Chinese food HELP!!!

carribear
carribear Posts: 32
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I love love Chinese food and I don't get to eat it very often. Tomorrow at work a group for us are ordering and I'm totally at a loss. I usually get the Sweet and Sour Chicken with an egg roll! Anyone have any other ideas for me?

Thanks :)

Replies

  • lynz4589
    lynz4589 Posts: 389 Member
    Me personally, I still eat chinese - because if I dont, I will get bored of "healthy" food very quickly and ruin all the good work I have done, but what I do now is order what I normally have and only eat half! A little of what you like is better than alot of what you dont! Other people will probably kill me for saying this though :(
  • ellumi
    ellumi Posts: 90 Member
    It's so hard to get an accurate idea of calorie count in Chinese food due to ingredient variables, but I usually get steamed veggies with chicken and order brown rice if available.
  • rosalieharris
    rosalieharris Posts: 33 Member
    I am also a fan of chinese food. I always log everything I think I will eat and count them for the day ahead of time. I make sure I do not go over my calories for the day. This way I know exactly what I need to eat and don't need to eat. I will totally not stick to this if I do not eat what I am wanting to.:happy:
  • Chiquita_Banana
    Chiquita_Banana Posts: 500
    chicken n broccoli isnt bad... i normally get steamed chicken n veggies with sauce on side
  • AQHAShowgirl
    AQHAShowgirl Posts: 82 Member
    If it's a "treat" I would still order the Sweet and Sour chicken but ask for the sauce on the side. I love Chinese too and often find they like to "drown" the food in the sauce. Tasted great but not good for weight loss. This way you can just dip your fork before taking a bite. Also I would probably go for a spring roll instead of the calorie packed egg roll. Good luck!!
  • lutzsher
    lutzsher Posts: 1,153 Member
    My "new" favorite choice is the chicken with vegtables, the chicken is steamed with the veggies so it isn't deep fried like most other choices.
  • hajjcomb
    hajjcomb Posts: 118 Member
    Moo shi.
  • NoExcuseTina
    NoExcuseTina Posts: 506 Member
    I get steamed chicken and broccoli...ask for brown rice and the sauce on the side...use the sauce sparingly (most have tons of sugar in the...bean based sauces are supposed to have the least)
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I love love Chinese food and I don't get to eat it very often. Tomorrow at work a group for us are ordering and I'm totally at a loss. I usually get the Sweet and Sour Chicken with an egg roll! Anyone have any other ideas for me?

    Thanks :)

    Get stir fried veggies, the ones with less sauce would be your best choice. SS Chicken and egg roles are among the worst you can get there, high fat, high sugar, high sodium.
  • Goal_Line
    Goal_Line Posts: 474 Member
    Ask for Bamboo Shots as a replacement for rice. This will give you more room calorie wise for calorie dense foods.
  • carribear
    carribear Posts: 32
    So many great ideas and so FAST!!! You all are amazing and I LOVE MFP!!!!
  • kcdrake
    kcdrake Posts: 512
    I really enjoy the steamed chicken and veggies.
    In general, getting your sauce on the side will help. Also, if your meat is fried in dough you know it's not as good, so stir-fried or steamed is better. Brown rice is another healthier choice, but I'll admit I still go for white/fried rice pretty often.
  • BrianJLamb
    BrianJLamb Posts: 239 Member
    I know this is not the same, but it is a good stand in, I think. The Smart Ones Orange Sesame Chicken is actually really good and it kills the chinese food urge. It is a good portion controlled option with a count on it and you know what you are getting. I just ate the Hunan Stirfry w Beef from Lean Cuisine, and it wasnt the BEST, but it wasnt bad at all. There is also an eggroll packaged meal from Lean Cuisine. I would suggest not ordering from the actual place and maybe bringing your own that you can enjoy while they are eating theirs. Chinese restaurants add ALOT of random stuff to the food, the portions are way too big and you will always feel the urge to finish it, or save it for later, plus a Lean Cuisine will cost you around $2.00.
  • 2Campbells
    2Campbells Posts: 4
    Order a dish that has plenty of veggies and some protein but ask them to go very light on the sauce or to leave it out completely.

