Eating Out

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  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,247 Member
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    Try Applebee's. They've got several portions under 550 calories and they are filling.

    This...

    The under 550 menu includes steak and seafood and every meal includes sides. It's pretty good.
  • ericapage
    ericapage Posts: 108 Member
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    If you have an Applebees or TGI Friday's nearby those are great places with low cal/fat options. I LOVE the dragonfire chicken from Fridays!
  • msjamartin
    msjamartin Posts: 148
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    I try and choose restaurants that I can research and pre-plan before I go. I try to choose something with a lot of veggies and lean meats without cream sauces. For instance, if I'm going to an italian restaurant I look for something with whole wheat pasta, marinara and grilled chicken. I'll have a dinner salad with a light dressing. I stay away from the bread and the desserts. When they want to grate parmesan I let them but I keep it really low.

    I always go on line and look for menu's and nutrition. Try and keep to your normal rules for when you cook yourself and many places will let you customize certain meals (i.e. remove the cheese, change the pasta, not add the side breads etc)

    One other trick...ask for a to-go container when they bring the entree. Cut it in 1/2 and put in the container for lunch the next day. Many of the meals at these restaurants are 900-1500 calories, manly due to portion size. If you cut it in half to start you get all the goodness of the meal but 1/2 the calories.
  • courtneymal17
    courtneymal17 Posts: 672 Member
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    I like applebees (they have the under 550 meals, but I've found some others...the paradise salad, and chipotle lime chicken dish) that are even less...along with some of their soups or salads with things cut out (dresssings and such). For quick lunch type I like Jimmy Johns or Potbellys, both of them have turkey subs that are around 300ish calories...JJ's I get it wihtout mayo or cheese & add avocado spread
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    That is too vague of a question. What kind of restaurant? Filling up on protein and veggies with minimal extras(butter, sauces, cheese,e tc) is probably the healthiest way to go.

    Sorry was thinking more along the lines of sit down restaurants. Red Lobster, Ruby Tuesdays, Applebee's, etc.
    Red Lobster's wood grilled menu is a good option. Not exactly cheap but if you get double broccoli and skip the biscuits, you can easily have a very filling meal for around 500-600 calories that's also low carb.
  • sjv1966
    sjv1966 Posts: 121 Member
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    As others have said doing your research before you go is key. Once you are armed with good information you can decide what fits into your plan. For example recenly my co-workers all decided to eat at Popeyes Chicken. I looked online (and in the MFP food database) and found out I could have a thigh, drumstick and side of mashed potatoes with gravy for a total of 550 calories. That fit into my plan for the day. What did NOT fit into my plan was the 260 calorie biscuit that comes with the meal! I told them to hold that and I enjoyed my chicken and mashed potatoes. My co-workers never knew and I didn't have to skip a fun outing.

    Another example -- last night I went to the theatre with friends and we had dinner before the show. Before I went I looked up the calories of different things on the menu and decided to get a blue cheese burger but had them replace the fries with a green salad. That change made the meal doable for me and again I was able to be with my friends and have fun without blowing it.

    Going out to eat is a huge part of my social life -- but Iam figuring out how to make it work. The research helps but this website helps too because it allows me to see how those meals fit into the bigger picture.
  • thepanttherlady
    thepanttherlady Posts: 258 Member
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    I know this isn't a "sit down" restaurant but if you have a Flame Broiler near you I highly recommend them. I get a mini chicken bowl with brown rice and am full for hours. It's only 376 calories, 308 if you ask for all white meat. I add one small container of their "magic" sauce and one of the hot sauce and quick add about 120 calories for them. Still under 500 calories.

    They also offer veggie bowls, veggie instead of rice etc. They're very healhty and quite yummy!
  • CaliVictoria
    CaliVictoria Posts: 16 Member
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    Sometimes for me, and my hectic schedule, I often don't get dinner time til 10 or 11 pm. There isn't much open at that time other than 24 hour places like Denny's or Ihop. Well I found something at Denny's that is actually really really good. It's very filling and its only 330 calories. It's called the Fit Fare Veggie skillet. It's roasted potatoes, spinach, mushrooms, broccoli, onions, red and green bell pepper, topped with 3 egg whites.
  • busyPK
    busyPK Posts: 3,788 Member
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    I still enjoy going out to eat and you CAN do it even when trying to loss weight. :smile: I tend to stay with more of a chain restaruant or one that you can look up their menu on line and see the nutritional value. My favorites are Outback, Macaroni Grill, Applebees, Chipotle and Chilis. :smile:
  • cadams0715
    cadams0715 Posts: 43
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    Like a lot of replys I like Applebee's and Subway. I just started in January so I try to avoid restaurants that I know I can't say "no" to. Such as places that offer unlimited bread, or chips and salsa. Some day I hope to have the willpower to go and say no to the unlimited bread.
  • xandra
    xandra Posts: 101 Member
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    Applebee's is my restauant of choice! They have 6 different under 550 calorie meals that are awesome. You won't be hungry in an hour! Their sirloin and herbed shrimp is delish! Plus you can go online and download all the nutritional info so that you can track it. Several of the under 550 meals are already in MFP's database!
    Many of the sit downs have "lite" options nowadays and most of their nutritional info can be downloaded off their websites as well!

    Ditto --The sirloin and shrimp is good and filling. Also love Chipotle. You can have meat rice and veg there for just over 500 caloroes.
  • xxslvrxwngsxx
    xxslvrxwngsxx Posts: 195 Member
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    I usually order a house salad with grilled shrimp or chicken. Very yummy and good for you. AND low cals :smokin:

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