THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO EATING OUT WHILE TRACKING YOUR MACROS
Eating out is an important part of our lifestyle, but when it comes to work lunches, social events with friends, and family dinners, it often feels like we need to compromise our nutrition goals in order to enjoy a meal out.
It doesn’t have to be that way!
In fact, when we work with our individual nutrition clients, we encourage them to eat meals out as this is one of the best ways to not only practice flexibility but also learn to make choices that better align with your goals. Today’s post will help you find strategies that will keep you on track in situations that are not totally in your control. It’s chock full of our best tips and tricks for how to approach eating out while tracking your macros or simply working towards your specific nutrition goals.
When navigating meals out, I find that a lot of people fall into one of two categories:
→ You eat out frequently - catered meals at work, date nights, dinners out with friends, breakfast or lunch on the go during busy days. Progress may be slower than you want it to be, but you are doing your best to make tracking work with your lifestyle.
→ You very rarely eat out and the idea of a meal out gives you a little bit of anxiety. You don’t know how to make it work with your numbers and you feel like you would rather stay home and cook your own meal or treat it as a “free meal” and start over again the next day.
Regardless of which situation you are in, Flexible Nutrition is about finding balance in your diet, which means that you should be able to enjoy a meal out when the occasion arises without having to sacrifice your social life or give up on your goals.
THE BEST APPROACH TO TAKE WHEN EATING A MEAL OUT AND TRACKING YOUR MACROS
TO TRACK…OR NOT TO TRACK?
Food is more than a necessity of life; it is a source of entertainment and enjoyment and a means of connecting with others. The fact that you are being diligent about your nutrition doesn’t mean you need miss out on all good meals. It does, however, mean that there may be some compromises to make on occasion. Before you go out to eat, take a minute to think about what you want out of the meal and what approach you should take:
→ Are you going out to eat because you want to enjoy the eating experience? If so, order what you want! If you're there for the food, choose a meal that you will enjoy and acknowledge that it may mean you have to make adjustments to the rest of your day.
→ Are you going out in order to spend time with family or friends?
If food isn't the priority, focus on enjoying time with company and order something that will be simple to track and easy to work into your numbers.
A GOOD RULE OF THUMB
Estimating is better than nothing: While you do not have to be beholden to your food scale and your phone, continuing to log your food can be the most helpful tool for staying on track. Even if you are just estimating, it will help you stay aware of what you are eating and will help you make better food choices.
HOW TO ORDER A MEAL OUT WHEN TRACKING YOUR MACROS
TIPS FOR PLANNING AHEAD
If the restaurant has a menu available online, try and look through it before you go out to eat to scout out a potential meal. When reading through the menu, look for meals based around lean proteins and veggies.
LEAN PROTEINS:
Chicken breast
Fish
Shrimp
Turkey
Sirloin steak
VEGGIES:
Side salads
Steamed garden veggies
Fresh vegetables
Sauteed sides
Vegetable soups (broth based)
PRO TIP: Ask for a to-go box to come with your order. When you get your meal, put half in the to-go box to save for later in the day. This can help you spread your food out across the day & can keep you from feeling like you need to finish everything on your plate. Once you’ve finished the first half of the meal, give it a few minutes and check in with your hunger cues to decide if you’re satisfied or still hungry for the rest.
MENU HACKS WHEN EATING OUT AND TRACKING YOUR MACROS
Remember, there are no good or bad foods. Period. These suggestions may help you make meals out less calorically dense (as meals out tend to be denser than what we make at home) but they are not necessary and may apply to you (or not!) depending on your specific goals.
BREAKFAST: When thinking about prioritizing protein in our meal, this can be easy to do with breakfast! You can almost always ask for an omelet to be made with egg whites rather than whole eggs (there is nothing wrong with whole eggs, they are just more calorically dense). Opt for a side of fresh fruit or cottage cheese rather than toast for more micronutrients and protein or turkey bacon in place of normal bacon.
SALAD: Ask for added chicken, shrimp, or tofu and dressing on the side. Sub croutons or fried toppings with extra veggies. A salad is a great thing to order when eating out as it provides a lot of volume and can be easily customized.
