What to eat when going out to a restaurant

MajesticBlondee25 · January 2016

Hi everyone !! So I have been changing how I eat and everything the past week or so. I am mostly eating low carb meals so lots of meats and vegetables and some fruits.. I have only had bread twice this week. I am going out to a diner with some family members tonight and I'm not sure how to even order anymore. When you go out and you're watching what you eat do you order like you would have in the past and get whatever sounds good or do you still try to stick to your health goals? I am almost not wanting to eat anything unhealthy because I know it will make me feel bad but at the same time I am wondering if later I will feel deprived when I look back and realize I didn't eat what I could've eaten. Right now I'm craving fruit since its been about 50% of my diet lol. Advice ? I'm so lost

MajesticBlondee25 · January 2016

And by make me feel bad I don't mean guilt.. I mean I get physically sick now when I eat carbs. The two times I had bread this week gave me violent stomach cramps and a bad headache

AmazonMayan · January 2016

See if they have a menu online and possibly nutritional information. You can plan ahead if only a menu.

Look at what maybe has sauces that could be on the side. Stick with leaner meats maybe grilled or steamed - still ask if they dump oil on to cook (a lot do). It is possible to save calories while eating out.

You could always only eat half an entree.

Salads are only as good as their toppings and can be extremely high in calories . Restaurants are great at taking food and finding ways to inject ridiculous calories lol.

Get an extra walk or other workout in today and enjoy the meal in moderation.

*I didn't see your 2nd post until after I posted mine. If something is making you physically ill then avoid eating that. Still see if they have a menu available online now. That way you don't have to take forever at dinner figuring what you can have.

jemhh · January 2016

If I knew that eating something would make me sick I wouldn't pay $12 for a plate of it. I've never felt deprived when turning down food that makes me ill.

BoxerBrawler · January 2016

I always go for a lean protein and double the veggie. Most places will substitute for you if you ask. Like... I will order chicken parm but will ask them to give me a piece of grilled chicken with just the sauce, no cheese and I'll substitute the pasta for a double order of whatever veggie they might have. I always have a salad before the meal and drink plenty of water. There are a few times I've just ordered whatever I wanted with wild abandonment... like my birthday dinner and my anniversary and on New Years eve. But mostly I keep it simple and ask for substitutions. And yes, if they have an on-line menu it helps to decide ahead of time.

kiara1066 · January 2016

I wouldn't eat anything that made me sick. If I go out I eat small portions of what I order and place the remaining in a to go plate and eat it the next day. Then I can eat what I want, and some days I eat less one day, and eat what I want the next day that's very high calorie. However, I am still following my goal!

tlflag1620 · January 2016

I'm confused -you said you are eating low carb, but that fruit is about half your diet? That's not low carb.

That said - if bread makes you feel ill, skip it (I agree with jemhh, if a food makes me feel sick I don't want to pay $12 a plate for it!). As for what to order, you really have two choices - plan to stick to your diet as closely as possible, ideally looking up the restaraunts menu and nutrition facts online and deciding what to order ahead of time, OR decide it is an occasional indulgence and order whatever sounds appealing, and get back right on track the next meal. It may slow you down, but it's one meal. Since you've only been at it for a week or so, you might want to go with the first option, just so you don't get discouraged (any gain will be mostly water, but it is discouraging to see the scale not move, or worse yet go the wrong way, especially at first).

debrakgoogins · January 2016

What he said!^ See if you can view the menu online ahead of time. It helps a ton if you can look it over and take your time before getting there. Choose grilled or baked when you can. Choose two vegetables for sides instead of a carb and veggie if that is an option.

You asked what we do when we go out? I order what fits into my calories that I truly like. At a Thai restaurant, that would be a chicken or shrimp and vegetable dish with extra spice and brown rice. Mexican, usually fajitas - filling and relatively low calorie. Italian, I go for something like shrimp scampi - I skip the creamy dishes. Other things...steak, salmon, a lean burger (sometimes I remove the bun, sometimes I don't). However, if it is high fat and I love it...I go for it but only every once in a while and I accommodate for it by eating less on another day in the same week or adding some extra exercise to my routine. There is no way I am going to pass up pupusas and fried plantain in a Salvadoran restaurant or having a side of sweet potato fries with my burger!

MajesticBlondee25 · January 2016

thanks everyone ! I'm looking at the menu and I decided I'm going to keep eating the way I have been even if I'm out. As for the fruit it's not really 50% that's an exaggeration. I'm mostly eating berries which are very low in sugar.. And only 300 calories a day max in fruit . It just feels like a lot since I'm not eating much ~1500 calories a day.. Both my lunch and dinner are fish usually.. Or a salad in place for one meal. I will try to find some protein on the menu

What to eat when going out to a restaurant

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