Dinner out ????

[jenscats5]

I've been asking a lot of diet questions lately & it's really been helping. I ate a TON of food today & the cals only added up to under 900.

BUT, the hub wants to go out for dinner. Then the EVIL menu devil raises his ugly head!

So -- here goes......salads -- dressings on the side if at all? Raw Oysters -- ok?? Ask for sauces, etc off the dish or on the side?

Any standard always good ideas? I've also heard a glass of wine is good for health. One ok?

Like I said I want to lose BF, not going to compete, want to be healthy, doing all this just for myself.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Go with meat of some type (try a steak) and avoid side dishes except for green veggies (make certain they do not add sugar or magarine) and salid. Easy enough.

 

[jenscats5]

You da man! Although I'll get fish -- don't eat red meat.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Red meat is the bomb! Fish will work though. Salmon is probably your best bet for cutting. It has the highest concentration of omega 3's, and is low in mercury.

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Yep, order everything on the side. Don't be afraid to ask how things are prepared, what is in the sauce, etc. Generally, the "plain-er" the better. Avoid cheesy sauces, creamy dressings, buttery toppings.

Make the meat your focus - either grilled chicken, fish or lean beef. No toppings, no marinade. Just plain, old meat. A little squeezed lemon is good on most fish though. Yummy.

Salad - get a regular green salad with a vinegrette, or just plain oil and vinegar. Add the dressing yourself, and be stingy with it. DON'T use it all, they bring you a big tub o' dressing. Yikes.

Get a side order of green veggies, STEAMED, no topping. You can add salt to it to taste, but no butter, etc. Either substitute fries or just ask for no fries. You can also get a double order of veggies.

How bad do you need that glass of wine? It is extra calories, generally UNUSABLE calories. Plus, I think alcohol will slow down your metabolism. The choice is yours....

 

[Deleted member 33117]

The alcohol can slow down metabolism. The wine is also a high GI carb. Daisy girl is also right about ALWAYS asking what is on the food, the topings ect. You're paying for it, and a lot more than its worth, so you have a right to know what is in it. You can't go wrong with meat with no toppings, and lots of steamed veggies. Olive oil and vinegar dressing are not a big deal though. The olive oil is an excellent source of fat. Just don't go overboard on the extra calories.

 

[jenscats5]

You know it's funny. I think chefs don't like to change their "creations." I got the rockfish which comes w/haricots vert almonds & tomatoes, jasmine rice & some sauce. I asked if they could prepare it w/o butter or oil & the waitress came back & said "Well, he can but it won't be the same...." Give it to me anyway! I had to ask for water 3x. It was good even without the frou-frou sauce. LOL

 

[spatts]

I usually ask for a pitcher or carafe....never enough water.

Once again, BBF hits the nail on the head.

I order stuff the way I want it. I would've asked for veggies raw and a steak, or salmon in your case. Salmon salad with dressing on the side is always good. Most restaurants have salsa and/or olive oil. You can always throw that on for flavor. It's like a southwest salmon salad. There's a restaurant here that makes great grilled chicken salad, but it's never enough meat. So sometimes I will ask them if I can have steak and chicken on the salad, and they're very accomodating (upcharge me a tad, but it's worth it). Just gotta ask...

 

[Sassy69]

One of my favs is a spinach salmon salad w/ this awesome balsamic vinegar & oil dressing. And you can NEVER go wrong w/ a good cut of steak. Other favs are a good seared tuna or grilled chicken. Stick w/the basics w/o the sauces & you will do just fine, be satisfied & be full! If absolutely needed, you can always throw on a baked potatoe. If I'm feeling really rowdy I'll throw pepper AND salt on it.

(I seem to eat much cleaner when someone else is watching...)

 

[SwimBabe]

I like to get chicken, potatoes, salad, veggies, that kind of lean meat and slow acting carbs when I go out. I usually opt to go ahead and have dressing (I like ranch) but I try to use just a little.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

jenscat, if you don't eat red meat due to health reasons, I'm a nutritional science major (in college right now), and trust me the dangers of red meat have been EXTREMELY over-rated by the media. It is not that bad, and it certainly isn't fattening. However it does lack the omega 3 content of the salmon, so enjoy.

 

[tuc biscuit]

Be carefull of sauces! Chefs don't mind packing butter, cream, oil and cheese into everything as long as it tastes good.

 

[SwimBabe]

Be carefull of sauces! Chefs don't mind packing butter, cream, oil and cheese into everything as long as it tastes good.

Sodium content can get high also with sauces.

 

[jenscats5]

BBF -- Actually beef grosses me out!! I was traumatized by it as a child. LOL Actually that is one of the reasons I hate it, but it's just gross. My parents used to eat steak a lot & as a little kid they gave me half of my mom's steak which she ate xxxxxxxx well done. Dad's was xxxxxxx rare. Needless to say, I don't like eating shoes or hockey pucks & now just don't like it.

I eat chicken, fish, turkey & all manner of vegetarian foods. Tomorrow nite is another dinner/party out, so we'll see how I do.

 

[Raina]

A little trick with salad dressing-- get it on the side and just dip your fork in it before you spear the rest of your food. You end up getting the flavor while eating much less dressing than you might otherwise.

Most places will be a-okay with subtituting veggies in for starchier sides. My new favorite treat are veggie and/or chicken satays.

 

[jenscats5]

Speaking of salad dressings, one thing I like to do is after the bottle is opened, add some water to it. It thins it out so you don't use as much but you can still taste it.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Speaking of salad dressings, one thing I like to do is after the bottle is opened, add some water to it. It thins it out so you don't use as much but you can still taste it.

That's a great idea actually...

 

[jenscats5]

I do have good ideas on occasion! LOL Works best w/bleu cheese, etc cuz their flavor is so strong. Gives you the taste w/o all the cals.

 

[tuc biscuit]

Be carefull of sauces! Chefs don't mind packing butter, cream, oil and cheese into everything as long as it tastes good.

beware the sauce

 

[makedah]

Good suggestions here. However, I would add that as a "foodie," I can see why a chef in a nice restaurant would be miffed about revising his or her creation. Yes, you're the customer, but some dishes don't 'hold together,' either physically or taste-wise, with less or no fat, sugar, egg yolks, etc. As a result, I think restaurant workers have probably had customers who wanted this or that excluded and then complained that the dish didn't taste good! If you must eat 'clean' while eating out, I think it's best to go with the simpler dishes recommended here - less muss, less fuss all around.

 

[jenscats5]

Thanks Makedah. I'm going out again tonite & when they ask if I want bread -- NO! & I'll try & make the best choices I can. They have a raw tuna dish that's really yummy......

 

[makedah]

Hey, Bon apetit!