OLIVE GARDEN HELPPP!!!!!

Their website has the nutritional values of their food. You could read up and figure out what you can have before you get there, so you're not so tempted by the heavier stuff.

Roasted chicken or baked fish is always ok, if you get pasta immediately put half of it in a to go box. Stay away from the breadsticks. Nothing breaded (chicken or fish). Crab is low cal too.

Whatever you decide, eat only half, start out by putting half of it away immediately in a to go box. Eat only one serving of salad because they put a lot of stuff on there, unless you research ahead of time to know how much you can have. No breadsticks.

I get the apricot chicken dish - it's not terrible nutritionally and it's pretty tasty.

There are lots of BAD dishes there so be careful - check out their website.

Pretend like this meal will be the last you ever have on this earth and tell yourself you want to enjoy the whole experience. That means eat slowly and mindfully. Be into the entire experience--the scents, the textures and feel of the food in your mouth, the taste, the sight (boy, can they present their food!), and the sounds. Enjoy your conversations with your family and commit every bit to memory. Concentrate on the experience, not the fact that you're eating.

That being said...

I would get a to-go box right away with the meal and throw half of whatever comes out from the kitchen into it as soon as it comes out. I know that those servings are easily twice what one should be eating.

Also, if you can help it, don't eat the breadsticks--or stick to just one or 1/2 (and it it VERY slowly, savoring each morsel!). If you get the salad with your meal, try to ask for the dressing on the side (they are usually VERY generous with that dressing and the sodium if not the calories in the dressing will really send you over the edge). Personally, I'd take the soup rather than the salad--minestrone, of course. The only downfall to the soup that I see (well, other than it's bottomless and that can cause all sorts of problems) is all the sodium that OG puts into it (and all their food, for that matter ).

Definitely drink TONS of water as you're eating. It will help you from overeating (by helping to fill up your stomach) and it will help you to combat all the sodium that you're taking in.

If you must get a dessert, opt for one of the lighter ones shown on their nutrition facts--and see if you can split it with someone. Again, savor every morsel and eat slowly.

I hope that this helps out!!

Cheers, :drinker:
Deborah

That would be so hard! I LOVE the breadsticks. Good luck on your choice. They do have some stuff that would be fine for you. And most of all ENJOY!!! :-D

I LOVE eating at Olive Garden! I always do the soup salad and breadsticks since it's cheap AND can fit into my plan. I LOVE minestrone soup and for 100 cals a bowl... it's my FAVORITE part. Love that 2nd bowl. Yes, it's thru the roof on the sodium, but one night of crazy sodium won't kill you and won't affect your weight loss.. just make your scale show a little higher for a day or two till you flush it out. Sometimes I decide ONE breadstick is worth it for 150 calories... sometimes it's not. I actually don't think their breadsticks are as good as they use to be. Pretty sure they changed the recipe. And on the salad I don't let them grate any cheese into it and ask for the LIGHT italian dressing *on the side*. Then I dip my fork into the dressing before each bite of salad and it gives me enough flavor to make me happy. Check here http://www.olivegarden.com/menus/garden_fare/nutrition_information.asp if that doesn't appeal to you. You can totally handle this! Just go with a plan! And remember how GREAT you'll feel when you walk out of that restaurant proud of yourself and knowing you are still on track to meet your weight loss goals!