Eating out

Skillet007
Skillet007 Posts: 55 Member
edited November 30 in Health and Weight Loss
Since I've started my journey I have been so so so careful in my eating. I make everything I eat (and have learned to love cooking). I measure everything I eat. I have it dialed to a "T". I only drink water, milk, and teas/coffee. I exercise four times a week. I'm also a very busy college student. As I'm writing this, I just finished doing 4 hours of homework in the student center. It's a hip place with people hanging out, doing homework, watching the game, playing the baby grand piano.... or eating at Mad Jack's. Mad Jack's is right across the room from me. Its a sandwich place that does paninis, and some fried stuff like mozzarella sticks and waffle fries. I've eaten here a few times but I hate it so much because I can't "measure" whats in my food. I'll get a chicken melt and guesstimate that there is about 2.5 oz of chicken, two slices sour dough, some honey mustard, and a slice of provolone. It only adds up to about 400-500 calories but I hate doing it. Sometimes, though, I'm here so long that I just have to grab a bite (I usually pack my own lunch and snacks). How do you guys mitigate this? I'm always about 800 calories under my goal around this time and I know I'm not going over, but still, I know it's not the healthiest choice. What do you guys do in these situations?

Replies

  • samanthafayeh
    samanthafayeh Posts: 21 Member
    In my opinion, as long as it doesn't go over your daily calorie goal, then occasionally eating something that isn't the best for you is okay! After a while of eating well, those "bad" cravings start to go away. But if you really want a sandwich from Mad Jack's, then have one. You are doing great!
  • MekaylaBunn
    MekaylaBunn Posts: 9 Member
    Sometimes, you just have to estimate it. It seems like you really understand how much you're eating and have a good eye for calories. I wouldn't sweat this too much. If you stress the measurement of the food too much, you won't enjoy it as much. When I was in college, I had this wrap that was my life. It was a double fiber tortilla with some avocado, chicken, lettuce, tomato and onion. It was about 400 calories. I rounded up on everything to make sure that I had enough calories in my budget. I made it into a recipe so that I didn't have to work to hard to enter it. It seems like a pretty good sandwich to me. Keep going with it. If it really concerns you that much, I would count it as a cheat meal and enjoy those yummy calories.
  • golfergirl92
    golfergirl92 Posts: 79 Member
    Whenever I am at a place where they don't have calorie counts listed/available online, I overestimate what I had just to be on the safe side (usually it makes my deficit bigger). When I was in college, the food court at our student center had the WORST food possible. I would go to the convenience store and try to find a pre-packaged healthier choice. It's really hard some days, but in the end, your bigger goal is always worth the extra effort to find a better option. It's only one day too so if you're feeling upset about it, you can always log some extra exercise! :)
  • Skillet007
    Skillet007 Posts: 55 Member
    Thanks, guys. That is exactly what I needed to hear. Sometimes I forget about this awesome community and I feel like I'm fighting my own silent fight. This whole thing is still so new, I forget that I just can't control EVERY aspect of my life.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    If they don't have nutritional information available, then all you can do is make your best guess. Alternatively, if you know it's going to be a long study session, bringing snacks can really help. Personally, I think it's important to learn how to deal with these things while you're losing weight so that once you are finished losing, you already know how it fits into your life.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Sounds like you do a good job guesstimating. I'd probably guess more than 2.5 oz of chicken but otherwise sounds good. When you're weighing all your food and preparing it, you are better at guesstimating. Let yourself do it once in awhile. It's a learning process and eventually you're going to need to understand how to eat out while maintaining your weight.
  • Skillet007
    Skillet007 Posts: 55 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Sounds like you do a good job guesstimating. I'd probably guess more than 2.5 oz of chicken but otherwise sounds good. When you're weighing all your food and preparing it, you are better at guesstimating. Let yourself do it once in awhile. It's a learning process and eventually you're going to need to understand how to eat out while maintaining your weight.

    Ha ha I'm getting better. I've memorised so quite a few of my breakfast stuff. It is actually kinda fun. I still have a hard time with things like a foot long Philly cheese steak sandwich, though.
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