Eating at restaurants used to be fun, now it's kind of stressful.
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I totally know how you feel! That's when I go out to eat, I try not to stress about it. I usually don't even log it. If I do log it, I use a very conservative approach, over estimating calories. Sometimes you just have to chop those days up as losses and get back on the ball the next day. Try not to stress about it and enjoy your meal.0
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I'll give you the answer most people probably won't (at least going off most threads I see on this subject). The answer is to eat out less. I know. It sucks. It's not fun. Let's be real though. You want a result. The way to get that result is to track what you eat. It's difficult to track what you eat when you go to certain restaurants. There's your answer staring you in the face. Eat out less. Am I saying never eat out? No. Go once a week or better yet once a month? Probably no biggy. Twice a day and three times on Sunday? You're screwed. Sorry.
Most people here won't say that. "Eat all the foods! I don't cut out any food groups. I still eat out. Blah blah blah half truths so I can brag about not giving up anything even though 99% of the time I weigh all my food to the gram and the other 1% of the time I justify my lack of discipline by saying I'm bulking."
It's not half truths, I go out about once a week, but yes the other times I do pay very close attention so I don't have to stress or worry about it. I have never said I'm bulking I have said today I'm going out and I don't care if I go over because I know I'm in this for the long haul and 1 day out isn't going to make a difference.
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I'll give you the answer most people probably won't (at least going off most threads I see on this subject). The answer is to eat out less. I know. It sucks. It's not fun. Let's be real though. You want a result. The way to get that result is to track what you eat. It's difficult to track what you eat when you go to certain restaurants. There's your answer staring you in the face. Eat out less. Am I saying never eat out? No. Go once a week or better yet once a month? Probably no biggy. Twice a day and three times on Sunday? You're screwed. Sorry.
Most people here won't say that. "Eat all the foods! I don't cut out any food groups. I still eat out. Blah blah blah half truths so I can brag about not giving up anything even though 99% of the time I weigh all my food to the gram and the other 1% of the time I justify my lack of discipline by saying I'm bulking."
That is exactly what everyone is saying in this thread.... :noway:0 -
3 - The notion that one meal out is going to somehow be your undoing is ridiculous.
I think this is the trap/excuse so many people living in the US fall into. I am not singling the US out, but know from experience that many other countries are " cook & eat at home " cultures, where people only go out to eat on very special occasions.
When you say " it's just one meal ", there is no way of knowing if that is one meal a day, a week, a month or a year, which makes the point moot.
The newest USDA report on 2013 says that the average American eats 37 % of their calories away from home, which clearly indicates that people eat much more than " just one meal " in a restaurant.
If consuming a third plus of their calories in restaurants then yes, the smart person would worry about each meal, because 35% is not small potatoes.
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You have a lot life's ahead of you. Do plan for the rest of your life to worry so much of going out to eat??
That would be sad.
some people want to live that way.0 -
3 - The notion that one meal out is going to somehow be your undoing is ridiculous.
I think this is the trap/excuse so many people living in the US fall into. I am not singling the US out, but know from experience that many other countries are " cook & eat at home " cultures, where people only go out to eat on very special occasions.
When you say " it's just one meal ", there is no way of knowing if that is one meal a day, a week, a month or a year, which makes the point moot.
The newest USDA report on 2013 says that the average American eats 37 % of their calories away from home, which clearly indicates that people eat much more than " just one meal " in a restaurant.
If consuming a third plus of their calories in restaurants then yes, the smart person would worry about each meal, because 35% is not small potatoes.
But if you are going out more often, you just need to pay more attention to your choices. You can still lose if you are eating out, it just takes some better decisions. Still no need to worry. All this worrying is going to cause more health problems than the damn meal out0 -
and to all you cretins warbling about olive garden...
This is how you do it son!0 -
3 - The notion that one meal out is going to somehow be your undoing is ridiculous.
