Hi,

I do a lot of dining out for lunch and dinner on business.  The booklet with calorie and fat information doesn't have alot of pertinent values.  Does anyone have a good website or other source of information to get that kind of information.  

Additionally, it doesn't even have good information for the "better" foods,e .g., grilled fresh tuna steaks.  And they aren't very clear on the weighing or portions of items.  They are really nebulous.

HELP!

Thanks.... and good luck to anyone who reads this.  It's a slow journey.  

I have the exact issue. My job requires a lot of dining out with business associates, which was a contributor as to why I need Alli in the first place. I'm really struggling with this aspect. Even though I successfully avoid bread and dessert, navigating the entree portion of the menu at a restaurant known for its fabulous and avant garde menu can be really, really tricky.

 Worse, I don't want to call attention to myself and my struggle to find something appropriate to eat, I don't want my associates to feel guilty for their food splurges nor do I want to have the conversation swing to my diet.

 If anyone has come up with a plan for this diet conundrum, please let us know!

calorieking.com has nutritional values for some of the national chains. And you can of course look up other foods there and add them to your nutrition log. Other than that, it takes us all time to get good at estimating portion sizes.

But I think one of the most powerful ways to deal with a nicer restaurant is to plan in advance exactly what I am going to order. A lot of restaurants post their menus online, so that is getting easier.

Most likely you will be more concious about what you are eating than they will be about what you are eating.  I'd recommend getting a salad and ask for the dressing on the side if your not sure of the calorie content at these restaurants.  If you have people that comment about your "diet" just say that you are trying to be healthier.  I don't think you need to worry about making someone else guilty - if they decide to eat healthier because you are, then good for them! 

I also find http://www.thedailyplate.com/ helpful.  Just type in the name of the restaurant and menu item will show up.

If it's not a chain, it will be harder.  I'll order fish - salmon is my favorite.  Sometimes you have to watch the sauces or glazes, but I'll order it without them.  Veggies and sometimes rice.

Tammy

Thanks, that's all great advice. My issue with restaurants is that we're talking super fancy schmancy, non-chain type restaurants with celebrity chefs who tend to go nuts with the ingredients. So you're never entirely sure what you're eating. I'm vegetarian so often that means pasta at these restaurants. I had a business dinner and a lunch in the past 6 days and managed with a salad and veggie appetizer. One of my main concerns in this regard is treatment effects. You can order what you think is "okay" and watch how much you eat, but if you don't know exactly what's involved with the preparation you could be getting more fat grams than you realize and that could trigger treatment effects. But, I've yet to have anything resembling a treatment effect so I think I've managed to keep the fat grams low even when dining out.

 As for associates, well, the last thing I want to do is make a client feel ashamed or guilty about what they're eating. I'm their hostess, I'm treating them to a meal, they should enjoy whatever they want without being made to feel like they're eating too much or the wrong thing. Which is why the topic of fancy dining out for business is an issue for those of us who have to do it regularly. Keeping the balance between healthy dining and gracious hosting can be a little tricky when there are only a few of you at the table at a top-notch restaurant. I just kept the conversation on business and on the clients (which I do anyway) but the inevitible "is that all you're having" questions arose. Avoiding desserts is one thing, eating a tomato and a piece of spinach while everyone else is eating a full meal is another entirely.

I have a business meeting at least once a week.  I make the very best choices possible (grilled chicken or shrimp often) and then I do not take my pill.  It is very possible that I am under on fat grams as it is for that meal, but I cannot be sure.  So make the healthiest choice, skip the pill, then start back up the very next meal.  It works for me