I didn't read all the replies but my faves for a healthy lunch are salads from Potbelly's and Jason's Deli. I will also make a salad bowl at Chipotle when I'm desperate but they use too much salt on everything.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds to me like the problem isn't really a lack of healthy food options, but feeling frustrated that you feel like you always have to order something healthy and "boring" when you're out and can't order what you really want, like a burger and fries.
There's no shame in that if that's the case--that is a serious struggle for a lot of people, myself included. Honestly, the thing that's helped me more than anything else is to plan out what I'm doing in advance. If I'm going out to eat and want a burger and fries, that's fine...but I have to plan the rest of my day/week around it. It's not just something I can successfully fit into my plan on the fly. Actually, I'm finding more and more that planning out my meals for the week in advance is the ONLY way I can stay on track, and is actually way less stressful for me because I'm not trying to make good decisions when I'm hungry...
It can be a bit pricey, but some of the "large" size meals can almost be made into two meals. The fajita smart chicken bowl is so yummy! It is a nice option for something healthy on the go.
Post by Queen Mamadala on Apr 6, 2017 18:48:26 GMT -5
Most places around us have healthy options, which translates to primal/paleo eating for me. My go-to options: salads, protein style burgers, entrees with veggies, omelets with shell eggs, wings, basically high fat, no starches and grains. There are a lot of small eateries and cafes near us that cater to primal and GF diets.
At this point, I don't know what "healthy" means anymore.
Fresh, hot (sometimes), not a salad, nutritious! Disqualifiers: drenched in mayo, bread.
Not ALWAYS a salad. Come on, does anyone really want a salad to be their only option when they go out to eat? I love salad. But I love other things too.
Things that are healthy: lean meat that isn't fried. Vegetables that aren't drenched in something white. Whole grains. Dairy in moderation.
I'd love to see more fast Asian or Mexican/Latin options that are not chains or too Americanized. I feel like a lot of non-American food uses less sugar/butter and more fresh ingredients. I'd love a Mediterranean place that isn't primarily gyros (actually we do have one of these but I'd love one more convenient to work/home). Or an American style place that serves well seasoned, non-fried meat with healthy sides like grilled or marinated veggies, grain based salads (like rice or quinoa), or baked potatoes or something. Real food. Not lunch meat. Not chemical laden bread. Not iceburg lettuce. We do have some reasonable sit-down restaurants with such things, but I wish there were more places that you didn't have to call 30+ minutes ahead (since I can make a lot of dinners at home in that time!) Places you could drop by on your lunch break or on your way home from work and have something good to eat shortly after.
Perhaps this is not possible. But I wish it was! Having never lived in a major city and only living in the Midwest, I am not sure if the lack of variety in healthy options is as much of a pain everywhere. We are planning to eventually relocate to a larger city outside the Midwest, so I would like some hope that someday it will be easier to eat healthy consistently and not have to spend all my free time doing food prep
Fresh, hot (sometimes), not a salad, nutritious! Disqualifiers: drenched in mayo, bread.
I'd love to see more fast Asian or Mexican/Latin options that are not chains or too Americanized. I feel like a lot of non-American food uses less sugar/butter and more fresh ingredients. I'd love a Mediterranean place that isn't primarily gyros (actually we do have one of these but I'd love one more convenient to work/home). Or an American style place that serves well seasoned, non-fried meat with healthy sides like grilled or marinated veggies, grain based salads (like rice or quinoa), or baked potatoes or something. Real food. Not lunch meat. Not chemical laden bread. Not iceburg lettuce.
There are places like that. Several people have mentioned you can get a very healthy burrito bowl at Chipotle that will tantalize your grilled meat-and-veggie sensibilities. Heck, you can even head over to Panda Express and get their string bean and chicken entree, which has meat AND vegetables!
LOL. IDK. It just seems like you DO have options, you just don't like them. And maybe that comes back to it can be boring to eat healthy, which has nothing to do with restaurant selection. Fries are always going to taste better to me than a chicken breast, no matter how perfectly cooked the chicken breast.
