Eating out

I don't cook, so eating out is pretty routine for me. I'm not currently tracking, but unless it was a truly special occasion to me (e.g. MY birthday or MY promotion, not everybody's birthdays and promotions) I tracked every restaurant bite just as if I were eating at home. I simply could not have lost weight if I didn't. I budget myself a glass of wine or a beer most days, so if I'm out I can usually have that. If it's some floofy cocktail drink (why, HELLO margarita season!), then my calories have to be juggled around to make it fit. I do balance that with the rest of the meal though. If I want a more caloric meal or want to add an appetizer or dessert, then no drink. Mostly I don't treat restaurant eating much differently than home cooked eating (I assume).

Good job OP! The fact that you’re looking at menus beforehand is next level.

Simple answer: if I know it’s a “fun” day/meal, I’ll also look at the menu and, frankly, be boring. I always log the cals so I’m honest with myself about why or why I’m not reaching goals. And yes, I’ve given into the chips and queso at Mexican restaurants.

As for what I account for ahead of time: Today, for example, I knew I was going to have a few beers tonight. I woke up early (6am) to get a hike in and hit the pool for :30 in the afternoon. This isn’t normal but it was planned and I burned about 700 cals… hopefully good enough to cover the beer. 🍻

I am typically mindful of what I am ordering. I will try to order chicken over other meats, and I will order a water instead of a different beverage. Small choices, but they help toward my goal.

I always check out menus in advance. I skip starters and desserts, and only drink zero cal drinks except for one 125ml glass of wine. For the restaurants we visit, I have the meals I like saved to My Foods/My Meals in MFP to make it easy to choose.

If it’s somewhere new, and there are no calories on the menu (which I use as a guide, and will adjust accordingly if I think they’ve underestimated their calories!), I will generally choose something similar to the meals I have saved. I deconstruct and assemble on MFP later if it’s something I haven’t eaten before, and might eat again: if not, I’ll choose something similar from the database and err on the side of caution.

(One thing continues to puzzle me - a Costa flat white is listed as 45 cals, and yet the large latte is listed as 42 cals (both semi-skimmed milk)… but flat whites are made with more espresso and less milk, while lattes have more milk and less espresso, and the flat white is in a cup a third the size! Anyone here a Costa barista who can explain this to me?)