Moving On, Eating Out
Hi guys! I was hoping to post more often than this this week! It’s been a mix of busy and slow around here. I have been limited not having a car (we are renting one tomorrow), so my Grand Plan to look at places to live sort of went out the window.
I have been able to explore a lot of the area on foot, which is good, and I think that each week little things will come together to help us feel more settled.
As far as eats, remember that episode of The Biggest Loser where the contestants have to eat all of their meals out of the home? That has been me this week. I have had little choice but to eat out for most of my meals. I did have the mini-bar fridge cleared out so I could stock it with yogurt and fruit, but lunch and dinner have all been eaten out.
Wednesday Breakfast
Wednesday Snack
Eating out this often has both negatives and positives.
The negatives are pretty obvious: I cannot control how the food is prepared, and all restaurant food is pretty much guaranteed to be much more high-calorie than the food I make at home.
However, I am really pleased to see that since I last lived in the US, many places are making nutritional information more readily available, either at the table or on the website. I know this information is just an estimation, but it makes me feel more empowered than ordering “blind.” Panera, BJ’s Pizza, and Elephant Bar have all provided me with nutritional information upon ordering. That is awesome.
Wednesday Panera Lunch
Like anything, there are some positives! One thing that I think often gets overlooked when discussing the downsides of eating out is the simple fact that there is, in theory, a limit to the actual quantity of food you can eat. Sure, you can keep ordering more and more food, but most of the time we just eat what is in front of us and then go on to live our life as usual. For someone like me who is sometimes prone to bingeing or emotional eating, dining in a restaurant provides some form of structure which makes really overeating difficult.
Last night we went to Elephant Bar for dinner. My eyes went immediately to the tofu and veggie stir-fry. I checked the back of the menu: 1,000 calories! What?! And that is without any rice! I ordered it anyway. Short of a salad without dressing, it was pretty much the lightest thing on the menu.
Wednesday Dinner at Elephant Bar: Tofu & veggie stir fry with brown rice
I like to think that I am fairly good now at estimating caloric values. 190 for the brown rice seemed about right. But 1,000 for the stir fry seemed suspicious, even with my tendency to overestimate. CRAZY!
Some of Thursday’s eats:
Chipotle salad: romaine, fajita veggies, black beans, tomato and corn salsa, guacamole
Cool Chipotle nutrition calculator here.
I actually do believe it is possible to eat out and not gain weight. I don’t think that will be the case for me this week, as I have had lots of little treats here and there: frozen yogurt, apple cider, red wine, and bagel breakfasts not pictured. But I have also been passing on the bread basket and dessert. I am hoping this is a reasonable balance.
Luckily tomorrow night I will be home for dinner, and I know my mom will cook up something delicious!
Do you check for nutritional information before eating at a restaurant?
I’d like to give a quick shout-out to reader Elizabeth, who emailed me this morning saying that she spotted me walking around town yesterday! Very cool!
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It’s amazing what you can pack into a healthy looking meal. I do check sometimes. More out of curiosity then anything else.
I always do my research before I go out to eat. Now it’s mostly for vegan options rather than calorie counts, but even things like your stirfry are shocking! I hope you guys are getting all settled!
Congrats on making it to the bay area. For not killing yourself or your husband all while doing an inter continental move!!! and OMG and living out of a hotel room and eating out 90% of your meals. Girl. I’d be having a nervous breakdown. Not b/c of the food. Just from feeling out of my element. You’re doing amazingly well…and you’re blogging??!! Wow. You’re good. Very good!!!! Good luck finding an awesome pad!!!!
Eating out throws me in a spin, but I really think that all the warnings and stuff about hidden calories are more for people who don’t really know the nutritional info of foods. I think if you are eating out a lot but making healthier choices, you will be okay, you know? I was freaking out about the amount of meals I ate out in NY and envisioned gaining a lot of weight while I was away. I was definitely eating different foods and a lot of unknown items when I was there but somehow it balanced out (or maybe I was way overestimating). I like to have the nutritional info for things I eat but most of the places I eat at don’t provide it so I stick to stuff I can kind of estimate.
I’ve never seen that Chipotle calculator and I eat there alot. Very cool! Thanks!
