Birthday Dinner

cmreich
cmreich Posts: 5
edited September 30 in Recipes
HI!

I've been having lots of success lately and I don't want to sabotage myself. Since I started trying to loose weight about 3 months ago I've pretty much avoided restaurants all together. On my birthday every year I usually opt for an Italian restaurant where I eat a huge portion of pasta, drink lots of wine, and get some sort of chocolate sin for dessert (not a huge fan of cake). My birthday is a week from today and I'd like to go out to dinner this year too but I am afraid of controlling myself with portions and food choices and still having a good time. Any advice on restaurant choices, meal selections, or portion control strategies would be very much appreciated!

Catherine

Replies

  • mocklin
    mocklin Posts: 33 Member
    I would enjoy yourself AS LONG AS you can get right back on track the next day. Sometimes after a good meal, you'll actually loose. I have anyway Happy birthday!
  • teachermegan
    teachermegan Posts: 68 Member
    Go online ahead of time and figure out what you're going to have. Ask the waiter to SKIP the bread basket. Don't look at the menu when you get there b/c you aleady know. Enjoy a glass of wine at dinner - budget it into your day. The rest of the day eat to fill you up but eat lower calorie meals - like at lunch, have soup and veggies. For breakfast have an egg white scramble. You should have plenty of calories for your dinner.
    Another thing you might notice when you look up calories online is that the kid portions are lower in calories - try ordering a child's plate of the same thing you'd get. Or ask them to box half before they even bring it out. Especially if you have dessert.

    If you have time that day do some heavy duty cardio. =)
  • BethanieK
    BethanieK Posts: 201
    My best advice is to have a pretty strict day before, and couple of days after, get in a good workout the day of your birthday dinner, and the following day drink plenty of water. Remember, this is supposed to be a lifestyle change, and since your birthday is going to happen once a year, you don't need to deprive yourself entirely.
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
    Get a box right away and put half of the meal away right away. Skip an appetizer, or have only one drink etc.

    Look up the calories if you can beforehand so you will likely choose something better than before (not necessarily the best thing) and eat only half the dessert.

    Then tomorrow go back to normal (the new normal!) one day won't undo what you've done so far. Be prepared to not feel well tomorrow if you've been eating pretty clean now though, I find that even when I THINK I want something really decedent that it's not worth it anymore because I feel sick afterward.
  • Pearcecat
    Pearcecat Posts: 68
    Hi Catherine!

    I think you should still go to the Italian restaurant-your birthday is a special day and life is too short not to celebrate it!. Why not try to see if you can pre-view the menu and then you can work out which meals are the lowest in calories. Maybe you could get a starter size portion of pasta and order a large salad on the side. You could still have some wine and plenty of water in between.
    And why not have a little dessert waiting for you in the fridge when you get home. At least you could pick a low fat chocolate version and you know what goes in to it.
    I hope you have a nice night and enjoy it!!
  • jstrohs1
    jstrohs1 Posts: 66
    Maybe this will help you.......

    Low Calorie Italian Food: What to Choose at an Italian Restaurant
    http://www.womenandweight.com/weight-management/weight-loss/low-calorie-italian-food-what-to-choose-at-an-italian-restaurant/
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    I have this problem about once a week since my parents, who are huge foodies, like to go out for dinner to catch up with everyone (us "kids" no longer live at home). Usually it's a nice Italian restaurant. My suggestion is to order a salad as an appetizer with the dressing on the side and then as your main course order a fish or meat dish with steamed vegetables on the side rather than a pasta dish. If whatever you order is pan fried, then ask if you can have it grilled instead and order any sauces that might come with on the side. As for drinks, only have a glass or two of wine. And for dessert, since it is your birthday, order sorbet or even if they bring a piece of cake, share it with the entire table. It's still going to be a big meal, but there are ways to limit the calories at nice restaurants. Just make sound choices when ordering and plan your calories ahead of time. And finally, it's your birthday, so indulge at least a little bit! And happy birthday!
  • maureendonahue
    maureendonahue Posts: 468 Member
    We have had a lot of dining out lately (birthdays, a sister's surgery, a funeral just a lot of stuff!). I found checking out the resturant's website gives me a good idea of the nutritional values of the choices available and I go from there. I usually pick out what I am going to have before I even go there. If I want dessert, I split it with one or two other people to cut down on the calories.

    I also eat a small snack before I go, make sure I drink water and have a salad (dressing on the side please!) to start. It helps make me full before the meal even arrives.

    That said, I have avoided Italian places so far, because pasta is my downfall, and I am not in control of that yet.

