Twiga88's Journal, 12 Jan 20

So... I am writing this post to remind my current and future self of these new lessons learned...

Last night we went out to eat with my husband's daughters and their husbands/boyfriends. It was one daughter's birthday celebration. I was firm with myself that I would not go over my allotted calories for the day, having already eaten a purposefully small breakfast and lunch. So I went online and looked over the restaurant menu beforehand and wrote down 3 entree options that would fit into the rest of my calories for the day... a chicken dish, a fish dish and a beef dish. The entrees come with soup or salad plus a side.

Then, I looked at the calories on the salad vs soup options and realized that the minestrone soup was half the calories (120) of the lowest calorie salad option (240 for ceasar). Lesson learned? I usually always order salad with dressing on the side thinking that is lower calorie option. But I love soup, especially on a cold day. In this case, the soup was a better option. Lower calories. nice and hot, and it ended up being really tasty and satisfying.

Then, looked at the options for sides. The pasta and potato options? Not going to waste calories on those. The side of broccoli was 160 calories. What!?? You"re kidding! Probably cooked in oil and not streamed and not my favorite veggie anyway. Looked a little further and found grilled asparagus (yum) was available for an additional cost but only 60 calories. Being budget conscious, I see that even with the upcharge, it would still be part of a less expensive meal than many of the other entrees on the menu. There you go.

Then found the calorie count for the bread and flavored oils that serve before the meal. Not planning to eat the bread, but best to see the calorie count to support that decision.

Options identified and everything written on paper, paper in my pocket. Get to the restaurant. Menus come. Discretely take out my paper. Yup, everything matches the actual menu. Now, do I feel like chicken, fish or beef? Chicken it is. Normally I agonize over the menu trying to pick something that sounds healthy and what I feel like eating at the time, and I'm the last to order because of indecisiveness. Last night I was ready and confident. The chicken with the soup and the asparagus.

Bread comes, and I watch everyone enjoy as I drink water. Lots of water, which is my normal choice for dinner beverage anyway. Not having that warm, fresh out of the oven bread was really hard, but I stuck to my decision knowing my chicken, soup and asparagus filled my remaining calorie allotment for the day.

The food is then served. There are 2 large chicken breasts on my plate, which is more meat than I ever eat in one normal meal, so I ask the waitress to bring a take-away box right away and I put one chicken breast into it and close it up out of sight before I start to eat.

Husband hasn't started eating his meal but notices I ordered asparagus which is one of his favorites, and asks if he can have one. I tell him, no, that I selected items to fit my calories. Seems I hurt his feelings. He gets a silent eye roll from me when he turns to his daughter to ask if he can have a piece of her asparagus.

Then, I try something new. I cut up all the chicken and asparagus into smaller than usual pieces before I start eating, and spread it out a bit on the huge plate they served it on. Looks like more, right? Next... mindful eating. Each bite with a little chicken and a little asparagus, putting my fork down between bites more often than I usually do. And by the time I am done eating, I find I have actually enjoyed my small but surprisingly satisfying meal while watching everyone else devour the thousands of calories on their plates.

So I am done with my meal and I am not uncomfortably stuffed for a change Quick calculation. There is one chicken breast in my takeaway box. And some bread still on the table. Check my little piece of paper, and see the calories in a couple small slices of bread are less than the calories of the second chicken breast. Bonus! I can have a little bread also. Now I really don't feel cheated. Meanwhile, husband has nearly finished his meal and is now eating the leftovers from his daughters plates, like when they were little, under the guise of "What did you get... was it good... can I try it?"

Waitress comes with the dessert menu so the "birthday girl" daughter can choose her free dessert. A few other people get dessert, including my husband. He asks me if I want dessert (knowing full well I am trying to watch my calories, plus all the pre-meal menu research I did at home before we left so I would stay within my allotted calories). I remind him I am done with my calories for the day, and leave it at that. He announces to the table which dessert he is getting and tells everyone I am not having dessert because I have already lost 30 pounds and I am watching what I eat. So dessert arrives and I continue drinking my water. Husband offers me part of his two cannolis. He gets one of my exasperated looks for that one, and I tell him nicely again, that I used up my calories for the day. He ends up eating only one of his 2 cannoli and asks for a takeaway box for the other one. I've never seen him not try to force himself to finish his dessert after a big meal. Maybe he is learning lessons along the way, also.

New lessons learned for me:

1. Check out the menu options and calories online before arriving at the restaurant for quick, easy and confident ordering at the restaurant
2. Don't wait to the end of the meal to put the extra food in the box to take home. Out of sight and out of mind at the beginning of the meal.
3. Physically large-sized plates do not necessarily need to lead to large quantities of calories consumed
4. Soup not salad
5. Bread after dinner
6. Look for alternatives for the standard side dishes... they might be listed somewhere else on the menu.
6. Spend time watching the volumes of food others are eating, while secretly adding up in your head how many thousands of calories they are consuming without knowing it. There is a bit of self satisfaction in that whole "knowledge is power" thing.
7. It's ok to tell your husband no, that he can't eat off your plate, too. He will pout for a while, and will probably bring it up again in the future at some inappropriate time, but he will eventually get over it.

80.6 kg Lost so far: 14.6 kg.    Still to go: 8.1 kg.    Diet followed: Reasonably Well.

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1151 kcal

Fat: 41.79g | Prot: 38.95g | Carbs: 151.82g.   Breakfast: Dried Prune, Dr. Natura Unifiber (1 Tbs), Del Monte Mandarin Oranges No Sugar Added, Smoothie Cubes - Spinach Banana Flax, Blueberries, Bananas, Dole Crushed Pineapple in its Own Juice, Carrots, Apple Juice (Canned or Bottled), Protein Powder Whey Unflavored 1 Tbs. (Nutricost), Great Value Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt. Lunch: Hillshire Farm Polska Kielbasa (2 oz), Birds Eye Stir-fry Vegetables, Harry's Fresh Foods Butternut Squash Soup, Great Value Cod Fillet. Dinner: Great Value Raisins, Miss Vickie's Farmhouse White Cheddar Potato Chips. Snacks/Other: Jelly (All Flavors), Peanut Butter, Saltine Crackers, Snickers Snickers Bar (Miniatures). more...