What to do INSTEAD of eating out?

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8/27/12 11:19 A

Sounds awesome..along with the drinking coffee or tea with friends, you can try out some new teas and foods to have. My sister-in-laws are both from Asia, and I have incorporated a lot of the things they eat into my diet. There's this tea called bubble tea with "bubbles" of tapioca or some other kind of chewy texture at the bottom. It actually takes a little while to drink because you're also chewing on the bubbles. As for me, when there's food in front of me at a restaurant, like chips and salsa, I seem to continually pick at it, even when I'm not hungry. The act of chewing on the "bubbles" while drinking the tea is surprisingly satisfying. You can get it at most Tai cafes..there's more around than you think! Also, they seem to always have food with a lot of flavor. I'm a vegan, so it can be hard to get flavor from some regular foods without the meat or cheese, etc. My sister from China will go to the international market (CAM ususally), and pick up a jar of these concentrated cubes, that I will add about 2-3 to my sauteed veggies, and once they break up, they leave a really good flavor on usually dull foods. She uses it with meat, too. Just try out your options. Good luck! :)

Edited by: KATAYYY42 at: 8/27/2012 (11:22)

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8/27/12 11:18 A

To make mealtime easier you can make the meats up ahead of time and freeze them in family portions for a quick meal. Take one out of the freezer in morning before starting your day and it will be thawed by the time you get home, the rest is easy to whip up when you get home. I freeze homemade spaghetti meat sauce, homemade sloppy joe meat, homemade taco meat, etc. all made with lean ground turkey. Also keep chicken breasts and shrimp in the freezer for a quick go-to. Keep it fun and interesting - i.e. throw down a blanket on the living room floor and have a family picnic - or move it outdoors if weather permits. Good Luck! we have the same goal - its not easy!

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8/27/12 11:12 A

Make a special meal at home or find something creative to do.

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8/27/12 10:27 A

what a great idea - and what a great way to be a model. I try and go for walks or coffee with friends, and then just order coffee or tea, not fancy drinks! I have also converted some friends into work out buddies/yoga buddies.

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8/27/12 12:57 A

My family and I are trying a full month of not "eatting out" . We have tried to make healthy alts to meals we love like pasta dishes. It is fun cooking with my sons and shopping for healthier options together. They even are open to trying new foods with mom as I work towards my weight goal. They are loosing weight too! With life and work so hectic at times I make extra and prepackage left overs for meals during the week so I'm not tempted by drive throughs or just eatting out.

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8/26/12 11:32 P

If I eat out I research the restraunts menu 1st and decide how many calories my meal would have, however once a month I treat my self to a "worry free" meal. Lots of times rather than going to lunch friends of mine and I will go on scenic walks or go shopping.

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8/26/12 11:10 P

I focus on where I eat out and look at the menus online. Avoid traps like chips at Mexican Restaurants and bread baskets. A coupons makes it even better !

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8/26/12 3:19 P

I chose this topic because I sometimes successfully deal with this and sometimes not. (I have gone from 300 lbs down to 174 then due to a recent two week barge cruise gained 13 lbs which is like eating out. I have decided that I am going to make my next vacation a rugged hiking one. Enough of using vacations that have a food component to them that presents to me beautiful desserts, tons of great food and lots of wine.

If I want to get down to 150 lbs I don't have that much more to go and so I am going to admit to my hangup, stay away from it, and then gradually put myself through some behavior modification steps to be able to be in a situation where there have to be life saving caloric decisions made and I can emerge unscathed.

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8/26/12 10:30 A

This is such a difficult area because some much of life tends to revolve around food (look at holidays in the US). Recently I've started suggesting doing things like taking a walk or grabbing some tea/coffee instead of a dinner. When you do go to dinner just make smart choices like eating only a normal sized portion instead of the giant onces they give you.

Good luck to all!

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8/25/12 3:36 P

instead of eating out? how about eating at home?!?!
save $$, and much healthier too!

