Restaurants

Ideas:
Find a similar meal at a chain restaurant and log that if you're going to an independent restaurant.
Bank some calories starting a few days before or forgo eating as many exercise calories as you normally would until your night out if you want to order a higher cal meal.
Order an appetizer as your entree. Add your light green salad or broth-based soup to make it more filling. (Steamed and seasoned peel & eat shrimp and a salad is one of my favorites.)

There are quite a few guides online to help you do mental comparisons to estimate your portions - palm of your hand or a deck of cards for 3-4oz of chicken, etc. Some people even get collapsible measuring cups to help with appropriate portion sizes and carry them in their bag.

I eat out for most meals. I have mostly eaten out since graduating and going to work behind a desk for entirely too many hours a day. My schedule only allows for a couple dinners at home a week and it has been that way for years. Almost never get home before ten at night and I have to be out the door by 7 am the next morning. I've also lost 130lb. So you can lose weight and eat out. In fact, you can eat out often and lose a lot. Get rid of the idea that eating out is doom for diets. It simply isn't. There are tricks to it though. (some of this will likely repeat what others have said)

These are my rules:

*Look at the menu ahead of time.
I know my restaurants fairly well, and they tend to know me too, so it's a little easier because I know the menus. But you can go online and look at what most places have. Chains tend to have nutrition facts. Pick something tasty that is within your calories for the day so you know what to order before you even go in. If the nutrition facts aren't available, no big deal! Most places have something fairly standard on the menu. A chicken sandwich, or grilled chicken, or a burger, or grilled salmon... Almost every restaurant has a grilled/baked/sauteed protein and veggie option. Whatever it is, just log the best most equivalent thing that you can find in myfitnesspal. It won't be exact, but it will be close enough most of the time.

*Log ahead of time.
I like to log my meal in advance. It is just easier to stay on track that way. Half the time I don't want to hassle with changing my entry so, even though the 700+ calorie bacon burger with the 300+ calorie fries look good, I've already logged the turkey sandwich and caesar salad combo so... I'll just order what I logged. Plus it gets me psychologically ramped up for that turkey and salad. I logged it, I've been thinking about that lunch, and so that is what I'm hungry for.

*Adjust other meals to leave room for a meal out.
I like to hover around 1800-1900 calories in a day. I expect to go through 850cal eating out at lunch and again at dinner. So I have a yogurt cup for breakfast. If I know that I have a big meal coming up, like a client lunch or some kind of dinner, I'll adjust one meal in favor of another. Sometimes I just want something so I adjust other parts of the same meal. I wanted the bacon mac n cheese for lunch today. So I logged what I know I'll have for dinner into mfp, then I logged the bacon mac n cheese from one of my favorite lunch spots, then I looked up items on their menu to find something to fit the rest of my lunch calories. It ended up being pimento bacon mac n cheese + a half shrimp po'boy sandwich. 880 calories total. I know it's not super healthy, but I made it fit my calories and I wanted it! You have the advantage of knowing when you're going out and (possibly?) where you're going, so plan a lighter breakfast and lunch for saturday. Perhaps plan a little extra exercise.

*Work with the waitstaff.
Don't know how big the chicken really is? Ask your waiter/waitress. If it is counter service, ask at the counter, "hey how big is that?" The dinner special comes with two sides, but you only have enough calories for the entree and one side? "I want this entree and can you do me a huge favor and only bring one side please? I'm trying to cut back on what I eat." I find they usually resist at first, but be all smiles and be clear that you only want one side, and thank them for being awesome when they agree to only give you one side and they'll work with you in the future. If they insist on bringing two sides, don't make an issue of it, pick the grossest second side you can find on the menu. I find mushrooms to be entirely inedible, so I feel nooooo temptation to eat any extras with mushrooms. Fungal spawn of the underworld... Oh! If I'm out drinking with the guys, I'll do things like ask for the fries to be brought on a separate plate. Then my fries go to the middle of the table for everyone else to share. The waitstaff is there to work with you, so work with them.

