Going out to lunch is a simple nightmare

tracefan
tracefan Posts: 382 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Try the light menus etc. but seriously even though the calories are listed. We all have no idea what they put in the food. I know this is obvious. But sometimes I just don't want to cook. Kwim?
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Replies

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,881 Member
    Sure, you have more control when you cook. But when I get lunch at someplace like Panera, I feel that what they list for nutrition is close enough.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    I just ate out at pei wei. I scoped out the nutrition information first, went with a lower calorie option and logged it. It may not be exact, but I'll live.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
    Best advice I got was to eat half the meal and box up the rest for later.
  • janjunie
    janjunie Posts: 1,200 Member
    tracefan wrote: »
    Try the light menus etc. but seriously even though the calories are listed. We all have no idea what they put in the food. I know this is obvious. But sometimes I just don't want to cook. Kwim?

    You are paying for the food you have every right to ask what is put in it. The obvious solution would be to not eat out if it's something that really bothers you though. If you don't feel like cooking TV dinners have ingredients and health info on the back of the box and it's easy to find low calories meals.

  • sunandmoons
    sunandmoons Posts: 415 Member
    Take lunch with you. Once in a while its ok to eat lunch out. If you eat a big lunch then skimp on dinner. Or better yet eat half or ask for a smaller portion. Ask the wait staff. They will accommodate you.
  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
    At chains I'm not too concerned, uniformity among their establishments (e.g. A Big Mac in Tennessee should taste no differently than a BIg Mac in Montana) is prized much more than are creative chefs who play by their own rules.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Eating out really shouldn't be that stressful. There are just some things you need to let go. If you want to eat out, then log the calories best you can and stop worrying about every grain of salt, every pat of butter, every "is this GMO", etc and just enjoy the meal for what it is. Or find a restaurant that caters to your very specific needs. Or make meals ahead of time and eat them later.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    I usually add 10% towhatevery they said their calories are.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    I eat half, take half home, and usually make that last for 2 more meals. Of course, some dishes reheat better than others.
  • bluefish86
    bluefish86 Posts: 842 Member
    If it's once in a while, I wouldn't worry too much. Overestimate if you don't know the exact portion size or if you think the nutritional value isn't accurate. If you're going out all the time and you find it too difficult to log, maybe it's time to switch up your routine and start making your own meal... that way you know exactly what you're eating.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    it's not that serious
  • TexasPaige
    TexasPaige Posts: 16 Member
    I travel a lot for my work, so I encounter this all of the time! I've found a couple of things to be helpful - sometimes I bring my lunch in the form of a shake, and sometimes I look up the nutrition info for the place I'm going ahead of time so when I get there, I already know. You can even log it before you go, so you won't be tempted by anything else!!! Good luck!
  • tracefan
    tracefan Posts: 382 Member
    True. I do overestimate. But going out isn't an everyday thing so I'm not truly concerned however when I do go I don't want to stress and I try my best to just eat the meal I think would be ok. Unfortunately some times even a meal I think isn't too bad can still be high in calories. Eating half the portion is the best option for sure. Thanks
  • tracefan
    tracefan Posts: 382 Member
    TexasPaige wrote: »
    I travel a lot for my work, so I encounter this all of the time! I've found a couple of things to be helpful - sometimes I bring my lunch in the form of a shake, and sometimes I look up the nutrition info for the place I'm going ahead of time so when I get there, I already know. You can even log it before you go, so you won't be tempted by anything else!!! Good luck!
    Thanks. Sounds good. And Protein bars are my safe net.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    I eat out maybe 3-5 times per month...nothing I'm going to get too worked up about. The calories are relatively accurate...beyond that, I really don't need to know exactly what's in it.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Ninkyou wrote: »
    Eating out really shouldn't be that stressful. There are just some things you need to let go. If you want to eat out, then log the calories best you can and stop worrying about every grain of salt, every pat of butter, every "is this GMO", etc and just enjoy the meal for what it is. Or find a restaurant that caters to your very specific needs. Or make meals ahead of time and eat them later.

    ^This.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
    i eat out all the time.

    relax.

    log as best you can and if it gives a calorie count, trust it. dont try to micromanage it. if you want total control youll have to do all the cooking at home lol
  • theawill519
    theawill519 Posts: 242 Member
    Echoing what others have said...

    It ain't all that serious. What they have listed is close enough. Worst case scenario, you gain a few fractions of a pound. So what? Burn it off the next day.
  • FabianRodriguez94
    FabianRodriguez94 Posts: 221 Member
    I assume that every restaurant underestimates by 150-300 calories, so I will usually account for that
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,881 Member
    tracefan wrote: »
    True. I do overestimate. But going out isn't an everyday thing so I'm not truly concerned however when I do go I don't want to stress and I try my best to just eat the meal I think would be ok. Unfortunately some times even a meal I think isn't too bad can still be high in calories. Eating half the portion is the best option for sure. Thanks

    Seems like looking the food up online ahead of time would make things less stressful?

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