Unexpected eating out

Yesterday I went to Applebee's with my BF without planning it.

I am new to counting calories so I still can't estimate how much calories will be in a meal.

I had their new pick and choose lunch specials,I had a 1/2 Turkey and bacon ciabatta sandwich and a cup of broccoli cheese soup.

I wanted to log the meal in but couldn't find the calories for it any where so I logged in similar foods and the total of the meal seemed high around 600 calories.

I was upset the rest of the day, cause after lunch that had left me with 160 calories for the rest of the day and it was only 12pm when I had lunch. I was hungry the rest of the day.

I thought I had made a good meal choice...compared to the nice jucy burger my BF was having :/

How do I know what to eat out when I don't have the calorie information available?

Any tips or advice?

Thanks, XOXO

just out of curiousity, what's your calorie budget?

If you're aiming for the min of 1200, then 160+600 = 760, meaning you had 440 cals at breakfast... which seems like a big breakfast... it could've been...

Try and stick with things that seem low cal. For instance, if you want soup, stay away from creamy soups like cream of mushroom, broccoli and cheese etc. Try and get things that are more vegetable based: minestrone soup, vegetable soup...

A salad with dressing on the side can be very filling.

Stay away from the pre-meal bread.

Try and order food that has been baked or grilled rather than fried.

Get vegetables as a side instead of fries, baked potato etc.

Order fish, chicken, or turkey instead of beef, pork, lamb, duck, or venison.

Try to order whole grains (whole wheat ciabatta bun instead of white) that way, even if you splurge, you'll stay full longer.

I've gotta agree with Rebecca here, you're being too hard on yourself. My nutritionist instructed me to aim for around 500 calories per meal, with two healthy snacks less than 100 cals, and exercise off the defecit. I'll generally go at least 100 under on breakfast and then a touch over on dinner. (BTW, Rebecca, 440 at breakfast is a large bagel with cream cheese or a muffin and a large latte-- it's all what you choose)

Your lunch was really only "over" by 100 calories. You could have atoned for it by either cutting a snack, or even better, working out! 100 calories is all of ten minutes on an elliptical machine, tops. Your daily calories would have been within your limits, and your body would have burned more during the day as well.

My max calorie intake is 1200.

Yesterday for breakfast I had: Special K cereal berry Unsweetened Silk soy mil Small bananna

total calories:262

The Applebees lunch was actually 774, I think...im not sure due to not having the exact calorie information.

So that left me with 164...so I had low calorie snacks for the rest of the day.

I will definitely take your advice and avoid creamy soups from now on! :)

Normally I exercise but I was out all day yesterday didn't get back in till 1am.

Thanks.

Ithink everything sounded fine minus the broccoli cheese soup as someone else said. Sometimes it's OK to splurge on it, but since you're just starting out, don't cut corners. :)

When I go to Applebees I get the stuff on the Weight Watchers menu. It tells you what the calories are! Granted it may not be as tasty but you still get to eat out and you also know exactly how many calories it is. The lite french onion soup wasn't bad either.

I, too, get something from the Weight Watcher's menu at Applebee's. They really do have the best selection of low calorie menu items I've found thus far. Plus, by law.. anywhere you go has to have the nutritional information for anything they serve. You could go to the restaurant website and look it up.. or I'm sure they have it printed somewhere in the restaurant.

There's a little handheld book that someone on this site recommended to me.. and it tells you the nutrition facts of everything you can possibly imagine. Regular whole foods, fast food, various restaurants, alcohol, etc. It's super handy. It's called "The Calorie King Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter 2007."

Good luck. :]

The ciabatta bread is probably what did you in.  A regular wrap might have been better.

Living healthy is about making the right food choices.  But in order to make the right food choices, you need to take the time and learn what is good and what is bad.  You don't learn this overnight.  So you went, you ate, you logged, you adjust.  No biggy.

If it says fried, then thats a no.  If it has mayo or some really cool sounding sauce, then thats a no.  Big thick breads are usually a no as well.

Applebees does have a good WW menu.  the shrimp skewer with salad is amazing.