    The rice has tons of calories but not much of anything else including taste. Skip it unless you really want it. If you really want it, get steamed or brown and only eat about 1/2 cup. A cup of steamed white rice can have a whopping 267 calories! I can eat a lot of veggies and protein for that and stay full longer.

    Authentic Chinese food is actually VERY healthy. It's the westernized sauces that make it unhealthy.
  • ngr1973
    ngr1973 Posts: 334
    Have a huge glass of water before you go ... you'll get full faster thus eat less!
  • paul87920
    paul87920 Posts: 165 Member
    Some easy tips: From Various Websites

    1) Steamed rice, instead of fried. Big bonus if your rice is brown instead of white.

    2) Bowl of soup. Soup is filling and will enable you to eat a smaller portion of the unhealthy stuff.

    3) Chopsticks will help you get less sauce and oil than a fork, makes you eat slower which burns up extra time at work always a bonus and allows your stomach to tell you that you're full, and makes you look cool and trendy in front of your coworkers.

    4) Anything steamed is obviously good, as is Jum (poached), Chu (broiled), Kow (roasted), Shu (barbecued), lightly stir-fried, dry stir-fried, or braised.
  • callipygianchronicle
    callipygianchronicle Posts: 811 Member
    Plenty of good alternative suggestions here. But sometimes, we just want that one thing and nothing will hit the emotional spot. If you really want to have sweet and sour chicken—recognizing that it is high in fat, sugar, and sodium—here are some things you could do to make that meal work within your plan:

    1) Split your order with someone. See if anyone else who is ordering would be interested in sharing with you. That way, though you are eating something out-of-bounds, you are controlling your portion.

    2) Even if there are leftovers, do not save them. Enjoy and let it go.

    2) Pack a small salad and bring it with you to work tomorrow. Eat it an hour before your lunch gathering. This gets you a nice helping of fibrous vegetables in your tummy and will help you eat enough, but not too much, or the high calorie food.

    3) Make sure the rest of your meals and snacks are planned for the day, and that they are low in sugar, fat, and sodium and preferably high in fiber.

    4) Drink plenty of water.
  • tanniew78
    tanniew78 Posts: 602 Member
    I eat what I want and deal with the fallout. I dont eat it often, every couple of months or so. I am ok with enjoying myself. However, I find that if I eat normally the day of, I am satisfied with half a plate of Chinese food. Which is why I like buffeting it on my own dime. When others pay I feel obligated to get their moneys worth... :grumble:
  • kaveril422
    kaveril422 Posts: 116 Member
    I still eat chinese food also. I don't go overboard like I used to. I eat small portions of my fav things, b/c it is really high in sodium, so get what you like, just don't over eat.
  • misschoy
    misschoy Posts: 125 Member
    Me personally, I still eat chinese - because if I dont, I will get bored of "healthy" food very quickly and ruin all the good work I have done, but what I do now is order what I normally have and only eat half! A little of what you like is better than alot of what you dont! Other people will probably kill me for saying this though :(

    i TOTALLY agree. :)
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
    Me personally, I still eat chinese - because if I dont, I will get bored of "healthy" food very quickly and ruin all the good work I have done, but what I do now is order what I normally have and only eat half! A little of what you like is better than alot of what you dont! Other people will probably kill me for saying this though :(
    i agree with this poster...you cant totally deny yourself everything, or else you'll fail in the long run. like this poster said, just cut it down to half so the portion size you eat isnt as large.
  • mielikkibz
    mielikkibz Posts: 552 Member
    a friend told me to ask for it without msg, makes it a bit healthier, I like the chicken & brocoli,tho I get it sans brocoli LOL lasty time I got it, I made it last three meals and shared the first one with friends :)
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
    also just a thought...you could share with a friend.
  • susancelli928
    susancelli928 Posts: 190
    You have to give into temptation every once in a while, if not, you will fail at your goals. Don't consider what you are doing dieting, consider it a better way of life. Diets fails as we all know because people feel if you "cheat" they have failed. Not true... You just dust yourself off and start eating healthy again the next meal. Enjoy it!!!
  • corpus_validum
    corpus_validum Posts: 292 Member
    Nice suggestions above.

    Other choices to consider:
    Moo goo gai pan
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moo_goo_gai_pan

    A steamed or grilled fish entree that's light on sauce

    Lettuce wraps (easy on the sauce - loads of sodium)
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