You want to go out to eat but you want it healthy -so do you eat fast food or ..

@Debs_place (10520)
United States
June 21, 2009 2:14pm CST
eat in a restaurant?? I tend to opt for the local diner or restaurant thinking I am eating healthier but then I find this article that tells me that the local restaurant portions have gotten so huge that you actually are getting more calories and fat than if you ate fast food. At fast food restaurants you can at least control the portion size. Also if people eat at fast food during the day they tend to try and eat better later; this is not so after a restaurant meal. So what have you been doing in regards to healthy eating/weight loss when it comes to going out? After reading this, I definitely plan on eating at home more where I can control what I eat better? Will you do the same? http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/12/fast_food_calories.html How do you decide what to eat when you eat out when you want to lose weight?
2 people like this
12 responses
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
21 Jun 09
I would check who paid for the study. Nobody is going to tell me that fast food is better than traditional restaurant. I don't have to loos weight, but my last place to eat is fast food place. It was proven to create health problem not only weight problem. As far as meal size, if I eat in restaurant with my friends, we order two meals per 4 people to share. The other option is to take food home. Large portion doesn't mean that people have to eat all... Purdue is maybe selling chicken for KFC, they will do any study to point out meals in fast food.....too much to talk about, I am better with raw carrots and an apple...
2 people like this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
22 Jun 09
there is a link to movie "super size me" (if you didn't watch it yet) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7Tv_mihMBA
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@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
22 Jun 09
YEs, I have seen it and I also have the book.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
21 Jun 09
Well I have read legitimate studies where when people are given more to eat they eat more without realizing it. The author is James K. Binkley is a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. I did not think of it that way before but most people don't share meals at the place we go to. They were getting good about giving us a styrofoam container as soon as we got our food..but in retrospect, each meal was enough for 4 meals at least in the potato and meat department. And if I look at places like Olive Garden..it is at least as bad as fast food. But I must agree...carrots and an apple are better no matter how you look at it.
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@Archie0 (5636)
21 Jun 09
I know that if i go out and i wish for a cleaner food then i wont get it anywhere because i think how much ever the eatery is big or heavy but its never clean.So i forget about the matter of eating clean if i want to enjoy eating out.i usually love subway if i am out or some good chinese restrants are good and can do my work of entetrtainment.
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@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
21 Jun 09
Yes, my husband and I go to subway. We order the veggie sub then take it home and use our own fat free mayo and fat free cheese so that it is even healthier and we still get what we want.
1 person likes this
@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
21 Jun 09
When I do go to a fast food place I never super size it. I buy the small fries instead of the large fries. I will lots of times get kids meals, they are all small fries and sandwiches, plus the price is right. Also I mostly drink water when going out. At home I drink green tea with no sugar. A couple of years ago I quit smoking and gained a ton of weight, I have been trying to shed some of them pounds, not having alot of luck with it.
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@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
21 Jun 09
Fries are not my weakness, so I skip them. At some places you can get a salad or apples instead of fries or chips. I just have to get moving more, even if I do watch what I eat. I never smoked, so I do not have that as a reason I gained weight. How about if I just say I like food, like to cook, and like to sit.
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@Polly1 (12645)
• United States
21 Jun 09
I like to eat too, food is so yummy...
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@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
21 Jun 09
I like fires and burgers but don't do fast food a lot. Not since my son grew up and left and we go...I get a baked potato or chili or a veggie sub. We were doing the local diner, where for $15 you got a huge prime rib, a mountain of mashed potatoes, an all you can eat salad bar with all kinds of mayonnaise loaded salads, soup and a huge dessert. It was a meal and dessert later that day and sometimes another meal or 2. That place seemed like a better thing to do than fast food..but in retrospect...I'll bet I gained 10 pounds a year cause of those great 'deals'. I was doing ok weight wise until I got on some really nasty meds...the side effect of everyone of them was weight gain...and I was living proof.