I agree 100%! This is my other gripe (since I'm whining about food in general). If we go to sit down somewhere, I definitely DON'T want the grilled chicken and veggies, unless it's one of their actual menu items so they've put effort into make it taste good (like there is a place here that does a half chicken, roasted asparagus, and potato thing that is so tasty that you forget it is healthy). But I don't want to go to a burger joint and order a plain chicken breast and a side salad with fat free dressing. That's just depressing and seems like a waste of money.
This has been my problem with WW in the past and I'm really trying to give it a better go this time. I feel like if I do go somewhere and order what I want, even once a week, that's going to bring me way over my weekly points. I mean a Cadbury cream egg is 8 points. I shudder to think what a burger, fries, and a beer at my favorite local place would be if something that is 150 calories is taking up 1/4 of my daily allotment.
I'm glad you have healthy options, though. I guess a part of my wonder is if once we move somewhere else we'll find it easier to manage healthy eating. Seattle is on our list of maybe places
It's pretty awesome out here! :-)
WW is hard. There's just no getting around how hard it is eating a low number of calories.
I personally can't really hack it. What I am having some success with is working out 5 days/week and sticking to low calorie/low carb a few days/week with a few days/week I don't track. I am aiming for an average of around 2,000 cals/day, which given my activity level puts me losing about a pound/week. WW has me at more like 1300 cals and I just can't do it.
Have you ever heard of Eat More 2 Weigh Less? It's basically about dieting by resetting your metabolism to burn as many calories as possible. I calculated my "cut" (diet) intake by substracting 15% of my TDEE (calories needed to maintain my weight--186lbs--at my height/activity level) and that gives me a goal of 2,000 cals (this factors my work outs in).
Anyway, I am definitely not discouraging you from WW because it seems to be working well for you but I just can't seem to stick to that level of food. I need my pizza/beer/splurges lol.
If you're curious, here's the site (someone here actually recommended it to me a couple years ago): eatmore2weighless.com/
We loved our visit 2 years ago. We ate good food there too
I'll take a better look at the eat more site, too. I've only been doing WW for not quite 3 weeks, so I feel like I should give it some time to see if I really can't do it or if I need to adjust. If I plan ahead, it seems to be manageable, but if anything gets slightly off track I feel like it's really hard.
I eat a lot of fatty meat and practically zero grains, whole or otherwise. That being said, I do eat a lot of leafy green vegetables, mostly of the Asian variety, thanks to living in an area rife with authentic Chinese and Vietnamese options.
I think we all have different notions of what is healthy. Are you striving for good health? Or are you simply seeking to lose weight? I suppose, ideally, you do both, but honestly if you just want to lose weight, you could probably have a much tastier path than salads and low-fat fare.
I don't cook, so I rely predominantly on my good judgment (most of the time) while dining out or taking out, yet somehow I still eat really well (at least to me).
I'd love to see more fast Asian or Mexican/Latin options that are not chains or too Americanized. I feel like a lot of non-American food uses less sugar/butter and more fresh ingredients. I'd love a Mediterranean place that isn't primarily gyros (actually we do have one of these but I'd love one more convenient to work/home). Or an American style place that serves well seasoned, non-fried meat with healthy sides like grilled or marinated veggies, grain based salads (like rice or quinoa), or baked potatoes or something. Real food. Not lunch meat. Not chemical laden bread. Not iceburg lettuce.
There are places like that. Several people have mentioned you can get a very healthy burrito bowl at Chipotle that will tantalize your grilled meat-and-veggie sensibilities. Heck, you can even head over to Panda Express and get their string bean and chicken entree, which has meat AND vegetables!
LOL. IDK. It just seems like you DO have options, you just don't like them. And maybe that comes back to it can be boring to eat healthy, which has nothing to do with restaurant selection. Fries are always going to taste better to me than a chicken breast, no matter how perfectly cooked the chicken breast.
