We understand the thought of accurately tracking your calories and/ or macros while dining out can be a source of stress and anxiety for many. It’s difficult to know the precise serving sizes, because you weren’t the one weighing or measuring the ingredients. Not only that, restaurants tend to add things like oil, butter, cream, salt and sugar to boost flavor and keep you coming back for more. Meanwhile, those calories aren’t always accounted for.
This is why, for optimal results, we suggest limiting the number of times you dine out. However, we understand that isn’t always realistic, nor do we expect that you’ll never eat out again, LOL! So, we want to share our best tips, tools and tricks to help you stay on track without getting overwhelmed.
PLAN AHEAD
As always, planning ahead and pre-logging is going to be your recipe to success!
Start by searching for the restaurant by name in the Copper State FIT database. To do this, type “by” and then the name of the restaurant.
There are over 2,100 restaurants and fast food chains in our database. If you find the restaurant, then type the meal or the ingredient after the restaurant name
- Example: “by Chipotle steak”
If the restaurant you’re looking for is NOT in the Copper State FIT database, you can try searching for it online to see if they have nutrition information available.
If you ARE able to find the information online, you can create a “Custom Food” in your food diary and add that item.
- 💡 Building several “Custom Foods” from your favorite restaurants will make dining out much easier since you will be able to use them again and again
If you are NOT able to find nutrition information online, it’s better to do your best and estimate than not to track at all!
One option is to choose a dish from the menu and manually enter each ingredient, one-by-one, making an estimate of the serving and portion sizes to the best of your knowledge.
Another option is to search the CSF Meal Tracker database, to search for a similar item, and use as a “stand in”, for what you plan to order. Just remember, it’s better to be consistent and do your best to add something instead of nothing!
TRACK IT FIRST
When pre-planning your day, begin by tracking your restaurant meal first, then build the rest of your day around it. This is important because meals at restaurants often contain high amounts of oil, resulting in a lot of calories from fat.
- 💡 When tracking your restaurant meal, adding 1 serving of oil, like olive oil or butter, to your food diary is a great way to account for the hidden calories added from the oils used in cooking
Don’t go out to eat when hungry! Be sure to fill up on lean meats, fruits, and vegetables in your other meals throughout the day, so you can balance out higher calories from your restaurant meal while still being able to meet your daily nutrition targets. And, if you plan to have drinks, be sure to read our post on How to Track Alcohol
In summary, tracking your meals while dining out can seem daunting, but it’s a crucial step towards reaching your health and fitness goals. By planning ahead and pre-logging your meals, you can avoid the added stress and anxiety, and make informed choices. Don’t forget to enjoy your dining out experience; be proud of yourself for building better habits, and taking control of your health and fitness goals!
For some additional tips, see the following articles: