Eating out at Olive Garden tonight..HELP

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Replies

  • julieh391
    julieh391 Posts: 683 Member
    Get in a good workout, and just don't stuff yourself. Dont eat breadsticks, drink only water, and dont eat your whole meal. You really could eat whatever you want if you're careful during the day leading up to dinner. Just don't clean your plate. And if you go over on calories, stay under tomorrow. Not going seems a little paranoid and silly.
  • Alicia_Monique
    Alicia_Monique Posts: 338 Member
    Oh, the espresso rubbed steak isn't so bad for you. And that's a steak with mashed potatoes. Yummy!
  • RHSheetz
    RHSheetz Posts: 268 Member
    Just eat there last Sunday, Make sure to get your salad dressing on the side, WITHOUT cheese, and do not put the croutons and olives in it. I got the Shrimp Primavara, and split it in half. Also had a half a bread Stick. I made sure to eat plenty of Salad, and just watched myself the rest of the day to make sure not to over eat. Of course, I ended up going for a two hour bike ride later, BUT I did not eat planning to work out.

    Good luck and have fun. Just remember, IF you make a mistake, don't let it ruin your day or your weekend!
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    can't go wrong with the mixed grill plate & a doggie bag. It's a big ol' plate of meat & veggies. Avoid the breadsticks, they're just not worth the cals.
    as for the doggie bag, ask them to bring one with your dinner and put half of your meal away immediately. Not only will you save cals, but you'll have an awesome lunch tomorrow!
  • crazedcujo
    crazedcujo Posts: 114 Member
    I just went last night and got the Mediterranean Chicken - was like only 670 cals.... and it was a lot of chicken.
  • VanessaGS
    VanessaGS Posts: 514 Member
    Eat salad and Maybe one bread stick.
  • airangel59
    airangel59 Posts: 1,887 Member
    1-Plan ahead using their nutrition stats.(Usually when I'm going out, I'm careful that day what I eat before that meal so I can splurge a bit if need be)

    2-Talk to the waiter about how the food you are thinking about is prepared, tell them you are watching your weight (low cal, carb whatever) and they can adjust cooking for you. (i.e no butter, less butter, no sauce, sauce on side, etc)

    3-Ask them to box half before they bring it (or get a box when it comes and box half yourself)

    4-Take one bread stick if you wish and milk it the entire meal,also make sure the basket is far away from you.

    5-Ask for their low cal salad dressing and have the dressing on the side if that is an option.(or bring some from home)

    6-Have water with dinner (drink water prior to going also so you will fill up as well)

    7-Also use your fork tines to dip into your dressing then go into the salad.

    8-Most important: Enjoy yourself and if you over do, tomorrow is another day.
  • Miss_dannii
    Miss_dannii Posts: 1,351 Member
    Go on their website, look at their menu, preplan your meal. Then at some stage over the weekend, add in some extra exercise to work off any calories that you went over on
  • nanagain
    nanagain Posts: 20
    i always go for the zuppa toscana soup. it's my favorite and at 170 calories i can even get a second serving if i want to! :-) naturally the sodium is really high though so make sure you stay mindful of that throughout the day.
  • kellymccrea1
    kellymccrea1 Posts: 50 Member
    The salad doesn't NEED to be 300 calories. Ask for it with no dressing, then ask for the light Italian on the side. Dip, don't pour. Also ask for no croutons. Then have two bowls of minestrone and no breadsticks. Lately they haven't even been that good-kinda bland.
  • FiercelyBeautiful
    FiercelyBeautiful Posts: 590 Member
    FYI their salad dressing is 80 callories per TBS so salad without the dressing would be best that way you can control how much goes in. Thier soups are all super high calories except for the minestroni which is a vegetarian soup.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    Feel free to BASH ME GOOD!
    I can take it.:cry:
    ok, here we go
    I never go to a fabulous place like Olive Garden and count calories.
    Call it a "free day" - whatever.
    And I used to go out to eat at least once per day, but now?
    Twice monthly. I am WEAK! I just can't go to Olive Garden and eat some healthy, tasteless dish of Blah!
    I eat like a government mule. LOVE IT!
    Whatever you decide, enjoy and good luck:flowerforyou:
  • demery12371
    demery12371 Posts: 253 Member
    Apricot Chicken is great and minimal calories... Breadsticks are killer on calorie count though and have them do your salad dressing on the side for you to dip in. Doing that cuts down on cal's alot. :)
    And water water water.
  • hippieklaar
    hippieklaar Posts: 7 Member
    I don't know if anyone said this already didn't look through the 3 pages. The unlimited salad and breadsticks.. Make sure you don't get it with the dressing already mixed in!! One plate=300 calories. I didn't know this before hand and was VERY upset. I also got a stuffed mushroom ravioli light on the cheese, which was awesome!!
  • lunatikchik
    lunatikchik Posts: 30 Member
    I usually get the Venetian Apricot Chicken - it comes with a portion of chicken breast and veggies like aspargus and broccoli instead of pasta
    :)
  • amyhoss
    amyhoss Posts: 414 Member
    Go for the Venetian Apricot Chicken. It is low calories and delicious! Also, skip the breadsticks and salad dressing on the side.
  • dawnblu
    dawnblu Posts: 95 Member
    Get the salad with the light italian dressing on the side. I like it better than the regular dressing - the pasta fagoli has a lot of protein and then you can have a breadstick.
  • nana_pam25
    nana_pam25 Posts: 2 Member
    Their grilled salmon with veggies is VERY good!
  • cNhobbes
    cNhobbes Posts: 235 Member
    i get the minestrone soup and eat a crapload of salad (ask for NO DRESSING)
  • gonnadoit2010
    gonnadoit2010 Posts: 53 Member
    I recently had the parmessan crusted tilapia, skipped the bread sticks and had the salad dressing on the side, it was delish. Enjoy the celebration!
  • cburnett2698
    cburnett2698 Posts: 8
    Salad is always good. . .always be careful with the cheese ( i had mine without the cheese). . .You could also ask for side grilled shrimp or side grilled chicken w/o the oil to top on your salad. Red vinegar or Vinegar dressing is the healthiest. . .Enjoy!
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    As others have said... It's really the portion sizes that are killer. Eat half of anything there and you should be ok.

