Eating out on a diet. | Day 17 of 90
I don’t know what happened yesterday but after I worked out, I ate a quick lunch, did some stuff, and then all of a sudden it was dinner time and Sam and I were at an All You Can Eat Korean BBQ restaurant. Let’s just say I ate all I could eat. And then some.
Oops.
DAY 16 RECAP:
My Fit Journal looks empty, but umm – that dinner box right there – it tells you what I ate but nowt how much I ate. Honestly you guys, I really do believe that I could be a competitive eater. There’s a part of me that wants to devour burritos the size of babies and also inhale burgers as big as my face so that I can win a free shirt and have my photo on some random wall of fame. I’m gonna make a promise to myself that I will do this before I die. (I hope it’s not the death of me :P)
This was lunch after my lifting workout. Chicken drumsticks. Baba ganoush. Butter lettuce with some sriracha dressing that I bought and don’t like. Lunch was ok.
Now…on to much more interesting things.
KBBQ. All you can eat KBBQ!
I was super excited to eat out with Sam. Trying out new restaurants is a thing we love doing. When we first started dating, we literally gained like 10 lbs right away because of this. Haha. We had a phase in college where I wanted to try out all of the fast food burgers and fries and compare them against each other. Ya. Times were different 😛
These days, I eat a lot more specifically, so it can be hard for us to enjoy a random meal out. I always have to check the menu first, which I totally don’t mind doing. I love trying new flavors – it inspires me to cook with different ingredients, which makes me a better cook.
Anyway, back to KBBQ.
This picture looks all innocent but just multiply the amount of food you see by like 8. Haha.
Technically, Korean BBQ is super safe for Keto peeps. If you get the non-marinated meat and eat it with the salad, you’re good. The oil and salt for dipping is good too. You just gotta stay away from the marinated meats (they can have a lot of sugar) and the rice that comes with the meal.
None of that was a problem for me. But before we sat down, Sam and I promised each other that we would not overeat.
But.
WHO WERE WE KIDDING.
IT WAS AN ALL YOU CAN EAT RESTAURANT.
And if my parents have ever taught me anything, it’s that buffets are meant for eating so much that you make the restaurant lose money on you!
So, as much as I tried to contain myself, I couldn’t. My upbringing won. I had to bring honor to my ancestors!!! Plus it was too much fun feeding my bottomless pit of a stomach.
And you know what? It’s ok. Sam and I left dinner, stuffed, but very happy.
This was the first day in my 90 day journey that I went pretty wild. But I own it and I don’t regret it one bit. Although I’m not counting calories, I know I ate a lot – even if all the food I consumed was keto friendly. An excess of calories is still an excess of energy, which has the potential to be stored as extra fat.
In the big picture, it’s one tiny setback. But I know it won’t affect my end result. In fact, it strengthens my journey. Every time I fail, I have a chance to practice resilience and come back even stronger.
So, if you’re on a diet right now and you plan to eat out – here are my tips:
- Check the menu first. Make sure the restaurant has something you can eat. If they don’t, don’t go there!
- Don’t be afraid to ask for substitutions. I do this all the time. Even if it annoys the waiter.
- If the portion looks huge, ask for a to-go box and box up half of it right away so that it’s not staring at you, and also so you that you can eat it later. Yay for a “free” second meal!
- All you can eat places are pretty much never a good idea 😛
Where do you guys typically like eating out? What’s your fave cuisine?
30 thoughts on “Eating out on a diet. | Day 17 of 90”
There are 30 comments posted by our users.
Yes, it’s always a good thing to test new restaurants! “I had to bring honor to my ancestors” lmao, good excuse, indeed! It’s cool that you own it and are happy with your choice.
“And if my parents have ever taught me anything, it’s that buffets are meant for eating so much that you make the restaurant lose money on you!”
THIS. THIS. THIS. #ASIANFAMILIES
There is this healthy indian food place that opened by me and they make a ton of gluten free vegan indian food and its made without a ton of calories.. omg its so good! Fav weekly takeout. That tandoori tofu is out of this world!
Mexican food is LIFE 👌🏼🍲😋 for me
I can’t stand the way I smell after KBBQ, so I rarely go. In general, I don’t eat out often because of the kids… eating out should be relaxing, so I pretty much just opt to eat at home. It’s one of the things I miss doing the most.
I remember you said before that you will never go on a diet again. So why are you doing this? You seem hypocritical. You say it’s for yourself, but it still feels very much like you’re back in diet culture. Do you think you’ll ever get to a point where you can go to a restaurant without first looking at the menu? Because that is true food freedom and freedom from diet culture. It seems like Sam isn’t this strict or specific with his food choices, and I don’t think you judge him for that, so why be so harsh on yourself?
Maybe she shouldnt have used diet, and should have used “better and healthier way of eating”. Have you never woke up and thought “I’m tired of feeling like crap, I really need to think about how I am eating differently.” Thats all it is. She isn’t going crazy counting macros to the T or anything. She is just being aware of what she is eating and how it is making her feel.
Keto IS a diet though. And it’s a bit of a fad one at that.
Well obviously you’re interested to or you wouldn’t even be reading her blogs. So stop hating!
I cook everyday…In my country(România) it’s a big thing to eat out 😄 at least in my little town… So we cook more and when it comes to eat out it’s a feast! I eat out twice in a year maybe… But when I do I don’t want spend much money… It’s expensive. 😒 So I stick with fries and some chicken…because in general it’s what I cook home in the menu, nothing wow.
I totally agree. I’m from Romania too. It is never a good idea to go out with a group on a diet. Everyone eats a lot so will you.
We don’t really eat out. We use to get Chinese food a lot, and I LOVED it. But after doing the 28 Day Reset (three times!) and a yogic cleanse, most of it just does not taste right to me. But I do still love me a super burrito and sushi! If we go to a regular sit down restaurant I always get some kind of fish and veggie plate, whether it’s an entree or mixing appetizers and side dishes.
