Okay so my husband would like to go to dinner tonight and asked where I'd like to go - I told him to choose since I really dont enjoy going to dinner much these days - trying really hard to stay OP and eating out is really hard...
so...he and the kids decided they would like to go to Macaroni Grill...I went to calorie king and checked the NI for some of their entrees and OMG I was shocked...even the Salmon has 33 points!!!! The only thing I could find was the "skinny" chicken which was 6 points or the kids spaghetti and meatball (one bal) for 11 points. Even their salads are high and to be honest I am having trouble with going to eat out and watching everyone enjoy themselves!!! I am tired of being the one who ruins everyone elses good time since I am not so into restaurant food anymore where it used to be a recreational activity...
So aside feeling sorry for myself what should I do:

Tell my husband we need to go some where else - but where?
Bite my lip and go and eat the skinny chicken
Take my salad dressing and eat yet another boring salad?

I have 16 points left for today...and I am really determined to lose 2 pounds this week to hit my 40 pounds gone.

What would you do?

Marilyn

I know how you feel, I havent a solution except if you want to loose and maintain you are going to have to learn to eat out with your family and be op. Try eating some fruit or a yogurt before you go so you are'nt starving when you arrive. I would ask the waiter if they can make something special for you.. maybe they can. I went to chilis last week and had frajitas and chips and salsa and was op.. I lost 2 1bs this week too.
Its always going to be difficult and that was one of the reasons we got big before..we have to do this if we want to be the size we want to be.

Honestly, I'd ask your husband to choose another place. I'm sure he'd understand. Just explain to him that you just can't find anything to eat there and you don't want to blow your week. Do you have any flex points left? You could use those? Maybe one night you could stop off and pick him up something from there to eat at home where you'll be able to have your own food while he eats that.

Lorraine has a point. Maybe they could make something special for you? Eating something before you go would help too. :) I'm too hungry to think right now. I have to go start dinner. LOL! I hope whatever you decide... enjoy the evening.

that's a tough one, but I think a little ahead planning and some sweet-talking the waiter(tress) will save you. before you go, figure out exactly what you really want. Then make it your plan to order just that(no matter how much you feel guilted into a no taste salad). This action is powerful as it will fortify you with a plan. Then when you order, just nicely ask the waiter to only bring half out (or a third) and package the rest away for your family later.

Good luck and remember, have fun! :)

Being a vegetarian and a WW member, its a challenge when i go anywhere out to eat,but what i usually do is order the appitizers/and/or soup/and/or/sides.

The salmon was 33 points whats on that?? I have found a few places that are almost impossible to make ww friendly. Mac Grill being one of them. Its a hard decision. Let us know what you did! Hang in there, do the best you can and move on from there.

ok how about your flex pts??? would you dip into those?

i like the suggestion on ordering something & ask the waiter/waitress to bring you only 1/2 of it..and take the rest home.

hope it helps

I would rather ask the hubby if there is another Italian resturant that has a better choices for me, or tell him there is such and such Italian resturant down the street would that be okay. This gives him Italian food and I a better menu.

However it is important to note that we MUST be able to adapt to all situations while OP.

So here is what I would do:

PLAN ONLY one slice of bread ask waitress for no butter or oil toppings. If you want the oil on the table PLAN on a specific amount first.
PLAN on asking the waitress for a small bowl to mix your salad dressing. I am ItaloAmerican and our homemade dressing was vinegar, oil, fresh garlic salt and pepper. I had to make it every night. It is delish!

I would ask for spaghetti marinara (it is fresh tomato sauce no animal fat no meat, may ahve some olive oil, but not always) .

Ask for salmon or fish cooked DRY
OR
order a small steak (or cut it in half and box it right away).
Or
order VEAL MARSALA it is not a creamy sauce butr a wine sauce.
Or
Shrimp Scampi and count the oil and drain each shrimp bite to minimum oil.Maybe transfer to a small dish and move each away from the oil.

Also another good choice is clams or mussels steamed in broth and wine. It is usually an appetizer and you could order two. In CA the cost is about 8 to 12 dollars per order with abot 12 clams or mussels and you can order it half and half. Order a side of pasta with marinara sauce.

Hope this helps.
Let us know what you did order, how it worked.

JeanCat

Kids Grilled Chicken and Broccoli was 380kcal 5gm5F and 5gm Fiber or 7 points and the House Salad w/o dressing but with LF Cesaer is 150 kcal 7 Fat and 3 Fiber or 3 points. Know that the crisis is over but the way I look at it is even all the "high ticket" items had sides with them and if you get a "meat" item and share the sides you should be able to use flex points- just hope WI isn't next day (LOL)

Great Idea Cam! Child's menu !
I do not have children, so I would not have thought of that!

JeanCat

I thought an adult was not allowed to order from the children's menu, especially if there are no children present. Am I wrong? LouAnne

So Marylyn,

What and how did you do?
No matter what you did do you will learn something from it, even if you stayed on program!

So please share with us what you did and what you might do differently or the same the next time.

JeanCat

Jeancat-
We wound up not going to Macaroni Grill - I just told my husband it was too difficult a place to go and stay OP...and he was cool with it.

I did find out that they have a chicken dish - that is grilled with lots of veggies and comes in at only 6 points - so maybe we will attempt it another time.

I was really taken aback by the # of points in some of their items - things you wouldnt expect to be high - like the salmon with 33 points - cant figure what they are doing (perhaps deep frying it and injecting it with lard - LOL) to it to make it that awful - might as well eat the pasta with cream sauce.

Anyhow it was worth the effort since I passed the 40 pound mark this week at weigh in - more important than stuffing my mouth!

Thanks for all the good advice
Marilyn

Congrats Marilyn!

So where did you go? What did you choose to eat?


I'll remember the chicken and grilled veggies. I will ask for them to be grilled DRY (no added oils).

Thanks
JeanCat