    Good luck as you continue on your journey, and Happy Birthday!
  • rowbseat13
    rowbseat13 Posts: 147 Member
    Not only is it your birthday, but you deserve to celebrate your discipline for the last few months. Eating something rich and fatty on a special occasion is no reason to feel guilty at all. I went out to an Italian restaurant just last night and ate chicken parm, alfredo, a salad, a TON of wine, and a canoli. Way, way, way over my calories for the day, but it was date night for my husband and I. I don't regret it because it was wonderful and we had a great time. You're doing this so that you can be happier and healthier and enjoy your life. Being sad on your birthday because you're not eating what you want doesn't fit into that goal. Go out and enjoy yourself. Eat what you want... My suggestion (and what I did last night) is to eat very, very healthy before you go out. Save up some calories for your splurge at dinner, but if you go over -- so what? It's your birthday. Just start back on the right track the next day. No big deal. :)
  • janiecorona
    janiecorona Posts: 248
    I would still have pasta but have a salad first to fill you up that way you don't eat too much pasta. Skip all and any breads. And have a dessert but share it with everyone that way you still have a taste but don't go overboard. You can still have all the things you had before, just plan ahead in your calories and make sure you stay within your goal. Moderation before temptation wins.
  • lynnwest2
    lynnwest2 Posts: 4 Member
    I would recommend a little protein before you go. Maybe an hour before. That way, when you eat the carbs in the pasta, bread or whatever...the protein will act as a little buffer and not start the carb/sugar roller coaster of wanting more?? Something like that. Have a Wonderful time, don't let your "food issues" rob you of a fun birthday bash, or maybe...start a new tradition and go to a spa instead!!
  • pjm1806
    pjm1806 Posts: 41
    be good now, be good after but on your birthday, come on!! its once a year!!! pig out honey.

    i am restricting myself for past two weeks, bc its my bf birthday this coming friday, we are going to egyptian hi-end restaurant and i will try everything there, including baklava... ( i know its greek but they make it little different i suppose)

    all i can say, we are all human and we need to indulge once a while, for me its my BF birthday in July, and mine in December,

    GO FOR IT!!!, i promise you wont die
  • Learnin2LuvMe
    Learnin2LuvMe Posts: 465 Member
    Hi there,I'm going to the olive garden tonight for dinner,I looked online and it shows you the menu and calories on the food there,so I planned ahead..A lil high in sodium,but I worked out this morning,and having a light breakfast and lunch. Enjoy yourself overall and set some limits,and you'll be fine!!
  • deanadimples
    deanadimples Posts: 419 Member
    All the advice you're getting here is great. Planning ahead, to go box...all great strategies! Sometimes just putting a food in and seeing the numbers makes me want to say NO WAY.

    My advice is just enjoy it!! It's ONE day. I just had a birthday last week. First off I kind of accepted that it was not going to be my normal kind of day. Secondly, we stayed in a hotel...and I used the GYM there. Something I've never done. But I wanted that early am workout to get my metabolism going. When it comes to special occasion, holidays etc. I just enjoy them, but I don't as "overboard" as I used to. But I don't tell myself I can't either. Life has celebrations in them! Don't let 1 day bother you....you have 6 other days to kick butt! I've been losing 2 lbs a week and I STILL enjoy my favorite mexican restaurant. If I can't enjoy the things in life, I will never make it in this journey. The progress I'm seeing keeps me on track enough to not tell myself "every day" is a special day. If control is an issue, the snack idea before and the to go box is your salvation!

    You may find out that the pasta you once loved, may not be as great. I've noticed a lot of the "bad" foods I used to enjoy no longer hold their position with me. I LOVE a homemade pasta alfredo a local restaurant makes (better than any Italian I've had). My BF got it a while back and I had a taste, it tasted so rich and felt so HEAVY!!

    I look at it this way. One meal or one bad day didn't make me 65 lbs overweight. Eating like that every day did. To gain a lb you have to eat 3,500 calories OVER what your body uses. Is that really likely? It's more likely that the restaurant food will be higher in sodium and make you retain water for a bit. Even if you gain a little, it's only temporary. Like you said, you've been doing great. If you enjoy a birthday or something else and you go up a 1lb...it's not like you can't take it back off. You aren't going to erase every lb you've done to this point. If we all had 1 lb to lose we'd be like "I so got this".

    On my birthday I enjoyed beers, nachos, chinese food etc...worried, and ended up losing. I called it life's birthday present to me! LOL

    Have a GREAT birthday!!!
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