Restaurant that are BB friendly?

[surfgod777]

Does anyone have any restaurants in their area that are BB friendly or offer clean food without all the additives? For example, I can get chicken breast almost anywhere, but they usually marinate it in a ton of salt and other ingredients.

I have heard of a few in certain areas (like the Firehouse in SoCal), but I am looking for ideas of some bigger chains that might be nationwide.

[TaxG8r00]

This is a double edged sword. You really don't know what they do in the kitchen if you are not cooking it, that being said. I go to Outback Steakhouse quite often and get grilled chicken or fish with a DRY sweet potato and that should be pretty much the same as I cook at home. I can tell for sure whether or not the potato is dry pretty easy, the fish or chicken might be a little toughter though as they might wipe it down with oil or butter. A nutritionist on Dateline the other night in reviewing restaurant menus said that basically you should eat what you want when you eat out (unless you are eating out a ton) because you really never know the exact ingredients unless you cook it yourself.

[GSP]

My suggestion would be just to eat foods that are grilled/broiled, whole, and not covered in any sauces.

It's really tough to control things like added salt, but if you can limit the extra stuff you get to sodium, it really isn't that big of a deal.

I mean, if you get a grilled chicken breast and steamed vegetables, there's not much that can be added that's bad for you that can't be seen.

[matiki]

Originally Posted by GSP

My suggestion would be just to eat foods that are grilled/broiled, whole, and not covered in any sauces.

It's really tough to control things like added salt, but if you can limit the extra stuff you get to sodium, it really isn't that big of a deal.

I mean, if you get a grilled chicken breast and steamed vegetables, there's not much that can be added that's bad for you that can't be seen.

I agree. Almost any sit-down restaurant where you can get it cooked to order should be good. Almost any fast food place puts seasonings, salt and sugar and such in everything, even if it's "plain".

[surfgod777]

Thanks guys for all your responses.

I am going to try this tonight when I go out to eat (my gf requires me to go out with her every monday for "date night"). I hate being a pain at resturants when ordering, but I will try to tell them to make sure that my meat is plain and veggies are non-seasoned.

Are there any favorites places that you guys go to that let you do this?

[matiki]

Originally Posted by surfgod777

Thanks guys for all your responses.

I am going to try this tonight when I go out to eat (my gf requires me to go out with her every monday for "date night"). I hate being a pain at resturants when ordering, but I will try to tell them to make sure that my meat is plain and veggies are non-seasoned.

Are there any favorites places that you guys go to that let you do this?

Outback steakhouse is a pretty good one (as mentioned), Black Angus is O.K., in the seattle area I visit Acapulco Fresh a lot (healthy mexican - chicken and pork are unmarinated or lightly marinated), I think Acapulco Fresh is similar to Baja Fresh which is a chain I think... Just don't order anything in a sauce.

[White53]

These are the places that i go for descent foods.

Chili's- they have a "guiltless foods" part of the menu. Their chicken tastes good and it tastes like they havent marinated it in anything

Longhorn's- They have good chicken and steak and the only place around here that I know of that gives you the opption of sweet potato

Panera-( Kinda like Atlanta Bread Company) They have plenty of healthy sandwhichs

O'Charley's- they have good steak and chicken

On my lunch breaks at school I generally go to one of those places and if I dont and go to another resteraunt I always get a form of chicken or Top Sirloin steak with a plain bake potato and/or fresh vegies.

[grapemaster]

buffalo wild wings has about 5-6 grilled chicken menu items that are easily added into your day, and tasty.

[arose70]

I work at Red Lobster and we will do anything for you---we joke that its like burger king-"have it your way" . That is if you can stay away from the cheesy biscuits!

Really though, they'll do anything-there's a "lighthouse" menu too that lists the cals/carbs. The jumbo grilled shrimp is to die for and very low cal!

[Wolfga]

I go to Applebees every now and then - they have a Weight Watchers menu that has some decent stuff on it.

