Hi, I?m new and have a problem. I am going out to dinner tonight with my in-laws; they are taking us out for our 9th anniversary. We are going to an Italian Restaurant (I Love Italian). What should I stay away from and what should I ask even when ordering a salad? I do know to stay from pasta, bread, fancy drinks..... Even if I order an ice tea, is that safe?

I?m just worried that I will get in there and just throw everything out the door.

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Denny

Hi Denny,
Welcome to LCE!
Italian restuarants can be trickey to eat at. You are right in avoiding the pasta, bread, etc. You will be pretty safe with salad and a oil & vinegar type dressing, or a full fat Caesar, Ranch or Blue cheese type dressing.
See if you can order something grilled like a steak or chicken breast, or salmon.
Also, shrimp scampii would be pretty safe...just shrimp sauteed in butter and garlic.

Ice tea will be fine as long as it's unsweetened. You can add your sweetner at the table...just count your carbs per packet as indicated.

Congrats on your anniversary, and have a great time tonight! You'll do just fine, I bet!

Shelley

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Shelley
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Visit Kassie's Korner



Life deserves a treat now and again, but life also deserves being healthy[with required disipline] to make it worth living!

Welcome Denny. Eating out at an Italian restaurant can be a challenge. However, there are lots of low carb friendly dishes that you can have. You have the basics down about what not to have, now lets talk about all the good things you can have. For an appetizer, I usually go for the antipasto platter which has a lot of good low carb choices on it. For salad, you can go with the mixed green salad or the tomato w/mozzerella cheese and fresh basil w/a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar. If you opt for a salad, ask for oil and vinegar on the side for your dressing, that way you can be sure there is no sugar added to the dressing. In addition, you should stay away from breaded entrees, as well as entrees with tomato sauce, as that is usually loaded with sugar. Grilled entrees will probably be your best bet. I was out of town last week and ate at 2 different Italian restaurants. For an entree at one, I had a grilled steak and at the other I had roasted chicken. In each case I asked them to hold the potato and add extra veggies. They were very glad to accomodate that request. Unless the restaurant has berries and cream, you may have to skip dessert. Don't get caught in the trap of thinking you have to have dessert. If you must order something and they don't have acceptable fruit, ask for some cheese. As far as drinks are concerned, you would be better off abstaining. However, if you want to have something, a glass of wine would probably be your best choice. Good luck.

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Henry

Wow, Thank-you. This looks so do able; Grilled entr?e, antipasto, oil and vinegar on the side, shrimp scampi, salmon; etc. I was just feeling overwhelmed I quess, cuz that is a lot of options. Wine, I wish? Just started on Wednesday so I am staying away from that stuff. I think having this forum is really going to help me a lot. Now, I just need to start exercising. Thank-you so much again?
Denny


freaking out

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Denny

I actually love eating out on this WOE, even in Italian Restuarant's. I like to get meatballs with sause and moz cheese over them. Even though they sometimes meatballs have the secret ingrediant "bread crumbs" it has never thrown me off kilter in the past. And I am certain that they will have the hail to caesar salad grilled chicken salad.
Remember that thin tastes better and Italian food will always be there. So any of the "sacrificing" that you make will be rewarded to you in the form of lovely weight loss.
best of luck and welcome!!

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"Summer of PQ"
19 pounds down....
Atkins

welcome denny. i'm sure you'll do great-and let us know how it went!

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EatSmart Nutritional Scale Review

<nod><nod>

Uh-huh, I agree with goddess, please write and tell us how it went.

~K

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Start Date: March 2005



Goal Date: June 25, 2006 EDIT: 2007

Keeping my eye focused on 10 pounds at a time!

We had a great night; I haven?t been out to dinner for at least 6 months. It was also nice to have no kids so I could think a little. I think because I was prepared before hand, it was no problem. I had a Greek Salad with the oil and vinegar on the side. I had just a side order of shrimp scampi and Ice Tea coming out my ears.

It was hard not to pick food off my DH?s plate, and then my mother-in-law; Try this try that..but I did good.

Thanks so much, it is really going to help to have support with people who know what I?m talking about. Unfortunately DH has no clue, bless his little heart. I just told him that I would slowly start changing him and the kids to LC and he won?t realize it.

Did anyone see Dr. Phil when they were talking about what kids eat in the morning really maters and the best food was LC & no sugar??.And chewing Sugar less gum helps your brain function better. (go figure)

Thanks again,

Nothing tastes as good as thin feels

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Denny

Denney,
Glad you had a great time and stayed focused and on plan....makes it all the much sweeter, eh?
Good for you!!!
Wishing you continued success!

S.

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Shelley
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Visit Kassie's Korner



Life deserves a treat now and again, but life also deserves being healthy[with required disipline] to make it worth living!

Denney,

Great job!

Sounds like you planned ahead & stuck with the right choices your body is thanking you!!
Now we can't wait to hear about how you are rewarded with weightloss:gorgeous: and feeling good!!!

KUDOS!!!!

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"Summer of PQ"
19 pounds down....
Atkins

denny-glad to hear it went well! it becomes more and more natural as time goes on.and you're right--you'll find your family ends up eating more lc without even realizing it. that's exactly what happened to me.

congrats to you for a successful night out.

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EatSmart Nutritional Scale Review

Good for you Denny!

Another thing you'll want to keep in mind when you go out in the future [and you'll go out more while doing this woe (way of eating)], you can visit the website of the restaurant you'll be going to if you know where you're going in advance. Many of them (not all - darn it), have nutritional information on their websites with the exact gram counts of the food. Its a big help.

I know what I can eat at Macaroni Grill, Olive Garden, Chili's, Rubio's, Carl's Jr., and several other chains. Some places though, like OUTBACK (darn them), don't put the gram counts on their "nutritional information" they just say "this is our low-carb menu." Don't believe those suckers!! They lie, in my humble experience!!! In those types of places you just have to do what you did the other night, use common sense.

Can't wait to hear more from you as you join us in this adventure!!

~K

__________________
Start Date: March 2005



Goal Date: June 25, 2006 EDIT: 2007

Keeping my eye focused on 10 pounds at a time!

That is such a good thing to know, using the internet to check their websites for nutritional information. That will really help a lot, if I ever go out again. Thanks-you K

Thank-you all for such a big pat on the back, I?m really loving this whole new way of eating for life. I really love the omm and mock Danish. I still need to get the correct ingredients for Maggie?s Cereal.

Thanks again,

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Denny