Eating out Advice

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wmubuffettfan
wmubuffettfan Posts: 34 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started my journey three weeks ago and since then I have only eaten at home where I can really control what goes into every meal. However, this week I know I have three straight nights were I have a business dinners. I know several people have said read up on the restaurant before you go. The problem is, the restaurant is normally picked 10-15 minutes before we leave for dinner. My plan is to try to stick to grilled chicken and fish dishes with vegetable sides. Anyone have any other generic advice on eating out and sticking to my goals?

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  • Athena413
    Athena413 Posts: 1,709 Member
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    As soon as you order, ask for a to-go box and put half your meal in the box...restaurants serve WAY more than you actually need and if it's sitting on your place, there's a good chance you WILL eat it. Try to avoid appetizers, too. They're usually pretty high calorie. Drink water, stay away from anything fried or saucy, and try to make half your meal vegetables.
  • aecryan
    aecryan Posts: 89
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    You got it... grilled not fried, fish/chicken not red meat, no creamy sauces, yes to veggies, and no to potatoes/starches. Water, water, water!
  • midwesthiker
    midwesthiker Posts: 144
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    For the first 4 months of my diet I did a horrible job when it came to dining out. Luckily now I can look up the restaurant on my iphone before I order.

    What I do is eat half of what is on my plate. They always give you too much food. Order a salad instead of soup before the meal - with the dressing on the side. Otherwise I try to stay light on my calories the rest of the day so that if it is a 1000 calorie meal it isn't too bad.
  • fantomette
    fantomette Posts: 148 Member
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    if you're planning on eating a "good meal" (not a small salad): water, water, water.

    Salads in restaurant are often PACKED with calories, sometimes even worst than a good Ol' steak with veggies.

    Strangely, I don't eat a lot of pastas at home. But when I go to restaurants I feel they are often not that expensive, and it's easy to keep track of your calories if you choose pastas with pomodoro or marinara sauce.

    ...or you could just try eating less during the day. When I know I'll go to a restaurant I try having a smaller lunch.
  • zenfocus
    zenfocus Posts: 106 Member
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    Salad and soup and you can hardly ever go wrong. :) Always ask for salad dressing on the side. Always choose baked rather than fried for meat. Stay away from pastas because these tend to be calorie-dense. Opt out from not getting dessert. Another tip is to choose an appetizer on the menu. It is usually cheaper and less calories too! I hope this helps.
  • fantomette
    fantomette Posts: 148 Member
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    Salad and soup and you can hardly ever go wrong. :) Always ask for salad dressing on the side. Always choose baked rather than fried for meat. Stay away from pastas because these tend to be calorie-dense. Opt out from not getting dessert. Another tip is to choose an appetizer on the menu. It is usually cheaper and less calories too! I hope this helps.
    YES that is a really good point: salad dressing ALWAYS on the side!
    oh geeez. I was surprised to see HOW much dressing they give. You look at this cup, lol it's disgusting!!!
    You realize that most of the time 1 third of a this little cup is enough for your salad to drown in dressing!
  • wiggleroom
    wiggleroom Posts: 322 Member
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    I would suggest that you look up the best bets for dishes based on type of restaurant (Mexican, Indian, Thai, whatever), and keep those in mind so you're ready if you don't go to a place that has simple grilled fish or chicken.

    Also, make sure you tell the wait staff that you want as little oil as possible, since some places grease up the meat before they grill it.

    Words to avoid (some are obvious):

    sauteed (fancy word for fried!)
    cream sauce
    wine sauce (usually has butter)
    tossed in .... (usually something you don't want!)
    "con crema"
    crispy
    beurre blanc (butter, butter, butter!)
    pan seared (fried again)
    marinated (oil!)

    Usually safe:

    grilled (after you make a point about oil/butter)
    broiled
    roasted
    red sauce
    kebabs (though they can be marinated)
    broth-based soups

    If you go Mexican, chew gum and sip your water while everyone is chomping on chips! (I like to ask for lemon and/or lime in my water). And choose corn tortillas over flour. One of my favorite things to get at Mexican restaurants is vegetable fajitas with corn tortillas, and I tell them to hold the rice. Usually, they'll double the vegetables.

    If you order a salad, definitely order the dressing on the side, or just ask for a lemon wedge. And tell them NO cheese, croutons, tortilla strips, or whatever.
  • wmubuffettfan
    wmubuffettfan Posts: 34 Member
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    Thanks everyone for the wonderful advice!!!

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