Eating out

shezian
shezian Posts: 9 Member
edited December 21 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
How do you guys eat out while maintaining? I love Indian and Thai food but l never know how many calories l am eating.

Replies

  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,994 Member
    To keep calories in control in Indian and Thai restaurants, I just limit what I eat from dishes that are deep fried or swimming in coconut cream, peanut sauce or ghee. Plenty of nice grilled dishes on both Indian and Thai menus. And I love the Thai salads where the dressings are oil free (plenty of sugar though).

  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,281 Member
    I try to make the best choices I can and then enjoy it and not worry about ithe calories. I look at maintenance as a "for the rest of my issue. One meal, as long as it does not become a frequent occurrence, is not going to make a real difference in long term.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    In maintenance, it's not biggie really unless it is a very frequent thing.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,333 Member
    online menus are a godsend. It makes it so much easier to plan and be decided when you walk in..there is no impulsive temptation. When it comes to Thai food.. I'd eat fish and salad all day..work out.. then eat what I want. Indian food, I get tandoori chicken.. Raita ..and rice.
  • RachelElser
    RachelElser Posts: 1,049 Member
    I search in the database and go for a medium entry. Like f I see 3 entires at 100, 2 at 200, 3 at 300, and one at 500 I'd go with the 300 entry.
  • pierinifitness
    pierinifitness Posts: 2,226 Member
    I do the math when eating out and then adjust the rest of my day accordingly. Last outing, last Saturday, was a full rack of BBQ baby back ribs and a naked baked potato that "costed out" at 1,696 calories. I ended by day at 2,616 calories which was only 288 calories over maintenance based on a light exercise day of a one hour walk. I was satisfied with my discipline and the ribs were delicious. I try to each out infrequently but one day week recently I had two days in a row where lunch was eaten out on business. Have a business lunch next week and take the same approach and plan on not being significantly over whatever happens to be the maintenance calc for the day.

    This precision approach works for me and I don't feel deprived one bit. But, I may add, alcohol is not in my equation at this chapter of my life so I don't have those calories or any other liquid calories to make it more challenging.
  • Maxxitt
    Maxxitt Posts: 1,281 Member
    Just got back from a week out of town where every evening meal was in a restaurant. My approach was to first enjoy the company and the food and secondly to make the best choices possible given the menu. And by "best," I mean "yummy & not fried." Except for that last night fish fry, which was exceptional. I had one cocktail on two of the seven nights out, and didn't bother with dessert.

    Meals other than dinner out tended to be what I eat at home during the day - fresh fruit and Greek yogurt, and the occasional cookie. I weighed less than half a pound more when I got home. It can be done.
  • sgriska
    sgriska Posts: 109 Member
    I usually try to opt for a lighter offering, but if there's something on the menu that I'm really dying to have and it's likely high calorie, I just eat and enjoy it, try to log it as well as I can (if possible, if not, I'm not sweating it) and then just go back to the plan the next day. If I start to see my weight creeping up, I know how to deal with that and I do it.

