Diets for people who are out a lot

Boulevardier

The majority of diets and weight-control regimes I have looked at are predicated on people being able to prepare their meals at home.

What about people whose lifestyle necessitates their eating out more often than in?

Most days, I do not have time to prepare meals at home. Not only that, but cutting out any one calorific food (e.g. pasta or bread) is easier said then done when one has to choose from a narrow range of options while out.

My question is, are there any diets or books aimed at people in that sort of situation, and if so, can people say what/where these are?

TimeToShine

Eat less and track it to make sure your definition of eating less is enough to lose weight.

Smoked Tuna

Boulevardier wrote: »

The majority of diets and weight-control regimes I have looked at are predicated on people being able to prepare their meals at home.

What about people whose lifestyle necessitates their eating out more often than in?

Most days, I do not have time to prepare meals at home. Not only that, but cutting out any one calorific food (e.g. pasta or bread) is easier said then done when one has to choose from a narrow range of options while out.

My question is, are there any diets or books aimed at people in that sort of situation, and if so, can people say what/where these are?

Do you have to eat at restaurants and delis etc?

Just know for restaurants they will add loads of butter oil and cream etc to bring out the flavours, adding hundreds of calories to a meal as a result.

Unless you get a simple meat with veg with dressing on the side type of thing.

If you don't have to eat out then at least you can get pre prepared meals which should have nutritional info on the label so you can calculate the calories

Peregrinus

Boulevardier wrote: »

The majority of diets and weight-control regimes I have looked at are predicated on people being able to prepare their meals at home.

What about people whose lifestyle necessitates their eating out more often than in?

Most days, I do not have time to prepare meals at home . . .

When they say that weight loss/fitness/whatever your goal is requires lifestyle changes, this is one of the things they are talking about.

If most days you do not have time to prepare meals at home, then on the other days you need to pre-prepare meals and put them in the fridge/the freezer. I make stuff on Sunday evening because I know I will find it difficult to do it during the week.

If the problem is more than just not having time to prepare meals each day, but not being able to be home to eat them, and you really have no choice but to eat out most evenings, there are a couple of things you can do:

Prepare your lunches and bring them with you, rather than buying them. At least you can control what's in them.

In the evenings, consider whether you really have to eat out before the show/the meet-up/whatever. Eat a good lunch, prepared by yourself, and then maybe a snack of nuts after work, and when you get home after whatever it is a bowl of soup (prepared by yourself).

If you must eat out, yes, that's a problem. Hot prepared food typically have much higher doses of fat, salt and sugar than the same dishes would have if prepared by you, because these things are cheap and delicious and they gratify customers. Choose the simplest dishes possible; you have a better chance of assessing what's in them. In this regard, soups and salads (without dressing) are your friend (or, at any rate, they are among your least bad enemies).

sneakysnake007

Depending on where you're located, have you heard of the meal plans you get delivered? I think they offer lunch, dinner and snacks and will deliver them to your workplace, breakfast may be available at a higher cost. Everything is extremely healthy and caters to serious gym goers or those trying to lose weight. For example, you can get paleo meals, gluten free, or even means by calorie counts. If you're used to buying food on the go, the price per week won't be far from what you're already spending.

Macy0161

Personally I think it would be hard to do eating out, especially (without deliberately opening this can of worms again) calorie counts on menus.

I think I could give good estimates, but that's after going through the portion control/ measurement at home.

Only thing I can suggest is really to echo what has been said - do as much as you can at home/ home prepared. And then try to pick well. Sauces on the side, avoid obviously fat/ sugar laden options. Don't assume that salad is the low calorie option - depending on dressings, croutons etc it really might not be!

hidinginthebush

Is it because you have to eat out due to work dinners etc., or is it a case that you end up working so late that you have to grab something easy on the way home.

What you could do is if you know you're going to be eating out that night have a smaller lunch. Plus when you're out if it's in a restaurant you can always skip a starter, go for veg rather than spuds / chips, and order something that seems less saucy / rich, get a salad with no dressing. You can definitely make it work if you absolutely have to.

bladespin

I struggle with this too, often have overnights away due to work so generally it's a hotel for breakfast and dinner, it's virtually impossible to track anything accurately this way I'm afraid as even something apparently healthy like a salad can come with hidden extras - dressing etc.
Not that you want to like on salads alone.