I just had an unexpected lunch at Applebee's as well...the girls at work popped it on me for a birthday lunch (after my perfectly low cal lunch was packed and waiting in the break room) but of course I wanted to participate (since it was for my birthday!).  I got on the internet quickly before we left and looked at the calories.  I had my decision made before I even left the office.  It helped to not even look at all the great pictures on the menu.  I will say however that I order the grilled shrimp salad and was hungry before I even left the restaurant!

You could have saved yourself a lot of calories if you said no to the bacon and requested no mayo, did the sandwich have cheese on it as well?

Those three (mayo, bacon, cheese) on a sandwich can add up to 300 calories just by themselves.

Cream soups are dangerous too you have no idea how much butter and milk fat are actually in them.

It really is shocking how many calories a few simple changes make.

Mollymclashes:

"Plus, by law.. anywhere you go has to have the nutritional information for anything they serve."

Really?  Does that book you mention have anything from Red Robin in it?  There is no where (and I?ve looked extensively) on the net that has nutritional information for them.  I even came across a blog where someone shared Red Robin?s response when they were asked for the information, which was essentially a blow-off answer.  Someone posted the other day about a similar experience when trying to get information on Fuddrucker?s.

I like the WW menu at Applebee?s too ? the chicken and Portobello sandwich is really good.

Have any of you ever been to Dotti's Weight Loss Zone? I think the address is www.dottisweightlosszone.com (sorry, can't figure out how to make a hyperlink....the button doesn't seem to work)

Anyway, there are TONS of resturants and grocery store foods that have WW points figured for them. Even if you're not totally familiar with WW, you can figure out that the lower the points, the better.

I usually check that site out when I go out to eat. And, she seems to keep it fairly updated. Just beware of all of the ads and little cartoon decorations that are EVERYWHERE!! You really have to search for what you are looking for.....

Santonacci, I think that book may very possibly have the nutrition facts to Red Robin.. I'll double check when I get home. I did look on their website, and as you mentioned.. nutrition is nowhere to be found. I wonder if you were to go into the restaurant and ask if they might have them in there?

Call me paranoid, but I would have a hard time eating something that they aren't willing to tell you the nutrition facts of anyway.

But you are definately right on with the chicken and portobello sandwich. It's my favorite!

"Plus, by law.. anywhere you go has to have the nutritional information for anything they serve."

I wish!!

I can't find calorie info for TGI Friday's, or Mellow Mushroom, or many other restaurants. They do NOT have the nutritional info.

I long for the day when you can go into a restaurant and request calorie and nutritional info on every dish they serve.

violeta_carmen,

Well, I know of at least one restaurant that does.  Uno's pizzeria has complete nutirtional info on almost every thing on their menu (they can't account for customer specific pizzas, of course).  And it's not just available on their website either.  I'm not sure if they do this everywhere, but the location I was at a couple of weeks ago actually had a touch screen terminal at the waiting area with info on their entire menu - it was so cool, I even sent them feedback on it.

Other places need to catch on to this!

Yes some places do it but it needs to be a LAW for EVERY place to do it. No choice about it :(!

When i eat out , i alway get a garden salade and a side of mustard. I mix the mustard with Splenda..( i have that with me at all times) and pepper. and thats what i eat.  I am always just as satisfied as the next guy is.  I love the taste, and even though other peoples meals looks better I know that mine is a better choice.  Im always full, before I would opt for nothing and just be watering at the mouth...watching people eat!  Now i always leave full , satisifed, and feeling good!

I was looking for information about the same lunch combo from Applebee's  Glad I found this post.  I'll steer clear of the soup.  My caloric goal per day is around 2800-3000 for weight loss.

I always order off the weight watchers menu also, whether it's a planned trip or not. That way, I know at least around what I'm eating because they advertise it.

The only thing that really kills me about eating out is all the sodium .__.

Come on people, there is no need for a law.

Just refuse to patronize those establishments which refuse to provide nutritional information, and make sure they know the reason is their refusal to cooperate with us.

The government has no place in the pattern. Just a nice simple business transaction or lack therof will work wonders.

Actually you can get the nutrition facts for most restarants (nearly all) from their websites.  I know apple bee's has theirs on their website and since their partnering with weight watchers they have good choices for people like us who watch what they put in their tummy...