Going out to eat at a restaurant on Friday, help!

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alex063287
alex063287 Posts: 61 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello, so I am going out to eat at a restaurant with my family on Friday and I need your help on what I should get without going overboard. I am going to a place called Jed's barbecue and brew, which is similar to a BW3 or Fricker's. They have fireballs (boneless, skinless chicken chunks), salads, sandwiches, burgers, gyros, wings, pizza, wraps, fries, low-fat cottage cheese, coleslaw, and etc. I am not a big fan of wings or fireballs so I can pass on those but I was wondering if there is something that is healthy that I should get over the others. However I do plan on saving up on calories so I can splurge, but I just want to make sure I don't over splurge. Is there anything that you suggest I should absolutely stay away from? Would it be bad if I had fries? Am I better off getting a burger vs. a Italian wrap? I am doing so well and I don't want to ruin it because of some stupid decision I make that will cost me a whole day's worth of calories. Any of your help would be greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • 750legpress
    750legpress Posts: 32 Member
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    If you can find the restaurants information on MFP, then plan your meal that way. Also, check to see if they have a menu online before you go and plan your meal accordingly. Since they do have salads, that would be the healthiest way to go...and most restaurants will accomodate your dietary needs and requests/requirements.

    You'll do fine..just preplan a little bit and drink LOTS of water!!!
  • absolament
    absolament Posts: 278 Member
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    Enjoy your experience, but don't go overboard. Pick and choose. If you side with the fries, do not order a soda and skip the dessert. I, personally, always go with water and lemon and skip the fries. I'll nibble a few of a friends if they let me. But a bbq place... usually a grilled breast is low cal. Just don't add extra bbq sauce. Skip coleslaw. Corn on the cob or green beans are usually safe. Good luck and have fun!
  • juliedk
    juliedk Posts: 9
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    if i know where i'm going ahead of time i look online to see if i can find any nutritional info ... i usually can ... not all of it is completely accurate so be careful ... i'm not familiar w/ the restaurants you've mentioned ... and i don't know where you live ... but poke around on the internet before you go .... hope for a calorie controlled menu ... or something that says 'lighter' ... or look at calorie differences at other restaurants for what you think you may want ....... i also try to have a strong 600 cal workout BEFORE i go .... it's like i'm pre-earning my meal ...
  • 6Janelle13
    6Janelle13 Posts: 353 Member
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    start with a salad, no dressing and have water unsweetened ice tea or a beer if you really want it. Then enjoy small bites of things you love. A slice of pizza isn't horrible, it's the second and third slices that kill your day. Enjoy what you want just plan your day around that meal. I know when my hubby and I drive to see his family we will stop at in and out. I enter my dinner meal for that and plan my day around it it works out pretty well
  • jmbrinkmann
    jmbrinkmann Posts: 1
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    See if they have a menu online. If so, choose what you're going to order from home and then don't look at the menu once you get there. You're more likely to cave if you choose with all the delightful smells surrounding you. I'd go with a baked chicken breast on a salad. Don't do fries, you'll hate yourself for it. If you need a potato, get a baked potato, but skip the sour cream and go light on the butter. Skip coleslaw and corn. Corn is a lot of sugar and calories, go for a green vegetable (like the salad).
  • alex063287
    alex063287 Posts: 61 Member
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    I probably should have mentioned that I like salad but never thought I would order one at a restaurant, is there another healthy option besides salads and grilled chicken sandwiches?
  • k80mac
    k80mac Posts: 63 Member
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    if you go with pizza, make sure it's like a meat lover's so at least your protein balances out the carb or better. If you do the bbq, eat from the plate, keep it off the bun. i'd say eat conservatively/wisely early in the day and then you don't have to freak out so much at dinnertime. Just avoid the fries though. LOL. have fun!
  • RZO42488
    RZO42488 Posts: 64
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    I would personally not order a restaurant salad unless it is at a Salad Bar due to restaurants increasing the taste, which equals less healthier options. Make your own salad or request dressing you can put on the sald yourself.
  • Nigel99
    Nigel99 Posts: 498 Member
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    I would personally not order a restaurant salad unless it is at a Salad Bar due to restaurants increasing the taste, which equals less healthier options. Make your own salad or request dressing you can put on the sald yourself.

