Mexican Food???!!!!!

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  • tiffkittyw
    tiffkittyw Posts: 366 Member
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    KaleiAlanaSmith wrote: »
    So tonight I'm going out to eat to this really amazing Mexican restaurant. It's going to be VERY hard to stay within my calorie limit, so I'm asking for advice,,. I only have about 800 calories left of the day so i KNOW I'm going to go over my limit. Between the chips, salsa, guacamole, and my entree which will probably be enchiladas, I bet I'll hit 1000 calories no matter how little I eat. Do you think I should just totally skip logging my dinner and just try to moderate how much I eat? How do you think I should go about this?? Not only am I asking logging advice but I'm also looking for advice about what to do when you go to restaurants!!!!!!

    I eat Mexican EVERY Saturday. I find something in the database that looks similar to what I plan to eat and I log it. Since I do this every Saturday it's pre-logged and then I can cut calories other days to make up for the Saturday surplus. If you like to eat out like me it helps to go by the weekly average in the nutrition tab instead of looking at the daily numbers. Meet your weekly intake goal and you'll be fine. Just avoid the scale for at least 4 days so you don't see the water weight from the sodium.
  • jami242424
    jami242424 Posts: 6 Member
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    Ceviche is a good option if you like it. Fajitas (as suggested above) are great too, just limit or skip the sour cream. You can usually get some sort of grilled meat with rice & veggies on the side. I just try to skip the fried stuff or really heavy/cheesey things. I'd rather save the calories for guacamole!
  • MeiannaLee
    MeiannaLee Posts: 338 Member
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    Chicken fajita salad dressing on side.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,071 Member
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    KaleiAlanaSmith wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    If you plan to eat it, why would you not plan to log it? I log everything, to my best guess: nights out, potlucks, birthdays, Thanksgiving...

    Know what I figured out when I was losing(I'm maintaining now)? I had a calorie deficit built into my goal already, 3500 cals for the week when I was set to lose 1 lb/week. So even if you add a couple margaritas onto the chips, salsa, Guacamole and enchiladas... You'll still probably only be over by 700 cals from your 800 allowance for dinner. Over the course of the week you still have a deficit of 2800 cals and you would likely still lose weight. Plus if you want to spend the next few days offsetting it by eating 200 less, you know exactly how much you need to adjust for.

    People who blow off logging meals like that altogether have a tendency to say "F it, I'm already over, I might as well eat whatever I want the rest of the weekend too" when in actuality logging it puts it all in perspective they its not that bad...

    I questioned logging it because I wasn't sure if picking foods that were compararable, but from different restaurants, would be accurate. Also It kinda bums me out seeing me go over so much!!! But I'm gonna log ahead of time so I can see where I stand :) I definitely don't want to be mentally consumed in this "diet" thing I'm doing. Tomorrow is a new day and my progress is still here XD

    I just pick MFP database entries that are on the higher side among the ones I find out there, and call it good. If I'm skeptical, I may add an extra line item for more cheese or something like that.

    Have fun - if you do it rarely, you'll be fine. Don't be panicked at the water weight gain you'll see next day - it doesn't reflect fat gain. Drink plenty of water, go back to your healthy routine, and the water weight will drop off quickly, along with any tiny gain from eating over maintenance (if you do so).
  • gabbo34
    gabbo34 Posts: 289 Member
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    It's tough to do, but a lot of good ideas here. It was my wife's birthday and we went out for Mexican food. You have to be REALLY disciplined while that bowl of chips is just sitting there. Agree with the suggestions of corn tortillas instead of flower. And have them take away any condiments you have on the side of your entree that may tempt you (cheese, sour cream, guacamole. )

    Bank calories before and go a little light the day after. And DON'T weigh yourself the next day. I think of a special meal as something that I'll absorb over a 7 day period.
  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
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    I didn't read every word in this thread, but OP, do you consider the option that you just indulge freely without any worry or minding calories?

    In my experience It's very good psychologically and physiologically. You'll be surprised that we can't really eat more than 5000 calories and all the cravings and hangups and difficulty, craziness of "dieting" are gone for days, weeks. LOL.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
    edited April 2016
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    KaleiAlanaSmith wrote: »
    So tonight I'm going out to eat to this really amazing Mexican restaurant. It's going to be VERY hard to stay within my calorie limit, so I'm asking for advice,,. I only have about 800 calories left of the day so i KNOW I'm going to go over my limit. Between the chips, salsa, guacamole, and my entree which will probably be enchiladas, I bet I'll hit 1000 calories no matter how little I eat. Do you think I should just totally skip logging my dinner and just try to moderate how much I eat? How do you think I should go about this?? Not only am I asking logging advice but I'm also looking for advice about what to do when you go to restaurants!!!!!!

    I eat out once a week for lunch. I plan what I will eat in advance and log it. Sometimes it means I have a lighter breakfast or dinner if I have a bigger calorie lunch. Dh and I often split an entree at our local Mexican place because the portions are really big. I don't eat chips and guacamole. I drink water or unsweetened tea.
    I find something similar from a chain restaurant to log.

