Restaurants and Fast Food
Loganmmontgomery
Posts: 47 Member
What are some good tips for eating out? What do you usually eat? What are some places that offer healthy options?
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I like to get a big burger, diet coke, no fries. Usually around 600-700 calories, not so bad. I'm not buying salad at a fast food place, I can make salad at home.13
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i am just beginning my weight loss so i am going to forget going out for a while. i assume salads would be a good option, or go to wendy's mcD's burger king etc and get a grilled chicken breast wrapped in lettuce with no bun and no dressing and no fries. i would also get unsweet tea or water in lieu of a soda.0
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When I do eat fast food I get a large chilli from Wendy's. Very good and filling.6
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I like places that let you customize nutrition info such as Chipotle or Wendy's. They have menu builders that let you add or take out ingredients and you get the nutrition info for that exact item.
At Wendy's I go for bunless burgers - they are very accommodating.1 -
EVERY place offers healthy options, and of course it depends on what YOUR definition of "healthy" is.
Most restaurants have salads, and you can bring your own dressing or pick a dressing that meets your goals. If you eat out a lot, you'll probably get board always eating the same things, though, since "healthy" options may be limited. Many national chains post their calories, so I often choose these restaurants if I get a say in it. If you avoid deep-fried things, you're probably doing yourself a favor. Another thing I like to do is eat at a "greasy spoon" diner that serves breakfast 24-hours a day. Veggie omeletes are easy to guess the ballpark calories of based on the description "3 eggs, cheddar, mushrooms" whatever. Just log the items individually and I ALWAYS add at least another T of butter to the entry I make. For me, it's more about how accurately can I guess/research the calories more than the actual content of the meal. I can make anything fit in a day's calories, if I have to.
The biggest thing is portion control. If you look up their menu online and the full meal has 1200 calories, eat half of it. Bam! "Healthy dinner."
Oddly, a Big Mac and fries with a calorie-free drink is less than 1000 calories, and this can in fact be fewer calories than many salads at less fast-food-y places, once you include dressing and deep friend chicken tenders on the top.5 -
Ask for water instead of soda (even diet).
If you're getting a burger at a sit-down place get a salad/steamed broccoli/coleslaw instead of chips/fries.1 -
kissedbythesunshine wrote: »When I do eat fast food I get a large chilli from Wendy's. Very good and filling.
This is what I do as well.0 -
If I go to Wendy's I get a 4 piece nugget and a side salad. If we go to pizza hut, 2 slices of pizza. If we go to Braum's I get the 4 piece chicken strips(usually eat 2 and save 2 for next day) and a small fry.
I usually only pick places with their nutrition online that way I can preplan and see what I can eat.1 -
Lately I like Rubio mahi mahi and Coke zero. 6" Subway + ice tea. Chicken tender pieces from Carl Jrs, Stater Bros.
I think I'm gonna get a low calorie (lettuce wrapped) burger today. It looks healthy.0 -
I usually opt for unsweetened iced tea to drink, skip the bread basket, skip appetizers (or get something to share with the table and only have a small amount), ask for an extra veggie side rather than a starchy side, and order meat that has been cooked pretty simply (yum, steak!); at fast food places I skip the bun on a burger and swap a salad instead of French fries.
Or, if it is a truly special occasion, I just order whatever I want, enjoy it, and know that one meal isn't going to be the end of the world!2 -
logandiekmann15 wrote: »What are some good tips for eating out? What do you usually eat? What are some places that offer healthy options?
I try to stay away from chain restaurants and stick with places that actually cook food rather than just "assemble" food items. I've also ordered all vegetable sides and no meat, which saves both money and calories!1 -
I drink water or unsweet tea. If I am in hard core mode I will eat two grilled chicken breast and not the bun but mostly I go for the sandwich. Skip the fries and mayo but mustard is okay. I think salads are over rated and often have more calories than posted. At nicer places I can get a 6 oz lean meat or fish and grilled veggies and do really well. Once again you have to not eat the bread or potatoes.2
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I was just faced this today. I was meeting a friend for lunch and she wanted Buffalo Wild Wings. I prepared by looking up their nutrition information first, and decided what to get before I even stepped into the restaurant. Most chain restaurants post nutrition information online.
If you're going out to a more formal place, ask for no bread, or make sure the basket is far from you if others at the table want it. Restaurants tend to provide very large portions; ask for a to go box right at the beginning of the meal and put some portion in the box right away. I even sometimes bring my small food scale to the restaurant (I know I'm a nerd).
Plus the biggest tip is to ask questions! Most restaurants are very accommodating and will substitute, make without butter or little oil, etc. Just smile and ask nicely.
Enjoy!3 -
Restaurants--if I can find a menu online in advance, I spend some time planning my order. Otherwise I stick with salads w/very light dressing/toppings. Grilled fish tacos are easy to log and will stuff you. Grilled fish and veggies in general work well. I go out a lot and I eat what I'm craving the most, but I definitely plan my day around it and make sure I'm making great choices for the sides.
Fast food: I rarely do it but Jack & the Box chicken fajita pita is in the 300's. Anywhere else I'd get a kids meal.0 -
Ask for a take-out box and split your meal in half. Pre-log or at least look up nutritional info for the meal you want.0
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McChicken with no mayo (mostly so they have to make a fresh one) and a small fry. 550 calories is still quite a bit for me as I am petite, but it's not going to make me go way over calories.0
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If you're cool with Chik-fil-a, they added a few lower calorie items to their menu. New salads, grilled nuggets, etc. Calorie count ranges are posted on their menu in store, so it's easy to weed out food that isn't going to fit into your day.
