[MizMelis]

So i had a bit of a question. My birthday is coming up Nov 3rd, so just over a month from now, and my girlfriends and I are going out to my favorite Irish Pub and then out for drinks and some Karaoke.

I've been looking over their menu so i can prepare a bit before hand, but How do you pick and choose the "best" choice when their all not all that great choices in the first places. And drink choices, I normally would have been buying beer, but since i'm not eating grain, beer is out of question.
So i'm kind of unsure of other possible drink choices since i've always been a big beer fan lol

Advice, ideas ???

[Mimi21]

Go with the healthiest option even if it's not that healthy and eat half of it. It won't be good for you but it's one meal and you've watched your portions. Try to drink water before so you it helps you keep the portions smaller.

I don't drink alcohol so I'm no help there. I'd say do shots to try and minimize the calorie intake but I'm not knowledgeable enough to tell you how many calories it would be.

[CIELOARGE]

Don't kill me for this but it is just one night... Have fun, next day pick up where you left!
Drinks, you can have rum and diet coke or bring your own Milo to mix it with whatever you want.

Food... Not sure if you are LC or what but if that is the case maybe some bangers without the mash with some salad instead. They almost always offer some kind of chicken.

[MindiV]

I'm with Cieloarge. Just have fun one night. That's not saying go hog wild and order the biggest, fattiest, most calorie-laden thing on the menu. But choose as wisely as possible while still getting what you actually WANT and having fun. Then jump back on the wagon the next day.

I was one of those "stick to the diet even on Christmas and my birthday" people. And I truly believe I developed a disordered form of eating because of it. I was eating HEALTHY, but it truly caused me anxiety if I had to go "off plan" for a long time. I didn't enjoy eating out or eating on holidays at all. It got to a ridiculous point where I was really thinking of talking to someone. Then I got pregnant, and things in my brain have changed. Thank goodness. Now I can enjoy food, and an occasional splurge, but stay "on the wagon" and keep on going.

[CIELOARGE]

Mindi, I agree! I used to worry all the time and then feel like a failer when I couldnt stick to my plan. There are maybe 25 special meals a year with birthdays, Xmas and so on... Those meals didn't make you fat, the other 340 days of eating got you where you are.

My way now is not to worry about it and enjoy the night. Next day I Go back to plan and nothing really happens...

[Skellig19]

My best advice would be going for the option that is a happy medium between what you are craving and what is marginally healthy and then draw a line on your plate and eat HALF of it (or remove a portion that doesn't work like fries, or the bun on a burger). Restaurants use crazy out of whack portion sizes.

For my brother's birthday he wanted to go to Red Robin...there's pretty much nothing healthy on that menu so we tweaked it. We got melon wedges and apple slices as an appetizer (look at the sides on offer at the restaurant, steamed/grilled mixed veggies? GREAT APPY! Make the menu work for you!). I got the healthiest burger I could find and got it wrapped in lettuce. Chances are the chef would be delighted to try to make something different!

Drink slowly after the meal so you can at least fill up on the good energy type of calories first with your meal and then add on the fun birthday calories afterward (drinking your calories).

I hope that makes sense! Good luck! Even if you're a bit off plan, it's totally ok. It's your birthday. HAVE FUN!

[1spunkygal]

Originally Posted by CIELOARGE

Don't kill me for this but it is just one night... Have fun, next day pick up where you left!

I would do the same thing I would have a ball not be a pig about it but RELAX & have FUN. The next day get back on the wagon.

[nightprowler]

I have this problem quite often, actually last night I encountered it. I only ate half of something, got salad with it instead of fries, most sandwiches I ask to be in a wrap, or when it comes to the table I deconstruct it and just eat the burger without the bun (I hate asking for a burger no bun everyone stares at me funny)...

I've still lost weight consistently even eating out and not eating the best, if I knew I was going out I ate super healthy all day and low calorie/fat so I conserved most of my calories for that evening at a bar.