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8/25/12 3:31 P

All the recent nights out I've had with the girls have been 'pot luck' dinners - you all pick something to cook and bring along, and its cheaper and more relaxed than going out. You can also make something low calorie which helps you stay on top of the food side of things. However, I still have to go out with work, so I try to choose the lighter options, I eat much more slowly so I can feel when I've had enough food. I drink lots of water beforehand, and during the meal. When it comes to picking pudding, if I hesitate, then I know I don't need any more food and I'll have a peppermint tea as a treat instead.

All of the above said, I'm still struggling to sort out my weight loss, but I think I'm making progress :)

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8/25/12 1:24 P

Sometimes it can't be avoided. But if you can find out where you are going ahead of time you can make it work.

Most if not all restaurants have their menus and nutritional information online. Find something on there you like and can live with, and budget for it in your calories for the day. Pay attention to the sides! That's where a lot of calories seem to come from. I went to TGI Fridays last night and instead of the mashed potatoes I got a ginger-lime slaw that was delicious.

You are going to get creamed on your sodium for the day; there doesn't seem to be a way around that with a lot of restaurant food. But by going pre-armed with knowing what will fit into your calorie budget, and staying away from the appetizers and desserts (or just tasting your tablemates' appetizers and desserts) you can have an enjoyable evening without fretting when the menu comes.

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8/25/12 11:20 A

what do you do when some one else in your life wants to go out to eat all the time. My Boyfriend gets upset if he doesn't think i'm eating enough how do i explain to hime that i can't eat like i use to.

Edited by: JUMPINJULIE at: 8/25/2012 (11:21)

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8/24/12 2:59 P

If I am craving a restaurant favorite, I try to make a lighter healthier version of it at home. I can portion it to be smaller too.

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8/24/12 12:21 P

This is so hard for me. My boyfriend and I both work full time jobs and I go to school full time. I wish I took the time to make healthier choices instead of always eating out.

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8/24/12 10:52 A

Most of my friends are stuggling with cash flow and trying to get healthy so I fully support the advice of trying to get a walking or bowling gathering together. Sometimes people just need a small motivator or someone to suggest an idea they think about but are afraid to mention. The coffee plan works well too. Good luck!

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8/23/12 12:53 P

I love to cook with our grill! Every week I grill up some chicken in like 10 different way, and then I have! a different dinner for the family the rest of the week

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8/23/12 11:23 A

Take turns hosting your friends and cooking dinner together. Each person can be responsible for bringing or making a healthy dish, or alternate making the whole meal.

Have a weekly running/walking/biking/hiking/gym date. You can look for nearby trails, or even do a DVD in your living room.

Look on Pinterest for some cool DIY ideas to do together and have a crafting day.

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8/23/12 10:55 A

Hi,

This is a problem that I have with one of my friend groups. I have suggested several ideas, such as movies and free concerts but to no avail.

An area that adds to this is that some them have health problems and are having trouble walking. I will be looking forward to reading your ideas.

Thanks and keep on keeping on

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8/22/12 11:14 P

My sister and I used to meet at a restaurant to catch up, but not anymore. We eat leftovers at home and then meet at a park to jog, walk, and catch up. She is such an encouragement to me and I'm also very lucky to have an exercise buddy!

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8/22/12 11:11 P

My sister

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8/22/12 12:49 P

Awesome advice!

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8/22/12 12:48 P

Eat in and make your own healthy versions of the favorite foods you enjoy while eating out.

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8/22/12 12:41 P

For a meal: Pack a picnic. Make sure that you pack healthy things.

For social outings that don't revolve around eating:
- go to a pottery studio to make crafts
- something athletic -- a bike ride, hike, pedal boat ride, anything like that
- go to the local library and pick out books to read together. Many libraries also offer DVDs if you want to watch a movie at home
- take up a hobby together, something that will keep your hands busy so you don't feel like snacking

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8/22/12 12:01 P

Meet at the local park or tourist attraction with family and friends. Plan a nice walk in the evening talking and socializing. Another choice I have made when we meet up at resteraunts to be social, I walk around after the meal.

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8/21/12 9:54 P

Because of lack of control AND finances, if I eat out with friends once a month, that's a lot. Cooking at home--alone or with friends, can be fun; as can potlucks, insuring what's brought are healthy items (in my case, usually vegetarian). Especially in summers with all the farmers market veggies, it's too good not to prepare fabulous meals with all this great food!

