restaurant temptation

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cinnamonbunz87
cinnamonbunz87 Posts: 47
in Health and Weight Loss
help u guys! my husband is taking me out to dinner and a movie tonight. he wants to go to red lobster to get the endless shrimp. i don't know how i'm going to resist it! i know i should order something like a tilapia with broccoli...but when i go out to eat, i don't want to spend my money on stuff that i don't truly want. what should i do? agghhh!!
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  • withchaco
    withchaco Posts: 1,026 Member
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    Look up the nutritional info beforehand. There are plenty of decent choices at Red Lobster (well, except for the sodium which tends to be really high). There's got to be one or two good ones that you'd enjoy.
  • brimir
    brimir Posts: 72
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    ugh, I have to go to Red Lobster this weekend as well... not happy, everything there is buttered! Good luck!
  • blazergrad
    blazergrad Posts: 603 Member
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    Oh my gosh, I love Red Lobster!! It's okay to allow yourself to "splurge" every once in a while! As a matter of fact, most folks will tell you that it's beneficial to have a cheat day every so often, so I'd say just go and enjoy yourself tonight and then get back on track tomorrow!! Have fun! :smile:
  • ZombieKillaPrincess
    ZombieKillaPrincess Posts: 404 Member
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    order what you want but only eat half and ask the server to box the other half and eat it for lunch the next day.

    or get what you want but get veggies instead of fries or any unhealthy sides.

    just some suggestions :-)

    also check out the nutrition facts online if you can
  • JJHudgens
    JJHudgens Posts: 96 Member
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    How committed are you to getting thinner and fit? Think about your goal. And how good you'll feel to eat the better option. Because you won't go home with regret. Every time I "allow myself" that meal I shouldn't have, sure it tasted good, but in the end I'm regretting it. Keep your goal in mind. And the point is, time with your hubby, right? Enjoy that, instead of the food. ;)
  • DannyMussels
    DannyMussels Posts: 1,842 Member
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    Seafoods fantastic for you, regardless of what kind.

    Your best bet is something simply steamed, or grilled assuming they don't cover it in butter or something.

    Never eaten there before, but see if its an option to get something cooked without added butter.

    I've cooked for 12+yrs and its a common request, considering how many people can't have things like that.

    Same with the veg.
  • PaPenguin
    PaPenguin Posts: 19 Member
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    Get a steak but ask for it without butter and sauce all over it. Half a baked potato and a green salad and you'll be good to go.
  • nakabi
    nakabi Posts: 589 Member
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    get something that you like, but when it comes, make sure you ask for a to go bag and immediately put it in it. that way you only eat half and have something yummy for tomorrow :) also, stay far far away from the biscuits! if you must have one, order it without the garlic butter (yes, you can do that). I like to order the caesar salad (make sure it's the romaine lettuce and not the iceberg,) add tomatoes/cucumbers, and have them top it with grilled salmon. make sure you have it without the croutons. instead of dressing, ask for a few slices of lemons. squeeze on top and add some salt and pepper..it's really yummy.
    I worked as a server at RL for 3 years and those would be my recommendations :)
  • vettle
    vettle Posts: 621 Member
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    Your husband wants to take YOU out to dinner and a movie but he wants to go to red lobster? maybe tell him where you want to go and have a nicer meal somewhere else. put a stop to this before it gets worse. It doesn't sound like he's supporting you at all. Tell him to go to red lobster with his friends to pound back endless shrimp.
  • mamashatzie
    mamashatzie Posts: 238 Member
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    I'm like you, I don't want to spend good money on something totally boring like steamed fish and broccoli. So here's what I do. Look up the calorie counts beforehand. Get some extra exercise to give yourself extra calories. Find something that looks delicious, and if it's too high in calories, eat half and take home the leftovers. One good way to cut back on calories is to skip the salad--almost all their dressings are ridiculously high in calories and have lots of cheese and croutons.

