Ever eat an enormous number of cals at a restaurant without realizing? (aka the 1000 cal dessert)
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I am losing weight slowly but surely, and most of it is because I absolutely refuse to eat in restaurants anymore. I can't even imagine how they manage to put so many calories in even the simplest of foods.0
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I'm in Canada, and in the city I live in, we have The a Cheesecake Cafe. From what I understand, it's a crappy version of the Cheesecake Factory.
A piece of cheesecake = 1100-1500 calories there. My office goes there for special lunches all the time, and I don't get cheesecake anymore. But I have in the past, along with a meal that was probably 1000 calories or so. Yikes.0 -
When I first started using this app, I had a full three course restaurant meal (celebratory occasion) and learned the caloric price the hard way. Now, if I know I will be dining out, I prepare the day for it, starting with lower calorie lunch/breakfast and some exercise for extra bonus intake calories. This helps offset the restaurant meal and then I can still enjoy it without feeling the diet pinch. Its important that I don't feel like I am restricting myself like a diet. Just smarter choices.0
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This thread is a great reminder to plan ahead when you can.
I've really cut back on the number of times I eat out (budget conscious as well) and am almost always to check the menu online beforehand so I go in knowing two or three possible choices. Though, this past Wednesday I had that lovely every ten year test, once you get over the age of 50, that required me to be on a low fiber diet for five days, then a full day of clear liquids. Afterwards it was lunchtime and I went to TGI Friday's. I was craving protein and got the rib eye steak and a half rack of baby back ribs, plus bruschetta (I shared) and both sides of a tomato/mozzarella salad. I didn't check the numbers beforehand - and I moaned with the first bite of the steak
I saved the ribs for dinner, but ended up eating only half of them when I saw the 850 calories for six ribs (and they weren't moan worthy). The grand total was just over 1800 calories, which was fine by me under those extenuating circumstances (and I'll never drink Gatorade again), but I remember how I used to do those dinners on a regular basis and not know the numbers.0 -
First time I started checking restaurant nutrition info I was at Uno's with coworkers.
Uno's Personal size Pan Pizza (check any of them, but here's the Chicago Classic):
Calories: 2300
Fat: 164g
On the bright side though:
Fiber 5g
Protein 99g !!!!!!
I nearly keeled over, then I looked at the salad info, and passed out.
I later learned that the safest options in any restaurant without any more info are always the petite top sirloin and salmon, and watch the sides......0 -
annaskiski wrote: »First time I started checking restaurant nutrition info I was at Uno's with coworkers.
Uno's Personal size Pan Pizza (check any of them, but here's the Chicago Classic):
Calories: 2300
Fat: 164g
On the bright side though:
Fiber 5g
Protein 99g !!!!!!
I nearly keeled over, then I looked at the salad info, and passed out.
I later learned that the safest options in any restaurant without any more info are always the petite top sirloin and salmon, and watch the sides......
Uno has pretty good options for less than 700 calories!0 -
yes I have done that. Pig in the garden salad at Jim and nick's bar-b-que 850 calories.
and an apple dessert an Cracker Barrel that I split with DH it was way over 1000 for half.
I will not choose either of those again and it is my own fault on the cracker barrel because I could have checked MFP on my phone before having it.
Just don't beat yourself up over it and keep on tracking0 -
I was out at Red Lobster one time and my mom and I wanted dessert. I looked up the cal counts from their website and everything I looked up except the cheesecake was over 1000 cals. So we shared the cheesecake for around 275 cals each.
I went to Chili's and got the Bacon Ranch Chicken Quesidilla. (This was before I was really counting my cals) That alone (which is contained with a single tortilla wrap) was nearly 1700 cals!! Which is the second highest calories of anything you can get from there (the Bacon Ranch BEEF Quesidilla was the only thing that beat it, coming in at 1800 cals)0 -
All the time my job requires me to travel so eat in hotels 3-4 nights a week just getting back in to logging because the weight gain just keeps going0
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Yep. Now I'm that annoying person that will check the nutritional info on her phone prior to ordering. I remember ordering a pasta dish before I "changed my lifestyle" at the cheesecake factory - 2300 calories. A lot of their cheesecake (a SLICE!) packs over 1000 calories.. scary stuff. As I have no desire to kill myself to compensate for that kind of consumption, I just stick with homemade stuff when possible.0
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Yep. Now I'm that annoying person that will check the nutritional info on her phone prior to ordering. I remember ordering a pasta dish before I "changed my lifestyle" at the cheesecake factory - 2300 calories. A lot of their cheesecake (a SLICE!) packs over 1000 calories.. scary stuff. As I have no desire to kill myself to compensate for that kind of consumption, I just stick with homemade stuff when possible.