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8/21/12 8:55 P

What about a picnic at a park that has some benches or tables. Maybe even followed by a woofle ball or volleyball game. It's a great way to spend time with a group of boys, girls, and even couples for some friendly competition. My friends and I had lots of these back in college! And, what about giving your dad a (short) list of ingredients to pick up on the way to your house and you could cook together while catching up?

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8/21/12 6:28 P

With everyone cutting back on what they don't need to spend, that includes eating out, we grill. Have everyone over...who cares what the house looks like...and just relax. I make lighter alternatives that I know I can have, fresh fruit salad, salads, etc. For the grill, we do chicken (there is a ton of ways to grill chicken on the grill) and perhaps big steaks for the guys. I enjoy the social part of eating out, but I know that there are not a lot of healthy options when you go out, and even those, I know they add extra oil or sodium. Ask yourself what you are missing by not eating out? you will figure out what works for you

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8/21/12 3:55 P

We (just hubs and me in the house) have a history of eating out a LOT; our weights, the card balances and my blood sugar show it. We figured out that a lot of our restaurant business was for romance plus we are real ethnic food nuts. Since I had to modify my diet (again) for my diabetes I'm learning how to make our faves (like Greek and Indian) at home. I'm allergic to wheat, so Italian uses brown rice pasta (Tinkyada works best) or the wicked-good polenta (cornmeal mush) hubs makes, all in limited amounts.
As for romance, sometimes we have wine w/ dinner out of our large collection folllowed by a dessert mostly of snuggles etc. etc. etc.; sometimes homey American-style food works best!!

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8/21/12 3:40 P

What we do each week is get a rough idea of what we're going to eat for the week, that way there is no "omg what are we going to eat?" deciding, then realizing "well to do that I need to run to the store" and then 3 hours later we're eating and grumpy. We don't have designated days, (spaghetti tuesday, sandwich thursday) but we'll have a sandwich night, a left overs night, and a few other staples that get swapped around. We also have one night a week to eat out, but a lot of the times we don't even do that.

Another thing we do is changing the venue, which, sounds dumb, but makes it a little fun. We'll eat in the living room, in the kitchen, or out on the deck!

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8/21/12 3:19 P

The biggest problem around our house is deciding what to cook. Once that is decided (and sometime is a really big problem when everyone is on the go or tired) it is fairly quick to get a meal to the table.

What we did as a family is made a list of every meal we could think of mostly of the regulars we like to eat. It is not a huge list - maybe 30-35 meals. We then try to keep the staples around to cook those meals.

Now the decision is not so tough and even if we are all tired, somebody grabs the list that is posted on the refridge and picks something. I have even closed my eyes and in the spirit of pin the tail on the donkey, picked dinner.

Once it is picked out, just grab the stuff and make it.

And it is true - once you start to cook at home and really get some meals you like, it is really hard to eat out, because the food you get at most restaurants is so inconsistant. Even if you get good service and a good meal one time, there is no gaurantee it will ever happen again.

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8/21/12 2:35 P

I do agree, cooking is far better for you then eating out. But it is also time consuming. So, I suggest everyone eats at home and meets for miniature golf, a walk through the park or just sit for a fruit smoothie, a card game or such. Two anniversaries I remember where DH and I decided that we will just spend the day finding lovely spots to sit out in the nature. One's developed as our very fav spot beneath very old chestnut trees with a view of the river... Very satisfying!

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8/21/12 12:30 P

If the weather is cooperative, suggest meeting for a picnic lunch/dinner at a park instead, and bring your own food.

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8/20/12 10:17 P

There are days when I can't avoid it. I eat a salad, or if I am out with my husband we split an entree to save calories.

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8/20/12 5:15 P

A halfway option between cooking and eating in a restaurant is getting something to go from a supermarket. You can make a small salad from the salad bar or get a half sandwich that will be cheaper without paying for the restaurant real estate, then meet at a park or a coffee shop that will allow outside food, or even just take it back to your place for a relaxing evening. I do this for work lunches as I work near Target, and bag of baby carrots with a container of hummus will last me for a few days and is better than any of the fast food around me.