TBH I thing it should be mandatory for restaurants, hotels etc to publish at least a rough calorie count (even better a nutritional breakdown), if they're professional then this should not cause them any problem, christ even I could write up my own for my protein bar.

Alf Veedersane

bladespin wrote: »

I struggle with this too, often have overnights away due to work so generally it's a hotel for breakfast and dinner, it's virtually impossible to track anything accurately this way I'm afraid as even something apparently healthy like a salad can come with hidden extras - dressing etc.
Not that you want to like on salads alone.

TBH I thing it should be mandatory for restaurants, hotels etc to publish at least a rough calorie count (even better a nutritional breakdown), if they're professional then this should not cause them any problem, christ even I could write up my own for my protein bar.

This was discussed before and while I have no problem with the principle of it, it's an expensive process for restaurants that aren't chains. Especially where their menu is based on what' seasonal. Donal O'Shea said the same himself on the radio.

Yes, there are many restauarants that have fixed menus all year around but you either apply it to all restaurants or make a distinction between single restaurants and chains.

FizzleSticks

This post has been deleted.

Zillah

I always suspect when people say they don't have time to cook what they really mean is that they're tired and couldn't be bothered. That's not the same thing. You can scramble eggs in three minutes. Stirfry in four. I simply don't believe people when they say they don't have time to cook. Every meal doesn't have to be a Sunday roast. Half my lunches are a few handfuls of raw ingredients into tupperware. Takes approximately fifteen seconds to prepare.

ThunbergsAreGo

A salad is one of the quickest meals to prepare

bladespin

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

it's an expensive process for restaurants that aren't chains. Especially where their menu is based on what' seasonal. Donal O'Shea said the same himself on the radio.

How expensive can it be really, a plate of say 200g chicken, 200g mash potatoe and 100g sauce, veg etc break it down by ingredient and bobs your cliche

TBH I don't believe a word of the 'expense' argument, if you're charging €20 for a plate you can include the math.

Alf Veedersane

bladespin wrote: »

How expensive can it be really, a plate of say 200g chicken, 200g mash potatoe and 100g sauce, veg etc break it down by ingredient and bobs your cliche

TBH I don't believe a word of the 'expense' argument, if you're charging €20 for a plate you can include the math.

Donal O'Shea, the person leading the charge on this, said it was too expensive for smaller restaurants.

It's not done using MyFitnessPal.

bladespin

Alf Veedersane wrote:

It's not done using MyFitnessPal.

Never suggested it was but is simple enough, even rough guide would be adequate, how hard can it be? the dishes and ingredients never change, neither does the serving size, think some just prefer to over complicate things.

Alf Veedersane

bladespin wrote: »

Never suggested it was but is simple enough, even rough guide would be adequate, how hard can it be? the dishes and ingredients never change, neither does the serving size, think some just prefer to over complicate things.

You go tell that to the people who are promoting it. They were looking for a proper lab analysis.

But in terms of the OP, if eating out us a necessity, you make simple good choices and see how that affects weight. Amend as necessary.

But for most people who say they don't have enough time, they usually do but a bit of prep at the weekend etc is too low on their priorities so when everything else is done they can't be arsed.

Not saying that's the OP but it's a lot of people.

Birdsong

Alf Veedersane wrote:

But in terms of the OP, if eating out us a necessity, you make simple good choices and see how that affects weight. Amend as necessary.

I travel a bit with work, initially I was having the full Irish every morning but I wasn't long about changing. I now always have porridge or poached eggs.

Dinner is just main course same as at home , generally salmon. Never starter and if say I really fancy dessert, ice cream only.

Mellor

Macy0161 wrote: »

Personally I think it would be hard to do eating out, especially (without deliberately opening this can of worms again) calorie counts on menus.

I disagree, based on experience.
Where I live, calories counts at on most menus. This is handy information, and occasionally I'm surprised at the calories that are in certain things. It's NEVER a food that I though was a good choice. It's usually, tiny cake that has 800cals instead of the 500 I was guessing.

I probably by my lunch once a week. Sometimes I'll just get a carb meal on a double training day. But if it a day I want to keep cals down the calories counts suddenly give me loads of extra info.
The smart option is still exactly what you'd pick without that info.

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Yes, there are many restauarants that have fixed menus all year around but you either apply it to all restaurants or make a distinction between single restaurants and chains.