*Order smaller, don't order more boring
I don't like boring food. I don't want to eat boiled chicken breast and broccoli for the rest of my life. So I order smaller portions of my favorite foods. It takes time but one does get used to the smaller portions. It is not weird at all to ask for less than what they offer. Most waitresses in the area know I'm the guy that is going to ask for half of this and half of that. As long as you're cool about it, they're cool. I will admit I have changed up some of what I eat. You mention ice cream. I haven't had ice cream in a long time. I switched out ice cream for frozen yogurt or sorbet. Those tend to be lower calorie and frankly are every bit as good, well, I find mango sorbet to be way better than any ice cream I've ever had, but I have always loved mangos. Generally though I'm not eliminating anything from my diet. I'm honing my tastes and reducing my volume of intake.

*Exile the offending food.
There will be times when you can't get less of something. I have been to dozens of mexican restaurants. I used to ask for the fajitas, (skirt steak or chicken, cooked in a skillet on a bed of bell peppers -or cactus- and onion, served with a side of avocado!) but "please don't bring any rice or beans, I don't want them, I won't eat them, don't even bring them" They always bring them... every time... at every mexican/tex-mex restraurant... In this case it is easier to just scrape them onto one of the small plates you'll get with fajitas and shove them off into exile on the far end of the table. Or, maybe you order your food and find that the portion is way bigger than what you would have made at home. No worries! Cut it down to the size you would have made at home, take a couple of bites the 'suddenly' realize "oh gosh this is going to be too much for me to eat all at once, may I get a to-go box please?" banish the extra into the to-go box and eat the stuff you cut into your normal size portion. Out of sight out of mind. You can weigh the remainder when you get home and decide how to handle it from there.

*Don't freak out if you go over your count
It happens. This isn't about being perfect, this is about staying with it for the long haul. Going over one time doesn't mean your diet is over. It just means you have to get back on the wagon at the next meal. That's all. When I follow these rules, the worst I'll typically go over is by a couple hundred calories, which I can walk or dance off fairly easily, or compensate for over the week.

stachesquatch wrote: »

I eat out for most meals. I have mostly eaten out since graduating and going to work behind a desk for entirely too many hours a day. My schedule only allows for a couple dinners at home a week and it has been that way for years. Almost never get home before ten at night and I have to be out the door by 7 am the next morning. I've also lost 130lb. So you can lose weight and eat out. In fact, you can eat out often and lose a lot. Get rid of the idea that eating out is doom for diets. It simply isn't. There are tricks to it though. (some of this will likely repeat what others have said)

These are my rules:

*Look at the menu ahead of time.
I know my restaurants fairly well, and they tend to know me too, so it's a little easier because I know the menus. But you can go online and look at what most places have. Chains tend to have nutrition facts. Pick something tasty that is within your calories for the day so you know what to order before you even go in. If the nutrition facts aren't available, no big deal! Most places have something fairly standard on the menu. A chicken sandwich, or grilled chicken, or a burger, or grilled salmon... Almost every restaurant has a grilled/baked/sauteed protein and veggie option. Whatever it is, just log the best most equivalent thing that you can find in myfitnesspal. It won't be exact, but it will be close enough most of the time.

*Log ahead of time.
I like to log my meal in advance. It is just easier to stay on track that way. Half the time I don't want to hassle with changing my entry so, even though the 700+ calorie bacon burger with the 300+ calorie fries look good, I've already logged the turkey sandwich and caesar salad combo so... I'll just order what I logged. Plus it gets me psychologically ramped up for that turkey and salad. I logged it, I've been thinking about that lunch, and so that is what I'm hungry for.

