Chili's and Restaurant Insanity

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  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    I was surprised by Chili's too. Now I always look it up on this app before I eat it. If it isn't in the system, I find something close enough. If there isn't anything close, I just don't eat it at all!
  • LordBezoar
    LordBezoar Posts: 625 Member
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    I'll typically have my phone out and looking for the nutritional info while looking at the menu if it is somewhere we have never been or looked up before.
  • LordBezoar
    LordBezoar Posts: 625 Member
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    One rule that I learned about eating out is to NEVER eat all of the food they give you. Restaurant portions are usually good for 2 people. I always get a take away box FIRST and put half in it before eating. Might look silly, but my body thanks me for it.

    That is a great idea! DW and I usually try to split a meal, but if we run into a case where we can't agree on something, we will have to do this.
  • Kristy_Elizabeth
    Kristy_Elizabeth Posts: 435
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    I agree with what people are saying here. I order from the light menu when we go there and still usually only eat half of what they bring me. We always look for the light or healthy choices we eat out. If I over over indulge (and thanks to MFP I now know by how much) I work it off at the gym that night. In the past, I was eating a whole days worth of calories with one meal out sometimes though! Yikes!
  • Buckeyt
    Buckeyt Posts: 473 Member
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    Yep.

    Chili's is a favorite restaurant of mine that I've had to give up... won't even go anymore. =/

    Thankfully, The Cheesecake Factory really DOES have a "skinny" menu, now. You can request a lighter menu at The Olive Garden as well. ...and there are other places (TGI Fridays, maybe?). Some restaurants are making an effort, but I always have to look it up ahead of time or get on my smart phone while I'm there (if we end up someplace not known ahead of time). If all else fails - a salad with no dressing plus a small portion meal (like a healthy-esque appetizer).

    Got dragged to the Cheesecake Factory recently with my wife but was surprised to find they had a Light menu. About Time!!!
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
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    Chili's is the absolute worst restaurant in town for eating healthy. Most of their menu is over 1,000 calories, and some of their items are over 2,000 calories.
    I really have to pay attention to what I order there. I annoy my friends because I look up food on my phone sometimes before I'll put my order in. :)
  • pat6250
    pat6250 Posts: 90
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    I know... I ate at Chilis last week, and if I had just eaten the small steak and steamed vegetables (they were served with no butter) I would have been fine. But eating some of the appetizer, the loaded baked potato, and a small margarita, it killed the day for me. In the future, I will check the calorie counts before I order. Although sometimes we eat out on the spur of the moment. And salads are no bargain if they contain croutons, cheese, creamy dressings or fried anything. I only order salads with greens and raw veggies. I'm able to eat them without dressing, but I get it on the side if I want some, and use very little.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    After a while you will develop an intuition for it
  • ladyfingers39
    ladyfingers39 Posts: 335
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    I find that to be very frustrating also.

    My husband and I usually share a meal now, works out great.

    Our favorite place is Panara, and those that are familiar with it know it's considered a healthy fast food. Well, the sodium is off the charts!! Made me so upset when I read that meal that I love that is under 500 calories was over 1500 mg of sodium. Needless to say i don't eat there as much at all anymore.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
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    Yep.

    Chili's is a favorite restaurant of mine that I've had to give up... won't even go anymore. =/

    Thankfully, The Cheesecake Factory really DOES have a "skinny" menu, now. You can request a lighter menu at The Olive Garden as well. ...and there are other places (TGI Fridays, maybe?). Some restaurants are making an effort, but I always have to look it up ahead of time or get on my smart phone while I'm there (if we end up someplace not known ahead of time). If all else fails - a salad with no dressing plus a small portion meal (like a healthy-esque appetizer).

    Got dragged to the Cheesecake Factory recently with my wife but was surprised to find they had a Light menu. About Time!!!

    My problem with Cheesecake Factory is not the light menu, but my lack of willpower to stay away from the carbonara....
  • CannibalisticVegetarian
    CannibalisticVegetarian Posts: 1,255 Member
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    Totally understand what you mean. In most cases I'll visit a website for the information, or look for healthier options via my Eat This, Not That book, but when you're at a Mom and Pop restaurant that usually lacks a nutritional menu, or at a ceremony where there's homemade foods, what then? With me, I typically eat lighter or go with what I know and what usually is known to be lower in calories. That doesn't guarantee that what I'm eating at that time IS the best choice, but I'd like to think so. Things with thicker, creamy sauces or anything drizzled with a glaze.. or sweets (my downfall) are the things I'll have in a smaller portion size instead. As for the restaurant, I'll attempt to share my food or will try to fill myself up on water or something.
  • katcod1522
    katcod1522 Posts: 448 Member
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    What do you value more?