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8/20/12 2:45 P

One of my favourite things to do is to look up recipes on SparkPeople, centering around recipes that ingredients that I all ready have (or maybe some items that I've been meaning to use up!).

If I don't happen to look up a recipe, I hone in on the type of food I would like to eat, then I pump myself about the kinds of delicious food that I can make at home.

When thinking about grabbing something to-go to eat, I always think about the negative impact on my wallet first and I think of all of things that that money can add up to (ex. I could buy some nice cheese for that price, and it would last me way longer than one meal).

I also try to concentrate on the heavy feeling that I usually get after eating deep-fried food, which usually comes along with my fast food choices.

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8/20/12 2:01 P

What to do INSTEAD of eating out? Get on the scale and look at it! In MY case, I gained almost all the weight by eating out. I never liked to cook and always had (what I believed to be) a very good reason to go out (sometimes for 2-3 meals a day). In addition to getting me out of the kitchen, it greatly reduced the trips to the supermarket. But boy did it increase my waistline, my trips to doctors, and the amount of money spent on clothes (having to constantly buy bigger sizes).

I'm paying the price now---and slowly but surely cutting out restaurant meals. I'd rather cook than continue gaining weight any day!

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8/20/12 12:10 P

We rarely eat out. I cook at home from scratch. That way, I know exactly what's in my food and can tweak it for the family's taste. We eat out if traveling or birthdays (except for my DH's birthday. He much prefers eating at home). I don't mind the cooking or the clean up. The hard part for me is planning. Once it's planned, the rest is a piece of cake (so to speak).

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8/20/12 11:11 A

I have a griddle (it cost about $25) they are available @ places like Target & Wall mart. Plus there is the old standby George Foreman & Wok. If you use non-stick spray instead of vegetable oil or butter you cut out a lot of calories & fat. Veggie steamers can be purchased from Ross or places like that. They are also online @ discount prices or you could just make yourself a Ghetto Steamer like I have. A small pot, a small metal bowl strainer & a slightly larger lid that fits a slightly larger pot but also sets nicely on top of the rim of the bowl strainer. Put some water in the pot. Put the veggies you want steamed in the strainer. Sit the strainer in the pot, turn on the stove top & put the lid on top of the strainer rim. In 10 or so minutes you have perfectly steamed vegetables... Meanwhile you can grill some fish (many times I get the frozen fish that comes in vacuum sealed pouches. That way I can just weight the whole pouch & then cut off the plastic & drop the fish on the griddle spray it w the non-stick spray & dust it with some good spices & I have a healthy dinner in 15 minutes or so. I also boil a couple cups of rice a week so I can have them as a side. If you use the non-stick spray on the rice & veggies it tastes like butter w/out all of the calories. If you don't like fish, shrimp or other aquatic foods like I do there are white meat chicken breasts & lean beef & steaks. It will get to the point wherein you end up liking your own cooking better than a restaurants because you will get to know the little nuances of taste that are your favorites and a restaurant just cannot repeat that for you because it has to feed everyone the same foods, cooked the same way.

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8/20/12 10:28 A

i cook most meals at home and really enjoy it

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8/20/12 5:41 A

I try to eat at home most of the time or I'll take something with me. If I do need to buy something to eat when I'm out then it's usually a 6" subway, lots of salad and no dressing or a Mcdonalds wrap without the sauce and mayo, with a side salad instead of fries plus bottled water(preferably) or a diet soda. Mainly because the sauces have so much sugar that they give me "dumping syndrome" after my gastric bypass and the mayo has too much fat as I don't absorb that either. Stomach cramps and trying to find a loo in a hurry when you're out is no fun!

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8/20/12 1:52 A

Crockpot!!!! It is my life saver! Yummy, healthy, satisfying recipes can be thrown in one pot and cook all day, ready to eat when I walk in the door!

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8/19/12 10:01 P

Allow me to join you in curmudgeon-land. My six-year-old granddaughter commented on a supper I made, "Grandma, you're the best cook in the world. Will you teach Mom to make this?" Only, it was boiled new potatoes, steamed green beans, and broiled lean ground beef - not exactly rocket science! Fast, simple, delicious, and healthy. Learning to cook should be a requirement to graduate from the public school system. Then people would have an alternative to over-priced restaurant meals.

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8/19/12 6:53 P

I try to cook and eat at home as much as possible but sometimes you have no choice. I have alternatives that I can always fall back on in such a situation. Now, I am not talking 5 star dining, I am talking about an alternative to burgers and fries through a drive thru. I absolutely love Subway! Lots of veggies to pile on the sandwich and whole wheat bread. Pretty healthy for fast food. Another favorite is Taco Bell tacos....remember Fresco style. They leave off the cheese and add salsa. At first I thought I would miss the cheese but they are even better than the original. Also, Applebee's has some really good choices for healthy eating. My husband especially loves that he can get a steak dinner there that is delicious and low fat!! I never feel like I am put on the spot with no good choices. Hope this is helpful. Sandy

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8/19/12 5:21 P

I have been grocery shopping. Also, I've been trying to eat what I currently have in my pantry. I've wasted lots of money in the past by not getting to my groceries. It's wasteful and not money-savvy!

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8/19/12 11:26 A

Grocery shop weekly & keep staples on hand for quick & easy meals. Cook extra ahead of time--on the weekends when time is easier. Then freeze or store the extra portions for mid-week meals when you're tired.

As for "fun activities" with friends--have them over for an evening of board games. Or watch movies. Go bowling. Hit a local park & have a picnic & play frisbee or tag. Get creative--get active...and don't base "fun" around food! There's tons of things to do--just find them!

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8/19/12 10:27 A

My biggest problem with eating out at restaurants so much is being exhausted at the end of the work day and either [A] not wanting to go to the grocery store to pick up something to cook, or [B] getting home and losing motivation to spend precious free time in the kitchen. One way I helped solve the problem is spending a chunk of Sunday cooking food that will keep or freeze for the week. Even if it gets to Wednesday or Thursday and I run out of options, at least for the first part of the week I've stayed in and eaten healthy meals.

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8/19/12 5:13 A

We had this same problem yesterday - our family was meeting up with another family for the day and neither of us wanted to spend much, nor did we want to go out for food and end up eating and feeding our kids junk. So in the end we met at the supermarket and got the kids to help us choose out what things we needed to make our tea. Then we just went back to theirs, let the kids play and watch a DVD and us adults got to catch up. It was really good fun.

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8/18/12 1:16 P

I agree with this. I really don't enjoy cooking.The times I am tempted to eat something I shouldn't is when there is nothing handy and prepared. I always have chicken or turkey that I can throw in a wrap with veggies and low fat cheese and make a meal of it. When I do cook a meal I usually cook double and save the rest for another meal that I don't have to think about. I don't mind repeating my favorite meals .

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8/18/12 10:40 A

I make weekly menus so I know what will be made for dinner each day. I usually want to eat out if I don't know what to make. This helps with my weight loss and my budget.

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8/18/12 9:22 A

I try to go the the restaurant's web site in advance or have a menu I can refer to before hand. That way I can find something with good nutritional value and plan in advance. Kind of like you do when you plan your menu at home. If your menu selection is higher in calories, etc. than you desire, have the waitress/waiter put half in a to-go box up front. That way you won't be tempted to keep eating what's on your plate once you have reached your goal for the meal. Eating out, as with everything else, can be a pleasant experience with pre-planning.

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8/18/12 2:29 A

One meal will not kill us. I am eating bread only for weekend breakfast, just don't want become possessed and dream about anything.

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8/17/12 9:48 P

PSS4
on the dinner party thing for people who don't cook, try having them bring something like corn on the cob, or desert, usually when i do it my friends offer to bring drinks ( water or soda) and a side dish which really helps with the cost. I also stock up in advance on what i want to cook, like when i wanted to make shrimp scampi, i bought the shrimp a month in advance frozen on sale and kept it , so things like that help a lot ,hope this helps and then i used a healthy version with no cream and less butter which really cut the price down and everyone loved it. so did my wallet
kim

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8/17/12 9:25 P

Good idea to have the appetizer for the entree. Will try that next time.

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8/17/12 8:08 P

Order an appetizer for an entre and a salad.

