentioned, think about where your going, what you will order and try to determine before going?

    Not real helpful, but the more I live the more I learn. Best of Luck.
  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
    I try to mostly eat at places with nutrition information available. If it's not, I try to find like foods in the nutrition database. If that still doesn't work, I assume that a semi-healthy meal out is around 1000 calories, so I will take 1/2 home and assume I ate around 500 calories. Not perfect, but it's something.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    I wrote an excellent guide for this recently
  • SaintGiff
    SaintGiff Posts: 3,679 Member
    I wrote an excellent guide for this recently

    Every man thinks that we are an expert. We are all wrong. Every damned one of us.
  • silver_arrow3
    silver_arrow3 Posts: 1,373 Member
    I wrote an excellent guide for this recently

    Every man thinks that we are an expert. We are all wrong. Every damned one of us.
    He seems to get a lot of praise for a non-expert. He may not eat out daily, but apparently his knowledge should be shared with the MFP world.
  • shutyourpieholeandsquat
    shutyourpieholeandsquat Posts: 1,394 Member
    I wrote an excellent guide for this recently

    Every man thinks that we are an expert. We are all wrong. Every damned one of us.
    He seems to get a lot of praise for a non-expert. He may not eat out daily, but apparently his knowledge should be shared with the MFP world.

    hell I know some people that he could share it with... :grumble:
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    I wrote an excellent guide for this recently

    Every man thinks that we are an expert. We are all wrong. Every damned one of us.
    He seems to get a lot of praise for a non-expert. He may not eat out daily, but apparently his knowledge should be shared with the MFP world.

    :laugh:
  • baba_helly
    baba_helly Posts: 810 Member
    I wrote an excellent guide for this recently

    Every man thinks that we are an expert. We are all wrong. Every damned one of us.
    He seems to get a lot of praise for a non-expert. He may not eat out daily, but apparently his knowledge should be shared with the MFP world.

    I would like to keep it all to myself.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    If there's no calorie count available then I choose something similar in the database. If there's a wide calorie range I choose something in the middle. I don't eat in restaurants enough to really hurt my progress even if my calorie info is off.
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
    I never skip a meal, I don't avoid places with no nutrition info. I pick database entries that seem in line with ate. I use big chain entries and I skip generic entries that seem overly generous. A regular serving of restaurant french fries isn't going to less than 100 calories.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I never skip a meal, I don't avoid places with no nutrition info. I pick database entries that seem in line with ate. I use big chain entries and I skip generic entries that seem overly generous. A regular serving of restaurant french fries isn't going to less than 100 calories.

    WHAT? :sad: :brokenheart: :cry:
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    If I know I'm going to have a big meal coming up I'll either eat a super light lunch, or work out a bit more. I get fussy if I miss a meal completely. :)

    It can be hard to guess calories at a restaurant but to at least get a very huge ballpark estimate you can try to input the ingredients as best you can into the recipe creator thing.

    This, and I always add extra butter or oil to my guesses about ingredients.

    I mostly do dinners out at local (calories not available) restaurants, and do it about once a week, so it's definitely possible. Depending on where you go, I even think those kinds of places may have better options than some of the major chains. But what matters is what you order, of course. I've always found that people are willing to answer questions and, of course, you can ask for dressing on the side and stuff like that. I tend to assume it's going to be lots of calories and prepare accordingly, though.
  • elydotap
    elydotap Posts: 13 Member
    Ask for the restaurant's nutritional menu. They are suppose to have one.:smile:
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
    Can someone point me in the right direction if this has been asked and answered already but where is good to eat out on my fitness pal?

    I think this particular guide is hidden in the library of the high school where "American Pie" takes place.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    I don't eat out a lot (maybe 2x per month), but I do travel for business. I don't usually log, but I skip the bread and usually the dessert (unless it's really good and I can just taste a teaspoon of it). If it's a business trip I skip breakfast or buy/take my own. I go for healthier options like fish or chicken, but I generally have whatever I want (and DEFINITELY a cocktail or glass of wine with dinner), and just keep my Eating Out Mantra in my head "moderation, moderation, moderation" and eat fairly slowly so I can more easily gauge satiety and enjoy the conversation and company more.

    I have found I focus much more on choosing things I really want and really enjoying them than I used to.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    Also do you skip lunch to allow for the extra calories etc

    Skipping lunch to me means what would be an 800 calorie meal becomes a 1,500 calorie meal because I'm so hungry. I recommend eating a small lunch, but definitely still eating.

    The whole time I was losing weight, I only rarely logged a meal out. Such a pain in the *kitten*, never accurate, I did not bother. I rarely do it now either. To each their own, however.
  • Joannah700
    Joannah700 Posts: 2,665 Member
    www.healthydiningfinder.com

    is a great start.

    Makes it easy-ish to find/suggest places to go out and know that there's healthy food out there.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    If there's no nutrition information, then some choices should be fairly obvious: grilled chicken or fish, steamed veggies, salads with light dressings or oil and vinegar. For other things, ask questions about the ingredients and preperation, and choose the closest thing you can find in the database.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    www.healthydiningfinder.com

    is a great start.

    Makes it easy-ish to find/suggest places to go out and know that there's healthy food out there.
    This is useful!
  • Erin_goBrahScience
    Erin_goBrahScience Posts: 1,215 Member
    I wrote an excellent guide for this recently

    Can confirm such written guide exists.
  • Jlew64
    Jlew64 Posts: 13 Member
    I wrote an excellent guide for this recently

    Where can one find this guide?
  • Snip8241
    Snip8241 Posts: 767 Member
    If you know where you are going, go online and look for the nutrition information.
    Plan your meal ahead, broiled and grilled seafood is a good choice.

    Stick to your meal plan for the day. Don't skip lunch

    Get a good workout in, this will give you more calories

    Maybe have a small snack before you go out.

    If this is not a regular occurrence just don't worry too much about going over.

    If you plan you can do it.
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    I wrote an excellent guide for this recently

    Every man thinks that we are an expert. We are all wrong. Every damned one of us.

    My boyfriend happens to know how to show a MFP gal a good time.

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