My cheesecake factory meal was typically 3000 calories.0 -
I wonder how they even achieve this. I mean, AFAIK even their "light" sides are cooked in butter, but jeez. Definitely the place to go when you need some indulgence.Yep. Now I'm that annoying person that will check the nutritional info on her phone prior to ordering. I remember ordering a pasta dish before I "changed my lifestyle" at the cheesecake factory - 2300 calories. A lot of their cheesecake (a SLICE!) packs over 1000 calories.. scary stuff. As I have no desire to kill myself to compensate for that kind of consumption, I just stick with homemade stuff when possible.
My cheesecake factory meal was typically 3000 calories.
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All the time my job requires me to travel so eat in hotels 3-4 nights a week just getting back in to logging because the weight gain just keeps going
I don't travel, but know that eating out at any restaurant is an entire bunker of calories. Is there any way that you can just go shopping at a nearby grocery store and get some yogurt or pre-hard boiled eggs and/or find a salad bar? Do you have time to prepare meals and freeze them, and take them with you in ice chests (assuming you aren't flying, but driving). If not, and you are forced to eat at restaurants, ask them for fresh eggs either poached, boiled, or scrambled for breakfast with unbuttered wheat toast. At lunch, request no mayonnaise or added ingredients if you are eating a sandwich. If not, get a salad with fat-free dressing. For dinner, simple seafood. You can do it!0 -
Ha, I had a similar experience with thinking I'd done well getting mixed greens and a half sandwich without mayo at a local place, not so bad I'm thinking to myself, oh and let's split a sundae says my husband.. go home, said local place posts nutritional info, find out the sundae is about 1350cals. Oh well!0
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It took me longer than it should have to realize WHY I gained 40-50 pounds over 3 years (and it definitely wasn't just the 'stress'). I was traveling for work 70% of the time, and therefore eating way, wayy too many restaurant/airport meals. Doesn't matter that I was 'eating healthy' and skipping dessert and drinks most of the time and trying to exercise. I even tried logging while I was on a several-week trip and thought I was doing just fine, so was confused why I was gaining and not losing.
Just tried to ACCURATELY count cals for a typical travel week, and, well, yep. Weight gain makes sense.
Good thing that will never happen again!
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tincanonastring wrote: »Well, have you ever eaten an enormous number of cats at a restaurant without realizing?
Dare I say it... I used to live in Queens, NY...
If I actually looked into it I'd likely not be surprised.0 -
I'm sure I've done it but never bothered to check the calories afterwards! But how often do you eat out at a restaurant and have a desert? For me, it's maybe once a year. I don't really see it making a huge difference to my weight as long as I keep weighing and keep in control. From your post, it sounds like it's something you wouldn't normally do either - that you only had the desert because it was free.
And to put it in perspective you estimated the desert at 730, so it was 360 calories more than you'd expected. That was split between two (if I understand you correctly) so you actually ate 180 calories more than expected. I wouldn't worry about it at all if it's a rare event, and I wouldn't see it as a reason to have to eat only at restaurants that give you calorie counts (which aren't always the best ones, in my opinion).0 -
This thread has just shown me some good food porn and concreted a fact about dieting I already knew...
People are horrible at estimating their calorie intake
What I choose to take away from this thread is if the calorie values aren't made available for you when choosing to eat at a restaurant chalk it up as a treat, enjoy yourself and try not to overindulge if you are going to feel remorse that will effect you negatively.
If you are trying to watch you calorie intake and I would assume some of you are if you are on this site, an occasional outing or celebration will no destroy the work you have put in. I am saddened to think anyone would deny themselves birthday outings and other celebrations because they have become too fixated upon their food intake.
I like to think this site is about more than just calorie counting but also about creating a healthy relationship with food.0 -
tincanonastring wrote: »the mistake is in assuming that a hot fudge brownie Sunday would be UNDER 1000 calories...
Well, brownie + 1 scoop vanilla ice cream + whipped cream doesn’t *have* to equal 1000+ cals. The issue was serving size, I think. I should have eaten half of half. The brownie part was bigger than a deck of cards, which I think is too big.
We live and learn I guess.
Also, cheesecake sounds yum.
so you thought it was too big, but then under assumed the calories?
Don't be a dick, man. She tried to compensate for not knowing the calories by eating half. She's admitting she made the mistake of underestimating the calories. Why badger her about it? What are you hoping to get out of your line of questioning?
I'm all for slamming people who blame their lack of goal achievement on everything but their own inaccurate logging, but that's not what's going on here.
