eating out too much

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keziak1
keziak1 Posts: 204 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've decided that I eat restaurant food just way too much, even if I make a point of getting low calorie dishes. It's much easier to eat leaner at home. So I've resolved to cut back to once a week. It will have to be a choice between Friday night take-out or my tradition of eating out with my son for Sunday lunch.

Replies

  • taylormoooon
    taylormoooon Posts: 130 Member
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    Very smart choice! It's just impossible to track anything when you eat out a lot. It was basically the cause of my weight gain. Good luck and you can do it!
  • activgrl
    activgrl Posts: 13 Member
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    It makes a world of difference. Great job!
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Make it once a week and that once a week will be so much more special.
  • krisalexine
    krisalexine Posts: 78 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Make it once a week and that once a week will be so much more special.

    Your wallet will thank you as well. I know mine did :)
  • ChristinaOrr65
    ChristinaOrr65 Posts: 112 Member
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    Great idea! I just recently decided to start eating out less, and I am already noticing a difference.
  • emmajulie98765
    emmajulie98765 Posts: 29 Member
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    This is what I have had to do since it was definitely the cause of my gain. I've also cut down to once per week and have found that my craving for restaurant food and fast food has subsided. Had a mc'ds tonight though and out for Italian tomorrow but I have planned for it within my calorie goals.
  • lizzocat
    lizzocat Posts: 356 Member
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    krisalexine wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Make it once a week and that once a week will be so much more special.

    Your wallet will thank you as well. I know mine did :)

    Omg, I have saved SO MUCH $$ since stopping my ordering out dinner /buying lunch habit. It's crazy
  • Iamnotasenior
    Iamnotasenior Posts: 233 Member
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    Eating out was the cause of most of my weight gain. Now, I try to eat out only at restaurants that publish their calorie and fat counts for their food online and before going out, I will decide what I want from their menu ahead of time and log it. It's amazing how many calories are in things that seem to be "healthy" choices. Another tactic is to ask for your entree to be split and put on two plates. Eat one plate and take the other half home.
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
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    I used to love traveling for business because I ate very well on the company's tab. Now I hate the difficulty of trying to eat healthy on the road. You are right, it is much easier eating at home.
  • brookesdsu
    brookesdsu Posts: 47 Member
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    The first time we ate out at a restaurant after starting MFP, I had to go to the bathroom and cry because I was so frustrated at the number of calories in their dishes. I was able to get myself together and make good choices that I was comfortable with and fit into my daily calories, but it was initially a shock. We just don't eat out now unless we are traveling, and I am very careful to plan what I want to have that fits with that day/week.
  • salemxo
    salemxo Posts: 96
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    I try to avoid it as much as possible, unless the restaurant tells you the calories in each meal.
  • kandell
    kandell Posts: 473 Member
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    Eating out is what made me gain weight this past summer XP

    It's a lot easier to control what you eat, and how much. A lot cheaper, too! I've cut back to once or twice a week.
  • keziak1
    keziak1 Posts: 204 Member
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    I've saved a lot of money in the past few months by cutting out my trips to fast food joints and 7-11 to get junk for binges. : - ( Now I am going to work on all the rest of the restaurant food. As was said here, I want it to be special, not the norm!
  • Tubbs216
    Tubbs216 Posts: 6,597 Member
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    Good call.
    I worked in the same office as my husband for a couple of years, and we went out for lunch together most days. This was a BIG contributor to me regaining the 40lbs I lost previously.
  • Briargrey
    Briargrey Posts: 498 Member
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    It's certainly doable to lose weight and eat out frequently, but it can be more challenging and much more expensive. For those that travel for work, like I did for the last 6 years, planning ahead as much as possible is key -- keeping up on exercise, scoping out where you'll be eating, pre-selecting a variety of choices that will fit your goals, etc. I also started using the grocery store more and eating in the hotel room. I could get a microwaveable meal, some fruit, some vegetables, etc and then I wound up with extra calories for a bag of microwave popcorn and the mini-toblerone Hampton Inn used to give me ;)
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    I love eating out and will probably end up doing it a couple times a week most weeks (and have through most of my weight loss)--local places, no calorie count--but if you want to get back on track and make sure your calories are in check, cutting back on that is a great place to start. Good plan. I did that in January and it really helped my few extra Christmas lbs come off and more.

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