SANDWICH: You can make your sandwich open faced (only one side of the bread or bun) if looking to make it less carb dense. Ask the chef to go light on any fatty dressings or spreads like mayo, aioli, or guacamole. Add extra veggies or a side salad or fruit in place of chips or fries.
SOUP: A broth-based rather than cream-based soup is going to be less dense. Ask for a side of veggies rather than bread if your soup is already carb-heavy due to added rice or pasta if you want to keep carbs lower.
SUSHI: Sushi is such a great, healthful, customizable meal. Tempura sushi rolls are going to be the most calorically dense, along with added creamy sauces. Choose lean protein options like tuna, shrimp, or crab if keeping fat intake lower. Sushifaq can be a great resource for learning more about the nutritional value of different rolls.
MEXICAN: Fajitas can be a great option as you have a protein (shrimp, chicken, or steak generally), veggies, and a plethora of sides to choose from. We recommend tracking additional cooking oil when tracking fajitas. You have the opportunity to choose your carbs: tortillas and/or rice and/or beans, as well as fats: sour cream and/or guac and/or cheese. There are so many options and opportunities to choose what best aligns with your goals.
ITALIAN: All pasta dishes will be quite carb heavy (though delicious!). You can make a dish a little less calorie dense by choosing dishes with a tomato-based sauce rather than cream based. You may be able to add a protein to the meal as well!
PRO TIP: It is easy to feel pressured when eating out with family and friends. You don’t want to draw attention to yourself and so maybe you just order what everyone else is having in order to not be a nuisance. Stop that! You have big goals that you are committed to and it is ok to let your family and friends know that you are being intentional about what you eat, and it is ok to ask the waiter or chef questions details about what is on the menu. Rarely will someone be offended or inconvenienced by your desire to prioritize your health, so don’t worry about it!
HOW TO TRACK A MEAL OUT WHEN TRACKING YOUR MACROS
Checking for a restaurant’s online nutrition information before you go out to eat can make your life much easier. While online nutrition information can still be inaccurate, it gives you a guideline to work with. You can track according to the online information then make adjustments as needed after you see your meal in person.
If there is no information online, continuing to track by estimating your meal can still help keep you accountable and aware of what you are eating and can be better than not tracking at all.
TRACKING FOR ACCURACY: Visually break down and track the individual components of your meal.
Takes more time
Is more accurate
Works best with simple meals
Better option for beginners
TRACKING FOR CONVENIENCE: Find a similar entry in the MFP database and estimate the portion size to best match your meal.
Takes less time
Is less accurate
Works best with multi-ingredient or more complex meals
Better option for experienced trackers
PRO TIP: As you eat, do your best to stay in touch with your body. Do not wait until you are overly full to stop eating. Rather, eat slowly and with intent so that you can recognize and honor your fullness cues. Once you start to feel full, stop eating. Ask for a box and take the rest to go!
HOW TO ESTIMATE A MEAL OUT WHILE TRACKING YOUR MACROS USING HAND MEASUREMENTS
It may not always be appropriate to bring a scale along with you to weigh your food out. In such cases, your hand can be just as helpful of a tool. Practice these estimation methods as you prepare your food at home. Double check yourself using your scale to get a feel for appropriate serving sizes.
Tracking your macros is all about balance, so that means being able to enjoy a meal out every once in a while!
If you eat out frequently, you may find that progress is moving a little slower than you like. But if eating out is something that is important to your lifestyle, that’s ok! On the opposite end of the spectrum, we should never feel so tied to tracking our food that we can’t enjoy a meal out every once in a while for fear it will ruin our macros. So what happens if you go out to eat and all intentions of staying on track fly out the window? You have a greasy appetizer, an unplanned dessert, or an extra drink or two?
SHAKE IT OFF & MOVE ON
Down a few extra glasses of water and get right back to it the next day! Do not feel the need to restrict your intake the next few days or to add in any additional exercise. This will only set you up for a never ending cycle of restricting and binging. Treat the situation as a learning experience and make the next day better. Don’t let a bad day turn into a bad weekend, a bad week, or a bad month. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything!
For more tips on tracking your macros while eating out:
Macro-friendly Fast Food Options
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