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8/17/12 3:57 P

I actually like one of the suggestions of stopping by the grocery store on the way home. With a lot of the stores around me, their prepared foods sections are good enough for restaurants and the variety is sometimes exactly what I need to not completely go overboard with "diet." Often I'll take a walk around and then I'll pull out my phone for research on the items that looked really good. Taking all that into combination, I can make a healthier choice and hopefully not break the bank at the same time though I'll take 1 out of 2.

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8/17/12 3:38 P

I just eat out in moderation!

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8/17/12 11:20 A

I look @ clothes that I cannot fit into (usually in catalogs & online shopping stores). All the models are so attractive. I pick out dresses & clothes that I think would look nice on me (if I were @ my ideal weight). I cannot even wear my jewelry anymore because my fingers are swollen from the weight gain (coupled with the summer heat) & my necklaces appear so much shorter on me because I am so much heavier than I was when I bought them. So looking @ things that would compliment my (ideal weight) figure helps me to visualize my goals.

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8/17/12 10:51 A

Great topic! Thanks for posting it and all the suggestions. I have similar issues- usually with drinking or meeting at bars-- paired with an inability to host things as my living situation is not conducive to that.

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8/16/12 10:35 P

I invite my friends and family over and tell them what to prepared os we can have good company and eat healthy

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8/16/12 10:19 P

I invite people over and have a baked potato buffet. Its easy & relatively cheap. Plus if you pair it with a side salad you can mix it up. I usually bake quite a bit of smaller russets & then put out all the toppings (even unhealthy ones). That way you can decide what you want to put on either thing (potato or salad). Then its usually a game night in with friends or a walk around the block, pending weather. Sometimes a walk down town to check out the little shops I never have time to go in.

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8/16/12 10:07 P

I know the feeling about trying to avoid restaurants. It's a very big social thing to do in one of the fattest cities in America - Houston - and we have the most restaurants so there's plenty of temptation to test that willpower.

I never ate out much as a kid, but in a past relationship we started going out to eat and then ate out every day almost and sometimes twice a day. I gained 30 pounds over 4 years! I'm single again and 'let's go eat' is what everyone wants to do or says...I even catch myself saying or thinking it since it's 'easier', but now I MAKE myself go home and find something better to eat OR I go to the grocery store at lunch or on the way home from and plan dinner so we aren't tempted to go out to eat after work. I live with my BFF of 23 years.

It's VERY difficult to change this bad habit, but I'm getting better at it. Practice makes perfect!

When I see friends and family we used to go eat first, but now I eat something small and healthy instead and then meet everyone after they eat out. I miss out on some fun, but the calories and guilt of losing my will power isn't worth it.

Maybe ask your Dad to pick up some ingredients for homemade pizza or something better for you and easy to cook at he last minute. Or grill up some chicken and veggies. You can find anything healthier and cheaper at the grocery store than anything you'd order at a restaurant.

Edited by: MAZZY0774 at: 8/16/2012 (22:08)

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8/16/12 4:25 P

My husband wants to eat out all the time and I do not. That is a big problem.

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8/16/12 3:35 P

we rarely eat out,twice a year maybe

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8/16/12 3:29 P

So many great ideas for affordable non-restaurant social options here! I'll be trying some myself. One that I would add is to keep an eye on sites like Groupon and Living Social for your city. You might find some great deals for fun things to do together that you might not have even thought of otherwise.

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8/16/12 2:37 P

Im totally paranoid about eating out, where I had very high BP once upon a time and if i ate out and the food had too much sodium my body would freak, the BP headaches were the worse so I prefer to cook my thing is that all my kids have flown the coop so I find it very challenging to cook smaller portions, and some things I just can't like spaghetti sauce, or quiche, pies ect which I love. But I dont want to eating for a month lol, and I truly love to cook so I experiment with flavors, spices combinations!
exclude the word {DIET} from vocabulary, I know I love food but that word to me means can't have so just change your prospective about FOOD, for example good gas makes yur car or truck work better, when get some bad gasoline yur car or truck doesnt run correctly it sputters, stals, doesn't get good mileage, same thing with what you put in your body!!!

