Hey all. I need your advice! I am going out to lunch with a freind today (scary because I have been SO good at staying OP planning my own lunches) and she has chosen Mexican food. We have a great restaurant near my work, but I am really freaking out about what to have for lunch.

Ideas?

The chicken tortilla soup is always a good option. Usually mexican restaurants offer a soup/salad type deal for lunch. If they start with a chips basket, keep it to around 10-12 chips. Look around for a grilled chicken salad on the menu, usually they offer some good low fat vinagrettes to dress the salad with. Just some tips. Have a nice lunch!

Get the fajitas, but skip the tortillas. Just eat the meat/veggies with maybe some sour cream.

Skip the chips ! Avoid the guacamole ! Skip the Flan ! Skip the Corona ! I'd go for the tortilla soup.

Are you going off carb count alone, or do you account for fiber as well? Beans are carby, but full of fiber. I usually get an entree with something like fajitas, skip the tortillas, no rice, double beans (though I usually only eat half) and enjoy a little sour cream and cheese. Skipping the chips is hard, but it's always eaiser for me to have none at all than to have just a few. You can also get enchiladas and eat just the filling, or ask for a burrito without the tortilla.

I actually like Mexican food when I'm watching my carbs (though I'm not a carb counter per say, just avoid the unhealthy ones) I like the fullness of some beans with my meal, and the flavors are always fun.

I used to get a combo w/ a chicken quesadilla, hard shell taco w/ beef, and a chalupa. Most the time I ate all of it minus a few bites. I don't know how! Lol. Now I get a taco salad. It comes in a tortilla type shell thing, which I don't eat of course. I get it with lettuce, chicken, pico de gallo, and a little bit of sour cream and guac. Much healthier choice, but I guess it'd depend on your personal goals.

I find it easier to avoid the chips altogether... 5 chips isn't gonna cut it for me! If I have a few, it's harder to stop. If I have none, I don't have a problem.
As for what to order:
Fajitas with just one tortilla, avoid the cheese and sourcream, I do eat a bit of avocado.
I almost always order one taco, NOT deep fried (they'll prepare it soft) with no cheese. And I eat like half the rice and beans.
If you can get a taco salad that's reasonable -- lettuce, tomato, veggies, chicken -- that's a great choice, but only if you can do it without dressing, cheese and sour cream!
Let us know how it went!!

Thank you guys so much for all of the advice. I simply cannot do the soup today. I have never been a soup fan and its over 100 degrees outside :-) I will either go for the taco salad, or the fajitas. I have to ask though, why no guacamole?

It is higher in calories & fatty (although some people consider it "good" fat). I personally don't see a problem with it in moderation. Don't go overboard with it. But also depending on what diet you are following, you may just want to skip it.

Honestly, I think guac is a pretty good fat, as long as you're not shoving down a ton. One spoonful of guac is a good amount.

OK I am very proud of myself. I had three tortilla chips with salsa. Didnt have any more because I honestly didnt think they were as good as I had remembered. :-) Then I ordered the lunch sizes chicken taco salad. It was very simple. lettuce, good amount of chicken, very small amount of cheese and i had one spoonful of guac for dressing. Perfect! And no, I was not even tempted to eat any of the shell.
YEAH FOR ME! hehehe

Yay! Good job. Or should I say, "buenoooo". Haha. I love taco salads! Hope you enjoyed

Good choices !