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Logging when dining out

Anaris2014
Anaris2014 Posts: 138 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I really struggle logging food that's eaten outside of the home - whether it's a coffee, a salad sandwich or a pasta dish - I have no reliable or predictable way of logging the calorific content of the food. I quickly become frustrated and either (a) stop tracking or (b) stop going out.

Both of these make me incredibly unhappy (the later also makes my wife particularly unhappy).

How do others deal with this issue?

Replies

  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    You could start with places near you that have the calorie information on line and plan the food and log it before going out.
    After a while you can get fairly good at estimating food at places that do not have their info online. . .. . you still need to pre-log it before you leave to go out.
  • Losewtforlife4him
    Losewtforlife4him Posts: 423 Member
    Anaris2014 wrote: »
    I really struggle logging food that's eaten outside of the home - whether it's a coffee, a salad sandwich or a pasta dish - I have no reliable or predictable way of logging the calorific content of the food. I quickly become frustrated and either (a) stop tracking or (b) stop going out.

    Both of these make me incredibly unhappy (the later also makes my wife particularly unhappy).

    How do others deal with this issue?

    I really avoid going out for dinner too often as it can be difficult to know for sure. However, I also want to live and enjoy life too! So I try to go to places like chain restaurants where I know the calories if they're listed (most are) and eat within my range. I also play it safe by getting a garden salad, 6 oz steak, sweet potatoe for example at Texas Roadhouse. I will have the butter on the side as well as dressing. Usually I eat half of the potatoe and steak and take the rest home. My husband and I love Thai so we still go and get the salad and then split a meal. That's still quite a lot of calories so I try to quarter my serving. It can be done but as you said, it can get so frustrating. Sometimes we just have to go out and enjoy and set our goal to maintenance for those times. But just not too frequently if we want to see results :wink:
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    More and more restaurants are posting calorie information on line. We don't go out to eat much anymore, but I always check on line before we go, so I pretty much have a good idea of what I will eat. Otherwise choose items that are grilled, salads foods without sauces. It there is no calorie information, try to use the data base to get as close as you can to what you ate. Many pre plan for their dinner out and make lighter choices for other meals during the day. On the coffee thing, I very rarely indulge in anything but black coffee, but occasionally have a treat from Starbucks or Caribou, the calorie content is high and I make up for it somewhere else during the day.
  • Losewtforlife4him
    Losewtforlife4him Posts: 423 Member
    Oh and I also use what's listed on mfp and log what's closest to what I'm eating when out if I can't find the exact calorie amount. I try to log the higher calorie amount. I feel it's better than not logging however I don't want to jip myself from calories I could be eating by logging too high either but also not wanting to underestimate at the same time. I want each and every calorie I can eat a day, lol but also want to keep myself honest. It's a hard thing eating out in my opinion.
  • Losewtforlife4him
    Losewtforlife4him Posts: 423 Member
    snowflake930 wrote: »
    More and more restaurants are posting calorie information on line. We don't go out to eat much anymore, but I always check on line before we go, so I pretty much have a good idea of what I will eat. Otherwise choose items that are grilled, salads foods without sauces. It there is no calorie information, try to use the data base to get as close as you can to what you ate. Many pre plan for their dinner out and make lighter choices for other meals during the day. On the coffee thing, I very rarely indulge in anything but black coffee, but occasionally have a treat from Starbucks or Caribou, the calorie content is high and I make up for it somewhere else during the day.

    ^ this! Yep, and as far as coffee as what the person above said. Drink black or you could add your own creamer/sweetener. I've recently started getting Starbucks tall almond or coconut latte. They use the almond or coconut milk and expresso--no syrups. It's like 110 calories. Very good!

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,368 Member
    After a while you get better at estimating, honestly... just from logging home cooked meals or going to chains that post calories (so you can see what size are the dishes and compare to that).

    I still don't go out as much as I used to though, as often the only things that can fit in my diet are things I could make at home for cheaper anyway, so I don't see the point, unless I really don't feel like cooking (or crave something that is a pain to make at home).

    I still get frustrated though when I only have a menu in front of me and nothing really appeals to me and I have to guess what has the least calories...
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    I keep seeing posts like this, and they make me sad. If I have to choose between guesstimating calories or not going out to eat, I'm going to guesstimate!

    I really feel this is a case of the perfect being the enemy of the good. Confining myself to never eating in an independent restaurant or eating a spontaneous hot dog would have me off this wagon quicker than you can say "Chinese buffet". Life is messy and short, weight loss is a long game, and if chain restaurants are the answer, I feel like it must be the wrong question.

    Eat out. Guesstimate the calories, then go back to accurate logging after. Enjoy life.
  • Sassie_Lassie
    Sassie_Lassie Posts: 140 Member
    Honestly when I go out to eat I try to find something in the database that's close to what I had and I aim high on the portion/calorie count. It's really not that big a deal or something to freak out over. I personally wouldn't give up going out to eat because of this.
  • ktekc
    ktekc Posts: 879 Member
    I find the closest i can and call it good..if i get a burger i use the red robin build a burger on their website to estimate.
  • Anaris2014
    Anaris2014 Posts: 138 Member
    Thank you all for the tips suggestions.

    In practice I go out, eat and then regret it. I suppose the point is I need to do that less regularly. Someone else can tell my wife ;)
  • pebble4321
    pebble4321 Posts: 1,132 Member
    Anaris2014 wrote: »
    Thank you all for the tips suggestions.

    In practice I go out, eat and then regret it. I suppose the point is I need to do that less regularly. Someone else can tell my wife ;)

    I think you need to keep going out but stop regretting it!

    Although it's a good thing to try to be accurate with logging your food, sacrificing social occasions and prioritising logging over relationships is definitely not a good thing.

    It's fine to take a guess now and again. Just keep a eye on your progress and if you find that you are going out, logging and then not losing weight as you expect, then you might want to be more generous with the calories you are logging.

This discussion has been closed.

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