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@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
21 Jun 09
I try to avoid eating out as much for my personal economy as for the calories. I am required to go out to eat one day a week with clients. That is often fast food, because most of my clients are on a limited budget, and I will not be reimbursed for more than $7.00. It is easy for me to keep it down. I usually drink water, because I want to model healthier habits for the others. Hubby and I seldom have days off together, except for Sundays. They are not necessarily off for him, but he does not have to be at work until three. We often go out on Sunday. He prefers places that have real plates and silverware. Quite frequently we go to buffets. I know that I eat more than I should, but about half as much as I used to. Again, we usually get water with lemon. Today was Chinese. When I go out, I eat what I want, then eat light the next meal. I have even gone out and worked in the yard this afternoon. I have lost about five pounds in the last month without any conscious changes. Drinking more water. The heat is making me less hungry.
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
21 Jun 09
I checked my weight after your discussion about people noticing your loss. I also have a particular stress going on in my family that encourages me not to eat. I think going out and sweating helps me lose some of it, as long as I drink water to rehydrate instead of something with calories. My exception to that is that I will take cold coffee, put it over ice, add skim milk and stevia. I have chocolate raspberry flavored coffee today, so it tastes much more fattening than it is.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
21 Jun 09
You are lucky the heat affects you like that...nothing and I mean nothing wreck my appetite. We go out to eat maybe once a month, sometimes because we want to and other times because it is family plans. I have lost around 30 pounds and am now very conscious of what i eat.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
22 Jun 09
you still can control the portions you are not powerless, they bring a big plate you eat the required amount and take a doggy bag and have the left over for lunch or give it to a family member. you don't have to give up your life because you want to eat better.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
22 Jun 09
ask them to bring you a bag immediately and separate how much you don't want to eat before you start, I have done that, I have explained that I was on a diet and they were fine with it.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
22 Jun 09
Yes, I know, but when you are talking and relaxing and enjoying yourself, it is difficult to lose track of how much you have eaten. We always brought home a part of our dinner and the dessert but if I was a betting person by the time I stopped and the plate looked like I even made a dent I had eaten 2 meals.
1 person likes this
@russso (1693)
• Philippines
26 Jul 09
I think if a person is on a diet, Fast Food should never be an option. Almost always, there isn't anything healthy at all in Fast Foods. If a person is on a diet and would really want to eat healthy, it would really be best to prepare your own meal - you're sure what's in there, you know it's fresh, and most of all you can control the portion size.Ü
@coolcat123 (4387)
• India
22 Jun 09
I would like to eat fast food rather than eating in a restaurant bcos I love fast food and never worry about being healthy but restaurant food also seems good but Its true that calories are also present in them so both have the calorie factor so why not to go to your favorite item.
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
22 Jun 09
Sorry to say I am a fast food junkie - I know it's the worst for me but then I have the worst eating habits in the world and figure better I eat junk and enjoy it rather than not eat at all or set and eat a gallon of ice cream and consider that dinner :(
22 Jun 09
Hi Debs_place, I don't eat out and my hubby don't like eating out so I have to cook from scratch and its all healthy food for us. Tamara
@mermaidivy (15395)
• United States
22 Jun 09
If I go out for meal, I would rather go eat at a restaurant than a regular fast food store, first is because I had experience before that, I had big stmoache after the fast food and it wasn't 1 or 2 times but more than that. And I like to eat out anyway like once in a while so I would rather do that.
• India
22 Jun 09
We never use to eat at the fastfood or roadside shops. Not only they are expensive , they are unhygienic. You can buy fresh vegetable and fruits and make some nice dishes at home and enjoy. Regards.
@ra1787 (501)
• Italy
22 Jun 09
I never eat at fast foods, actually i think that most of what is sold at the fast food is not food at all, if i eat out i usually go either to a real restaurant or if i have to make a quick lunch i bring some bread from home with either salad, eggs, potatoes or ham.