I learned so much from “Dining Lean How to Eat Healthy in Your Favorite Restaurants” by Joanne Lichtenstein, RD. She gives tons of general tips along with calorie charts and pictures to help you visualize serving sizes, etc. Goes well beyond the usual “dressing on the side” and totally changed how I order when I eat out. Highly recommend !!

Op Estimate. Not sure how long you’ ve been calories but with practice you’ll get better at estimating by deconstructing meals to estimate calories from main food groups. So you would be able to ballpark it that the steak with the butter is at close to 500 or 1000 calories based on how big it is etc. You will not get it down to a calories but you’ll be able to tell approximately how much you are eating.

Anonymous wrote:I don't really eat out. It stinks but that way on the very rare occasion that I do, it doesn't really matter. If you regularly eat out, it's very hard to lose weight and keep it off.

+1

To add, the seldom times I do go to restaurants I use common sense - portion control, grilled items verse fried, switch out overly-salty fries/overly buttered veggies for something else or specifically ask.

Honestly what’s the point of paying restaurant prices if you’re just going to eat broiled/grilled fish or chicken, steamed veggies, and undressed salad? I’d just as soon stay home. Or let yourself go whole hog once in a while and eat ALL the things.

By not counting calories. I listen to my body. Generally things that are white are heavier (bread, rice, potato, creams).

I don't really eat out. It stinks but that way on the very rare occasion that I do, it doesn't really matter. If you regularly eat out, it's very hard to lose weight and keep it off.

I have a food scale/measuring cups at home and weigh/measure everything. This has helped me learn for example what 3 ounces of chicken looks like or how much a cup of rice looks like. So now when I eat out I can better guess the amounts.

Most apps have a lot of dishes available at chain type restaurants so if it’s a common type of dish, but maybe I’m at a mom and pop restaurant, I look for something comparable in the database and try to err on the side of “more” calories. Sometimes I just have to log things separately.

Grilled fish, chicken, steak. Avoid fried, breaded.

Steamed fresh vegetables.

Vegetable salads. Avoid sugary salad dressings and stuff like fried onions piled on top.

Basically, the fresher, more simply prepared the better. I went out last night and had a 6 oz steak paired with grilled shrimp and a side salad (veggies no croutons). It was filling and delicious.

easy.

Avoid pasta and rice based dishes.

Avoid anything fried

Avoid creamy soups

Eat only from the appetizer and salad side of the menu.

This is what I do, and I have no problems eating out and not overdoing it.

And you can always take half home!

Order broiled fish instead of fried. Get the steamed vegetables instead of the au gratin potatoes. Order a salad instead of the broccoli cheese soup. It’s not hard, people.

1) Don't eat out often. No more than 1x a week
2) Portions. Know when to stop.
3) read the menu and ask questions. Lots of vegetables, low oil.

You don't have to be perfectly precise. I really try to eat out minimally, so generally don't worry about calories at restaurants and order what I like or am craving. Don't go nuts eating everything and finishing your plate, but if you're only eating out 1x/week (or less) and doing well otherwise, you shouldn't need to worry about it.

Portion control and experience with similar dishes elsewhere

I'm finally in the habit of tracking (and it's working! YAY!) but how to handle food I just have no idea what the calorie count would be? Small restaurants, for example, especially with unfamiliar food.