    My attitude is, if I'm doing the right thing 95% of the time, the other 5% can be dealt with fairly painlessly. It's the big picture that's important, not every last meal or even day's worth of meals.
  • shezian
    shezian Posts: 9 Member
    Thx guys for all the advice. Will keep this in mind. Great to see his others are doing it.
  • jrwms714
    jrwms714 Posts: 421 Member
    I eat out frequently and it's never really an issue. After 4.5 years of maintenance, I pretty much know what to do, which includes checking menus online and even photos in Yelp, whenever possible. If it's not possible, and I can't plan ahead, I do the best that I can. I am so into healthy food after all these years (7 total with MFP) that it's easy to make choices. When I am at a restaurant where there is literally nothing that I would want to eat, I make do with a Caesar salad (no croutons, dressing on the side) and grilled salmon. If that isn't possible, I make do with a side salad. It's all about the company for me, and not ever really about the food. Nothing really tempts me at this stage of the game but it something calls my name, I have it. It's usually something that I would never get at home or at another restaurant, so I enjoy and don't worry about it. As others have said on here, one meal, large calories, is not going to ruin everything. I just get back to my regular routine right after. The only thing that is different is when we are out of town for 4 months every winter. We stay in a town that has several restaurants that I love, and I eat what I want, within reason. But I am still pretty much careful about breakfast and the one other meal that day. If I gain a few pounds while gone, I rein it right back in when home.
  • shezian
    shezian Posts: 9 Member
    When l was younger l used to eat whatever l wanted on weekend and ate less during the week and l always maintained. But now that lm approaching 50, l have to really watch how much lm eating every single day. I’m fine when l eat my own home cooked meals, but once l start eating out l always gain weight and lm sick of being in a diet to lose those gained kilos. I have to be so strict now. One day I’m just going to stop caring so much.
  • shoebarb
    shoebarb Posts: 9 Member
    I find the portions are too big. I tend to eat half and bring the rest home for someone in my family.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I eat out for lunch all the time. My husband and I split all meals almost always. If I'm eating alone I bring half home or order an appetizer.
  • DanyellMcGinnis
    DanyellMcGinnis Posts: 315 Member
    I have found that I have a limit. If I eat more than about 1500 calories in one sitting (and really, it's more like 1400) I just don't feel well. I can basically feel when I am approaching my limit. So, I bank calories throughout the week (200-300 per day) and then when I eat out on Friday (when I don't have time to exercise due to a job change that requires more hours in the office), I try not to go over what I've banked by using estimates from the database, but I also know that it's impossible for me to get too far off course because I start to feel very bloated and unwell.

    On Saturday, if I have lunch out, it is usually at a chain like Panera or Jason's Deli or Zoe's Kitchen or some place similar that has calories posted online or in the store and those estimates work all right for me.
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,206 Member
    I only go out about once a month and if I can’t really guess, I skip that day of logging and just enjoy myself. Get back on the wagon the next day. If it’s more of a lunch spot, I try to log the individual components of the meal as best as I can.
  • kathywilcox9
    kathywilcox9 Posts: 8 Member
    I am retired and we travel about 4 times yearly. I find that every time we travel and come back from a trip, I am 3-5 pounds heavier. I try to not over do the eating. I eat salads instead of fries, skip dessert most times, and generally don't go over board, but I am on vacation, so I do get some treats and we eat at buffets a lot (on a ship). I have learned that if I cut way back when I get home, the weight goes as fast as it came.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I went to rib joint yesterday that posted calories on the menu bthe lowest thing on the menu was an appetizer for 500. Most were over 1500 (one was 4000) Thats mult calories for the day.

    I wound up splittling an appetizer with a colleague for 500 calories and was still stuffed.

    I think the most portent skill.to learn in maintenance is recognizing when you're full and stop eating. You've got to know the body.
  • juyish
    juyish Posts: 5 Member
    Stay away from the items that are based with a lot of heavy creams and also before you go research the food so you have choices.
  • bigbandjohn
    bigbandjohn Posts: 769 Member
    There are quite a few Thai and Indian entries in the database, not always for the exact place or the exact dish. Especially if it's infrequent visits then you can definitely get away with approximating based on that. I tend to average based on the closest dish at the closest type of restaurant with similar portions. Many regions now force even smaller restaurant chains to post caloric content, so you may get lucky finding things.

    I "regularly" (once every couple months) go to a Thai restaurant near my house. Most of the curries on the menu I can find caloric content in the database from different restaurants. Pad Thai also has numerous entries. A couple items I found either a Japanese or Chinese dish that was similar and based it on that. I have had a little luck with Indian food (found a Balti entry), but really haven't been to many Indian restaurants since I started tracking. You may consider looking at entries for pre-packaged items from SWAD and MTR if you can't find restaurant entries for items you are having. May not be perfect, but should at least give you a baseline.

    You can also look for recipes online and add them to your app to get you in the ballpark of the caloric content if you can't find the items in the database. I did that for a salmon dish I love. Just make sure you determine the correct portion relative to the recipe.
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,157 Member
    rainbow198 wrote: »
    I went to this fancy 5 course dinner celebration last night. So much yummy Italian food. The food just kept coming and coming. Felt like a dream. Lol I could have seriously gotten full off the appetizers only!

    Everything I wanted, I ate...I just didn't/couldn't eat the entire portions. I knew what was on the menu prior to going so I knew ahead of time what I wanted and what I didn't want.

