Eating well while eating out

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SkinnyJess
SkinnyJess Posts: 123 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I went out to eat the other night last minute and was quite worried that I was going to go over on my calories. I only had about 400 or so. We went to the Old Spaghetti Factory and I knew that would be LOTS of calories! I did it though!!! I had one tiny heal of bread, a salad with low fat dressing, whole wheat spaghetti with marinara (but I only ate 1/2), and I had 1 bite of the ice cream that they serve. When I got home and entered it into the food diary and saw that I stayed within my calories, I realized that I CAN do this!!! I can go anywhere and just eat smart!

Replies

  • kissinthedark
    kissinthedark Posts: 26
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    That's awesome! :drinker:

    I still haven't gone out to eat since I started this diet (a week ago) so I hope I can be as smart with my choices as you were.
  • feel_the_love
    feel_the_love Posts: 56
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    Great Job :flowerforyou:
    That is one thing I HATE about going out now..im always concered about the calorie content. :huh:
    You did a great job with the serving sizes. Keep up the good work :happy:
  • tiffanygil
    tiffanygil Posts: 478 Member
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    I always look on-line ahead of time to see cal. count of dishes that way when I get there I have a clear plan in my head. Good job!
  • Georg
    Georg Posts: 1,728 Member
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    That's great! It can be done - you just have to be careful & aware.
    I was away from home for a month last summer & didn't gain a pound. It took lots of exercise & water. I didn't lose, but I'm so happy I could eat out (& drink:wink: ) & stay within my limits.
    Good for you!
    :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • Dive_Girl
    Dive_Girl Posts: 247 Member
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    oh man, I wish I would have done the same yesterday. I went to Chili's yesterday with a friend. Normally I plan what I eat before I get there so I dont have to look at the menu and it usually works. But going to Chilis was not in my plan and we had just been bike riding. I had the Cobb salad with advocado-ranch dressing. I came home and plugged it it only to find out that I consumed 1090 calories in one sitting!!!! ug!
  • guidosgal
    guidosgal Posts: 581 Member
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    Is not that the best feeling (like you out smarted the menu):tongue: I challange my self every time I go out to eat to out smart the menu. Its fun because when you get home and log what you ate and you stayed in your range it is like winning the Lotto (minus the money part) The prize is I am gonna weigh less :smokin:
  • dragonfly81
    dragonfly81 Posts: 272 Member
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    You go girl!!!

    We love to go out and eat, and I've started asking that they give me a half order of my meal due to dietary restraints. Most restaurants have been very accommodating. Applebee's even started charging me less for my meal, since I just got the chicken and no sides. My meal went from $9.99 to $2.99! lol
  • jsalter
    jsalter Posts: 1 Member
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    Any suggestions for eating out would be great. I am on the road for work every week and only can eat out. I get sick of chicken and salad so if you have any other great things besides subway that would be appreciated!!!! It's hard!:smile:
  • erodriquez
    erodriquez Posts: 56
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    I think it helps that a lot of restaurants are adding the calorie info to their menus too!
  • angiered
    angiered Posts: 169 Member
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    Jsalter, I looked up the nutritional info for the places we go to the most, picked a few things that fall within my goals, and made a little business card sized list. It's laminated and it lives in my wallet.

    It's helped a lot because I can be spontaneous and just go out without feeling like I need to look everything up first, or stressing out because I'm worried I'll go over.
  • supafly
    supafly Posts: 36
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    Cheers to that!
    I think it's going to be a bit harder for me today since my friend has talked me into a pizza buffet. :sick:
  • mrd232
    mrd232 Posts: 331
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    The more expensive the restaurant, the easier it is usually :)

    A steakhouse is probably the easiest place to eat. Grilled steak / chicken / pork medallions / salmon / tuna / shrimp w/sauteed vegetable medley or a side salad is one of the best meal combos and most restaurants have this on the menu.

    Any place that offers a variety of salads is usually pretty good, as well. Ruby Tuesday is one of my faves as their salad bar rocks and they have really good chicken.

    Roast chicken / spice-rubbed ribs are good choices at BBQ style joints. Get them with a side of veggies, side salad, or coleslaw (so long as it's not smothered in creamy sauce).

    Another fave of mine are Korean / Mongolian BBQ joints. Pick your meats and veggies and have them grilled in front of you :) Sushi joints are also pretty good.

    Breakfast places (IHOP, WH, HH, etc) are also my faves because you can get omelettes or bacon / eggs. I'm a low carber, tho, so I'm sure that might not work with everyone else's nutritional needs.
  • JanetParks
    JanetParks Posts: 24
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    Great idea!!
  • Dive_Girl
    Dive_Girl Posts: 247 Member
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    Another fave of mine are Korean / Mongolian BBQ joints. Pick your meats and veggies and have them grilled in front of you :) Sushi joints are also pretty good.

    Mongolian BBQ and Sushi are my favs for lunch during the week if I go out. I usually stick to the meat and veggies with no noodles at the Mongolian places. I also love it's set up buffet style so you can pick and choose.
  • nicole_temperton
    nicole_temperton Posts: 5 Member
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    My only advice would be to be really careful of restaurant salads. House salads are usually ok but the bigger salads on the menu are not as healthy as you might think. I always check nutrition facts online as well before I head to any restaurant so I already know what to order and in looking at the calorie content of certain salads you are better off ordering a burger an fries. Chili's salads in particular are the worst. They have over 1,000 calories in each salad. It is nuts.
  • mrd232
    mrd232 Posts: 331
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    It's typically the pre-made dressing that throws salads into the bad food category. A lot of restaurant dressings are sugar-laden garbage. Stick to the classics - EVOO / Vinegar / Spices / Dijon - and you'll be good. I've requested an EVOO & lemon juice a few times and that works very well with nearly all salads.

    Topping wise, salads can pack a lot of healthy protein and dietary fat. Meat, avocadoes, almonds/pignolia/pecans/walnuts, feta...all higher calorie, but they're quite healthy in moderation.
  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
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    It's typically the pre-made dressing that throws salads into the bad food category. A lot of restaurant dressings are sugar-laden garbage. Stick to the classics - EVOO / Vinegar / Spices / Dijon - and you'll be good. I've requested an EVOO & lemon juice a few times and that works very well with nearly all salads.

    Topping wise, salads can pack a lot of healthy protein and dietary fat. Meat, avocadoes, almonds/pignolia/pecans/walnuts, feta...all higher calorie, but they're quite healthy in moderation.

    Totally agree. But if you need that fatty dressing...get it on the side and dip the bite you're going to eat in it...don't just pour it all over. I usually only eat 1/4 of the dressing that way...and I still get the yummy taste.
  • mrd232
    mrd232 Posts: 331
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    It's typically the pre-made dressing that throws salads into the bad food category. A lot of restaurant dressings are sugar-laden garbage. Stick to the classics - EVOO / Vinegar / Spices / Dijon - and you'll be good. I've requested an EVOO & lemon juice a few times and that works very well with nearly all salads.

    Topping wise, salads can pack a lot of healthy protein and dietary fat. Meat, avocadoes, almonds/pignolia/pecans/walnuts, feta...all higher calorie, but they're quite healthy in moderation.

    Totally agree. But if you need that fatty dressing...get it on the side and dip the bite you're going to eat in it...don't just pour it all over. I usually only eat 1/4 of the dressing that way...and I still get the yummy taste.

    I like my delicious fatty EVOO, though :)

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