Edited by: STAYIN32DD at: 8/16/2012 (14:40)

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8/16/12 1:51 P

I guess if making a salad seems too hard, you're in a tough spot for a dieter. But you can buy chopped vegetables and bagged salad to make it easier. To me, a grilled chicken breast and a salad is about as easy as it gets, especially since my husband becomes a caveman around fire and meat and takes over on the grill.

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8/16/12 12:41 P

Yes, Callmecarrie, that would feel like a special weekend dinner. Plus my husband could do the grilling. I think I would throw in a quinoa dish to feel a little more gourmet.

In July I maintained my weight on vacation in the US and Canada while making many drive thru stops. I bought protien powder with me and added it to McDonalds Breakfast Oatmeal or the Hotel oatmeal, for lunch I had McDonalds Grilled Chicken Salads using half the dressing.

Edited by: STEVIA2 at: 8/16/2012 (12:51)

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8/16/12 12:31 P

Actually a salad is one of the most time consuming parts of a meal to make. All that washing, drying, and chopping.

I hate just eating out because I do not feel like cooking. That is absolutely the wrong reason and I always overeat. Plus they always salt the food too much and use too much fat. I eat out way too much.

One solution is to have salad items made ahead of time. They do not keep long, but if they are all ready, then you cannot eat out, because they will spoil!! ha ha

And barbequeing is a big mess for me. Way too hard.

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8/16/12 11:00 A

If you have access to a barbecue grill, throw a few chicken breasts on the grill and have them with a salad and a glass of wine. Very versatile, easy to season, and grilling is kind of a festive thing.

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8/15/12 11:28 P

TRYING TO LIMIT CHOICE TO 1 EGG MCMUFFIN SANDWICH

OR 1 SMALL HAMBURGER-NO CHEESE-NO MAYO-SMALL SALAD ON SIDE-NO DRESSING-WATER

AS I SAW ON TV TODAY, THE FOOD SYSTEM IS PREDATORY - I GUESS ON PEOPLE WITH PREDISPOSITION TO OBESITY...

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8/15/12 10:27 P

I haven't been able to master eating healthy when I eat out. I did do pretty well one day for lunch when I was out shopping but I have had other days when I ate way too much! I have been trying to avoid eating out for now.

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8/15/12 10:24 P

I really try to meal plan, make grocery lists and stick to them. We have our days, thats for sure and I LOVE me some restaurant foods. But I find knowing there is something ready for me to make, makes not running to the drive-thru all the more easier.

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8/15/12 7:58 P

I am lucky enough to have a husband that is Greek and does all the cooking. The best cook of everything and lots of veggies in our diet as well as lean cuts of meat. He always cooks using olive oil so now we just have to watch how much we are using while cooking. I found out that picking the right choices when eating out is easy enough since most restaurants now have the calories listed and I skip the fries and eat only part of a bun if I have a sandwich. I sometimes have to steal a couple fried from my family but at least I don't have an entire serving of them in front of me tempting me.

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8/15/12 3:21 P

I don't eat out very often. Most of my meals I prepare myself. I enjoy having friends over and going for walks with them. This is where I get to socialize.

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8/15/12 2:50 P

I get way more talking in w/my friends when walking. There's something therapeutic about it. But we also like doing coffee. Love the ambiance @ Starbucks, and whenever someone asks me what I want for my birthday, I tell them I want a Starbucks gift card. :)

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8/15/12 11:10 A

Hmmm... That is a hard one... Do you have access to a BBQ site or a Picnic site? Maybe invite your friends/ family out to a potluck BBQ / Picnic. It can be done on the cheap, and at least it gets you out of your home.

Have it planned out so that everyone brings something different. EG: For a picnic with 7-8 people... Someone brings paper plates and plastic cutlery, another person can bring napkins and paper cups, someone else maybe brings some butter / margarine and bread, another could bring some lunch meat and pickles, another could bring some cheese and tomatoes, another might bring a desert, someone else could bring beverages, another can bring some snack item like cut vegetables and dip...

Or for a BBQ... for 8 people... Someone could bring paper plates and napkins, someone bring plastic cups and cutlery, someone brings hotdogs, someone else could bring hotdog buns, another could bring condiments like relish ketchup and mustard, another could bring the beverages, someone could bring a salad, another could bring some marshmallows to roast... etc...

