What are the best "out n about" lunch options for fat loss diets?

[robertover50]

Yeah, I was serious, which is why I asked. While I have "access" to everything I simply asked what people order as I don't frequent EVERY restaurant on a regular basis. There is a Chili's here and haven't been in 10 years. If someone threw up a good suggestion from there maybe I'd go. Sorry for being inquisitive, Mr Serious guy. If you don't like the thread, don't post.

Very much the opposite, I really liked the thread. I thought after reading this that you didn't know what to do or what to eat and you were looking for help rather than getting opinions. Didn't mean to insult you, but I know some people don't have a clue how to order a healthy meal in a bad resturant.

[rkobo719]

Any major chain has their calories and macros posted up on the internet, if you have a smartphone just look it up and spend a couple minutes figuring out your macro goals. Thats all there is to it, you could lose weight eating out for every meal if you make the right choices.

I'm a big fan of tossing the buns from the dollar menu burgers, or the fajitas at applebees/chilis.

[Sickkunt]

Tendergrill at BK is 470 calories, 55 grams of protein, and 18 grams of fat

[Njustice4all]

Subway is always on standby, but I've found some decent options at Chik-Fil-A spots and most Seafood chains. Red Lobster surprised the hell out of me last time I ate there; the menu is very dieter-friendly.

Panera Bread is also a decent option... I'm fortunate to work in NY where the restaurants are required to post nutrition info on all menus. Otherwise, do what homie above does and hit the restaurant's websites for nutrition info.

[marketwiz]

Very much the opposite, I really liked the thread. I thought after reading this that you didn't know what to do or what to eat and you were looking for help rather than getting opinions. Didn't mean to insult you, but I know some people don't have a clue how to order a healthy meal in a bad resturant.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. No offense taken.

[marketwiz]

Any major chain has their calories and macros posted up on the internet, if you have a smartphone just look it up and spend a couple minutes figuring out your macro goals. Thats all there is to it, you could lose weight eating out for every meal if you make the right choices.

I'm a big fan of tossing the buns from the dollar menu burgers, or the fajitas at applebees/chilis.

Good point. In this day and age of smart phones, pretty easy. Doh!

[marketwiz]

Subway is always on standby, but I've found some decent options at Chik-Fil-A spots and most Seafood chains. Red Lobster surprised the hell out of me last time I ate there; the menu is very dieter-friendly.

Panera Bread is also a decent option... I'm fortunate to work in NY where the restaurants are required to post nutrition info on all menus. Otherwise, do what homie above does and hit the restaurant's websites for nutrition info.

Haven't been to a Red Lobster in a minute. What do you get there, for example? Panera bread examples? I have one near me but haven't ever been. When I hear the name I think of Ciabatta Bread and big carb loads like that. Am I off base with that assumption?

[sharpieblet]

any half decent grocery store or gas station will have jerky...jerky is gold. 240 cals, 39g protein. WINNING!

[Njustice4all]

Haven't been to a Red Lobster in a minute. What do you get there, for example? Panera bread examples? I have one near me but haven't ever been. When I hear the name I think of Ciabatta Bread and big carb loads like that. Am I off base with that assumption?

Red Lobster has grilled and steamed versions of most their foods... I had the grilled lobster tail and grilled Salmon last time I went.

Panera has plenty of sandwich options... They have things on Panini's and Whole Wheat bread too though. I usually end up skipping the bread and just eating the guts of the sandwich with extra veggies. The soups aren't too bad either, but just be careful with the sodium content on some of them. I tried their new Roasted Turkey and Artichoke sandwich last week... came on Focaccia bread but I ended up just tearing down the goods inside lol.

[misterdeejay]

why do you only list restaurants?

theres no bakeries or takeaway stores?

most bakeries sell salad rolls or takaway stores sell rotisserie chickens

[marketwiz]

Red Lobster has grilled and steamed versions of most their foods... I had the grilled lobster tail and grilled Salmon last time I went.

Panera has plenty of sandwich options... They have things on Panini's and Whole Wheat bread too though. I usually end up skipping the bread and just eating the guts of the sandwich with extra veggies. The soups aren't too bad either, but just be careful with the sodium content on some of them. I tried their new Roasted Turkey and Artichoke sandwich last week... came on Focaccia bread but I ended up just tearing down the goods inside lol.

Thanks for the info on both places. Noted. Using to my advantage. You've all been a great help!

[Rynosaur]

I work in an office too and I definitely understand the GTFO of work factor. I try to leave almost everyday. Use myfitnesspal smartphone app, or their website. Track your cals, and you can eat whatever the hell you want. I literally eat hardee's, jack in the box, burger king, subway, kfc all the time. I actually recommend KFC, grilled breast piece is cheap and like 45g protein and maybe around 300 cals. I've lost more weight tracking cals and eating "naughty" food in 2 months, than when I was eating "clean" and not tracking cals for 5 months. Counting calories makes it very simple. Main thing is getting meals with a good protein per calorie ratio so you feel full and get your protein in.

[jesuispizza]

iPhone users, if you want to find Fast Food macros for just about any fast food place their is (even has Timmy Ho's for my fellow Canucks too), check the App Store for Fast Food Calories. AWESOME APP! So helpful in finding stuff when I'm in need of something quick.

[PimpedHerOut]

I like to get a steak burrito or a chicken omlette. If I can't get anything decent like that I will sometimes get a double quarter pounder - at least its got a tonne of protein and wont totally wreck the daily deficit.