[KrushR]

I agree with Outback. I get what I call the "healthy chicken bowl". It has a large grilled chicken breast, grilled with some spices, but very little oil. It comes with grilled veggies and grilled pineapple. Granted, it comes on a bed of rice, but you can eat your way around that.

Red Lobster fries everything on the planet, but they have really nice salmon sometimes. Just get it grilled or blackened.

Most stuff you can just ask for grilled, and they'll hook it up if you ask nicely. You can also just get a grilled chicken caesar salad and get the dressing on the side. usually that chicken is fairly plain, but it may not be the best cuts out there.

[matiki]

Originally Posted by Wolfga

I go to Applebees every now and then - they have a Weight Watchers menu that has some decent stuff on it.

I've ordered off the weightwatchers menu too... it really isn't that bad at all. Good call, I completely forgot.

[B_Master_Flash]

I always go with the Baccon ultimate at jack in the box, with curly fries and lots of ranch. Then again I'm despirately trying to gain weight.

[surfgod777]

Originally Posted by arose70

I work at Red Lobster and we will do anything for you---we joke that its like burger king-"have it your way" . That is if you can stay away from the cheesy biscuits!

Really though, they'll do anything-there's a "lighthouse" menu too that lists the cals/carbs. The jumbo grilled shrimp is to die for and very low cal!

Thanx for the info. I never knew that. My gf always wants to go there and I say no.

Darn those cheese biscuits!!! They are sooo good!!!

[Eggwhites]

Try those tips:

-Baja Fresh? I know it's pretty fast-food-ish but try the bare burritoes with chicken, chicken fajita, or chicken salads.

-Sushi!

-Look for the words "broiled" and "grilled"

-You usually can't go wrong with fish.

-Steak houses can be great if they offer top sirloin and/or top round.

[bdoggydog]

el pollo loco, wahoos

[trem0lo]

Who mentioned Panera? Their sandwiches are not that great. Some of them are pre-made and they just heat them up for you. Maybe if you don't get the super-fattening sauce they drench them in. I know for a fact their bread is all processed carbs, because I feel like **** and 30 minutes after eating there. That or the food is poison

[Dave P]

El Pollo Loco is about as good as fast food comes (healthwise). You can get straight baked skinless chicken for 99 cents a piece.

[bpelit]

If you're closing in on a contest or photo shoot, then stay away from eating out. If not, then don't sweat the incidentals stuff. Request clean food, but be nice when doing so or it could end up spit on. Food is usaully prepared in advance so the cooks don't want their flow too disrupted. An occassional blurb of salt or fat from a grilled steak won't kill you. If you're drinking the H20 you need to be, you'll get the salt out quick enough.... It's the frickin' big macs and whoppers with fries and a coke that killin' people (along with so called bodybuiders), not the Subway 6 inch double meet turkey on wheat with no cheese loaded down with veggies and mustard. Lean and mean by eating clean.... Henry Pelitire, Stallone Instone 2005 LifeChange Challenge Champion. www.instonenutrition.com

[Vicsteele]

McDonalds. I order two grilled chicken sandwiches with no sauce. I take out on of the chicken breasts and put it into my other sandwich. The thing is amazing. No fries though.

Carl's Junior. Same as above. it comes on a whole wheat bun.

Subway. Grilled chicken sub with sweet onion sauce.

[surfgod777]

Originally Posted by trem0lo

Who mentioned Panera? Their sandwiches are not that great. Some of them are pre-made and they just heat them up for you. Maybe if you don't get the super-fattening sauce they drench them in. I know for a fact their bread is all processed carbs, because I feel like **** and 30 minutes after eating there. That or the food is poison

LOL. This is true.

They opened a couple of these in my area and I went to one of them for a straight week for lunch thinking I was eating healthy. I then went to their website to look up the info and realized that it wasn't that good.