For what its worth, it only applies to chain and certain fixed menus here.
Stand alone restaurants are exempt for the reasons you mention. And that makes perfect sense. Few people is eating at Michelin stared restaurants multiple times a week. A lot of people would grab subway or something everyday.

bladespin wrote: »

Never suggested it was but is simple enough, even rough guide would be adequate, how hard can it be? the dishes and ingredients never change, neither does the serving size, think some just prefer to over complicate things.

If people want to offer than info of their own accord, then a rough guide is fine. You are talking about making this a law, which means it has to be standardised somehow. Or else people will just skim 20% off the portions they calculate everything with.

Peregrinus

naughtb4 wrote: »

A salad is one of the quickest meals to prepare

And one of the dullest, to my lasting regret.

But, yeah, "I don't have time to prepare meals" often translates into "I haven't the energy/motivation/organisation to prepare meals". And, believe me, I sympathise.

But it really comes down to whether you want to do this or not. If you want to lose weight or get fit or whatever your goal is, then you simply have to change your lifestyle so that that becomes possible. That may involve preparing your meals in advance, e.g. at the weekend; it may involve making more time to be at home; it may involve researching meals that are quick and easy to prepare but also pleasant to eat; it may involve being more attentive to what you eat when you eat out; it may involve a combination of any or all of these things, or of other measures.

In the end of the day, you have to want to do it. If you desire the outcome, you have to make the changes that will enable it to happen.

Mellor

Now, back to the OP

Boulevardier wrote: »

The majority of diets and weight-control regimes I have looked at are predicated on people being able to prepare their meals at home.

What about people whose lifestyle necessitates their eating out more often than in?

Unfortunately they do work towards home prep, but only because that's the best way to get control of your diet.

Eating out won't make dieting impossible, but it will make it harder. There have been a couple of Men's Fitness type articles about the best of a bad bunch option when force to go the convenience food option.

What exactly is it about your lifestyle that means you eat out more often than in?

Most days, I do not have time to prepare meals at home. Not only that, but cutting out any one calorific food (e.g. pasta or bread) is easier said then done when one has to choose from a narrow range of options while out.

Because "I don't have time" is not a particularly believable excuse. I've no idea what your circumstances are, but I bet if you searched "I don't have time" you'll turn up lots of people with similar claims.

What sort of place do you at in?

ford2600

One of the primary aspects of countries with obesity problems is the sub contracting out of meal preparation; of course it's one of many factors but something that has changed remarkably in 100 years.

When you eat lots of meals in restaurants, café, delis and buy ready made meals weight control is going to be difficult.

The industry which has grown on the back of it is gigantic.

Some of the myths around which don't help include
*breakfast is the most important meal of the day
* you need to eat 3/4 regular meals

No of those on themselves are harmful(or can't be part of a healthy lifestyle) but when they are taken as essential along with a stress time poor population you have a recipe for poor eating habits.

We evolved to deal well with famine and bounty, and have an astonishing array of adaptations to deal with both.

Improve you metabolic flexibility to be able to function normally for 6,7,8 hrs (when necessary) or more on nothing but water and you remove the need to eat sub contracted food. For normally low intensity activity like office work, walking etc fat stores along with overnight glycogen stores are perfectly adequate for 24 hrs for a fat adapted person. Your brain needs circa 600 cals of glucose daily to function, fat can do the rest. When you increase fat metabolism you get a little "free" glycogen from the breakdown of triglycerides fat stores to assist.

You don't need to eat a ketogenic diet or anything extreme just eat clean when you do eat.

Rather than need someone else to implement calorie counting, constantly needing pre prepare meals a bit of self improvement in harnessing ancient adaptations along with the psychological strength gained from taking control of your nutrient intake rather than being a slave to appetite.

bladespin

With all talk of sugar tax, obesity epedemics etc this has to be part of the plans, wouldn't it be better to preempt and possible avoid and possibly dodge the legislation, much better to keep it simple too.

Op I share this problem, tbh I use fp for similar foods from chains at the moment (pure guessing).

Broody_Allen

I'm going to be crucified for suggesting it here, but have you thought about something like Exante? Three products a day (four if you're a man) and no prep involved. It's very low calories but a lot of people find it easy to stick to as there's no thought involved. You can pick between bars, shakes and hot meals. It's cheap eniough too. I lost a stone a month on it.

JeffKenna

Boulevardier wrote: »

What about people whose lifestyle necessitates their eating out more often than in?

Pick from the meat option, preferably chicken or fish and ask for extra veg instead of potatoes or chips. Problem sorted.