restaurant and calorie count conundrum

Hi all!

For various reasons (one of which is my birthday), I am going to the restaurant twice this week. The first one is an Indian and the second one will probably be Lebanese. Do you have any idea how many calories I need to put aside roughly for these two meals? I don't tend to have a dessert. I am on 1200 calories a day, so I guess I won't be eating much else on those two days! Not looking forward to starving all day until the evening!

Thanks!

Good Morning,

When I have to go out for a meal, I order my favorite and eat a little of everything I love.  Ask to take the leftovers home and there's your meal for the next day. You get to enjoy it twice.  Have a piece of fruit before you leave for your meal.  Who's stronger you or the food.....hands down you are !!!!

Keep up the good work !

Thanks! Just wondering: what do you enter in your CC food log?

Hi,

This is what I do. I usually go to the same places for my meals. So I know what is on the menu. I just put in what the meals consists off say ...chicken , beans, rice, gravy, pasta. I have a food scale at home so I know what 3 oz of boneless chicken breast looks like.  You can be off on the calories...it's only 1 day. Don't make yourself worry over it...you will start to resent eating healthy.

Anne

This is NOT supposed to be a diet.  This is supposed to be a healthy lifestyle--one you can maintain for years.  Going out to eat is part of life, and if you stop enjoying that (especially when it's for your BIRTHDAY), then you are setting yourself up to fail.  Why would you starve yourself all day just so you can eat at a restaurant?  Seriously, one or two days of eating out is not going to kill you.  Plus, if you go in hungry, you're more likely to make bad choices once you get there.

Eat normally during the day.  If it helps you mentally, get in a decent workout.  Order what sounds good on the menu.  Eat enough to feel sated without getting over-full.  Enjoy the food.  Stay off the scale for a few days to let the sodium work its way out of your body, and MOVE ON!

this isn't a conundrum.  you don't have to know the calorie count of everything that goes in your mouth; you just have to eat less that you used to eat.  think about what you would have eaten when you were gaining weight, and eat less.

ultimately, this isn't about math; it's about functioning in the real world in a way that's sustainable and healthy.

Yes, you are right, thanks! I think I am getting a bit too fixated on this calorie counting business. It's possible that being rigid about counting calories is giving me a sense of 'security' (in terms of not gaining). It's a bit sad to worry about going out for a meal, especially on my birthday!