Appalling!

Taco Bell has "fresco style" now.......low cal version of their usuals. I didn't see it on the menu....it was on the nutritional info sheet. On the chicken soft taco....fresco doesn't have cheese....they put in extra lettuce and tomatoes.

Taco Bell has "fresco style" now.......low cal version of their usuals. I didn't see it on the menu....it was on the nutritional info sheet. On the chicken soft taco....fresco doesn't have cheese....they put in extra lettuce and tomatoes.

I've seen this menu too, as I LOOOVE taco bell, but if you actually look at the nutritional info here or anywhere else, just on calories alone a lot of the fresco items are HIGHER in calories or the same. Same goes for most all fast food places that have "healthy" options, check the nutritional info, 95% of those options are just as bad for you as the big mac you were going to get.

Not to be mean, but did you seriously think that three main courses and part of hubby's would only clock in at 800 calories? That they would only be 250 cal each? Maybe a bit of wishful thinking there. Next time stick to one main course and a bottled water. Or find somewhere that has dishes with less fat and more vegetables.

You can do it. Your supper was good, and tomorrow you just hop right back in the saddle.

So I did what any calorie-counter would do.. I picked what I thought might be 800 or so calories.. Sure, it's a high calorie meal but nothing I couldn't work off later if I went over my calories (I was thinking 300 or so calories over maybe?).. I logged my calories on my phone after lunch and it was nearly 2000 calories.. I thought that couldn't be right, so I decided to double check it when I got home.. It was an appalling 2000 calorie lunch after all.. I am horrified!!! I got a bean burrito, muchaco, and taco (#5)... I also helped my husband with his beef enchilada =(

Not to be mean, but did you seriously think that three main courses and part of hubby's would only clock in at 800 calories? That they would only be 250 cal each? Maybe a bit of wishful thinking there.

I'm sure, as you said, you didn't mean to come off mean or in this case, almost completly demeaning, but in her defense (since she's already upset with herself and has come here for support) she didn't have three MAIN courses. She had a combo (which we would probably all agree is too large for a single entree), but I wouldn't venture to say that many consider one taco a complete meal. And regardless, 2,000 (to which is most of the meal she had) is still appalling for a restaurant to be serving.

Okay...now I am going to play devil's advocate and say...I eat out all the time and I have had no problems staying within range on my calorie count. First let me say that I am allowed 1320 calories a day and I have only gone over my count 1 or 2 times very minimally since I started the program about a month ago.

It is easy to mess up if you do not research before hand, but making good choices is a learning curve. I would have erred on the side of caution and eaten something a la carte, because combos in any restaurant are killers....think about it. They want to give you the largest quantity of food at a good price, so you *think* you are getting a bargain. "Would you like to add fries and make that a combo?" If I could count the times I have heard that...LOL

Anyway, just take this as a lesson and remember portion control and a la carte....this is how you can dine out...oh and research if you know where you are going and what you might want to eat there...Of course, practice makes perfect...my family and I have a favorite hang out (Mexican restaurant) and once we found the good-ish food in the correct amounts..that is what we pretty much stick with

Don't get worked up about this one meal~just get back on the right track and eat wisely to live in freedom! (from fat)

Ask for nutritional information...very easy to do, all restaurants have it. You just have to ask...

That is NUTS... who would have thought it could even be close to that!!! I have only gone out to eat once since I started really using this site correctly. I went to a restaurant that has weight watcher meals under 500 calories so I didn't have to think to hard.

I miss eating out.... and I LOVE Mexican

I still eat out 3-4 times a week. If this was something I had to give up I wouldn't have been able to stick with it. I go to restaurants that I know what my options are and choose wisely. I have made the OP's mistake before and now if I go somewhere new I check it out before hand to avoid doing it again.
And I still have Mexican about once a month
ETA: I don't do fast food anylonger, never was a huge fan of it so it's been easy for me to cut it out.

Do you mind sharing some of your favorite restaurants & what you eat? I was shocked & disappointed at Panera's calories! I lOve it there and could not believe the high calorie turkey on wheat....bummer. Better for you, but almost equivalent in calories for a McDonald burger!

Call it a spike day and move on!

Agreed, skip the rice, get black beans, meat, veggies, salsa, cheese stop. 700 calories but now check the salt OMG what? Still go but only every other month or so instead of weekly.

That is alot. At least you now know. There are many people who don't have any idea of how many calories are in things. It is hard because sometimes you don't want to be a spoilsport & go along with eating at Fast Food Restaurant, but I guess you have to put your foot down & say no. I bet it wasn't even that good, the food anyways.

some good ideas, thanks for posting.

Feel your pain, I used to eat chinese 3x per week at least and convinced myself it wasn't so bad.

I have been craving it so gave in on Friday night, figured with nearly 1000 cals left for the day I'd be fine - nope, eating only half of what I'd normally eat, I went nearly 1000 cals over! I'm thinking I either need to learn to get my portion control in check for Chinese or just not eat it at all!

Crazy that I used to eat a 2000 - 3000 calorie meal three times a week...and I wondered why I wasn't losing weight!

This is great advice! I have looked up the restaurants that I like and created a reasonable meal and a splurge meal for me at the places where both are possible...

Chipotle - can be very high; but, if you plan ahead it is very good. fresh food is key. looking online is a huge help. I do a burrito bowl and double the fajita peppers and onions and tomatoes. I then proceed to put half of it in a container for a later meal... I found that their steak is lower cal than their chicken! I can get a burrito bowl and eat half of it for only 260 calories. which is very good - a bit higher in some categories that I wouldn't eat it every meal...but, you have to have choices!!!

There are healthy options at every restaurant, you just got to know what to look for. I would have thought a salad would have been the best thing on the menu at any restaurant then I started doing homework. I travel a lot for work and eat dinner out most nights during the week. I have found Outback to have the best options. Not only do they have the food that is healthy but they can prepare it healthy and it still tastes good. Ask questions and tell them not to prepare with butter, I tell them slap it down on the grill with a little salt and pepper. Longhorn sucks, I asked them to prepare a steak the same way and tasted like garbage without their sauces and butter that they cook it in. Always ask for dressing on the side if ordering a salad. I always say no cheese. It can be done. Do a little homework? Most restaurants especially chains have their info on the web. Panera's website is pretty cool cause they give you the option of taking each ingredient you don't want off and it tallys the total. Their tai chopped chicken without dressing and wontons is 340 calories by adding half the dressing only makes it 370 calories, just watch the sodium at Panera.

How insane.....really makes it easy to see why so people have a weight issue.

I was pleasantly surprised when I went to dinner with my sister at Panero Bread... they list the calorie's next to each item! I wonder how restaurants can add that many calories into the food too. It's scary to think that once upon a time I would've eaten 1600-2300 calories in one meal eaten at a restaurant.