I always find it interesting to check the calorie levels of food chains… sometimes I’m shocked at what I see…
I never check calorie content at restaurants.. I dont eat at big chains, though, so I prob wouldnt be able to get that info anyways! 1000 for tofu and veggies?!?!? What the heck? Wonder why? Must be a lot of oil or something? Oh well, it looks awesome.. hope your enjoyed it! I woulda gotten it too (and had rice)
Yo, I have been craving Chipotle lately! Yum yum
I always check the nutrition before I go out to eat. Sometimes it makes a difference and sometimes not. Hope you are getting settled in. xoxo
I hardly eat out but when I do I try to find nutritional stats or look at the menu before hand. Paneras, Chipotle, Atlanta Bread Company, and Jason’s Deli are my faves for the healthy options.
I think you’re right – it’s possible to maintain by eating out if you eat smart. Your choices all look great, although it’s sad that a tofu stir fry at 1000 calories was the lightest thing on the menu. At least they confess to this!
Enjoy your dinner with mom tonight!
Oh and awesome “celebrity moment.” A reader once wrote me an email saying she spotted me running by the Charles River. I wish she actually said hi at the moment but maybe I would have been embarrassed (since I’m sure I wasn’t looking “my best” hehe).
I like that thinking about the limit on eating in restaurants. And you can help that even more if you plan to box up part of your meal (easier said than done).
Wow how can that add up to 1000 calories?? That’s crazy. Maybe it’s because of oil…? Or maybe they just can’t do math
I love being able to look up nutritional information now. It makes eating out a lot less stressful!
Stir-fry in restaurants = tons of oil so I bet that is where most of the calories came from. Also, tofu is not so low calorie so depending on how much used it can really add up.
I always find it interesting to look at online nutritional information, to see how often the “healthiest” sounding choices are not so healthy after all. Like some salads are just craaazy high calorie/fat. I do think it is possible to eat out and maintain or even lose weight. It is all about choices and portion control and I never hesitate to make special requests. I don’t eat at a lot of “chain” restaurants so most of the places I go to don’t list nutritional information.
1,000?! That seems like a huge overestimate but I guess it could be due to the sauces/oils they cook it in? I don’t look at menus for calorie info but rather what they offer in terms of vegetarian friendly meals.
Panera twins!! Great minds think alike
I always look up nutritional info.. I like to be informed! But 1000 calories for that definitely seems a bit high! That’s so strange!
i think it depends where I am eating, if it is somewhere where they post the nutritional facts online, i try to take a peak to see the healthy options. I ALWAYS look at a menu before I go to any restaurant though just to make sure I will be happy with something there! its like a pre-screen!
That way i always know my options
love panera, is that the apple fuji salad I see? sooo good!!
I always check the menu and look up nutritionals. I gives me a peace of mind that I’m making an informed choice, and get what I want. Like your stir-fry, it’s amazing how many things that seem healthy are really calorie bombs.
I am so glad you think its possible to not gain wight and eat out! I always feel like I have to go all out when I eat out. Idk why!
I hope you are enjoying yourself!
I definitely check nutritional information if it’s available. If it’s not though, I try not to freak out about it. Usually, just being able to look at the menu before arriving is good enough – at least then I’m not picking my food while starving or feeling pressured by others!
I check the stats if available and sometimes I will look up online before we go out. I just like to know in advance if something is crazy. And 1000 cals for stir fry? That seems odd. I will be doing this soon, we are having wood floors put in which means no kitchen access for a few days. Hopefully I can make smart choices!
Those stir-fry stats sound loco! I just don’t get it…
I also agree with your “pros” of eating out. While we have more control with the way we prep our own food, I definitely agree that eating out has the luxury of putting a “limit” on how much we actually consume. I find I ALWAYS snack after a meal at home–but, even after returning home from a meal out, I just don’t. Mystery haha.
Thanks for the kind words Lara. When I saw your comment, I felt like a celebrity just gave me her autograph! I guess my post was a bit vague (or over dramatic). The boyfriend just left for the Thanksgiving weekend to spend with his family. I never realized the huge part he played in my life until he left for his mini vacation.
Sounds like you’re having fun but I’m glad you’re also being conscious to what you’re eating. Keep updating us!
It is scary to check out nutrition facts atrestaraunts sometimes – sometimes the stats are okay then you find out it’s 4 servings!
I’d love for you to check out my blog – giveaway coming and workout songs!
http://katiechangesforkatie.blogspot.com/
Katie
Glad you made it to the US safely!! Didn’t you miss Panera?! I love it. It’s so popular too, whoever came up with it is making a a fortune. It was my idea all along
haha
I don’t look at the nutrition facts before I go to restaurants, as I usually have a pretty good idea of all that stuff when I read the menu. I do look at the menu and try to make a choice as to what I will order before I go to restaurants, as that makes life a bit easier.