Just adjust the items brought by people in accordance to the number going to the get-together...

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8/15/12 10:00 A

I do best when I cook 3 meals a day so I just make it a priority. I keep it simple unless I'm in the mood to really go crazy in the kitchen.

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8/15/12 9:55 A

This thread has really given me a lot of food for thought. I am in a similar situation as the OP. I live on campus and as busy graduate students our socializing of course involves multi-tasking. You have to eat anyway, so why not make it a social activity too. My friends and I are also big foodie-types, so dinners out usually turn into multi-course affairs.

So here's where my thinking on this has led me to:

1) I cook at home (I still can make foodie-worthy meals. Homemade chicken mole, short-ribs, swordfish, etc) and I ask my friend to meet me in the dining hall. The dining hall allows me to bring in my prepacked lunch or dinner and there is a microwave right there if anything needs reheating. They can do the same or get food from the cafeteria, which they normally do anyway.

2) I LOVE hosting dinner parties. These can get somewhat expensive too depending on the size of the group, so I am still working out how I am going to make this work economically. Usually, I have everyone bring a bottle of wine (which means that I basically never buy bottles on my own) or bring side dishes such as rice, guac, bread, etc. I'd like to make this a weekly institution with my friends. Would love ideas on how to make this more economical ...especially since most of my corporate-type friends do not know how to cook and basically never step foot in a grocery store, haha.


P.S. Bowling is not that cheap in major cities. They are basically nightclubs with bottle service and all that just happen to have lanes. It's pretty hilarious actually.

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8/14/12 11:07 P

I've started going on long walks or mini hikes with friends and I schedule for mid-day so I've already eaten beforehand. Good luck!

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8/14/12 8:48 P

We live up in the mountains, no restaurants at all, so when we go to an actual city, we just have a good dessert, and don't waste time and calories with a meal that essentially we can prepare at home. The dessert is what's different, we don't have dessert at home, ever.

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8/14/12 6:25 P

Awesome ideas.

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8/14/12 5:43 P

Maybe meet up at a coffee shop instead? You can get a healthier drink and it would be cheaper and fewer calories than eating out, but you still have that sitting-at-a-booth kind of feeling.

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8/14/12 4:42 P

A lot of people have mentioned potlucks, but why not take it up a notch? Maybe have healthy food contests. It's summer, so lots of cities have thriving farmers' markets. Perhaps you could all start there, and the rules are that you can only use products purchased at the farmers' market for your dish. Perhaps have a small trinket as a prize for the best dish, as voted by your friends. This way, you'll enjoy awesome, healthy meals without breaking the bank. Plus you'll have a blast with your friends or family.

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8/14/12 4:19 P

I just want you to know how much I agree with you. It is one of the reasons I am overweight today.Thanks for putting that out there.

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8/14/12 11:54 A

watch chef ramseys kitchen nightmares lol

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8/14/12 11:17 A

I try to look for things that I can do outside of the house that other people can enjoy. Like where I live, there is a brewery that you can tour for free, and they give out free samples. I also like to go to museums, but sometimes they can be a tad pricey. One thing that never fails for me is board game night. You get a game like mansions of madness, apples to apples, or any social game, set the mood with some music, some snacks, and you can have a great night in without spending a lot of money or calories.

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8/14/12 10:22 A

Great ideas everyone--here's a couple of my own....

1. Is there a TV show you all like? DVR several episodes and then have a show marathan with light snacks or a potluck as others have mentioned. A friend and I both loved "Brothers & Sisters" but neither of us seemed to watch it live and continually got behind, so we just started actually not trying to watch live and when we'd get 3-4 episodes we'd get together, have snacks or make dinner and enjoy catching up on the show and with each other. It became a habit and since the show got cancelled, we've been looking for a new show to do this with.

2. Can you meet for Happy Hour instead of dinner? That way not everyone eats an appetizer or the items can be lighter, so if you feel uncomfortable being the only one not eating or eating something small, you won't be alone. Also, drink specials and appetizers cost less so you'll save money. Then if needed, you can have a light dinner at home after......

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8/14/12 7:09 A

Have a project to engross myself in !

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8/14/12 12:12 A

My husband and I have work out dates @ the gym.

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