Yep, I'm impressed by how she's faced up to it and not make silly excuses for it or blamed anyone else. S**t happens, admit to it, laugh about it, learn and move on.0 -
Honestly the nutritional info for most restaurants initially startled the hell out of me. It only bothers me when I'm not in a position to choose the restaurant (ex. Someone's birthday).
I also live in Canada and when I feel like take out I order Swiss Chalet (quarter chicken white meal with a garden salad, balsamic dressing on the side, a whole wheat bun, and of course Chalet sauce!). I peel the skin off. Boston Pizza has a garden green salad that I love as well. I put hot sauce on it instead of dressing.0 -
Cryptonomnomicon wrote: »This thread has just shown me some good food porn and concreted a fact about dieting I already knew...
People are horrible at estimating their calorie intake
What I choose to take away from this thread is if the calorie values aren't made available for you when choosing to eat at a restaurant chalk it up as a treat, enjoy yourself and try not to overindulge if you are going to feel remorse that will effect you negatively.
If you are trying to watch you calorie intake and I would assume some of you are if you are on this site, an occasional outing or celebration will no destroy the work you have put in. I am saddened to think anyone would deny themselves birthday outings and other celebrations because they have become too fixated upon their food intake.
I like to think this site is about more than just calorie counting but also about creating a healthy relationship with food.
Well said.
I got out every couple of weeks, and just do it. As you say of its not a regular thing, it's not going to destroy a ton of work. I still log, although I'm tempted not to even think about it, just to keep in the habit. One I clock the complete this diary button, I move on to the next day. It's done.
What will destroy all that work is stressing over it by worrying about the rare overage, doing it too often, or denying oneself.0 -
I wonder how they even achieve this. I mean, AFAIK even their "light" sides are cooked in butter, but jeez. Definitely the place to go when you need some indulgence.Yep. Now I'm that annoying person that will check the nutritional info on her phone prior to ordering. I remember ordering a pasta dish before I "changed my lifestyle" at the cheesecake factory - 2300 calories. A lot of their cheesecake (a SLICE!) packs over 1000 calories.. scary stuff. As I have no desire to kill myself to compensate for that kind of consumption, I just stick with homemade stuff when possible.
My cheesecake factory meal was typically 3000 calories.
It's portion size, mostly.
Their cheesecakes are twice as thick as a typical cheesecake recipe would make, then you have the whipped cream and other toppings/mix-ins and it adds up fast. That's why I can still get their cheesecake. 1/3 of one is a decent serving, and that's worth fitting in occasionally. Plus I have cheesecake for a couple more days, or I split it with a couple of people.
Same for their regular meals. The light meals are much smaller than the regular meals, though you can still find some that are pretty substantial, like the white bean chicken chili. Several of the light meals are also on the regular menu. As far as I can tell, they aren't prepared any differently. It's all in the portion size.
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Yeah that's why I never pick salads at restaurants pretty much.0
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Cantina Laredo doesn’t normally list calories. I did find calories listed at their Philly location. The Chimichanga De Pollo Poblano has 1,850 calories and 4960 mg sodium; the Tacos Al Carbon has 1,580 calories with 8,050 mg sodium.
Add appetizers, chips, dessert and a few drinks – and a 4000 calorie meal is pretty easy to reach…heck even a beef taco salad in a fried tortilla bowl can be more than 1500 calories.
I had a gift card and tried to pre-plan a "somewhat" low calorie meal. In the end, I opted to hold onto the gift card until I reached my goal of losing around 200 pounds. I reached my goal and used the card recently. I love the food, but will likely go to other places that make planning a Mexican meal a little easier.
I make Mexican food at home – but I control the ingredients & can use low-fat cheese, grilled vegetables & chicken breast, yogurt instead of sour cream, salsa instead of cream sauces etc.
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So, I had to share this. I was at Swiss Chalet the other night (love their chicken, not gonna lie) with the bf and the kitchen was backed up because of a new employee. Long story short, we were offered a complimentary dessert to make up for the long waiting time. Silly naive souls that we are, we ended up getting the hot fudge brownie sundae, as we figured it can’t be that bad if you split it with someone.
Yeah, no. I ate slightly less than half, simply because it was so rich, and we took bets on the calories (he said 600, I said 730). We then looked it up on the inter web, and behold: 1090 calories, 130 g of sugar (lord, that’s sweet).
Moral of this story: always look up calories before you order. The rest of the meal was pre-planned and worked out fine.
Did anything like this ever happen to you?
Pretty much anytime I eat a restaurant pasta dish. I just log it and move on, because delicious food be delicious.
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