HAve a happy Friday!
sounds like you’re having a very nice week despite the lack-of-car and lack-of-home cooked meals situation. i’m kind of torn on how i feel about the calorie counts in restaurants, though. without getting in to the “america is obsessed with weight loss / weight gain / calories only and has no capacity to enjoy food for what it is” discussion, although I do think it’s related, I hate going to restaurants with something in mind and then shying away from it because I see the calorie count. If I was going there to enjoy X, but saw that the calories were XXX, just the mere fact of seeing that makes me chicken out. I know this is the effect that the FDA (or whomever) was going for, trying to “scare” overweight people out of eating what they were previously eating, but I hate having my food choices dictated for me via numbers.
sorry for the soapbox!
xo
Oooh you had Chipotle! My tummy is growling!!! We don’t have Chipotle or Panera here, but we have every fast food chain and buffet-style ‘restaurant’ imaginable. Yuck! I used to have problems finding food (dairy-free) & (acceptable calories / fat / carb / protein contents) when going out to eat. Nothing organic. Nothing. For real. My options have now gone from slim to none since I made the vegetarian switch. Not one restaurant in town has a vegetarian entree, not ONE! I can get a “salad,” a side of rice, the bread basket, or deep-fried “you-name-it,” but I just eat at home and save myself from the frustration!
Best of luck in your housing search! Glad to hear you’ll have a car soon!
I’ve definitely noticed more and more restaurants w/ the calories listed. I always check it and since I have kids, I am amazed that the kids meals have the calorie range I am looking for (and many times, much more: 1,000 calories for a KIDS meal? Frightening!)
The calorie list is definitely a good thing though.
Yum! Red Mango! Definitely better then Pinkberry IMHO
WELCOME BACK!!
You seem to be coping well. Eating out daily is tough for me too- that’s why traveling is so bitter sweet. I love to enjoy local fare (if I’m somewhere interesting) but the calories do add up. Yay for little fridges in the hotel room.
I do sometimes check out nutritional info. Just out of habit more than anything. When I was calorie counting, it was a rain-man type calculation going on as I was about to order- a bit stressful! Now it’s more for curiosity.
Love the star-sighting in lovely Cupertino!
Have fun with Mom-spired!
D
I like to check online menus beforehand, but I HATE being presented with nutrition information when I’m just about to bite into something. It’s one thing to remember that the chicken sandwich is lighter than the taco salad and order accordingly, but totally another to pick up your napkin and see “400 calories!” staring at you. Then you start trying to remember how much you ate for breakfast, and what you can eat for dinner after this much for lunch, and you can’t just enjoy your meal. Since we can only afford to eat out once a month, I want the experience to be nice, not filled with weighty worries.
Glad you’re having a good time, I know how hard it is for me to eat out. I mean really, who can afford to go out to five meals a day!?! I was so angry halfway though our honeymoon in June when we couldn’t afford to go out multiple times per day – San Francisco is expensive! I think we spent over $900 JUST ON FOOD in 7 days! Ridiculous.
Hmm, I also gained 8 pounds that week. Not a good thing! That’s what 3 large meals out per day does for me….whoops.
I always look up calorie counts if I’m going out, it’s hard for me to go into it “blind” like you said. But one day a week (sometimes 2) I just let loose and decide not to care how caloric something is, I look for what sounds the best and just go for it!
Oh my gosh! I’ve not read your blog in a week and you’ve moved to bloody America! So happy for you – you must be feeling good! I liked your list of things you will miss about Britain – I miss Heinz baked beans too…
If I left Minneapolis, I would miss the lakes, the runnning and bike trails that are EVERYWHERE, the niceness of Minnesotans, summers at the lake, snow and how green the city is!
And wooo woooo to blogging it up from the hotel – spa it UP lady!
It is amazing how quickly calories add up when eating out. How in the world can a tofu stir fry be 1000 calories?!?
BODA weight loss
HOW COOL is that nutrition calculator!! i love it
i always try and check the nutritionals before leaving the house
it makes me feel more comfortable with eating out
howwwwwwww cool is that that you got spotted! you celeb
I totally agree with you- it is hard not to gain weight when you are eating out all the time. I have weeks when I feel I am always meeting people for dinner and I dont like it. I guess I am a bit of a control freak and like to know what/ how much I am eating.
