Frustrated with Chinese food!

edryer123
edryer123 Posts: 502 Member
edited September 24 in Food and Nutrition
I had been craving chinese food like no other for about a month. I know that it is one of the absolute worst takeouts you can get, so I decided I would get one of the at home single serving meals. Good grief do I regret the 480cal. I wasted on that! Not satisfying at all and I've blown through almost 500cal! I know I can make chinese at home that is healthier, but it is one of the few foods I completely hate to cook at home especially because I am the only one that likes it. Not really looking for advice, just needed to vent.

Replies

  • smpichon
    smpichon Posts: 3 Member
    I know you're not looking for advice but if I were you, I'd just get what I really want and resolve to eat half a portion of it and do some extra cardio to help burn off some of the calories you ate or you could eat light for breakfast and lunch (load up on veggies).
  • thefatqueen
    thefatqueen Posts: 16
    I completely understand. Have you thought of saving up your extra calories and then having the real thing? When I REALLY want something, I exercise a little more each day, don't eat back those calories, and then when I have enough extra calories I treat myself to that special something I really want. Most of the time, I have found that what ever I was really craving didn't taste that great afterall. I still fall off the food wagon from time to time.

    Is it just the food, or is part of it the social experience? DON"T bring the leftovers home. Let them throw them away. Better yet, order less food. If you can, don't eat the rice. It has WAYYY too many empty calories.
  • sweetheart03622
    sweetheart03622 Posts: 928 Member
    If you get the beef and broccoli from panda express with the veggies it's about 400 cals I think... or the Biggest loser cookbook has a really family friendly recipe for sweet and sour chicken that's delicious! Best of luck... that's a tough one :-/
  • michlingle
    michlingle Posts: 797 Member
    Most chinese places will steam your vegetables and meat. They don't put any sauce...or they'll put it on the side. I get mixed veg and shrimp or chicken, they I raid the sauce packets..at least I know how much sauce I'm using.
  • dumb_blondes_rock
    dumb_blondes_rock Posts: 1,568 Member
    i had greenbean chicken once from panda express and it was only like 280 cals and i got white rice with it
  • bri_tani123
    bri_tani123 Posts: 1
    Omgoshh chinese food is my absolute weakness as well, so trust me you are not a lone. When you crave something for so long I say go for it but you have to hit harder in the gym unfortunately =/
  • ramseyrose
    ramseyrose Posts: 421 Member
    I agree with thefatqueen (hate calling her that). i saved calories up last week and then had a chinese on Saturday. i had 1 spring roll, 1 pancake with duck, a tbspn of rice, a spoon of lemon chicken and a spoon of chicken & cashew nuts and I was stuffed but I really enjoyed it and didnt feel deprived
  • louisee294
    louisee294 Posts: 140 Member
    yum, chinese food. I saved up 1000 cals from exercise during my week and had chinese on sat and guess wht?I dint put an any weight! I had a spring roll and boiled rice and cantonese fillet of beef. It was worth it!
  • nedasdaughter
    nedasdaughter Posts: 14 Member
    hungry girl has a sesame chicken recipe...i havent tried it yet, but i've loved all of her other recipes...she has it free on her website.
  • HalfofHilary
    HalfofHilary Posts: 224
    Chinese food is my downfall. I love the sauces and the yumminess Mongolian Beef.. YUM... Almond Chicken.. YUM... Sweet and Sour Pork.. YUM..... General tso.. Ohhh Yumm.... Ok enough of that... However, if it helps you to look at it this way..
    1. Its expensive
    2. the food is just on loan.. I mean.. a very quickly paced Loan *wink wink*

    A lot of grocerie stores here have some stuff behind the deli, so whenever I am crazy craving it, I just go and ask for a taste test. Just that one bite seems to not "satisfy" me but suppresses my craving so I don't go too crazy. Good luck!!
  • edryer123
    edryer123 Posts: 502 Member
    my old favorite was pepper steak. I never eat the rice because I'm not a fan of white rice at all. I usually only eat the half portion, but then snack on the rest. I usually order in if I order it. As for saving up the calories, that is what I usually do. So healthy dinner and probably a late workout is on the menu.
  • MisdemeanorM
    MisdemeanorM Posts: 3,493 Member
    be good for a while and go ahead and splurge on some takeout. Especially if you don't eat it all in one sitting/day. Spread it out to 3 meals and it's totally reasonable calorie wise, or do a workout and go ahead and eat 1/2 of it (I can't eat a whole one if I try!). Don't deprive yourself of everything!
  • Woodman725
    Woodman725 Posts: 288 Member
    Target actually has a really good fresh vegetable stirfry package that is really good and low calories. It is in the section with the bag salad. I think there are a couple of different ones, but they come with fresh veggies and a sauce package, you add the meat. Super yummy!

    Not all chinese takeout is terrible. If you get certain types it's not so bad as far as fat and the calories aren't too bad. Szechuan is a lot of veggies and Kung Pao. Just stay away from the ones with the breaded meat, like sweet and sour, general tso, and so on. And since you don't really like the rice, that is a big portion of the calories.
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
    I had been craving chinese food like no other for about a month. I know that it is one of the absolute worst takeouts you can get, so I decided I would get one of the at home single serving meals. Good grief do I regret the 480cal. I wasted on that! Not satisfying at all and I've blown through almost 500cal! I know I can make chinese at home that is healthier, but it is one of the few foods I completely hate to cook at home especially because I am the only one that likes it. Not really looking for advice, just needed to vent.

    Lean Cuisine has some AWESOME Asian food. The Thai springrolls are absolutely incredible.
  • Janworkingitout
    Janworkingitout Posts: 434 Member
    I had been craving chinese food like no other for about a month. I know that it is one of the absolute worst takeouts you can get, so I decided I would get one of the at home single serving meals. Good grief do I regret the 480cal. I wasted on that! Not satisfying at all and I've blown through almost 500cal! I know I can make chinese at home that is healthier, but it is one of the few foods I completely hate to cook at home especially because I am the only one that likes it. Not really looking for advice, just needed to vent.

    One of my pals on MFP has an ongoing blog with recipes for Chinese dishes you can make at home, enjoy: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/hsinster/view/1-2-3-4-5-formula-for-chinese-food-74404
  • thefatqueen
    thefatqueen Posts: 16
    One more idea (well I hope I don't come up with more anyway). Go online before you order take out or go to a restaurant. Figure out the calories of what you really want to have. If it is too many calories, decide what will work for you, that you will be happy with.

    Example: My husband likes to eat out. I shudder at the calories.. so I look up the restaurant or equivalent online, and see what falls within the calories I am willing to eat. I usually can find something I can be happy with, especially if I have done extra exercising.
  • RENAEJAE
    RENAEJAE Posts: 1,135 Member
    LOL - I was craving chinese food yesterday afternoon. Planned on it for dinner. When I called home to see who wanted take-out my kids talked me out of it. Gotta love that support on the homefront!
  • edryer123
    edryer123 Posts: 502 Member
    Thank you everybody for the great tips and commeserating. Today is a new day and I'm not going to dwell on the evil chinese food of yesterday! LOL

    I will take all of your advice to heart next time the Chinese food calls.
  • lotrisneat
    lotrisneat Posts: 36 Member
    Lettuce wraps are a good option. Just went to PF Chang's website, and the chicken lettuce wraps are 160 cals per serving. Of course, there's four servings in a dish, but even if you ate half, it's only 320 cals. Of course the sodium is a whole other issue.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    I have started making my own. I have made Orange Chicken, Moo Shu Chicken, and Kung Pao with great success! I usually amend the recipes a bit to make them healthier, using less oil, etc.
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