Eating out...Do you just stay in?

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  • _Justinian_
    _Justinian_ Posts: 232 Member
    edited January 2017
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    Nope. About to leave for Texas Roadhouse in a few minutes. Ribeye steak, loaded sweet potato and fries. I'll have 300 calories remaining as a buffer.

    If I know I am going out to eat, I'll eat very light for the rest of the day and/or increase exercise activity-levels to compensate. Or I'll make it up for those lost calories either the week beforehand or the week after. It's all about balance. You don't have to eat your whole plate and can take half your meal home for later/another day.

    Remember, you want to have habits that will last a lifetime. You obviously don't want to avoid eating out with your friends for the rest of your life. :smile:
  • everher
    everher Posts: 909 Member
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    My tips for eating out:

    Mostly, I go out to eat on the weekends typically I sleep in on weekends and then have a light brunch beforehand. Usually, no more than 300 - 500 calories because I know I'm going out to dinner, which leaves me about 1000 calories.

    If it's a dinner I've known about for a while (all week long) I'll eat less calories throughout the week (maybe 100 less a day here and there) to "bank" calories for dinner.

    Restaurant portions are usually large enough for two servings so I never eat all of my food and usually don't feel the need to as I eat slow usually talking with friends and I feel full.

    Typically, I go with a low calorie side like steamed vegetables. If I eat a dinner roll, I eat one (instead of the two - three with butter I would consume before). I always request my dressing on the side for my salad (if a side salad comes with it or I'm eating a salad) and if I don't have the calories for a drink I just stick to water.

    I look beforehand usually at the menu online and even if the nutrition information isn't available I try and prelog my food using my best estimates as to not go over.

    Haven't had a problem with eating out in the three months I've been losing weight.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited January 2017
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    Christine_72 wrote: »
    Reading all of these replies has made me realise what a home body i am! We haven't been out for dinner/lunch in months, probably 5 or 6. I cant even remember the last time we had take away :(

    Don't feel bad. I eat out maybe 2-4 times a year when there is a good movie or showing (going to see an ice skating show next month). We also very rarely have takeaways and deliveries, some years we don't at all. last year, we ordered pizza twice, and I craved McDonald's once so I ordered a meal for myself. It has nothing to do with dieting, it's just how it is and how I grew up in a home cooking centered culture. When I say "eat out", I often mean all social gatherings, get togethers and buffets. For us it's mostly having people over (I refuse to weigh my food in social gatherings but at least I know what went into the food), or going to other people's houses, which is more tricky for the logging since everyone cooks differently and the dishes don't come with a calorie tag I can look up online, not to mention the food pushing culture.
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
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    I eat out or get drive-thru a LOT. I've lost lots of weight doing it too. It's all about choices you make wherever you do end up going to eat.

    Everybody knows that baked or roasted chicken is better than fried. A sirloin steak is going to be better than a hamburger. Baked potatoes are a better choice over French fries, unless you load it up with a gallon of sour cream, cheese, bacon bits, and other such toppings.

    I love to go to Longhorn Steakhouse. I'll get a 6 oz renegade sirloin for my protein, and for a side I'll either get baked potato, sliced tomatoes or a salad. With dressings, oil or vinaigrette based dressings tend to be better choices because "less is more" - it doesn't take as much to cover the greens as a creamy dressing does.

    If you REALLY want a hamburger and fries, order the burger without the bun. That way you save the carbs for the fries, and if you can get by with only half the fries all the better!

    Any restaurant you go to - try to order from the kids menu. The portions are smaller. OR see if you can split with someone.

    I try to forego the bread that's usually brought out first. I remember once laughing when the basket got to my end of the table, and I made an alarm sound like it was radio active saying something like "Unfriendly food nearby!!" They giggled and put it where I couldn't see it.

    At Olive Garden, the Pasta Fagiole soup is a WAY better choice than the salad dressing which is loaded with high fructose corn syrup (SUGAR). It has protein (meat) and fiber (beans) in it, so it will keep you fuller longer.