And this is where I get frustrated. Because despite being fat, my diet does not primarily consist of french fries. I probably eat them 1-2 times a month on average. And a lot of the time, I get them because the other option for a side is something shitty like an iceberg salad, cottage cheese, or fruit cup that is mostly hard melon. I eat fast food maybe 6-8 times a year and pretty much only when we need to grab a bite to eat on the road. Never for work lunch or a random dinner that I don't feel like cooking. I like chicken breast! And I love Chipotle but I don't want to eat there 6 times a month.
This thread is interesting in that people are saying - hey have you tried this? and those suggestions are met with, well, yes, but that's not what I'm talking about!
I think it's a pretty universal truth that if you want more calorie-controlled food and healthier options, you have to make it yourself. You may be better suited to do more food-prep (say, on a down day, where you can chop up veg, marinate and cook meats, etc.) and grab those things on the go throughout the week. Budget a meal out on whatever food plan you're on, eat half of something, pull the bread off, etc.
Yeah, it sucks that I can't pull up to any restaurant and get numerous healthy options, but, c'est la vie.
Ha- well, maybe the answer is no, then!
I guess what I want is food that fresh, not overly processed, not laden with sugar, and includes things that are actually good for you. And I don't want to eat a salad every single time I want to pick something up. We do have a good salad place here at work. It just sometimes feels like the ONLY option when I want something fresh that isn't super unhealthy.
Chipotle and Panera are good options that we do have. IDK why we don't go to Panera more.Â
Do you have an Eat Fit Go around you? I think it would check all your boxes.
I eat a lot of fatty meat and practically zero grains, whole or otherwise. That being said, I do eat a lot of leafy green vegetables, mostly of the Asian variety, thanks to living in an area rife with authentic Chinese and Vietnamese options.
I think we all have different notions of what is healthy. Are you striving for good health? Or are you simply seeking to lose weight? I suppose, ideally, you do both, but honestly if you just want to lose weight, you could probably have a much tastier path than salads and low-fat fare.
I don't cook, so I rely predominantly on my good judgment (most of the time) while dining out or taking out, yet somehow I still eat really well (at least to me).
I think this is more my ideal diet. I do eat things like rice, quinoa, and whole wheat pasta but I try to limit how often and could probably do without if the rest of the meal was satisfying. I (thankfully) don't have any health problems yet, but I'm also about 50lbs overweight and feel like I have low energy and random aches and pains a lot. I think dropping some weight would make me feel better and probably be best in the long run.
I'm unconvinced that eating Subway is going to meet that goal. It might help with the weight but overall well-being? Not really.
I guess what I want is food that fresh, not overly processed, not laden with sugar, and includes things that are actually good for you. And I don't want to eat a salad every single time I want to pick something up. We do have a good salad place here at work. It just sometimes feels like the ONLY option when I want something fresh that isn't super unhealthy.
Chipotle and Panera are good options that we do have. IDK why we don't go to Panera more.
Do you have an Eat Fit Go around you? I think it would check all your boxes.
We don't! But I just looked it up and yes, this is EXACTLY what I have in mind
Have you tried a health food store? My H grew up in chain restaurant hell but worked at a mom 'n pop health food store that has a bunch of VERY healthy take-out, made in the store, with many options from world cuisines. We go there every time we visit his mom.
Have you tried a health food store? My H grew up in chain restaurant hell but worked at a mom 'n pop health food store that has a bunch of VERY healthy take-out, made in the store, with many options from world cuisines. We go there every time we visit his mom.
Actually, we do have a food co-op here that has some options. I always forget about it because it's not a place I drive by very often. Not everything there is helpful from a weight management perspective, but the ingredients are good.
You know, I don't really know yet. We just moved and I don't know the neighborhood well yet, but I'm guessing there are options around.
We had good spots by our old house. A great burger place where you could get a bunless burger and they have a really good kale salad. There was lots of middle eastern nearby and a local spot that does really good salads. I hope we have good options near us now, but nothing is quite as close anymore, unfortunately.
TJs will be great (uhh, with some very tempting, not so great options) when you get it. Do you guys have much Chinese/Thai/Vietnamese take out? For me, even not-the-best Vietnamese or Chinese is healthier/tastier than 90% of chain store offerings, and there are tons of menu items, so that would be my go-to.