    Things that are going to add a bunch of calories to your meal: cheese, sour cream, guacamole, chips, rice, fried stuff, alcohol, dessert
    Things that are lower calorie- grilled meats, vegetables, salsa

  • jandsstevenson887
    jandsstevenson887 Posts: 296 Member
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    I have found the best route with Mexican is fajitas minus the tortillas (or just eat one). No beans. Limit your chips and salsa.
  • kimdawnhayden
    kimdawnhayden Posts: 298 Member
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    I have no control over the salsa and chips. But for my entree I'll usually ask for fajitas. I'll skip the tortilla though and add some salsa over the meat and veggies. I'll ask for no rice or beans and they'll make me a sorta salad on the side with lettuce, tomato, guac, and sour cream. I usually leave pretty happy. A lot of restaurants have chicken soup which is really good. They usually have a salad. Also if I just want something I'll just order one chicken quesadilla.
  • jamacianredhair
    jamacianredhair Posts: 230 Member
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    When I eat Mexican food out I usually order the fish tacos about 100 calories per Taco. I also skip the rice and refried beans and ask for black beans on the side
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    Log it, but if it's a every week thing, learn to make it fit in your calories, or decrease your goal for the rest of the week to make it fit.
  • buffywhitney
    buffywhitney Posts: 172 Member
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    Corn torillas (not fried) have only 50 cals and salsa isn't so bad either. I usually use the rice and beans as a condiment and make my own tacos with fajita meat. Easy on the cheese and heavy on the lettuce. I don't care for sour cream, fortunately :)
  • lizwooshy
    lizwooshy Posts: 110 Member
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    Over the past 10 months Ive lost over 30 pounds and am now on maintenance/ recomp, and eating at a mexican restaraunt is a regular occurance for me (at least twice a month). I also drink lots of sugary margaritas while I'm there :)

    My strategy is to go easy on the chips, and share an entree with my boyfriend. We usually get some sort of grilled chicken dish that includes rice, cheese sauce (my weakness), and sauteed veggies and peppers. I steer clear of sour cream and refried beans.

    If we are both very hungry we will occasionally split an a la carte veggie quesadilla also. Find whatever works for you!


    For logging, I would suggest finding your best guess entry, but not stress about it. Or, use it as a logging break if the rest of your week is pretty accurate and under deficit.
  • positivepowers
    positivepowers Posts: 902 Member
    edited April 2016
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    mejanejaneC wrote: »
    If it's a little hole in the wall place, I would take in a bag of baked Tostitos scoops and ask them if it's cool if you eat them. I would even ask them to put them in a basket. But that is me, I am pushy like that.

    Have a fun Mexican food night out.

    It's not cool. In my state you would be thrown out of the restaurant. State health district regulations forbid any food be brought into restaurants from outside. Even when my kids and grandkids were babies we couldn't feed them Cheerios from bags that we'd brought (formula and breast milk were exceptions, of course.)
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    brichards2000 wrote: »
    I just went through this! Here's my opinion: look up your meal beforehand on this app and see how many calories and macros are in it. The good thing about Mexican is if you get spices or peppers, they speed up your metabolism. I'd make sure to get black beans, and brown rice if you can. Cheese is bad for you, so if you can, take that off. Do not get anything fried. And when you get your meal, take half of it home. Also beware, restaurants serve food with an insanely high amount of sodium in them! Guacamole can be good, but it might depend on the place. Be careful to get a lower sodium, and less fatty meat if that's what you are going for. I'd stay away from chips.

    How do spices speed up your metabolism and why is cheese bad for you?
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
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    WinoGelato wrote: »
    brichards2000 wrote: »
    I just went through this! Here's my opinion: look up your meal beforehand on this app and see how many calories and macros are in it. The good thing about Mexican is if you get spices or peppers, they speed up your metabolism. I'd make sure to get black beans, and brown rice if you can. Cheese is bad for you, so if you can, take that off. Do not get anything fried. And when you get your meal, take half of it home. Also beware, restaurants serve food with an insanely high amount of sodium in them! Guacamole can be good, but it might depend on the place. Be careful to get a lower sodium, and less fatty meat if that's what you are going for. I'd stay away from chips.

    How do spices speed up your metabolism and why is cheese bad for you?

    How about some spicy cheese? I've got some ghost pepperjack in the fridge...
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    bpetrosky wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    brichards2000 wrote: »
    I just went through this! Here's my opinion: look up your meal beforehand on this app and see how many calories and macros are in it. The good thing about Mexican is if you get spices or peppers, they speed up your metabolism. I'd make sure to get black beans, and brown rice if you can. Cheese is bad for you, so if you can, take that off. Do not get anything fried. And when you get your meal, take half of it home. Also beware, restaurants serve food with an insanely high amount of sodium in them! Guacamole can be good, but it might depend on the place. Be careful to get a lower sodium, and less fatty meat if that's what you are going for. I'd stay away from chips.

    How do spices speed up your metabolism and why is cheese bad for you?

    How about some spicy cheese? I've got some ghost pepperjack in the fridge...

    Mind. Blown.

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