Help for eating out!

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JoJoDoerr
JoJoDoerr Posts: 173 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am very new, in that I have only been on the site and watching my calories since Wednesday. I am still learning but trying desperately to do this. We are going out to eat today with people to a Mexican restaurant. We almost always get the cheese with the chips and I normally would get the vegetarian enchilada platter which has 3 small enchiladas (bean, cheese, and potato) with beans and rice on the side. Any suggestions for what I can get there that is better and won't blow all my calories and fat there?

I would like to get something other than a salad as I would feel a little deprived since everyone else will be eating Mexican and I love Mexican food!

Also looking for friends that are on regularly to help me out with some motivation and encouragement! Please add me!
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Replies

  • JoJoDoerr
    JoJoDoerr Posts: 173 Member
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    Also...just an fyi...I am on 1200 calories
  • Bosbes
    Bosbes Posts: 55 Member
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    you could skip the cheese and chips and eat your enchiladas (maybe two instead of three?)
  • Maximus0005
    Maximus0005 Posts: 85 Member
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    Stay away from sour cream and thick sauces and go for the chicken dishes but with more salsa and guacamole.
  • BlueObsidian
    BlueObsidian Posts: 297 Member
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    If you're going to a chain, check their website to see if they have nutrition information available. When I go to a local restaurant, I try to find a chain with a similar menu to get an idea of what the best choices would be. For Mexican, try looking at the NI for somewhere like Chevy's to get ideas.
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    I am going out for Mexican food today too. I plan on getting a grilled chicken soft shell taco because pretty much everything else is crap!
  • AirCircleI
    AirCircleI Posts: 334 Member
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    Find something without cheese or sour cream - it might be hard, and you may need to ask them to modify the dish (eg, extra salsa/beans instead of cheese). mmmm...thinking about enchiladas with beans and veggies...
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    If your restaurant chain isn't listed, search Acapulco.
  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
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    Look online for nutrition info and if there isn't any, use your best judgement.

    If I go out for Mexican, I skip the chips/dip and try to get something I can split with someone, or something for myself that seems to be the best option. Grilled chicken and veggies is good, or sometimes I will go ahead and get my favorite dish, only eat half, and either leave the other half or save the rest for later.

    Remember, can't have a lifestyle change without your favorites!
  • christinezappella
    christinezappella Posts: 34 Member
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    Did mexican last week. Seems like the best thing to do is get chicken fajitas and just eat the meat, guacomole, veggies, and pico de gallo. Some chain restaurants to skinny margaritas with only a 100 calories (chevy's def does). It's really not that bad.
  • JoJoDoerr
    JoJoDoerr Posts: 173 Member
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    My restaurant does not have a website where I can see. I was searching the calories here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/nutrition-facts-calories/mexican-restaurant and am now even more confused. There are like 4 different entries for "rice" at a mexican restaurant. How do you pick which one to go by? Do I pick the one with the most calories to avoid risking going over...lol. I am starting to feel like a crazy person! Who knew going out to eat would cause so much anxiety!
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    I would skip the rice altogether!! Too scary!! Mexican is my favorite, but it is sick how many calories are in what I used to eat.
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    I am considering eating before I go, something healthy. Then only eating a chicken taco with no cheese. That way maybe I won't go overboard and want to eat all the chips!
  • orchidsand
    orchidsand Posts: 65
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    Consider fish tacos--grilled vs fried......and skip the chips.
  • JoJoDoerr
    JoJoDoerr Posts: 173 Member
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    I am considering eating before I go, something healthy. Then only eating a chicken taco with no cheese. That way maybe I won't go overboard and want to eat all the chips!

    I am starting to think this might be the way to go!
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    Are you going to be allowing yourself a "cheat meal" once a week on your journey?? I have 2 a week and have since the beginning, the first one isn't that bad (wednesday night grocery night, we hit Subway for a footlong sub and a grab bag of chips) but our second meal is out to eat at a place of our choice only limitations is I can't bring anything home has to be eaten there.. Like yesterday was our meal out and went to our favorite pizza place and had a large salad (first) and polished off a Pep and sausage 12in. pizza and now today I am back to my regular eating and looking forward to my large (homemade) chicken breast salad for supper.... this is a lifestyle not a restrictive diet, sometimes you have to enjoy yourself alittle bit.......... When we do mexican I tend to get chicken burritoes or chicken soft tacos... I do enjoy a few chips and salsa though...... Have fun with you friends and family while your out to eat and don't stress yourself out to much...... Good luck........
  • Amy911Gray
    Amy911Gray Posts: 685 Member
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    Look up the foods you like on MFP or any other website. And check to see if the restaurant you are going to has nutritional values on their website.

    Use rule of thumb when ordering...allow a chip with cheese, allow salsa and chip or 2 or 10. The key to the lifestyle change is very easy...If you are NEVER going to eat something again, never eat it now. If you are going to eat it, find a way to fit it in.

    And here's what I do, I research every out to eat experience so that I know now what I should have known 24 years ago...MODERATION and PAY UP FRONT.

    Eat what you like, in moderation and exercise for it--endorphines released by exercise makes you feel good and the better you feel when you go to dinner, the less you will feel the need for empty calories. Really you can do this! I have every faith in you!
  • withervein
    withervein Posts: 224 Member
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    Order something that comes with two portions and leave the second for a to-go box. There's tomorrows lunch.

    Grilled meats with lots of veggies is a great protein source. I don't think I could handle trying a 1200 cal diet, but more power to you. Fajitas are good because the grilled stuff is easy to portion into a to-go box and you can leave out whatever you don't want.

    Please, whatever you do, don't stress going over your calories by a bit. This is a lifestyle change and if you lose your mind every time you go out to eat, you won't stick with it. Allow yourself to go over a bit once in a while, I swear it won't hurt you.

    You didn't gain weight all at once, you can't lose it all at once and you certainly won't ruin everything all at once.

    Best of luck!
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    I have a suggestion.
    Eat what you'd normally eat, and forget trying to be a good dieter.
    Call this a once per week "free day meal" or to be more scientific, "Re-Feed Therapy".
    I do this weekly, and have reached all my initial weight goals.
    I have a weekly day where I eat about twice my daily goal, and a monthly food orgy where I eat like a man going to the electric chair for 24 hours.
    LOVE IT!
    It's nice knowing I am never more than 7 days from eating anything I desire in whatever quantity I want.
    I'd go nuts otherwise.
    So, have fun with your friends. Eat well, and just ENJOY!:flowerforyou:
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    Find something without cheese or sour cream - it might be hard, and you may need to ask them to modify the dish (eg, extra salsa/beans instead of cheese). mmmm...thinking about enchiladas with beans and veggies...
    ^^^^^^^^
    YUK!
  • loopybec2002
    loopybec2002 Posts: 313 Member
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    I went to nandos yesterday and then had a heavy night drinking. I have lost weight a year ago and then maintained for a year and now I am back.
    So my idea Could you do an extra wokout build some more calories in the bank. I had an extra 2 hours on the wii yesterday to get some cals in the bank. I then logged what I was going to eat and drink before I went out and I knew what I was allowed when I got to the reastraunt I changed my mind and desided rice and chips were too much for me and I would just have the pitta and chips so I then had more calories for drink. I know I won't be able to go the rest of my life with out Nandos or acohol so I made sure I knew how much I was allowed and if I had gone over I would just have had another session exercising today instead of the rest day(from exercise) I had planned in. This changing your eatting habbits doesn't have to be a chore for you! Just try and work round it so you get what you want and just think do I really need that extra rice???

    Good luck and try not to think too much you need to be happy too!

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