    Good advice. The problem with many restaurant salads isn't really the calories or fat, but the large amount of sodium. Some of these "healthier" salads have 2/3 or more of your daily sodium allowance in them.

    Have a good time, and don't fret too much about eating out. Just make good choices, log it all no matter what, and you should be ok.
  • BreakOnThru
    BreakOnThru Posts: 66 Member
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    If when your food arrives the portions look gigantic or more than you know you need (highly likely), ask your server right away to bring you a to-go box. Put away half the food, and you've got lunch for tomorrow.

    Saw other lots of great advice on here about planning ahead (if you know you're going to splurge a bit, eat less in your earlier meals, and check out the menu), drink two glasses of water before your food arrives, maybe start with a soup (avoid anything creamy). You could also do a mega-workout before you head to the restaurant.

    Kudos to you for giving this some thought beforehand! That's key.
  • Hbronson06
    Hbronson06 Posts: 1
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    If I know I'm going out to eat with friends, I wil eat something at home first. That way I'm not starving and don't order too much. I usually can get something light and feel comfortable. Also, the unhealthy food isn't as tempting.
  • JaredTheGeek
    JaredTheGeek Posts: 26 Member
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    So the philosophy that I follow is the Primal Blueprint and it says you get a cheat. This could be your cheat. The benefit of a cheat is that it resets your body. So if you eat awesome and great foods all week that are super healthy and are on a calorie defecit and then have 1 cheat, your body will think "Hey, back to normal! Let's Rock!" You won't go into starvation mode that way and it satiates your cravings.

    Its worked for me but it may not work for everyone. I used to plan all week what I was going to splurge on but now I don't even think about it and the last time I got fast food I got sick to my stomach so I find better quality junk food to eat.
  • alex063287
    alex063287 Posts: 61 Member
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    Thank you all for your help! I have been planning but I just don't want to get a salad if it has hidden ingredients when I can get something that tastes better. How are gyros, sandwiches, and burgers? Meaning, if I can get a burger because it's the same amount of calories in a sandwich I would rather chose the burger.
  • Sara1978
    Sara1978 Posts: 213 Member
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    Burgers aren't THAT bad in and of themselves if you eat them in moderation, but a lot of restaurant burgers are 1.) too large to qualify as a single serving (if you're aware of that, just eat less of it) and 2.) served with so much junk on them that the calories and sodium count get inflated like crazy. Some places will add butter to the bun and things like that, and then slather on 5 times the ketchup and other condiments than are needed. When I get a burger out, I'll ask the server to please not butter the bun if they normally do that, get it without any cheese and ask for the condiments and fixings on the side so that I can assemble my own burger at my seat. I also will sometimes only eat about half the bun-- places tend to over-bun their burgers, and it just heaps on more carbs and calories than are really needed.
  • superwmn
    superwmn Posts: 936
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    Here's how I would enjoy dining out/social functions/parties yet ensure I did not over eat:

    Ideally we would all just make amazing choices, listen to our bodies (i.e.: eat when we're hungry and stop when we're full), but in social situations this common sense stuff can frequently fly out the window. In order to set myself up for success, I do a few things:

    - Spoil my appetite: I never enter a social situation hungry. I do not save calories for these events. I eat before I go and arrive at the event full. This way I can make rational decisions about what to taste/sample. Even if I plan on eating a full meal at a restaurant, I STILL spoil my appetite. Arriving full saves me hundreds (if not thousands) of calories.

    - I wear clothing that does not allow room for a huge meal/over eating: The belt-over-everything trend has been my friend. I always wear a fitted belt around my waist over button downs, sweaters, cardigans, whatever. Wear those skinny jeans. Wear that fitted dress. Whatever I chose, it's my goal to make it fit comfortably ALL. NIGHT. It's really hard to stuff myself full of food when my outfit does not allow for much expansion of the belly. There's a reason people undo their pants after a big meal. I won't be that girl.

    I also skip the bread basket. Start with a cup broth based soup to fill me up. Half of my entree goes in a 'to go' container as soon as it arrives at the table. If dessert is ordered, I have a bite or two. I also keep the black, decaf coffee coming. I pick and choose which items mean the most to me (do I want birthday cake or do I want hors d'oeuvres, for example) and pick my pleasure.

    These tactics have worked for me for the past year :)

    YOU CAN DO IT!!!

    Charmagne

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