Eating Out Advice

[emarde]

Hi Everyone! 

So just to update everyone on my journey...

I started with fitbit back around Christmas of 2013 with the zip. Fell in LOVE. We went on a weight loss competition at work, and I ended up winning it! I started out at 217 pounds and now I am plateauing at 160-165ish. I am extremely proud, but I am having a lot of trouble getting back and getting down to my goal of 140 pounds!

Each weekend, we go out to eat. It's probably something I will never be able to avoid. Just because of the situations each weekend. I try to choose healthy choices when we go out (usually salads or small sandwiches, soups or fruit as sides) but I seem to really struggle with my weekly weigh ins (I'm on weight watchers) 

Any advice?! 

[Paradise555]

But are you eating healhtier when you make the meals yourself? I think that is the key. When I have been making meals myself and have that one meal like eating out I do try to have the healthy salad less pasta etc. It does make that one (or two meals in your case) more justifible. That is my opinion.

[emarde]

For the most part! I guess I really need to take into consideration how more strict I need to be on myself during the week if I am gonna splurge a little on the weekends. I have an issue with splurge eating as well. Any tips on avoiding that? 

ps. thanks for your advice. I really appreciate it!

[divedragon]

I'm a road warrior (consultant who travels 100%) and so I eat out pretty much 4 nights a week.  Eating out does have an impact on weight control, espeically as you diet.  Like you, I began my journey last Christmas at 240 lbs and I have a goal weight of 180.  I was able to loose down to 208 by May of this year, but then some things happened and before you know it, I ballooned back to 221.  I've been back on track now for about 8 weeks, but the loss was slow and even plateaued at 214 for 2 weeks. 

You may have seen me posting a lot recently concerning intermittent fasting.  If not, its a concept of limiting not what you eat, but when you eat it.  Calorie restriction is still necessary to lose weight, but even if, especially for a day or two you eat a full calorie count, the diet alters your body composition that still results in fat loss.  I have a study in which a group of men and women between 40 and 50 y/o were in two groups, one which ate normal 3 meals a day and the other that consumed the same calorie count, but did so within a 4 hour period.  At the end of 8 weeks, all participates maintained the same weight within 2 kg, but the intermittent fast group had significantly altered body composition with a reduction in percent body fat.

So my point in this is if you can convert to an intermittent fasting protocol and set your feeding window within normal social time (I eat from 6p to 10p, but most do an 8 hr window like 1p to 8pm), you can still go out with friends, indulge up to at least your maintenance caloric intake and not worry about it impacting your progress.  For me, the grace of this diet is while I may be hungry during the day, the food taste so much better in the evening and I can enjoy it totally guild free  - even in the restaurants.  Imagine the feeling of know you can consume a single meal of 1500 calories or even 2 meals at 750 cal and still know you're going to lose weight!  Basically, you can feast every night!  Good luck and let me know if I can help with any more questions.  BTW, I've only been doing this two weeks, but lost 3 lbs each of those weeks.

[WendyB]

I eat out weekly. I always go to the website and look it up to see if they have the Nutritional Infomantion. Most do now. Sounds like you are making some good choices. Just on the salads be aware as sometimes they can be a real calorie killer due to the dressing or other hidden things.

Are you doing the same exercises every day? If so try something different to mix things up. Same with Food are you eating the same things? Try new things to confuse your body.

You should be proud you have done very well in the losses! Congrats.

I do WW as well.

[Whisky]

Hi All

I always seem to struggle with calories intake when eating out can't seem to stay below my food plan.

At home I eat around 1350 calories a day and burn around 2200.

I only started with my Fitbit charge HR in July this year, it really encourages me to try and exercise more and as i have put on a few too many pounds I thought I needed to do something.

I weighed 170 pounds on 4th of July and have managed to lose 10 pounds (10 more to go)

We cruise a lot and that plays havoc with my plan

Any help or advice would be gratefully received.

[WendyB]

You can eat well on cruises. Load up on Veggies first. Then go for a small amout of protein and some fruit.

Stay away from desserts. Plan your action and you can lose on a cruise. @Whisky

[iMike]

I have started asking for a to-go box right away when my food arrives.  I've learned that even healthy meals in restaurants are often still served in giant-sized portions.  Ask for a two-go box as soon as your meal arrives; that way you can get half of it out of your sight.

[Whisky]

Hi

Thanks will try that on next cruise

Whisky

[Whisky]

Hi

Thanks sounds good will try this

Whisky

[Whisky]

hi all

looking for some help

trying to set up the category and sub category in my foods the box only shows none

grateful for any assistance to learn how to set ths up

Whisky

[WendyB]

@Whisky I'm not really sure I understand what you are saying can you explain a little bit better?

The categories that are there is what you get Breakfast, Snacks etc. You can not set up your own. If that's what you are trying to do.

But let us know so we can help

[Whisky]

hi

when i go into edit my foods the following comes up

food

food brand

category

subcategory

can't enter anything into either of the category fields

hope this is a bit clearer thanks for your response

[WendyB]

Im sorry I still do not understand, I search for say Milk. I have many options to choose from

Please be more specific as to the food you are searching for so we can help better

[Whisky]

Sorry but thanks for replying
hear is what I key in from the main dashboard

choose LOG
On this page choose Food
On the right hand side below favorites choose edit my foods
on this page choose any food and click edit
This takes you a screen with the following fields

Food Name in which you can key in a description
Food Brand in which you can key in the brand

Below this there is a choice field named Category and
Below this there is a choice field named Subcategory

Both of these fields have arrows as if it's a drop down menu but the only
choice appears to be none
I wanted to try and use these to group foods i.e. Vegetables, Protein Etc.

thanks again for sticking with this

Kind Regards

*Alex (Whisky)*

[WendyB]

@Whisky Ok I have never used this before so I dont know how well it works for what you want to do

But I clicked on edit on the food I selected then I used the Drop down for Category and there were several to choose from. So I selected one.

The Subcategory will not populate until you have selected the Category first.

Once done the Subcategory did have choices to choose from.

Let me know if this works for you!

[awood08]

I had KFC last night, I had a original crispy breast piece, but did not eat the breading or skin just the chicken. Half an individual serving of coleslaw, half an individual serving of mashed potatoes, 1 biscuit. Just that was 645 calories. You can eat out and even eat things you love but you gotta proportion it correctly.

[rpw]

I think everyone has their own strategies (and success) with eating out.  For me I have found:

[1] Order smart - salads, low carb, no dessert

[2] Portion control -- don't eat the whole thing if I don't need to

[3] Avoid bread at all costs. For me carbs are addictive!