When you just can't eat at home...

This is going to sound melodramatic but eating out (whether for social or practical reasons) throws me into emotional turmoil!

Especially now that chain restaurants started posting calories on the menu, and the goddamn salads have like 2000 calories in them.

Btw, WTH are they doing there? Swirling the lettuce around in a bucket of lard before they put it in the bowl??

Anyway, so I used to feel like I could choose something "reasonable" from the menu and feel okay about it. And now I feel like I cannot navigate a non-chain menu without thinking that I just blew all the jogging and starving I did for the week and then some.

Like last night, we were headed out of town. Logistically, we had to stop for dinner out somewhere. It took me 3 years to decide what to order. Today I feel like a cow.

Re: When you just can't eat at home...

It is hard and it can suck. But also, remember that one or even two or three meals a week aren't going to kill your progress. If you stick to the basics - get things grilled or broiled not fried, steamed vegetables, try to stick with whole grains....salads with dressing on the side. All these things add up. Skip extra cheese, sauce, fatty meats and that sort of thing and you'll be fine!

For example: There's a burger chain in the city that DH and I love - Bareburger. I get the organic turkey burger served in a lettuce wrap and I usually feel pretty good about it.

When you just can't eat at home...

The 2000 cal salads are filled w/cheese, bacon, fried chicken, fatty dressings (ceasar/thousand island ect) egg(yolk) croutons. If you skip those items and keep some healthy toppings (grilled chicken, shrimp, avacado, beans, carrots, cucumbers, egg whites, tomato, salsa) and order a low fat dressing (on the side) you shld be ok. A lot is common sense also. Eating a 24oz steak w/fries and cole slaw with a brownie sundae is not appropriate for someone watching their caloric intake. BUT a grilled marinated chicken,fish, shirmp with steamed veggie sides or even roasted potatoes are a better choice. OR pick what your craving and ask the waitress to bring a container so you can put 1/2 away for another time. If you dont see a "healthy" option ask to have something customized, I find that some places will accommodate. Like OP said one day eating crappy is not going to derail your success.

Re: When you just can't eat at home...

if I can find something at a chain place and make it vegan- then I think you can always find something healthy

get the salad with out the cheese and with the dressing on the side

grilled not fried

ask for no butter

Re: When you just can't eat at home...

We eat out ALL the time

I've lost 52lbs in the past 9 months.

Order chicken, ask how it's prepared. They can always prepare it without oil/butter, etc.

Ask for veggies steamed.

Salads...

all the add-ins are what up the calories. Ask for dressing on the side, so you can dip your fork first then into the salad. Ask that they do not put on: croutons, tortilla chips/strips, go without the cheese, or ask for it on the side as well.

Only eat half your plate, you don't have to eat the whole thing. IF I crave a burger or something, I get it without the bun and ask for extra veggies as a side.

When you just can't eat at home...

I ate out most nights when I was on ww and lost 30 lbs. stay away from salad. Go for grilled chucked Nd veggies. Sauce on the side. It's really not that hard. And remember you don't have to eat everything on the plate. The portions are huge in restaurants.