I usually eat at non-chain restaurants, so I try to find a comparable meal at a chain restaurant (and go with higher cal entries). A cheeseburger at a local place might get tracked as a cheeseburger from Red Robin, etc. I also save exercise calories during as a buffer for my restaurant/going out days.3 -
Find places that post their nutrition information and judge what you can fit in. I like to find places that are not your usual fast food trips. One I've found in my area that I really enjoy is Tropical Smoothie Cafe (actually eating from there right now). Their food is customizable and tastes really good. Do a little research before hand and you can find something. Sub out buns, get lettuce wraps, get chicken instead of beef, ditch the condiments or put it on yourself so there's not too much. There are lots of ways to make eating out a little less damaging to your goals.0
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I eat out quite a bit when life is busy and prefer restaurants that offer fresh food vs traditional fast food like McD's. Some of my favorite places are Qdoba, Moe's, Panera, Chick-fil-a and Jimmy John's (swap bread for lettuce wrap!). If I'm really in a pinch, I order from the fresco menu at Taco Bell. I've done some research so I have a go-to order at each of these places. A good rule of thumb for me is to skip cheese, most fried items and high cal sauces in general. Salads can be deceivingly bad at restaurants, plus I can make easily make them at home, so I rarely have a salad at a restaurant ... but if I do, I love the side salad at Chick-fil-a with fat free honey mustard dressing (skip the fried topping they put on the side).
I'm not a fan of Subway but they do have some low cal options.0 -
Simple rules for fast-food diet control:
1. Limit fried options
2. Limit high-cal sides (bread & potatoes especially)
3. Choose your drink wisely
Some choices violate multiple of those rules (think french fries) but are easily substituted out for other options. You can easily eat at most fast-food places for under 800 calories by watching out for those three rules, and some places you can eat for under 500 calories yet be full. My personal favorite in the latter category is Pita Pit, which loads tons of meat and veggies inside a very thin pita wrap (rather than super-thick slabs of bread). Avoid high-calories sauces (mayo) and pick high-flavor sauces (sriracha, tobasco) and you can get an entire sandwich for just a couple hundred calories. Add some baked chips or fruit with water and voila, high-protein, high-fiber, low-cal meal from a fast-food joint.2 -
When I think of the other things I could eat with the calories of a Big Mac.....well....1
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When I am really wanting a burger I get the Cheeseburger Kids Meal at McDonald's. It is about 415 calories for the whole meal if you get the kiddie fries and apple slices. The serving of fries is very small but enough to satisfy the craving.0
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For fast food, I like McDonald's egg mcmuffin with no cheese for 250 calories. Add a hash brown for another 150. Chicfila has grilled chicken nuggets for something like 140 calories. Otherwise the kids meal size at any place will give you a nice taste without going calorie crazy, usually. Applebees has a healthy section where they list the calories on the menu. Their Thai Chicken Salad is 380 calories and absolutely fantastic.0
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My biggest tip is to decide what you want first and prelog it. I can stick to a plan very well, but if I walk in hungry, it seems all my good intentions go out the door. Also, get what you like. You're helping no one if you order something you don't like to try and be good. Often you'll end up binging later. I plan in what sounds good and work my day or even week around it.2
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Keep in mind that calories posted on fast food menus and websites might be inaccurate. Personally, I add 15-20% just to be on the safe side.0
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Salads are often not a good option calorically, especially if you decide to add dressing. Just make sure you look up nutrition information.
I like Chik-Fil-A side salads. When I wasn't vegetarian I would get the Wendy's chili and dump it on a baked potato or salad. Kiddie finger meals from Zaxby's. Grilled chicken sandwich with a fruit cup from Chik-Fil-A. Kid's meal turkey and cheese from Arby's. We have a place called Zoe's Kitchen that is pretty good, and they have veggie kebobs. That's about it... Otherwise, I splurge or eat at home.0 -
Go to: Chickfilet Grilled Nuggets, side salad and yes I do split the waffle fries with my husband. This is usually 700 calories. or Wendy's plain baked potato and small chilli around 650 calories (I do not do their butter). Zaxby's plain wings (bring home and season my self), I do get the potato chips and split it again. Arby's I still do beef n cheddar and potato cakes.
You see I still get pretty much the fries and I usually make these come out to 750 calories or less. I never get fast food alone.
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Since I can't deal with the idea of having a bun free burger or no Mayo or deconstructing something just so its healthier or lower in calories or avoiding drinks I like what I usually do works very well for me..what I do is surf the menu for something I like that might be on the healthier side too like if I want a chicken pita or wrap I will go for grilled chicken instead of breaded or something but a lot of times I want what I want,so what I do is eat and drink half of everything I order,including fries and whatever you drink unless its calorie free like water. I do also look up nutrition info either online,or on myfitnesspal before,and while at the restaurant so I can have a basic idea of how many calories are in the foods but half the time I'm pressed fortime but after eating only half the food I'm served..usually I don't have to worry too much about having enough calories later in the day. Also if whoever your eating out with happens to go walking around a mall or somewhere where you know you'll be walking for a couple hours with them or even at a store..use that to your advantage by using a pedometer app synced to myfitnesspal to count your steps and earn the calories you burn while walking around so it gives you extra calories. Every little step counts!0
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