Olive Garden.......

angievaughn
angievaughn Posts: 655 Member
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I am in trouble....Hubby wants Olive garden for lunch.....I looked up what I could eat.....which is nothing.....

However, one breadstick is 150 calories, one serving of salad WITHOUT dressing is 120 and the Venetian Apricot Chicken is 380....for a total of 650 for lunch........

IS that too much for lunch???? I could take the main dish and half it??? What do you think????

please help!!!!

Replies

  • rhiannon1979
    rhiannon1979 Posts: 166 Member
    Whether or not 650 is too much for lunch depends on what you have taken in so far today and what you are planning on for the rest of the day. As long as you have the calories to use, you are fine!!
  • sellingsworth
    sellingsworth Posts: 27
    Hi, eat the salad - ask for dressing on the side - take the breadstick and break it up into small pieces - eat half the entree - good luck!!
  • jeremymaritz
    jeremymaritz Posts: 70
    First off, breeeeeaaaaathe. :)

    Secondly, I find that if I eat out at a place like that, the BEST thing you can do is have the waitperson bring a to-go box out RIGHT AWAY when you get your food. Then split that plate and dump it in the box IMMEDIATELY. Get it off the table and out of your sight.

    From there, you really have to be strong to back off the breadsticks...just keep a careful count and don't go overboard. At the end of the day, it's really not the end of the world. You can make up the calorie burn later. Just stay relaxed or else you'll want to eat more; tension and stress is too effecive a trigger.
  • skos1172
    skos1172 Posts: 8
    That's okay for lunch, just add to your workout for the day. If I know I'm having a big lunch or dinner, I add a mile or two to a run or swim.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    No. I keep hearing breakfast and lunch should be your biggest meals. I'm going to Olive Garden tonight and intend on eating some salad with DRESSING ON THE SIDE, no breadsticks, and half my Seafood Portofino (shrimp, mussels, scallops and garlic butter sauce). I will also drink water. Before I started eating healthier & we'd go to Olive Garden, I'd eat half the bowl of salad, 3-4 breadsticks, my full meal, PLUS 2-3 glasses of their peach bellini tea.
  • rockabyesarojane
    rockabyesarojane Posts: 471
    Hi, eat the salad - ask for dressing on the side - take the breadstick and break it up into small pieces - eat half the entree - good luck!!

    exactly!
    and if you are really worried about it. just go for a nice long walk afterwards and you'll be zen the rest of the day, plus you'll have had a dilicious lunch.
  • godroxmysox
    godroxmysox Posts: 1,491 Member
    I usually do the cheese ravioli with the marinara sauce (only eat half) & a bowl of the chicken gnocchi soup for a total of 580 calories. It's still a pretty high number, but it usually fills me up and I have another meal to take home with me =)
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
    That is not so bad!! I would say to just enjoy it!

    I am going to the cheese cake factory this weekend... my dish of choice is over 2000 calories and my cheese cake slice is 1500 calories....

    I plan to work out like a maniac and just enjoy it...
  • crystaltrejo
    crystaltrejo Posts: 263 Member
    all great pointers...I enjoyed this post.
  • tam120
    tam120 Posts: 444 Member
    Many people eat their main meal for lunch instead of dinner, Just make your dinner lower cal.
  • angelicpiece101
    angelicpiece101 Posts: 40 Member
    Thats not bad for one meal, just make your lunch your big meal of the day today, and eat something small later for your dinner. Don't fret over it you'll be fine, and if you feel like you want to burn off some of the calories you took in for that meal later go for it, it might make you feel better. I know I get a guilty feeling when eating out so exercising later usually helps me feel better....lol. Enjoy your lunch! :)
  • angievaughn
    angievaughn Posts: 655 Member
    Thanks for reminding me to breathe......

    You freak out...because you have worked so hard...and when you look on their menu.....over 3/4 of their stuff is over my calories for the day!!!

    I got this!!! I can do it!!! I will only eat half of the main dish......one breadstick.....and a salad.....without the dressing!!!

    Thanks guys!!! I was about to fall apart!!!!
  • barbosa22
    barbosa22 Posts: 178 Member
    Soup and Salad!!!
  • not_your_average_fairy
    not_your_average_fairy Posts: 35
    exactly!
    and if you are really worried about it. just go for a nice long walk afterwards and you'll be zen the rest of the day, plus you'll have had a dilicious lunch.