    Bacon, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Milk.

    yum..PB:)

    Mix all 3 together? lol
  • iuangina
    iuangina Posts: 691 Member
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    I think it's time to stop hanging out with your cousin. He/she is obviously trying to sabotage your efforts. What do you value more?

    Really?

    Bacon of course
  • loseiteli
    loseiteli Posts: 242 Member
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    I always try to plan before hand, but with my friends the plans change 98 times before we end up somewhere. So, I try to get a fish, grilled if possible, no butter/sauces and steamed veggies. :)

    Otherwise I am of the mind that eating over my calories once in a blue moon is not going to ruin my efforts, as long as it does not become a habit :drinker:
  • allnamesgone
    allnamesgone Posts: 19 Member
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    I always get the grilled chicken sandwich, hold the dressing, bacon, and bun. I should have them hold the swiss cheese, but I love it. I'd rather they hold the chicken. lol Then I get broccoli on the side. It's delicious.
  • Balice57
    Balice57 Posts: 125
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    I agree that restaurants need to do a better job of cutting out some of those calories. I like the Cheesecake Factory's new skinny menu, although many of those items are still pretty high - especially in sodium. Red Robin has an online "build your burger" option that lets you modify your burger, and shows you how much that extra slice of cheese adds to the calorie count, etc. It's enlightening. I just try to plan ahead and eat slowly enough that I get full before I've cleaned the plate. The other day I had a burger after a long walk, and ate half of it with the bun, but then just the meat on the second half and scraped off all but a bit of the cheese. I am amazed at how many calories are in bread, even without any condiments added. And yes, I used to eat out all the time without any idea how many calories I was eating - at least now I know when I have overindulged and can adjust accordingly.
  • Schula03
    Schula03 Posts: 171 Member
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    I always order what I want and eat 1/2. I rarely go out to eat so I figure its ok every once and awhile! :)
  • Schraudt814
    Schraudt814 Posts: 496 Member
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    Chili's is pretty notorious for terrible options. If you don't have the option of checking out the menu, definitely stick with foods prepared grilled and steamed, etc. Even those can be slathered in butter and other terrible sauces, but you can always request it be left off if the restaurant can do that. It's been my experience that in some restaurants, the salads are some of the WORST options. Leave it to corporate food chains to put 1300 calories in a salad! But pretty much any place there's ways around the calorie bombs. Definitely drink a loooot of water before, during, and after. Sodium is terrible in restaurants!It doesn't seem like you eat out too much so I really wouldn't sweat it too much. Once in a while it's ok.
  • Natelywills
    Natelywills Posts: 71
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    I have to say, I have had this exact experience. Only mine was with The Cheesecake Factory. I was so angry when I realized the chicken sandwich I had eaten had half a day's calories in it!

    As a rule of thumb, if I am going to supper, I try and store about 500 calories for that meal. Then I order an appetizer (because their portions are normally around the size of a realistic entree portion). I get whatever I fancy (cheesy things, fried things, etc) and eat half. I take the other half home. THEN I do my MFP and if I have calories left, I work out how much of the leftovers I can have and eat that. If I have calories left and don't want the leftovers, I eat something else up to my number. If I eat the rest of the appetizer and have calories left, I eat something else to bring my numbers up but normally this is a safer method than eating at the restaurant and hoping it's good.

    I tell you, I'm not sure where these restaurants get their chicken from but I can make the exact same dishes at home with regular fat ingredients and it's STILL lighter in calories. It's weird but it drives you mad because you feel you can;t go out or have a good time and this plan is supposed to be about a change of life and not thinking like a dieter. :-(
  • DannyMussels
    DannyMussels Posts: 1,842 Member
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    My best bet is ordering a salad with little to no dressing (or using salsa or hot sauce).

    Then I usually toss grilled chicken, shrimp or salmon on top.

    If I have anything else, I won't have the sauce on it. It's an easy way to save 100+ calories generally.

    Also nothing deep-friend, or no pastas. They're usually 2-3x what you should be eating anyways, portionwise.

    At work we get free food, I stick with eggs, or do our asian noodle dish, but use lettuce instead of noodles (its basically 12oz mixed vegetables and chicken).

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