Crisis Help!

So I have to take some job candidates out to lunch today for my job and we are going to a five star Italian Restaurant. Fettucine Alfredo is my drug of choice. OMG! You don't go to a five star Italian place to eat a salad! What am I gonna do?

Could you order some sort of grilled chicken main dish with a side of fettucine alfredo? and then load up on salad before everything? They probably wont have nutritional information on their website, but, they should have a detailed menu for you to plan ahead.

You could always go for one of their soups. Most Italian places offer minestrone, which is a relatively healthy alternative. And you can also eat a ton of salad without looking like a pig cause it's salad.

Good suggestions guys...I am thinking I may not even look at the menu, just order something off the top of my head, so I won't be tempted reading item descriptions...lol

You'd be surprised how many people do that! If you decide to go with pasta, make sure you ask for a whole wheat one instead. They'll probably have it thanks to the trend in offering healthier alternatives lately.

minestrone is a good starter.  watch the "extras" that come with the salad like the dressing and cheese.

There should be some grilled chicken or fish entrees.

And remember you don't have to clean your plate - take half home.

So here's the verdict.... a few minutes before I left for the lunch I ate 5 ounces of some veggie rice stir fry that I had left over from my lunch yesterday, when I got there I had salad to start and I had whole wheat mostaccoli with marinara instead of meat sauce. By the time the mostaccoli got to the table I was full so I only had a few bites and now my boyfriend will have dinner for tonight since I have almost a whole meal left over. I just killed two birds with one stone, I didn't send my calorie meter through the roof and I got myself out of having to cook to night. Two points for me!

Good job! You did so incredibly awesome! Even for dinner, you could have another salad and split the pasta (if calories allow) or just have a small serving plus salad and he can have the rest.

Probably too late to help todays lunch but in the future try to go online before you eat out.

  Almost all nice resataurants (and fast food too) have a website and post their menus there.  I try to look ahead before I set foot in the restaurant and am really hungry and I make my choice ahead of time.  I did this last weekend and it made me feel soooo much better about eating out. 

I found I felt way less stress and guilt and I planned for the little extra calories I was using.  And if you wonder if they will "custom" your order for you,  they usually have their phone number listed and you can call.  Knowing for sure what I am eating really helps me so much.  And it also was kinda fun.  I looked forward to the meal and I didn't feel deprived in any way.

I also have to say that when we fill up or load up on salad we can easily be fooling ourselves.  Why not look at that menu, plan ahead to enjoy your food, eat half if the serving is large(most likely will be)....and just feel ok about it.  I read a blog the other day that said restaurant dressing can add up to 500calories so quickly and with all the other goodies like cheese crouton, bacon etc....you got a 1000 cal salad in no time, especially if it comes to the table prepared....and who wants to sit and pick out all the goodies.  their suggestion was if you are unclear about the salad, a safe substitute would be a shrimp cocktain or even a piece of tomato bruschetta instaed.  Just a thought.   I think if we are too keep our weight off long term we have to shy away from thinking we must always "fill up" to be able to maintain control.  We can learn to tolerate some hunger....and it will go away.  Try timing 20 minutes on your watch a see if the feeling in your gut is more a feeling of fullness. 

Shaylese,

AWESOME

Ibeck,

I can do that now, I couldn't have done it during my first month on my eating program.

When I go Italian I order ala carte usually.

I like spaghetti marinara with grilled shrimp (if the cost is reasonable).  I ask for a plain salad.  I either bring my own dressing or (if I know the place has a good low cal dressing) ask for the dressing on the side.

I bring half home.  I don't eat the bread.   I don't eat the herbed oil stuff they bring for the bread. 

Shaylese, you did great!!!  Our little Mom and Pop Italian restaurant has wonderful food (they were chefs in New York who are Italian and brought their own recipes to our little town. 

Mmmmmmm.   I can eat the other stuff and take most of it home, but the spaghetti marinara is so good, I dont crave the other stuff.  And grilled shrimp is very low cal.  (I get boiled shrimp if they have it.)