    And as for the endless shrimp, I'm a sucker for shrimp so I would totally work my butt off for 2 days to have enough calories for all that delicious, delicious shrimp.
  • alicebud
    alicebud Posts: 72 Member
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    Red lobster has their nutrition information online. Plug in what you might eat into your food diary before you go and that might help you stay on track. I limit myself to 1 biscuit, order the house salad with vinaigrette, and ask for the sauces on the side. Enjoy your dinner!
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
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    I believe in allowing yourself to just enjoy special days/meals/etc when they come up. As long as you aren't doing it every other day, there's no harm in it. Order a meal that you like and just enjoy the date with your BF! Eat your meal and don't worry about it! Just maybe restrict yourself to 1 piece of bread, etc.

    I find that when I try to be too rigid and don't allow myself some freedom now and then, it's discouraging and I'm more likely to binge later. If you have committed to making a lifestyle a change, then it's what we do MOST of the time that matters. What we do now and then is only a small piece of the puzzle! HAVE FUN AND ENJOY!! :drinker:
  • tmiqueen
    tmiqueen Posts: 254 Member
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    If going out to eat isn't something you do very often, I'd count it as a "splurge" day. One day of enjoying the foods you love will not kill your progress.

    If I completely deprive myself 24/7, it's a recipe for a binge later on. It's about learning moderation. I can splurge twice a month without it impacting any progress, but if I did it once a week, it definitely would.

    However, if you're in the habit of going out to eat quite often, I'd do some research for the healthiest options. Order an entree without the rice, but with extra veggies. Things like that can make all the difference!
  • fireman300
    fireman300 Posts: 38 Member
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    if you go to red lobster's site, click on the lighthouse calculator. You drag and drop what you want into the boxes and it will give you the nutritional totals for your meal. This way you know exactly what you are having before you go
  • MariSama44
    MariSama44 Posts: 340 Member
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    Check the calories ahead of time and input it into your journal before you go! Here are some of my favs:

    Garden salad, balsamic vinaigrette on the side (dip your fork in it or lightly dip your salad bites in it! this trick works with any dressing)

    Fire grilled menu - these generally are pretty good tasting and not high in calories, depending on what fish you get.

    Baked fish - they have a fantastic baked trout in a bag, I think, that was delicious! it comes with veggies!

    Broccoli - squeeze some lemon on it, thats so tasty!

    Mixed veggies - also a great side.

    If you want the rice, or a cheddar bay biscuit, just make sure that you budget for them in your journal BEFORE you go. Limit yourself, take pleasure in saying no, and eat slowly, chew a lot so you can savor the flavors. You will be more satisfied, and not feel guilty afterward.
  • PaPenguin
    PaPenguin Posts: 19 Member
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    Just checked their online menu and nutrition info. They have a "Lighthouse" menu and also have a caculator that lets you create a meal and see what the nutritional values are.
  • marquesajen
    marquesajen Posts: 641
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    Remember that whatever you order you can eat half and take the rest home.
  • joyeaann
    joyeaann Posts: 39 Member
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    I agree, everybody deserves a cheat day, or you start to feel so deprived that you end up going off the deep end and WAY over doing it...
    I also agree with those saying to look up the information and go in knowing what is what. If I am knowledgeably cheating (going out to eat on a date with my husband is one of my favorite things) I don't go home regretting - and I find it easy to get back on track the next day (forewarned is forearmed). If I go in and cheat then look if up and realize i did much worse than I thought I have huge regrets and have a tougher time getting back to it (especially when I THOUGHT I was making reasonable choices).
    that is just how I am and probably just my mind trip but I figure others might be like that too.

    go, have fun, enjoy remember one meal did not put the weight there and one meal is not going to ruin everything... this is the long run and a lifestyle.

    enjoy your date! Good Luck! :wink:
  • Eunified
    Eunified Posts: 51
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    Last time I went to Red Lobster, it was frikkin delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Me & my fiance worked out extra hard that day but I definitely tryed to stick to my goals & still enjoyed my meal.
    I found it impossible to avoid the biscuits though.. but I worked for them at the gym that day. LOL

    I had the wood grilled lobster shrimp & scallops (500 calories) with a side of asparagus & corn.
    I also had the garden salad with vinagrette..
    It was delish!
    If you you go over a bit, as long as you don't do it every single day, you'll still be fine.
    Enjoy your date night!:wink:
  • ryanfeltz
    ryanfeltz Posts: 126
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    They have several things that would surprise you... even the lunch portion fried shrimp is not an OMG moment. But stay away from Tartar sauce......

    That being said enjoy your evening with your husband.....

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