Eating out at Olive Garden tonight..HELP

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  • vettle
    vettle Posts: 621 Member
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    Anything with tomato sauce, and no breadsticks. Or pick an entree that isn't pasta and doesn't have any sauce. But what the heck it's one night just eat half the meal and you'll still be OK. Going over once isn't going to harm you!
  • WifeNMama
    WifeNMama Posts: 2,876 Member
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    You can look up a lot of restaurants' menus and the nutritional values online.

    http://www.olivegarden.com/Pages/WireFrames/Menu.aspx?pageid=66&LangType=1033&vm_v=VuxHZbk-aiCczcJDDbwLVY4KaP822jg7X8ODJlXA2FY=
  • robinogue
    robinogue Posts: 1,117 Member
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    Get a quick workout in and enjoy the Olive Garden!
  • Erica27511
    Erica27511 Posts: 490 Member
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    For help in the future- I google the name of the place I am eating at and add the word nutrition at the end (example: Olive Garden nutrition) Have a great party tonight! Here is a link that may be helpful:

    http://www.olivegarden.com/menu/nutrition/

    Crazy how that works, isn't it.

    I love your little snarky comments today! Making me :laugh:
  • vettle
    vettle Posts: 621 Member
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    Something I just found here: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/sparkdining-eatery.asp?id=10

    •Lean proteins like seafood and chicken are good choices, except when covered in rich alfredo or carbonara sauces. Venetian Apricot Chicken (380 calories, 4 g fat, 1,420 mg sodium)<--This is my go to dish, Shrimp Primavera (730 calories, 12 g fat, 1,620 mg sodium), Herb Grilled Salmon (590 calories, 26 g fat, 720 mg sodium) and Shrimp & Asparagus Risotto (620 calories, 30 g fat, 2,530 mg sodium) are lower in calories and fat than other entrees, but still high in sodium.

    Holy sodium batman!! Any place you eat out will have tons of this somehow. The only place I know that has a low sodium menu is Milestones.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Honestly, it's one meal. Even if you totally indulge it won't hurt anything.
  • allison0820
    allison0820 Posts: 325 Member
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    I wouldn't worry too much about one meal.. it's 80/20 for a healthy life style.... but if you want to make better choices.. I would say soups and lunch portions and have water with your meal...... workout before and then next day watch your intake.. you'll be fine!! :)


    but in reality .... if I know I'm going to have a big meal with alot of calories one day... I honestly try my best to save all my calories for that day... I know that's not the best way.. but it's not the norm either.... so I figure doing that once in a while is okay..
  • SparkleShine
    SparkleShine Posts: 2,001 Member
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    I have a graduation party tonight at the Olive Garden. This place has good taste, but not very good on the calories. Anyone have an advise on what is the healthiest to eat there?

    Get in a great work out today, and tomorrow, and enjoy your time this evening. Don't get so hung up on every calorie, enjoy the celebration and life! =) If you ate at Olive Garden each day, it would become a problem, but if it's once in a blue moon, I don't think going over on your calories once will make a huge deal!

    This! Go and enjoy!
  • markpmc
    markpmc Posts: 240 Member
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    I usually order a steak or chicken breast and then do my best to minimize any bread or pasta consumption. You are allowed to live, just try to be smart about it.
  • Alicia_Monique
    Alicia_Monique Posts: 338 Member
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    Lunch portion of the Venetian Apricot Chicken, & One bowl of minestrone!

    I used to work at OG and that's what I would normally eat!

    OR! Just go crazy && enjoy your night! :)
  • superstarcassie
    superstarcassie Posts: 296 Member
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    I agree with many of the above posters- try to limit portions to control calories. Most importantly, check the sodium. I would just drink a lot of extra water today and you will be just fine! Enjoy your party, don't stress too much over the food, and guzzle down some water! :)
  • chicago_dad
    chicago_dad Posts: 357
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    http://bit.ly/KD23Ez
  • SparkleShine
    SparkleShine Posts: 2,001 Member
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    **Added: I disagree with other posters about not going. There's no sense in NOT enjoying life & celebrating moments with friends because it's known to be bad for you. You just have to learn to plan in advance and stick to the plan and practice self-control. And if you go & are successful, it makes it easier for you the NEXT time you are invited to OG-you can order the same thing & not even have to think about it. Enjoy life!

    I agree with this on so many levels. How can one have a full life if you are afraid to live.

    I agree with this! Why wouldn't you go?
  • Im_NotPerfect
    Im_NotPerfect Posts: 2,181 Member
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    Check out their Apricot Chicken dish. SOOO good and very decent on calories!
  • dday86
    dday86 Posts: 1
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    I have family that work's there and I was just informed to ask for the caloric menu...they have some o.k. stuff there.
  • Cliffslosinit
    Cliffslosinit Posts: 5,044 Member
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    Soup, salad...easy on the bread. Have a great time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • EliseVanca
    EliseVanca Posts: 28 Member
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    Linguine alla Marinara (dinner portion) is 430 cals. I'd go with that. Be sure to drink alot of water throughout the day too. Have fun(:
  • Alicia_Monique
    Alicia_Monique Posts: 338 Member
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    I really wish people would stop telling you to eat the salad. One bowl, as in the portion you put on your plate, not what's in the bowl, is like 300 calories, with an asinine amount of fat. Like 32 g maybe? So yeah. Don't fill up on the salad unless you're using lemons as dressing.

    The mussels napoli are a good choice, too. Would be a good entree.
  • charanne52
    charanne52 Posts: 88 Member
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    To the posters who told you not to go may just as well have told you to stop living. You certainly shouldn't deprive yourself of attending such an important event just because you are trying to lose weight. You have a long ways to go in life and you are obviously going to be "dining out" on occasion so you may as learn how to do it in a wise fashion now. There have been several good ideas given but I would also like to suggest that you eat "lightly" today in anticipation of tonight. However, if you go "over" your calories it is not the end of the world - one meal will not affect your overall weight loss that much. Go - and have a great time!
  • Scribetoo
    Scribetoo Posts: 181 Member
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    I usually order their Capellini Pomodoro (lunch order) and it's full of flavor but not too heavy. I can never finish it so I box up about half of it and take it home. Sometimes, depending on how I'm doing for protein, I'll either add a meatball or a plain chicken breast I can cut up and add to it

    In all, I would say this is just a good opportunity to learn HOW to eat out and be part of the real world. Learn some tricks that work for you. I usually look up a chain restaurant's menu nutrition.. if I can't find it.. I'll look around for recipes that are similar to get an idea.. I have also been known to do the "box half immediately" trick and I find that works pretty well too..

    Overall, I wouldn't put too much stress on it. Be aware of what you put in your mouth.. but also be aware of the REASON you're there.. not to eat.. but to celebrate an important event!

    Enjoy that part of it and let the food be secondary.

    Have a great time!
    Stef

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