    For what it's worth...
  • CooCooPuff
    CooCooPuff Posts: 4,374 Member
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    I'll avoid eating out if I'm:
    1. Broke
    2. Avoiding a person that's going
    3. Really hate the place
    4. Sick

    Other than that, enjoy. I usually eat out twice a week. I'll combine two meals and fast under 590 calories two days a week to help stay within my goal
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
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    not_my_first_rodeo wrote: »
    Why would you cut this out? It's a part of life. I'm treating this journey as a lifestyle change. I enjoy good food. I like eating at nice restaurants, especially with friends. I refuse to give up going out to eat once in a while. It's doable. You don't need to drag a food scale with you. You don't have to limit yourself to chain restaurants.

    Here's what I do:
    • Peruse menus ahead of time if possible so I have a sense of what my options are.
    • Sites like Yelp often comment on portion sizes or give you pictures so you know what you're facing.
    • Lots of places offer small plates.
    • Unless the bread is supposed to be fantastic, I skip it.
    • Salad--dressing on the side.
    • I try and eat lighter/less for the rest of the day.
    • I overestimate on the calories when I log it.

    All so well said. Agree with it all.

    OP, don't stay in. Connecting with friends is good for you too. Another thought in addition to above is if you have a favorite dish at a favorite place, take it to go one time so you can deconstruct it, weigh the parts at home, and enter it in recipe builder for future reference. Or you can divide it in half and weigh half at home if it is a really big dish. cheers!
  • mom22dogs
    mom22dogs Posts: 470 Member
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    I go out every weekend just about. I know I'm going out ahead of time, so I have my 200 calorie coffee in the morning, then don't eat until supper time. I have an 8 oz Sirloin and a half of a baked potato with 1 pat of butter. Plenty of food and haven't completely overeaten.

    I generally don't eat fast food though, that I can totally over eat and eat more calories than with the steak and potato.
  • thelatecomer
    thelatecomer Posts: 17 Member
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    Loads of great replies, thank you.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
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    I eat out once or twice a week no problem. I often check my calories from over the week and find I've been netting low and there's plenty of room for a big meal of whatever. If I have been cutting it close all week I'll order a chicken salad with dressing on the side or something light and simple like that. Grilled chicken or fish with sauce on the side is usually a good way to go too. I went out for a birthday last week where we were ordering a little bit of everything family style plus I had two beers. I had no idea how to log it so I just entered 1200 calories and went easy the next day. Lost just fine that week. Unless you are eating at small places with no calorie count everyday it shouldn't be too big of a deal.
  • suzesvelte
    suzesvelte Posts: 134 Member
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    There are some great ideas in this thread for managing social life while reducing calories. My personal approach atm is not going out so much, cos I am cutting back on cash too - but when I do eat out I'll be looking back at this thread
    thelatecomer wrote: »
    Hmm, you all seem to manage eating out. Plan is to tighten up
    the logging and as suggested, move more! Thanks all.

    I'd say this is your issue - you say you are near your target (Congratulations) and your loss has stalled - which seems to me the basic issue. You maybe set your base level requirements too high now you are slimmer - "less of you" needs less calories as a base level. Then generally towards goal weight I find I get a bit blase, thinking I know what I am doing and bits of extra calorie slip in here and there. It probably wont be the "eating out" once a week that is sabotaging your weight loss now.
  • jagodfrey08
    jagodfrey08 Posts: 425 Member
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    I don't. I usually will view a menu online before I go, pick out a meal that will fit my calories, and stick to it. If there are none, I usually eat before I go and have a small side salad while I am there....but I usually bring my own low calorie dressing.

    I have started to learn what I can have at most restaurants so I can fit it into my calories. It takes a while, but it does make it more enjoyable to know what is available for me.
  • jaedwa1
    jaedwa1 Posts: 114 Member
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    Eating out and drinking (mostly drinking!) with friends is how I gained my weight. I have significantly curtailed those kind of nights but still manage to fit in at least one social outing a week...although this week I went out twice and the scale is still punishing me for it. :smile:
  • xenl
    xenl Posts: 46 Member
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    I still eat out. It's important to try to make lifestyle changes that you can actually stick to. Are you never going to eat out again?