[W1zdom]

Originally Posted by arose70

I work at Red Lobster and we will do anything for you---we joke that its like burger king-"have it your way" . That is if you can stay away from the cheesy biscuits!

Really though, they'll do anything-there's a "lighthouse" menu too that lists the cals/carbs. The jumbo grilled shrimp is to die for and very low cal!

Is it actually possible to NOT eat the biscuits at red lobster? When I go I usually get some to go as well =X

[arose70]

Originally Posted by W1zdom

Is it actually possible to NOT eat the biscuits at red lobster? When I go I usually get some to go as well =X

Hehe...I guess when you work there they lose their greatness after a while. And at a whopping 170 cals PER BISCUIT, its easier to just say no. However, come cheat day, I'd be all over them too .

[outlikeatrout]

Originally Posted by surfgod777

LOL. This is true.

They opened a couple of these in my area and I went to one of them for a straight week for lunch thinking I was eating healthy. I then went to their website to look up the info and realized that it wasn't that good.

You live pretty close to me. Try this place in Palo Alto.

http://plutosfreshfood.com/locations/palo_alto/

You can get a huge salad with all kinds of toppings and they'll throw on some grilled steak or chicken for good measure. Then they have a bunch of meats available and vegetable sides which, to me, take like they don't have much butter and salt. Enjoy!

[surfgod777]

Originally Posted by outlikeatrout

You live pretty close to me. Try this place in Palo Alto.

http://plutosfreshfood.com/locations/palo_alto/

You can get a huge salad with all kinds of toppings and they'll throw on some grilled steak or chicken for good measure. Then they have a bunch of meats available and vegetable sides which, to me, take like they don't have much butter and salt. Enjoy!

Thanx! I will definately check it out.

[MDX]

I went to hooters, thinken the hot wings wouldnt be that bad, i mena jeez the only bad thing is the sauces, but the sauce was deadly

20 pieces chickn buffalo wings....
cals 3700
carbs 200
fat 120
protein 240

[PoopEater]

Originally Posted by W1zdom

Is it actually possible to NOT eat the biscuits at red lobster? When I go I usually get some to go as well =X

Uggh, those biscuits are terrible. I have no problem at all passing them up. I never really liked bread, though, so who knows.

[dum_bell]

Indulge or Moonstar..sushi buffets..cant go wrong there..

[daburtonmaster]

Originally Posted by White53

These are the places that i go for descent foods.

Panera-( Kinda like Atlanta Bread Company) They have plenty of healthy sandwhichs

i worked there for 3 years and stopped before i went to college this past year. go to www.panerabread.com and look at the nutrition information, everything there is horrible for you, the chicken frontega panini has 76g of fat, and the average salad has about 10-13g of fat....


otherwise it tastes great

[beefstuinit]

Personally I dont eat out enough to worry about it. I eat clean 90% of the time and indulge the rest and its worked fine for me.

Lets say I go out to a sit down restaurant once a week and have a big meal. Thats one meal out of the 5-6 i usually eat a day, or 1/42 meals a week. big deal.

Frankly all the extra calories can only help me get bigger. I read somewhere occasional cheat meals are one of the best ways to pack on some mass. Your bodys already got the metabolism turned way up from eating right that dumping an outback meal into it occasionally just pegs the meter for awhile. Then again I already had a rabit metabolism before i started lifting, now i gotta basically force food down my throat. Best example i got was x-mas/thanksgiving. I knew i was gonna pig out so I basically overtrained on purpose the week prior. Went home, ate a ****-ton of food, put on 9lbs in one week, came back to the gym a week later, all my lifts had gone up and it only took a week to cut the flab. sounds like an ad for weight loss pills or something but its true... call now and get free wrist straps.

Do it the same reason I still go out 3 nights a week. I'm lift to improve my life, I dont live my life to improve my lifting. Not that i'm knocking on any of you really hard core guys, to each his own.