Okay, so I've had a really bad diet weekend. Monday morning I was so ready to get back on track and get back to the gym. I was in a really good mindset and then I get a call from a friend who's in town that I haven't seen in months. She wanted to get together for dinner, which meant eating out AGAIN! I did still make it to the gym for a run, so I did okay to begin. We decided to go to Applebee's. I browsed the menu thinking, "what can I eat that will be low cal?" I decided on the chicken fajitas. I would eat only half of the meal, and it shouldn't be too bad, right? Grilled chicken, onions, green peppers, guac (healthy fat) and a little cheese, lettuce, and rice. I thought I did really well. Didn't slather on the sour cream like I wanted to, but just used a tiny tiny amount. So this morning, I'm trying to record my dinner from last night. I can't seem to find the exact calorie count for that meal, but the beef fajitas have 1500 calories in one meal!!!! That's crazy! So, even though I know the chicken is automatically lower calorie than the beef, it obviously wasn't as nutritious of a meal as I'd thought! I'm mortified! I had wanted to eat around 500 calories, but probably ended up eating many more.
So I'm wondering what meals you've encountered that ended up being "nutritiously devious." It should be illegal to have 1500 calorie meals on a menu!
There are sooo many!
What I can say is my most depressing finding was about two months ago. Every time I went to Chili's I get there nachos. I don't go often, so I never thought much about it. I knew they weren't the most healthy things in the world, but I didn't know how bad until I checked one day AFTER I had eaten there and I was curious.
Below is WITHOUT any meat added.
Calories 1520 (6354 kJ) % DV 1 Total Fat 103g 158% Sat. Fat 51g 255% Sodium 3730mg 155% Total Carbs. 69g 23% Dietary Fiber 10g 40% Protein 91g
I was so depressed. And I don't think I'll ever have them again! My caloric intake is only supposed to be 1,300-1,500 a day!
I feel you, restaurants are sooo deceptive! One of my favorite places that I end up craving is Chipotle burritos but if you get a chicken or a steak burrito with cheese, sour cream, quac, beans, rice and salsa it is right around 1,500+ calories too! Maybe they should make a half size burrito because I don't have self control with those things, they are way to yummy:). I must say though since they have but their menus online and I can find calories of the meals I eat I have been avoiding the bad stuff and I hope you are on the same path too. Good luck!
I have heard before that Chipotle is extremely high calorie! I was shocked to find that out, but luckily, I've only eaten Chipotle probably twice in my life.
I agree that finding calorie and nutrition info online is an awesome resource if you know you're going somewhere, but unfortunately most of my favorite restaurants are local and do not offer nutritional info! 
I just hate trying to make a good decision on the fly and then finding out later that you might as well have ordered whatever you want, because it probably would've had just as many calories!!! Ugh!
Chicken isn't necessarily lower in calories/fat than red meat. Depending on how it's prepared can make a big difference. I'd look for grilled/steamed foods on the menu. Anything panfried is going to be a big no-no. Also, just because guac is a "healthy fat" doesn't mean it's good to eat when dieting. I NEVER eat it at a restaurant. Cheese, sour cream, guac, and butter should never be consumed in a restaurant setting. You have no control over the other elements of your dish, but those you do have control over, so those should be avoided completely. When at home, there is calorie/portion control, so those condiments can be added.
Anything in restaurants are a danger zone. This is why I don't eat out. If you do eat out, why not look at the company's website prior to going so you know exactly what to order and how to manage how much you eat while you're there.
When I do go out to eat I stick with veggie dishes that aren't sauced up to the max (get it on the side) and only eat half of the meal. Or simple salads with dressing on the side and use it sparingly. If there's cheese/bacon, I have them omit it. If I get a veggie burger, I eat half and order a side that isn't fries. Fruit generally, no potato salad/cole slaw.
With Groups - you're not alone.Get the experience and support
of others who succeeded.