    I just try to be more deliberate about my selections. When possible, I review the menu ahead of time so that I can pick out what I may want and how many calories it may be. Keep in mind too that some restaurant portions in the States would be considered family size elsewhere.
  • dutchandkiwi
    dutchandkiwi Posts: 1,389 Member
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    I eat out, it is my main way of socializing. Plus at present I am doing a post grad course - with it comes lunch away in a rather nice place. Not always easy to log these things but I do it in a similar manner to other mentioned. The best I can and find something similar in the database.
    A few of my others are: Always make sure I have had something to eat beforehand so I don't get stuck into the bread with butter or oil (a downfall) Order water on the side Soups for started skipping the bread as much as possible. Mains often grilled fish, salads with dressing on the side (saves lots of calories) order additional veggies and no dessert, but some tea.
    What also works if I am in a place where I know the portions are rather huge - order a starter as a main.

    It has worked for me for the last 3 years and I still loose even with this. Over time you learn what can and cannot fit the caloriecount needed.
  • _Justinian_
    _Justinian_ Posts: 232 Member
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    _Justinian_ wrote: »
    Nope. About to leave for Texas Roadhouse in a few minutes. Ribeye steak, loaded sweet potato and fries. I'll have 300 calories remaining as a buffer.

    If I know I am going out to eat, I'll eat very light for the rest of the day and/or increase exercise activity-levels to compensate. Or I'll make it up for those lost calories either the week beforehand or the week after. It's all about balance. You don't have to eat your whole plate and can take half your meal home for later/another day.

    Remember, you want to have habits that will last a lifetime. You obviously don't want to avoid eating out with your friends for the rest of your life. :smile:

    And for the record, that was a steak (meat) and a lot of carbs. I weighed myself the morning after and showed a loss of 1.2 pounds. It really is simply calories in/calories out.
  • aneedforchange
    aneedforchange Posts: 75 Member
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    I haven't stopped eating out but I never have take out during the weekdays and I eat less if I know I'm going out with friends! It's hard because I used to have beers with friends more sporadically but.. that's alright. It's healthier this way anyway!
  • natasha_hal1
    natasha_hal1 Posts: 30 Member
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    I would go out! Drink water for your drink (to save calories) and pick something grilled with veggies. Try to find out where you guys will go beforehand, so you can plan accordingly. If you eat a sandwich, make it an open faced sandwich and eliminate the condiments. I usually find that I am happy with an open faced grilled chicken sandwich with avocado and no mayo. If I know that I will be going out that day, I try to eat less the rest of the day. Even if I do go a little over on the meal that day, at least I know that I made a healthy choice and it will not overall affect my weight loss.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,144 Member
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    Christine_72 wrote: »
    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    My wife is my social life.

    I love this :heart: It's the same for me and my husband.

    The same with my husband and me, that is why we eat out a couple of times a week, plus on birthdays, anniversaries, gathering with friends, and for any other fun excuse that we may find :) . Social life with only two people as part of it can be very limited. We don't want that.

    We like to try local places or what ever has been recommended by friends and I always find something to fit my way of eating, calories or macros. I usually don't log my restaurant meals at all, and it never affected my weight loss or my maintenance. We don't go to fast food places (no take out either) but sometimes we hit chain restaurants with nutritional information so logging, if any, is more feasible.

    Life is too short to spend most of it in the kitchen. At least it is for me.
  • ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken
    ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken Posts: 1,530 Member
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    Depends on where they are inviting me to eat and if I feel like going. The thing that keeps me from dining out more times than not is not so much trying to stay on track but trying not to eat at places where I do not feel they are clean. I have worked in food service of all kinds and I just do not trust the people behind the scenes with my food.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    edited January 2017
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    I don't often eat out, but it is due to celiac disease. I get sick at least 1/3 of the time - even when I order from the GF menu. Not worth it.

    I do still go out though. I'll order coffee or drinks instead. I'm there for the company and not the food.

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