    And yeah, I'd be eating more salad than pasta :)
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
    i was just there. best thing is soup and salad.
  • iLoveMyPitbull1225
    iLoveMyPitbull1225 Posts: 1,690 Member
    shrimp primavera, skip salad and breadsticks
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    I'd ask for my salad with no dressing and take my own in a little container. Then I'd order an entree that sounded appealing but not over the top on cheese and goo and stuff. I'd eat half and take the rest home.

    Enjoy the party!
  • chenrytc2
    chenrytc2 Posts: 48
    I know I may get killed for this...

    Eat whatever you want! There are some rules to this though. As long as you plan for it throughout the day. Try to eat cleaner earlier in the day to absorb those extra calories. Also, plan to put in extra work (exercise) the following week.

    Let's face the reality of it. It is ALL BAD! Now, enjoy it. Most diets and exercise programs fail. It is not because they don't work or are too hard. They are simply not right for the person doing them. Enjoy the celebration, enjoy the fact someone achieved a goal in life, and more importantly enjoy your hard work. Sometimes we slip, fall, and get hurt. We recover. Sometimes alone, sometimes with help. We (MFP Community) are the helping part.

    The salad is packed with calories because of the "oh so delicious" dressing put on it. My wife and I bought two bottles for home use from Olive Garden. We used it half of the first bottle. After we both decided to lose weight, we could afford to use it because of the calories. With being said, eat what YOU want. Tomorrow is another day and you can put in the work the next day, and the next day, and the next day, ... Get my point?

    Enjoy your night and send a congratulations to the graduate from your friends at MFP!
  • jem33199
    jem33199 Posts: 80 Member
    I just ate there the other night. It was yummy. I got the all-you-can-eat soup and salad. I got the salad with light italian on the side. I ate the croutons but I'll avoid those the next time. Their light italian dressing is actually quite delicious. I had minestrone soup, which I always enjoy.

    If you want pasta, capellini pomodoro is a good choice.

    Eat slowly, focus on your companions and have a nice time!
  • Byrdsong1920
    Byrdsong1920 Posts: 336 Member
    I saw someone posted the Olive Garden nutritional link. That was awesome! I go online when I can before I eat out to 'plan' the best I can.

    I use to have anxiety about eating out..I felt like I was out of my 'element'....because I didnt have my food cooler w/ food I prepared the nite before :) But now I try to pull up the food in my phone app before I order. Watch sodium when you eat out. Olive has great salads (watch the dressing) and stick to a grilled or baked fish. Or, maybe this is your meal to enjoy and give your body that food break it needs. I try to have a 'cheat meal' once a week . In all honesty, this is a lifestyle and we have to always be conscious. Just dont deprive yourself or u'll binge.

    Have fun with it and plan the best you can, ahead of time!

    ~happy journey
  • lungti29
    lungti29 Posts: 28
    Olive Garden is actually very accomodating when it comes to special orders. You can request breadsticks not covered in butter, they will put the dressing for their salad on the side upon request and then you can order a lean protein with maybe a small side of pasta instead of pasta with a small side of protein. Have fun!
  • healthyme155
    healthyme155 Posts: 24
    DO THE SOUP AND SALAD!! skip the dressing on the salad too. usually when I go I can get away with a breadstick and 2 soups with plenty of salad :) plus, it's one of the best deals!
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