That being said, eating out and enjoying time with friends, etc. is so important! I never want to be the girl who stays home to avoid calories (ugh).I try, like you, just try to skip on the bread at dinner and try to order things that are heavy on veggies and light on sauses. But that is hard to do!
I also think it is bizarre that there could be 1,000 calories in that stir-fry- I find that hard to believe!
I always check on things before I go out to eat. I may not diet, but I like to be informed. I actually use the book “Eat This, Not That” a lot of times.
Ha, I love your reference to that Biggest Loser episode
I cannot believe that stir-fry was 1000 calories. I’m assuming a big chunk of it came from oil? One tbsp typically has 130 calories, so a hefty pour into the wok can add up to a lot!
I usually check nutritional info before going out too. Little things like cheese, oils and nuts can make dishes a lot worse than I think they are. When I first started losing weight, I went through all the chains in my town and wrote down a list of “safe” dishes that I kept in my wallet in case I found myself out and unable to check. Now I pretty much have it memorized!
Looks like you made some yummy choices.
I usually don’t check nutritional info. I don’t eat out that often, so when I do it’s a treat and I don’t worry too too much about what I am eating. Obviously I still use my common sense when choosing, i’m just not obsessed about it.
1000 cals for tofu and veggies does seem rather high. I wonder just how accurate those stats can be, especially if it didn’t taste as though it was drenched in grease or deep fried. Glad you went with your gut and ordered it anyway because it looked fantastic!
I know how stressful eating out a lot can become, but don’t worry, you will be all settled and back to your normal ways to life in no time. Try to enjoy this nice little break and all of the good eats while you can.
I used to check nutritional info, but I know that it just makes me more anxious, and it’s really serving the wrong purpose for me personally. There is a way to eat out and not eat too much, for really rich dishes sometimes this means not finishing everything on your plate once you are full…I’m a firm believer that eating out CAN be done healthfully, however it is still a concept I struggle with and am working on.
Ha ha – a Lara sighting. You’re famous.
I always look at nutritional info. if it is posted somewhere. I just like knowing. I saw your Tweet with the tofu stir-fry info. Crazy. Are they sure? I always manage to under-estimate restaurant calories. I’m always shocked by how many calories they manage to get into their salads…even with the dressings on the side.
Just went to Nashville’s new Chipotle last night, and we already have a 2nd one opening up the street. Totally OD’d on the chips…totally worth every bite.
gah, i hope that is a misprint! that seems ridiculous!
glad you are working things out, settling in and getting life together. living in a hotel for awhile i am sure will provide you with lots of fun stories
You do so good at restaurants!! I love your ordering style, girl!
If nutritional stats are available, I check them out before going. I tend to do best when I know what i’m going to order going into it, so I don’t order a blooming onion with a side of chili cheese fries. hehe
Welcome HOME!!!
I check nutritionals like I’m studying for a test. I can “guesstimate” almost any calorie count (and am working on knowing fat/protein/fiber/sugar counts….it’ll come with time). In a way, this is something GOOD that came from a few years of borderline unhealthy obsession….I now am in a better head space AND know in my heart and mind how to choose wisely when it comes to food.
So Lynn and Christy (actorsdiet.wordpress(dot)com) are getting a little LA Blogger meeting together in the new year, and my vote is that you need to take a little road trip and join in the fun
xoxo
Geeeze that does sound a little crazy.. This is interesting because 1) I do look at cal content before I go out, especially if it is at a well known chain restaurant and I already know cals are going to be high, (the local little eateries tend to have fresher, smaller portions anyway, so I prefer those restaurants) but 2) I’ve worked in the restaurant kitchen, and I can see how easily the cals add up. Case in point= I was the salad girl! I made the dressings, and saw how it all was made. Lol, granted, my salads were awessomeee, just not as awesome as my ones that I feature on the blog.
Last year in California they passed legislation SB 1420 that requires all restaurants with like 10 or more locations to post nutritional information before point of sale. This has been really great to help individuals make a more informed decision about what they are eating.
My boyfriend and I love to eat out at new restaurants ALL the time. I always look at their menu online before we go and if necessary, I call the restaurant (w/o my bf knowing – haha) and ask HOW they make the food. Worst comes to worse, I give them my “cooking instructions” when I order like “no oils, no butter” or “dressing on the side.” It really is crazy how high the calorie count is in some restaurant meals!
if you are going to eat out at least you picked amazzzing places like chipotle and red mango!!