Going out to eat is one of my FAVORITE things to do. There’s just something about eating a meal that you usually can’t prepare on your own and not having to think about cooking after a long work week.
Here are some tips for being mindful or going out to eat when using a macro approach:
1. Look at menu ahead of time, decide on your meal PRIOR to going
2. Eat lighter during the rest of the day – Eat mostly meat & veggies so there are carbs/fat for the restaurant
– BUT try to eat a satiating snack prior to going out to eat to avoid blood sugar crashes/lack of control
4. Avoid generic entries like “cheeseburger” and individually log the bun, meat, cheese, etc
5. Pick simple dishes that contain protein, fat, carb
– Ask server oz of meat/fish, if it’s not listed on the menu
7. Ask food to be grilled/steamed & for sauces on the side
8. Eyeball portions. 1 cup = about a handful
9. Always aim for the highest caloric entry in MFP to troubleshoot. Guesstimate how much something is and then just roll with it.
Dinner out example for Zinburger:
1. Build your own burger!
– Track each individual item
– Adjust items based on your macro needs
2. Breakfast Burger: Fried Egg, Applewood Smoked Bacon, American Cheese, Avocado, Lettuce & Mayo ~960 Calories
– 6.5 oz burger: 0 C, 17.9 F, 35.8 P
– Brioche Bun: 51 C, 5.9 F, 12 P
– Avocado (half = ~60g): 6 C, 9 F, 0 P
– Egg: 1 C, 5 F, 6 P
– Applewood smoked bacon (2 slices): 0 C, 14 F, 12 P
– Ditch the mayo and cheese to avoid some fat!
At the end of the day this all depends on your goals.
If you are training for a competition or have certain aesthetic goals then try to avoid going out to eat where possible, but if you’re just tracking for health then enjoy a restaurant meal here and there and don’t stress or feel guilty about it!