I think this is the trap/excuse so many people living in the US fall into. I am not singling the US out, but know from experience that many other countries are " cook & eat at home " cultures, where people only go out to eat on very special occasions.
When you say " it's just one meal ", there is no way of knowing if that is one meal a day, a week, a month or a year, which makes the point moot.
The newest USDA report on 2013 says that the average American eats 37 % of their calories away from home, which clearly indicates that people eat much more than " just one meal " in a restaurant.
If consuming a third plus of their calories in restaurants then yes, the smart person would worry about each meal, because 35% is not small potatoes.
Seeing as a lot of places do put out nutritional info and you can still find portions and foods similar to those meals from restaurants that don't...I don't see the problem. If you are still being consistent and balance out the week, then again, I don't see the problem.
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Don't be so condescending dude....Keg Caesar Salad has 340 Calories (10 less than a medium fries at McDonalds), take away the cheese and Caesar dressing and substitute with lemon and it has maybe 20. You are such an *kitten* dude, all I was offering was a lower calorie alternative.-6 -
I don't go to restaurants a lot, but here are my strategies:
If it's a restaurant with a published menu, order a meal within my calorie count from the nutritional info available.
If I am out to eat at a place where there is no calorie counts available for menus, and it is not a Major Celebration, order a salad with dressing on the side. Even if it is a few calories over, it is unlikely to be egregiously so, and I like salads!
If I am going out to eat for a Major Celebration (I'm talking the kind that only happens every few years) order whatever I want, but still log and estimate calories. I'll be wrong, but it's not enough to be a real problem because I'm not eating out in that sort of context that much.
If I ever get nervous about that strategy, it'd better damn well be because I'm trimming for a major professional acting gig or something. Otherwise, I'm making something that doesn't deserve to be my Major Life Focus waaay more important than other life goals that are more important to me than an number on a scale.
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Unfortunately everyone insisted on going to a local steakhouse no one had been to before for lunch. I got the smallest steak they offered because they said that they couldn't do the chicken without the sauce (I guess it must be premade and frozen that way?). I only took one bite of the garlic bread that they threw an entire loaf of on our plates and one small bite of the baked potato with butter. Ate all my salad, though. I can't do half at a restaurant unless I get kind of full. Honestly, I don't have that kind of willpower.
I still love to go to steak houses......I just tell them to please give me double steamed veggies (in lieu of Potato or Rice), and garden salad w/ a wedge of lemon (in lieu of salad dressing).......my motto is if your gonna have dressing on your salad then you may as well have french fries instead.
Then I'd suggest getting a new motto. I feel dumber for having read that... Salad dressing is NOT the equivalent of french fries, when consumed in moderation (about 1-2 Tbsp). Simply choose a vinaigrette instead. And if you think that's bad, then you need to reevaluate your knowledge of what is healthy.0 -
I want french fries now instead of a salad... I mean they are equal right?0
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Don't be so condescending dude....Keg Caesar Salad has 340 Calories (10 less than a medium fries at McDonalds), take away the cheese and Caesar dressing and substitute with lemon and it has maybe 20. You are such an *kitten* dude, all I was offering was a lower calorie alternative.
...says the guy who's resorting to name calling because someone has a different opinion.0 -
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Don't be so condescending dude....Keg Caesar Salad has 340 Calories (10 less than a medium fries at McDonalds), take away the cheese and Caesar dressing and substitute with lemon and it has maybe 20. You are such an *kitten* dude, all I was offering was a lower calorie alternative.
I just read your motto. Seriously? Shoulda stuck with something like, live fat free ranch or die.
LOL.0 -
PikaKnight wrote: »
If you dip your fries in ranch, did you just double down the salad value?0 -
I rarely eat out (3 young kids) so when I do, I really don't care about the calories! I tend to stick to healthier options anyway, like chicken or fish and veg. If I'm eating out I'll make sure I've worked out that day.
Why not ask for a child's portion? I had lunch out at an Italian with a friend a couple of months ago, and we each asked for a child's portion of pasta.0
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