Eating out

If you know where you are going look it up ahead of time and plan. Most times you can find out from their menu online or at least get close. If you don't know then eat the healthiest thing on the menu. Usually a salad with a protein, and make a good dressing choice. Or something grilled or steamed with a side of steamed veggies etc. You get the idea. If you're feeling cheated that way then order a small side of fries or something with your salad.

I know this can be odd when with friends, but is there anyone who'd be ok with splitting a meal with you? Portions are so big these days, and even though you could ultimately get 1 meal and box, put half in the box before you even start eating, splitting one saves money and leftovers. My boyfriend and I have gotten in a habit to "split" one meal, then if we are hungry after, we get more food. We've never been hungry after and there's sometimes more food that we can eat. It's better for our budget and our waistlines.

But I also second TavistockToad, make better choices. Skip apps. Drink water/unsweetened tea. No dessert. No bread.

At Asian restuarants, Noodles and Rice aren't bad, you just have to figure out how to limit them. Watch what kind of sauce the main meal is cooked in.

I'd find a restaurant that lists calorie counts and estimate from that. My boyfriend and I did a Ramen place last Saturday, and struggled a bit, but ultimately just logged what made sense and moved on.

You could also get more exercise in on the weekends to make up for the splurges.

[/quote]My friends and I tend to go to Asian restaurants, and it's hard to find salad or food with less calories. Most of the food are full of carbs.[/quote]

I go to a lot of Asian restaurants and eat a lot of Korean food at home (wife is Korean). Yes there are a lot of carbs but there are also a whole lot of proteins as well chicken/beef, the rice is the killer because I tend to treat it as a refillable bowl when it should be one portion (after 30 years of being with my wife , THIS is a hard habit to break). The sauces also contain a large portion of the calories, so I dilute them or use a napkin to soak them up. Most chain Asian places (suck) have their calories online, if it is a Mom & Pop type Asian spot (much tastier) just try portion control and get equal portions of carbs and protein. I have found that a good portion is usually the size of a deck of cards. We will never be able to count our calories 100% but as long as you get it right the majority of the time, you should be good to go

I've found the key to enjoyable restaurant eating (which I do once or twice most weeks) is portion control and limiting the extras. If I can find a small appetizer or split something with one one, I'll do that, but if I want an entire, I always take home half. In terms of extras, it's just what people have said above - I generally try to avoid eating more than one piece of bread, do my best not to over order, limit beverages, and either count desert as the main part of the meal or split with as many people who will let me. I tend to eat at smaller local places but use the calorie counts from big chains and make sure I'm generously rounding up. I don't limit my food earlier in the day, though, as eating infrequently does not work for me.

We often go out to eat on weekends too. One trick I've found is to eat a single late meal around 11 am, instead of a separate breakfast or lunch. Since i sleep late on weekends, skipping an early breakfast is easy. This meal is usually either an omelette or leftover mats and vegetables from a previous meal. Either way, I plan for about 400 calories with lots of protein at that meal. It will help me feel full until dinner time.

If I get up early on weekends, and want to eat twice before dinner, I try to have a yogurt or string cheese for one of those meals. Either way, I can save 1000 calories for dinner and maybe an adult beverage or 2.

I would eat a light lunch and order steamed chicken and broccoli with the sauce on the side. Works for me.

wxlaw wrote: »

emmydoodles83 wrote: »

If you know where you are going look it up ahead of time and plan. Most times you can find out from their menu online or at least get close. If you don't know then eat the healthiest thing on the menu. Usually a salad with a protein, and make a good dressing choice. Or something grilled or steamed with a side of steamed veggies etc. You get the idea. If you're feeling cheated that way then order a small side of fries or something with your salad.

My friends and I tend to go to Asian restaurants, and it's hard to find salad or food with less calories. Most of the food are full of carbs.

Here are some of my go-tos when it comes to Asian food:
* Pho without noodles (there's nothing wrong with carbs but I prefer filling up on the broth, meat, and veggies because I think those are the tastiest parts).
* Won ton soup
* Shrimp/ chicken/ tofu dishes that come with veggies (avoiding fried meats or dishes that are all meat & sauce)
* Sashimi, miso soup, and a piece or two of gyoza