As for drinking all I drink is vodka waters with a squeeze of lime. Love them. Theres about 97 calories in vodka

[westcoast rosa]

Originally Posted by nightprowler

As for drinking all I drink is vodka waters with a squeeze of lime. Love them. Theres about 97 calories in vodka

That is now my drink of choice as well. I get it in a really big glass so that it lasts me a long time and I also get extra water in.

[MizMelis]

thanks ! It's only in a month and like 6 days, but since i started my weight loss I haven't actually gone out to eat in a restaurant. We've had family potlucks where it was easier to make better decisions since most of my family are pretty health conscious.

They have a lamb burger, and as far as i know lamb is a healthier choice then beef ??
I am going to stay away from their pasta though, even though it's so good. It used to be my go-to dish, but of course i'm a healthier me now lol

Vodka and lime sounds pretty good, i might look at some other kind of cocktails, i do remember i used to like cosmo's, but i don't want to drink too much lol

I am getting my hair done that morning, and then heading over to my cousin's for some home spa treatments. The advice of light snacking is great !

I had a look at their app's and it's really not all that healthy lol, they do have one with veggies and a hummus dip, but i really dislike hummus and the fact that it's really pricy lol.

I just don't want to freak out when i get there and not make a good choice lol.

[valalltogether]

Some Irish pubs will have smoked salmon, usually as an appetizer. I would say go for that, if you like it. Something like 25 calories per slice. (I personally love smoked salmon and could eat it without bread, creme fraische or anything)

Other than that..you know the deal.. stay away from fried foods if you can. If they have a chicken dish..go for that, with veggies or mashed or both.

As for drinks..a glass of guinness stout will be about 125 calories, a glass of red wine will be about the same. MY personal go to..is stoli razz and club soda. For a 1oz pour (pretty standard) will be 60 calories assuming their club soda is just carbonated water (pretty standard). You can do almost any flavored vodka and club soda, and it will be the same calories. In my opinion, delicious.

Stay away from: Pina coladas, margaritas, drinks with juice if you are watching calories. Fewer ingredients the better.

[1yr2mkovr]

My suggestion is to order whatever you like, and have a reasonable portion of it. Have your favourite meal, but if it's a huge portion then maybe have half, and have your fave drink, but either one or two servings. The point is to make a lifestyle change, not to go on a diet, and in life we have birthdays and holidays, and all sorts of other occasions when we need to feel free, to trust ourselves, to be able to enjoy ourselves within reason.

Maybe I'm wrong, but for me personally, I never gain weight off of one or two "bad" meals. I gain weight when I have ongoing bad habbits that I continue for days (which sometimes turn into weeks).

So enjoy yourself!

[XLMuffnTop]

Originally Posted by valalltogether

As for drinks..a glass of guinness stout will be about 125 calories

I love Guinness so I just happen to know that what we normally consider a "serving", 12 oz. is about 150 calories... however.... most pubs with Guinness on tap will sell it in pints so the calorie count will be a little closer to 200 in case you're budgeting.

I cannot go to a pub without getting a pint of Guinness so I have to know how much damage it does to my calorie counts for the day!

[MizMelis]

Thanks 1yr2mkorv- I think i'm just afraid that, that one meal is going to just make me want to go back to the old really unhealthy habits, and that's the last thing i ever want to happen lol

I know I can limit myself to half if it is a huge portion, and as far as i remember they usually are big portions. I was thinking of maybe drinking some water before we get there and trying to fill up a little bit so I'm not going to binge and eat the whole thing lol.

[Quiet Ballerina]

If you go with a burger of some sort, try and leave half the bun (though I saw you are trying to avoid grains so maybe you were planning on skipping the bun altogether). If you want to do fries, maybe they have sweet potato fries?

I looked at the menu of a pub that I like, and based on that menu, I'd probably pick something like the mini sliders (comes with 3, but I wouldn't have all 3) with a side salad.

Remember to drink lots of water!
Careful with the cosmo: 143 calories in one.