[bbrock293]

Eat some ice cream when your out? Ice cream per scoop is like what? 100-200 cals? that's nothing. Just watch your cals and make sure your 500 cals under your maintenance to lose weight.

Eat some ice cream when you are out? Are you serious? Also, you can't state a set number of calories under maintenance to eat, it would have to be a percentage like 10-20% or so. OP, you got a lot of good suggestions here but I would hope you would not go out for ice cream on a diet.

[Joey_junior1]

I'd go get a subway, or at worst get two hamburgers from mcdonalds (500 calories)

[jnwaco]

Subway is my personal favorite. 6" steak and cheese, lots of veggies, and no dressing. About 380 calories according Calorie King. Almost all restaurants have a chicken salad of some form or another. I like a chicken salad from Fuddruckers when my friends want to go there and ahve 1,500 calorie burgers and fries. Load it up with pico de gallo and you don't need salad dressing at all.

[kanis999]

Even restaurants with food that seems fattening can work quite well if you just reduce volume of food you eat. Take Chik Fil A for example. The 12 piece chicken nugget there is only like 300 calories. If you eat that and nothing else for lunch, you can have a big dinner.

Try going to Taco Bell and only getting 2 tacos. Or even the infamous McDonald's and only getting a cheeseburger and a medium fry. That meal is under 700 calories. Go to Moe's and get a Joey Jr with no chips. Or go to a Chinese restaurant and get a small portion of Lo Mein, meat, and vegetables. Wherever you go, don't get a soda. They're overpriced anyway.

As you can see, ANY restaurant can be within your calorie range as long as you drink water or diet soda, and control your portion size. I eat all kinds of junk food and get away with it bc of portion control. You can too!

[Aussieguy101]

Make your own food, bring it to work for lunch, get out of the office at lunch. Sit at the park/mall/whereever. Talk to girls

Simples

[BusterBob77]

Anywhere you can a salad with meat like a chicken Caesar. Just have the dressing on the side

[Jack101]

Not the best option and definitely not the healthiest but I would normally just eat a bag of crisp. Around 130 cals that would last me throughout the college day. Then eat loads when I get back home so I can actually workout my calorie intake. Also my college isn't in a town and the canteen doesn't show the cals, so yeah.

[mod4sale]

Eat some ice cream when you are out? Are you serious? Also, you can't state a set number of calories under maintenance to eat, it would have to be a percentage like 10-20% or so. OP, you got a lot of good suggestions here but I would hope you would not go out for ice cream on a diet.

What's wrong with eating ice cream under your maintenance? I guess i can't enjoy myself anymore.

[Snax56]

What's wrong with eating ice cream under your maintenance? I guess i can't enjoy myself anymore.

Nothing? Assuming you don't go to Coldstone and face a GottaHaveIt. Why the hate for ice cream brock? Slow churned Edys is especially diet friendly with good volume and it tastes like the real deal.

McDonalds actually isn't bad IMO. Two grilled BBQ snackwraps, a side salad and a large Diet Coke does the trick for me in a pinch (20F, 60C, 40P). You can even trim like half the fat from that if you ask for no cheese.

[bbrock293]

Nothing? Assuming you don't go to Coldstone and face a GottaHaveIt. Why the hate for ice cream brock? Slow churned Edys is especially diet friendly with good volume and it tastes like the real deal.

McDonalds actually isn't bad IMO. Two grilled BBQ snackwraps, a side salad and a large Diet Coke does the trick for me in a pinch (20F, 60C, 40P). You can even trim like half the fat from that if you ask for no cheese.

There is no problem with cce cream under maintance. Clearly, eating under maintance is a problem for the OP. Recommending he eat ice cream on his lunch break is very poor advice in this situation. I eat ice cream often!

I eat out at work every Friday to maintain sanity, I also work in an office environment for an insurance carrier. I usually go to Penn Station (small chicken sub, diet drink), or Chiptole (double chicken burrito -rice and beans).

[Singe03]

There is no problem with cce cream under maintance. Clearly, eating under maintance is a problem for the OP. Recommending he eat ice cream on his lunch break is very poor advice in this situation. I eat ice cream often!

I eat out at work every Friday to maintain sanity, I also work in an office environment for an insurance carrier. I usually go to Penn Station (small chicken sub, diet drink), or Chiptole (double chicken burrito -rice and beans).

We don't know that eating under maintenance is a problem for him or whether he is just in the learning curve about what he can and cannot do for fat loss. I had to learn to deal with my particular situations as far as meals, what was available and foods I like, what I can / cannot treat myself with if I want a treat, as did everyone else here. I only had issues staying under maintenance in the past, because I didn't understand what maintenance was or exactly how many calories I was taking in.

Once I learned, there were no more problems with calorie intake. I'm now learning to tweak to get enough protein, it's an issue for me and I want to ditch the shakes I supplement with.

Ice cream at lunch does not fit in my plan, double burritos do not either (though it sounds good and is likely excellent protein), but I'm smaller than you and my maintenance and cutting calories are significantly lower. Your exact diet will not work for me as a cutting diet, it would probably be good for me to bulk on though, which is coming up, but I doubt we like all the same foods. In a month or so, I'll be learning to clean bulk and again be in the learning curve.

I think that is why a lot of us on this forum focus more on the very basics of fat loss (calculate maintenance and macros, eat at a deficit, adequate protein, heavy lifting) when folks ask for fat loss advice rather than try to deal with the absolutes of their diet or workout plan. OP is going to have to make up his own diet plan, based on availability, his likes, his goals, all we can do is teach him how to make a better plan within those parameters.