shocking calories

keziak1
keziak1 Posts: 204 Member
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
We're eating at Ihop tomorrow so I looked at their nutrition guide and the calories for almost everything are way too high! I even saw a salad with chicken that is over 1000! About all I can come up with is soup and salad or maybe a kids' grilled cheese but presumably that's on white bread, eww.
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Replies

  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    If you want the salad with chicken can you eat half or it or whatever fits in your calorie goal? You can take home leftovers or just leave them. Despite what you were told as a kid, cleaning your plate isn't going to help any child in a developing country.

    Good luck.
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
    Hey, white bread is usually lower in calories than wheat, so there's that.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    keziak1 wrote: »
    We're eating at Ihop tomorrow so I looked at their nutrition guide and the calories for almost everything are way too high! I even saw a salad with chicken that is over 1000! About all I can come up with is soup and salad or maybe a kids' grilled cheese but presumably that's on white bread, eww.

    Being aware of calories priceless :)
  • jenglish712
    jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
    Yeah, IHOP is a calorie bomb due to large portion sizes and calorie dense foods. The plate I actually like to get there is 1500 or so. But if I eat it all I miss another meal.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I'm always surprised that people are surprised that restaurant food is high in calories...for the most part, restaurant servings are about double or more what the recommended serving size would be...add to that the fact that they cook with a lot of oil (so there food will taste awesome and people will come buy it)...so yeah, most restaurant food is going to be pretty calorie dense.

    In RE to the salad, I'm sure most of those calories are coming from the dressing...always get dressing on the side...most restaurants drown their salads in dressing.

    Unless there's a "diet" menu or something you can pretty much bank on a typical restaurant meal being somewhere in the neighborhood of 800 - 1200 calories or more depending.

    Pro tips...

    - You don't have to eat everything on your plate...eat half and box up the rest (or not) or split an entree with someone

    - Always get salad dressings on the side

    - Don't eat out often...make dining out an occasion...

    - Often local establishments, particularly higher end establishments will cook with more high quality and fresher ingredients and generally will often have more "healthful" options.

    - Get meats, etc grilled...opt for double veg as a side.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    edited February 2015
    They do have a lighter menu, so use that.
  • laurenm117
    laurenm117 Posts: 3 Member
    I went there recently and asked for scrambled egg whites, fruit, and toast. They also have turkey bacon. They totally accommodated. It IS doable!
  • NavyMommy
    NavyMommy Posts: 102 Member
    Their Simple and Fit omelet is good. I too was shocked last night when I was looking up their calories, but I stick with that when we eat out there.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    you could just get the two egg breakfast with bacon and toast….

    OR

    just eat whatever you want, have a good time, and then go back to regular eating the day after….

    diet does not have to equal twenty four hour lock down...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    whats wrong with white bread?
  • JPW1990
    JPW1990 Posts: 2,424 Member
    You can make some of the things lower by asking for fresh eggs or egg whites only. They pad a lot of their egg mixes with pancake batter to make them fluffier. Have them leave that out, the calories will go down.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    I love IHOP! I'd probably go with 2x2x2 (2 eggs, 2 bacon, 2 pancakes--gotsta have pancakes at IHOP). 680 calories (plus whatever for the syrup, I don't eat syrup). Totally workable and delicious. Or maybe one of those "Fit" omelettes w/ two pancakes...Oh, I totally want pancakes and eggs today or soon :D
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    oh I know, eating there is just....aaagggh! I feel you. I really do. I have friends who think it's just dandy to go to places like that after clubbing. Okay so we burned all those calories on the dance floor and we are looking good and feeling fine and now you want to go WHERE and eat WHAT??? Sometimes I just say I am not hungry, and just drink coffee.
  • keziak1
    keziak1 Posts: 204 Member
    I remember last time I was there I looked for a grilled chicken sandwich they used to have but it was gone. I had a hard time finding anything marked with their icon for healthy/low calorie but come to think of it, one omelette had the rating. So I'll look at that.

    I didn't stop to think about just eating half of the serving! Rookie mistake.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Isn't white bread made from wheat?
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    keziak1 wrote: »
    I remember last time I was there I looked for a grilled chicken sandwich they used to have but it was gone. I had a hard time finding anything marked with their icon for healthy/low calorie but come to think of it, one omelette had the rating. So I'll look at that.

    I didn't stop to think about just eating half of the serving! Rookie mistake.

    Easy way to fix a bunch of eating out problems.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    They do have a lighter menu, so use that.

    This...
  • Ms_LisaKay
    Ms_LisaKay Posts: 103 Member
    I have the fit & simple omelette, and it is great! Add 2 bacon slices for fat & protein, and both my tastebuds & daily macros are relatively happy. I do miss the exorbitant meals there, but I keep my eyes on the calorie-deficit prize.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    keziak1 wrote: »
    I remember last time I was there I looked for a grilled chicken sandwich they used to have but it was gone. I had a hard time finding anything marked with their icon for healthy/low calorie but come to think of it, one omelette had the rating. So I'll look at that.

    I didn't stop to think about just eating half of the serving! Rookie mistake.

    Easy way to fix a bunch of eating out problems.

    Except the hunger problem. Half a sandwich is a very sad amount of food.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    Haven't been to IHOP in ages, but when i would go i would eat what i like. Log it and move on.

    Maybe work a bit harder in the gym for 2 days lol
  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
    Isn't white bread made from wheat?

    Yup, processed to death and lacking most of what makes wheat nutritious. And delicious imho.

  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    keziak1 wrote: »
    I remember last time I was there I looked for a grilled chicken sandwich they used to have but it was gone. I had a hard time finding anything marked with their icon for healthy/low calorie but come to think of it, one omelette had the rating. So I'll look at that.

    I didn't stop to think about just eating half of the serving! Rookie mistake.

    Easy way to fix a bunch of eating out problems.

    Except the hunger problem. Half a sandwich is a very sad amount of food.

    Unless the whole sandwich is 800-1000 calories.
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    Yeah, there's a reason I don't eat out for breakfast. The stuff I love to eat at those resturants would basicly blow almost all my daily calories! At least making it at home means I can control how it's made.

    And I don't know about others, but I don't like the taste of white bread. Grew up eating wheat, so that's what I prefer.
  • atiral
    atiral Posts: 43 Member
    I get the simple and fit blueberry pancakes with banana slices. It comes with turkey bacon and egg beaters. I eat it with the sugar free Cary's syrup. It tastes kind of like banana bread. I really like it and it is a decent amount of food for about 550 calories.
  • NikonPal
    NikonPal Posts: 1,346 Member
    Simple & Fit 2-Egg Breakfast = 350 calories; but like you said it is a tough place to eat and keep a tight hold on calories...best to just keep to a basic order IMHO.

    But a lot will depend on the price you want to pay - if it's a favorite or just a place someone else has arranged and/or how far you are from goal and how much you are trying to lose. Good luck

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  • jnv7594
    jnv7594 Posts: 983 Member
    edited February 2015
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    They do have a lighter menu, so use that.

    ^^^ This. They have their "simple and fit" menu. Their Harvest Grain N Nut Pancakes are really, really good and that is one of their simple and fit items. At least I thought they were good. I liked them so much I wanted to try and find a mock recipe to make at home. :)

  • keziak1
    keziak1 Posts: 204 Member
    I found a webpage on the Ihop site highlighting their Simple and Fit items, but at least one, the chicken sandwich, was not on the menu last time I was there. I will be interested to see if I can find other offerings tomorrow.
  • emzmc
    emzmc Posts: 85 Member
    edited February 2015
    I don't know if it's the same in the US as the UK but don't be afraid to order food and ask for them to remove the bits you don't want or salad dressing on the side. Or make a custom order of salad no dressing and plain meat. You are paying for a service. Or just enjoy the meal as you will have this when you're maintaining and find a lifestyle/ balance of restaurants and home food. It's not just a diet. It's a lifestyle change. God I sound preachy lol.
  • BodyByButter
    BodyByButter Posts: 563 Member
    I can't eat at IHOP anymore, since my pancake came with some....extra protein cooked inside.

    Funny thing was, I was secret shopping them at the time.
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    There is nothing wrong with ordering a kids meal.
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