*Adjust other meals to leave room for a meal out.
I like to hover around 1800-1900 calories in a day. I expect to go through 850cal eating out at lunch and again at dinner. So I have a yogurt cup for breakfast. If I know that I have a big meal coming up, like a client lunch or some kind of dinner, I'll adjust one meal in favor of another. Sometimes I just want something so I adjust other parts of the same meal. I wanted the bacon mac n cheese for lunch today. So I logged what I know I'll have for dinner into mfp, then I logged the bacon mac n cheese from one of my favorite lunch spots, then I looked up items on their menu to find something to fit the rest of my lunch calories. It ended up being pimento bacon mac n cheese + a half shrimp po'boy sandwich. 880 calories total. I know it's not super healthy, but I made it fit my calories and I wanted it! You have the advantage of knowing when you're going out and (possibly?) where you're going, so plan a lighter breakfast and lunch for saturday. Perhaps plan a little extra exercise.

*Work with the waitstaff.
Don't know how big the chicken really is? Ask your waiter/waitress. If it is counter service, ask at the counter, "hey how big is that?" The dinner special comes with two sides, but you only have enough calories for the entree and one side? "I want this entree and can you do me a huge favor and only bring one side please? I'm trying to cut back on what I eat." I find they usually resist at first, but be all smiles and be clear that you only want one side, and thank them for being awesome when they agree to only give you one side and they'll work with you in the future. If they insist on bringing two sides, don't make an issue of it, pick the grossest second side you can find on the menu. I find mushrooms to be entirely inedible, so I feel nooooo temptation to eat any extras with mushrooms. Fungal spawn of the underworld... Oh! If I'm out drinking with the guys, I'll do things like ask for the fries to be brought on a separate plate. Then my fries go to the middle of the table for everyone else to share. The waitstaff is there to work with you, so work with them.

*Order smaller, don't order more boring
I don't like boring food. I don't want to eat boiled chicken breast and broccoli for the rest of my life. So I order smaller portions of my favorite foods. It takes time but one does get used to the smaller portions. It is not weird at all to ask for less than what they offer. Most waitresses in the area know I'm the guy that is going to ask for half of this and half of that. As long as you're cool about it, they're cool. I will admit I have changed up some of what I eat. You mention ice cream. I haven't had ice cream in a long time. I switched out ice cream for frozen yogurt or sorbet. Those tend to be lower calorie and frankly are every bit as good, well, I find mango sorbet to be way better than any ice cream I've ever had, but I have always loved mangos. Generally though I'm not eliminating anything from my diet. I'm honing my tastes and reducing my volume of intake.

*Exile the offending food.
There will be times when you can't get less of something. I have been to dozens of mexican restaurants. I used to ask for the fajitas, (skirt steak or chicken, cooked in a skillet on a bed of bell peppers -or cactus- and onion, served with a side of avocado!) but "please don't bring any rice or beans, I don't want them, I won't eat them, don't even bring them" They always bring them... every time... at every mexican/tex-mex restraurant... In this case it is easier to just scrape them onto one of the small plates you'll get with fajitas and shove them off into exile on the far end of the table. Or, maybe you order your food and find that the portion is way bigger than what you would have made at home. No worries! Cut it down to the size you would have made at home, take a couple of bites the 'suddenly' realize "oh gosh this is going to be too much for me to eat all at once, may I get a to-go box please?" banish the extra into the to-go box and eat the stuff you cut into your normal size portion. Out of sight out of mind. You can weigh the remainder when you get home and decide how to handle it from there.

*Don't freak out if you go over your count
It happens. This isn't about being perfect, this is about staying with it for the long haul. Going over one time doesn't mean your diet is over. It just means you have to get back on the wagon at the next meal. That's all. When I follow these rules, the worst I'll typically go over is by a couple hundred calories, which I can walk or dance off fairly easily, or compensate for over the week.

Just wanted to say this is great stuff - I love when people demonstrate that it is possible to work the weight loss into your lifestyle, and not the other way around.

dorener wrote: »

Now that I have been logging every last bite and preparing everything at home for 2 weeks and seeing results, I don't want to screw up. My husband made a comment about me "not enjoying anything" the other day and I emphasized that I am actually enjoying life so much more now and eating cake and ice cream does not equal enjoyment for everyone. So..