    I do the same., drives the hubby bonkers cause he's so full and just wants to nap and I want to go walking. My favorite walk is at the mall, you can walk around look at nice stuff and get ideas for your new wardrobe when all the weight is off.
  • Mamapengu
    Mamapengu Posts: 250
    Last time I went I had some minestrone soup, small portion of salad with no dressing and a bread stick and I came in under 500c. If you take it slow you are still eating while everyone else is and don't get bored and tempted to eat more. Enjoy!
  • QueenofCups
    QueenofCups Posts: 365 Member
    I don't even like their salad and the breadsticks aren't that great either. I would skip both and just eat half the meal myself. Those portions are so huge anyway. I agree on the poster about getting the to-go box right away. We do that too a lot.
  • craft338
    craft338 Posts: 870 Member
    check this out! it's all the healthier options and their nutritional info :)

    http://www.olivegarden.com/menus/garden_fare/nutrition_alternatives.asp
  • vickersja
    vickersja Posts: 7
    That is my favorite place to eat at, but i only reserve it for my Saturday cheat day.

    My pre-diet meal there had double my sodium recommendation for the whole day.......
  • Toridactyl
    Toridactyl Posts: 19 Member
    Six years ago I lost ~100lbs while WORKING at Olive Garden!! I would not allow myself to eat the breadsticks. I found I LOVE to just eat half a bruschetta appetizer for a meal (~300cal). Mmm.. now I want that. ;)

    But, just like everyone says - take a few bites of the main dish and box the rest up! Stop when you feel full and load up on salad (they DO offer a lowfat option if you're worried about fat) and drink a couple glasses of water. Also - you can order the LUNCH portion at any time of the day. You can bring your Apricot Chicken down to 280 calories and 3g fat.

    It's not about willpower. It's about having the knowledge to know when you're full and to know then it's time to toss in the napkin. By asking - you now have the knowlege which is the power to succeed!
  • millermichellelea
    millermichellelea Posts: 226
    :happy: Pasta f'joule soup - one bread stick and salad with your dressing on the side. This is my plan when I go there under four hundred and fifty calories and it is enjoyable. Also soup and salad is very refreshing and easy on the checkbook.
  • raelynnjordan
    raelynnjordan Posts: 135 Member
    Capellini pomodoro is a really healthy meal. I worked at OG for a year and a half. The breadsticks are totally bad for you, and so is the salad. A lunch portion cap pom and a bowl of minestrone would probably be your best bet. Good luck to you and ENJOY! ;)
  • angievaughn
    angievaughn Posts: 655 Member
    UPDATE:

    So, I survived lunch.....
    I did not eat a breadstick......Yay me!!!! I usually had three, maybe four!!
    I had the salad without the dressing...and it's not any good without it....but I ate most of the goodies out of my bowl.....lettuce was bitter!!!

    I ate the Venetian Apricot Chicken lunch portion!!!

    For a grand total of 400 calories!!!! More than I would usually eat for lunch....but I enjoyed my husband's company!!!
  • fairygurl62
    fairygurl62 Posts: 12
    I used to work at Olive Garden and you can also order a la carte. You could order a side of pasta (plain) , a side of plain broccoli, a side of zucchini & squash, plain grilled chicken breast, they also have fat free italian dressing, or you can request oil & balsamic vinegar, You can also request the sliced ciabatta bread (plain), and you can also order the breadsticks plain too (not butter, no salt).
    The minestrone soup is also pretty good to, and there are a lot of veggies in that.
    They also have whole wheat pasta, which is good with the cappelini pomodoro.
  • darling_nickie
    darling_nickie Posts: 117 Member
    fairygirl62 good pointers! I will be ordering whole wheat pasta next time we go! BTW: I say enjoy your lunch have a light dinner :)
  • darling_nickie
    darling_nickie Posts: 117 Member
    UPDATE:

    So, I survived lunch.....
    I did not eat a breadstick......Yay me!!!! I usually had three, maybe four!!
    I had the salad without the dressing...and it's not any good without it....but I ate most of the goodies out of my bowl.....lettuce was bitter!!!

    I ate the Venetian Apricot Chicken lunch portion!!!

    For a grand total of 400 calories!!!! More than I would usually eat for lunch....but I enjoyed my husband's company!!!

    YAY :)
  • Becky1971
    Becky1971 Posts: 979 Member

    I find that if I eat out at a place like that, the BEST thing you can do is have the waitperson bring a to-go box out RIGHT AWAY when you get your food. Then split that plate and dump it in the box IMMEDIATELY. Get it off the table and out of your sight.

    What a great idea! Thanks!
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