Cassey, I totally sympathize! My husband’s family is Chinese, and when we get together for banquets in Boston, you gotta EAT EVERYTHING. But, I’ve found that (in his family, at least) it’s also totally skeptical to skimp on other courses in favor of the REALLY good stuff. Which means eating as much crab, lobster, and veggies that I can get my hands on 😀 Don’t get me wrong, it can still get greasy, but I don’t feel guilty because it’s a special occasion that only comes once or twice a year.
I tend to have a hard time eating out as a vegan in the south. Milk, eggs, butter, lard, meat, gelatin, honey and cheese can be in so many things yikes! But that’s not to say there aren’t things I can’t eat. It just means I’m prepared to make more food at home. If I do go out I try to bring my own tupperware for leftovers so there’s less waste. A lot of places definitely give you something that can be split into two meals anyway so then the cost doesn’t seem so bad overall. Asian, Indian, Mexican are more forgiving with the tofu, meatless, cheese-free options. Thank you, world cuisine!
Not a doctor, but also an eating disorder survivor. This was my first reaction too. The more I learn about bodies, the more I understand how harmful and futile dieting is. Especially long term. I also used to have a bottomless pit stomach… for years… But once I started allowing myself to eat whatever I wanted, that went away. I, too, have always loved eating and I lived eating as a kid, but that is not why I used to have such an endless stomach as a teenager and young adult. Restricting was the reason. For me, I ultimately ended up losing weight when I just allowed myself to eat and I’m less food focussed. Not everyone will. It depends on different factors, but the important thing is that I can actually concentrate on things other than food now. I was not underweight for most of the time when I was restricting btw.
I love Korean food mainly bbq cos they seem to me very healthy. They generally do not use too much of oil but their kimchi and any recipe of Korean food prepared with gochujang is spicy and yummm mainly my favourite would spicy bbq chicken prepared with gochujang spicy paste … mouthwatering 😀 and I am glad you enjoyed 👍
I wish we had a KBBQ joint where I live!
Today I am eating at the state fair. There will be no diet, no substitutions, no counting anything. Today does not count! This is my favorite place to eat out🤪
“ I had to bring honor to my ancestors!!!” … hahahaha ! 💕👏
When we eat out it is usually pizza or fast food, something our kids will eat. We don’t eat out much at all. My favorite cuisine is Italian, but I also love steak with beer!
In the Czech Republic, eating out is usual for business lunches, lunches at work, and celebrations. We eat our dinner at home and lunch is the biggest meal of the day. My family eats out only on special occasions or if I do not have time to cook for some reason, so we have lunch in a restaurant maybe once in two weeks and dinner once in 6 months.
I love Italian cuisine and there is a big All you can eat restaurant that serves Brazilian food and it is pure heaven (40 USD/person, side dishes and drinks extra).
Yeah…same in România 😄
Restriction tells your body there is a famine. Your body (especially if you have put it through famines in the past) protects you from this famine by slowing your metabolism and increasing your appetite and fixating your thoughts on food and making you feel tired then rewarding you with surges of dopamine and serotonin when you eat. Then you feel guilty and you restrict even more. Dieting keeps you trapped in a yo-yo cycle of restriction and out-of-control eating. Your body has a natural set-point weight range that is determined by MANY factors and it will fight to keep you there. Chronic dieting leads to a higher set-point weight range, as your body has learnt it needs to protect itself from the famines that will inevitably come with each diet. Notice how the first few diets are much more “successful” than the later ones? It’s worth noting how many diets you have tried. That is very telling. The only way out of this cycle is to heal your body and mind by allowing ALL foods, ALL the time, forever and doing some work on your body image and self-esteem. That sounds scary, like you might never stop eating, BUT of course you will. Eventually your appetite and metabolism will normalise and you will be able to eat with intuition and peace and remain within your set-point range and you can spend the rest of your life ACTUALLY LIVING. Or you could spend the rest of your life in the yo-yo diet cycle, obsessed with and terrified of food and chasing a number on the scale so you feel worthy? I know which one I would choose.
PS. I am a medical doctor who practices health at every size medicine and an eating disorder survivor.
You dont sound like you have an ounce of medical knowledge. How can you cure addictive behavior like binge eating by throwing all self control away?
You are not a doctor, nobody with a medical degree would spew such idiocy like the one you did. Source: I have doctors in my family.
” I am a medical doctor who practices health at every size medicine and an eating disorder survivor.” = so basically you are obese, gorge on food and never had an ED in your life, just like the other HAES liars on the internet.
If you want to know what famine is, look in Africa, you are delusional and completely out of touch with what FAMINE and RESTRICTION mean/
Casey is healthy and she is not “chronic dieting”, but to you HAES people not stuffing your face with food means STARVING. Absolutely disgusting.
Binge eating is not an addiction, it is a reactionary behavior.
This person is doctor, they have put the same comments on Instagram and linked their account. Maybe show the doctors in your family.
What a toxic, abusive way to speak to someone. Absolutely disgusting.
Hi, so interested in this comment by Michel, are you able to tell me what his insta account was or which post it was on what he commented on please? I tried to look but there was too many to look through, thanks
Cassey, is this the sort of thing your moderation approves? Fat-phobic nonsense? Gross!!!
Keto literally does send your body the message that it’s starving though. That’s how it “works.”
I’m not on the lazy Keto like you but I have been working on portion control and intermittent fasting (doing pretty well if I say so myself) but this weekend I did go out and stuff myself with Chinese food and I felt so happy and content after. Especially with my little food baby. I like knowing that I can very occasionally go all out and that realistically it won’t ruin my long term goals.