Eat a little less earlier in the day and enjoy yourself. Unless you think you can eat 3500 calories over your maintenance level, you won't even gain a true pound. (Yeah you'll gain some water weight temporarily. Ignore it an get back on track.) After eating at a deficit for months Im getting to the point of being really uncomfortable if I eat too much. I know it if I've had 800+ calories worth of food in one sitting. At that point it's a choice to keep eating or not.

I use my Palm method for meats being roughly 4 oz if it fits in your palm.

stachesquatch wrote: »

tracefan wrote: »

we went out the other night and I immediately asked the server for a take home box. It was only Longhorns. So I didn't feel silly doing so. If we were at a 5 star I may not have however.

One shouldn't feel silly politely asking for something to be boxed at a 5 star. We pay more at a 5 star for the service as much as the food. They are usually very helpful and very discrete about such things. Typically one does not box ones own food at a really fancy restaurant, but rather, asks for the leftovers to be boxed. I usually portion off what I don't want and slide it to the edge of the plate then once I've finished the part that I want, I'll either ask the waiter to kindly box the rest or I'll just leave it. Sometimes they'll even ask if I want it boxed. They should also be able to help navigate you through the menu. That is a major part of their job. A really good restaurant will have very knowledgeable staff. Ask them about the calorie counts, the portion sizes, what is particularly good today, how their day is going, etc...


Ok and this isnt aimed at anyone in particular but as an aside, I've seen a lot of people discussing date night issues on here. I'm curious, what ever happened to people pairing dinner with dancing as a date night plan? I'm probably the last person who should give relationship advice out, and I am biased towards dance because I teach it as a hobby, but it seems the perfect thing to match dining out with. You eat 900 calories then dance off 300 the same night. 600 net calories and it's a fairly inexpensive form of entertainment without feeling cheap.

Yes I guess anything could be boxed. True. And I do put pod to the side. As far as going dancing. Not that easy for my 50ish hubby or to find a place where dancing doesn't frequently have 20year olds We do the gym instead. We walk places. Etc. however we actually enjoy a nice dinner out. Alone or w friends. So unfortunately the calories disagree

I was at a restaurant the other day and asked them the amounts of what was in my dish. They looked at me a little weird but went and asked. They told me no problem and I was able to ask them to lower the amount in the dish. I ordered a breakfast wrap. Typically they put 4 eggs in it, I asked to only have 2. It was easier than guessing. I personally would like to see restaurants become better about the calories in a dish.. They make McDonalds and other fast food restaurants be upfront with it... wouldn't it be nice if other places did it as well.

stachesquatch wrote: »

tracefan wrote: »

we went out the other night and I immediately asked the server for a take home box. It was only Longhorns. So I didn't feel silly doing so. If we were at a 5 star I may not have however.

One shouldn't feel silly politely asking for something to be boxed at a 5 star. We pay more at a 5 star for the service as much as the food. They are usually very helpful and very discrete about such things. Typically one does not box ones own food at a really fancy restaurant, but rather, asks for the leftovers to be boxed.

Why would they need to be discrete? It's not some shameful act. I worked in top tier restaurants long ago. I would usually ask people if they preferred me to box it or not because I personally prefer to box my own. I know what parts I want and don't. And it's really easy for a server to just drop the 'used' plates in the bus tub out of habit then go "OMG- they wanted that!", and be tempted to pull it back out quickly before any dirty dishes get shoved on top of it. And if they're honest and admit they did it instead of pulling it back out, you have to wait while they prepare you a new serving to take home. I rarely eat more than half a restaurant portion and I try not to eat out much so I nearly always take half home.

Do your best to give it an honest eyeball, then enjoy your dinner with your husband. One meal won't derail you, and it really won't if you eat a moderate amount of whatever you like. I would caution you to take your husband serious when he says you are no fun. When I began to lose weight, I went total flake and after a time I realized that in fact, I was no fun. Don't be that person. They are not mutually exclusive. I wish you well.