Despite my whining, this thread has been helpful. There are a couple of places I forgot about (like our co-op and a Mediterranean place that I love but rarely go to) and reminded me I've been meaning to try a new-ish Vietnamese place. I still would like to see MORE options, but at least I have a couple more in mind now
Honestly, I think unless I prepare it myself, I find it difficult to find things that are truly healthy. That's why I usually end up with a plain garden salad and add my own herbs and vinegar to it (maybe a drop or tow of oil).
I think Subway can be decent because I can tell them what I want, and I don't think their flat breads are too bad.
Rotisserie chicken tastes good, but I also think it's injected with a lot of sodium and basted in a lot of fat while cooking, so I don't know how truly healthy it is.
As for Chinese food, I pretty much have eliminated that. Even when I'd order just the steamed veggies I still think they add some starch and/or sodium to them.
Of course I'll splurge every now and then, but for the most part I really only trust what I make myself.
Yes there are lots of options here where you can get healthy stuff. Frankly, though, I prefer to save my splurges for eating out because it's so easy to make simple/healthy food at home. I just can't get excited about a "dinner out" that's grilled protein and veggies lol.
I agree 100%! This is my other gripe (since I'm whining about food in general). If we go to sit down somewhere, I definitely DON'T want the grilled chicken and veggies, unless it's one of their actual menu items so they've put effort into make it taste good (like there is a place here that does a half chicken, roasted asparagus, and potato thing that is so tasty that you forget it is healthy). But I don't want to go to a burger joint and order a plain chicken breast and a side salad with fat free dressing. That's just depressing and seems like a waste of money.
This has been my problem with WW in the past and I'm really trying to give it a better go this time. I feel like if I do go somewhere and order what I want, even once a week, that's going to bring me way over my weekly points. I mean a Cadbury cream egg is 8 points. I shudder to think what a burger, fries, and a beer at my favorite local place would be if something that is 150 calories is taking up 1/4 of my daily allotment.
I'm glad you have healthy options, though. I guess a part of my wonder is if once we move somewhere else we'll find it easier to manage healthy eating. Seattle is on our list of maybe places
The thing about WW is that it bakes in a points penalty for sugar, and incentivizes foods high in protein. So a candy bar might be eight points for 150 calories, but lean protein is more like 70 calories/point.
You can do a burger without cheese and mayo (I usually top with grilled vegetables or avocado) and a bun for 13-15 points. Eat only half the bun and bring it down further. I order a side salad but steal a few fries from DH. Beer comes out of my weeklies.
Also, I find I do well on WW even if I go over my points as long as I'm following the spirit of the program -- high protein, low sugar and reasonable amounts of fat and unprocessed carbs (I usually do one low-carb meal/day to save points, usually lunch.)
Post by fortnightlily on Apr 7, 2017 5:58:09 GMT -5
Yes, we have a plethora of options, but I live in the suburbs of DC.
Are there any ethnic restaurants near you? Indian, Greek, Thai, Vietnamese? They may not be fast casual, but they'll do carryout and should have offerings with more veggies, etc.
Post by fortnightlily on Apr 7, 2017 6:06:26 GMT -5
Also, I know frozen stuff has sodium and whatever, but see if your grocery store carries frozen lunches by Amy's or Cedarlane. They're vegetarian, have veggies and fiber, tasty, and under 600 calories.
So unpopular opinion maybe, but I think the problem is the new Weight Watchers plan.
I did it in 2007 and lost about 40 pounds. I crept back up a bit so went back and got down about another 6 pounds from my previous low. At that point, I was still 14 pounds into the obese category. But when they changed the way they calculated points, I only got 3 points above what the minimum was. So even though I still had 44 pounds to lose, I was already close to the minimum number of points. I had a lentil soup recipe that changed from 6 or 7 points under the old system to 13 points under the new system. I know lentils have carbs, but good god, they have fiber and aren't the same as eating a bowl of ice cream or something.
The week that I repeatedly cried from hunger was the week I quit.
Full disclosure, I am still fat. I would like to go back after I have this baby because I really did have such great success on it before. But the program change was such a non-starter for me.