    I try to be smart about things. I LOVED one of the appetizers and the bread and bruschetta, but I knew I had to watch it and don't have too much. The desserts I wasn't crazy about so I took a couple of bites and left it. I took breaks too and I stopped eating when I was full. I still tell myself just because it's on a plate in front of me doesn't mean I have to eat it unless I wanted it.

    Even 6 years into maintenance I can't believe how much control over food I have now. It felt great not feeling overly stuffed, but very satisfied and eating exactly what I wanted without guilt. Learning how to leave food on my plate and knowing when my body has had enough to eat took me years to master.

    I know I am up on the scale from all of the sodium and carbs, but it's okay. I did not overeat for the week, I had some extra calories in the bank and it's just temporary. I'll be back to normal mid-next week.

    When I travel/go on vacation I still stay in control, but I'm usually up on the scale too when I return home.

    Regarding calories, I don't log but I journal what I eat. I guesstimate and try to search online for an idea, but I would never really know.

    I don't have many nights like the above and I cook almost all of my meals myself. I do go out for regular pizza with my hubby every Friday night and I make a high calorie dessert on Saturday. For this I save up calories during the week and it's much easier to figure out how much I'm consuming.

    Congratulations @rainbow198 on your maintenance & healthy changes!

    Thank you for your very helpful post. It helped me so much (3+ years wt loss, 2 months in maintenance.)

    I like your ideas of a weekly meal out & a dessert one time a week on specific days.

    And I will continue to practice listening to my body & leaving food on my plate!

    Many thanks!
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »
    rainbow198 wrote: »
    I went to this fancy 5 course dinner celebration last night. So much yummy Italian food. The food just kept coming and coming. Felt like a dream. Lol I could have seriously gotten full off the appetizers only!

    Everything I wanted, I ate...I just didn't/couldn't eat the entire portions. I knew what was on the menu prior to going so I knew ahead of time what I wanted and what I didn't want.

    I try to be smart about things. I LOVED one of the appetizers and the bread and bruschetta, but I knew I had to watch it and don't have too much. The desserts I wasn't crazy about so I took a couple of bites and left it. I took breaks too and I stopped eating when I was full. I still tell myself just because it's on a plate in front of me doesn't mean I have to eat it unless I wanted it.

    Even 6 years into maintenance I can't believe how much control over food I have now. It felt great not feeling overly stuffed, but very satisfied and eating exactly what I wanted without guilt. Learning how to leave food on my plate and knowing when my body has had enough to eat took me years to master.

    I know I am up on the scale from all of the sodium and carbs, but it's okay. I did not overeat for the week, I had some extra calories in the bank and it's just temporary. I'll be back to normal mid-next week.

    When I travel/go on vacation I still stay in control, but I'm usually up on the scale too when I return home.

    Regarding calories, I don't log but I journal what I eat. I guesstimate and try to search online for an idea, but I would never really know.

    I don't have many nights like the above and I cook almost all of my meals myself. I do go out for regular pizza with my hubby every Friday night and I make a high calorie dessert on Saturday. For this I save up calories during the week and it's much easier to figure out how much I'm consuming.

    Congratulations @rainbow198 on your maintenance & healthy changes!

    Thank you for your very helpful post. It helped me so much (3+ years wt loss, 2 months in maintenance.)

    I like your ideas of a weekly meal out & a dessert one time a week on specific days.

    And I will continue to practice listening to my body & leaving food on my plate!

    Many thanks!


    Thank you so much @MadisonMolly2017 - it has been an amazing ride.

    I'm so glad my little tips has helped you!

    Congrats on your weight loss and reaching maintenance! Wishing you the best of luck! ❤
  • brottishluv
    brottishluv Posts: 5 Member
    I used to eat out a lot, but now i rarely do alone. If I have a social gathering where I will be eating out I look at the menu, try to pick the healthiest thing and leave a 1000 calorie deficit before I go.

    I used to looooove Thai but no thanks anymore, not most Thai places anyway. 1200 calories for a noodle dish with sodium that will bloat me for days and probably 10 grams of protein and little fiber? My priorities have changed.

    Buuuuuut. The point of being in maintenance is you have made it! You can have a day where you eat badly and get back on the wheel. Your body doesn't gain fat that fast.
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