Hi all,
Been on the program for 10 days and lost 6 pounds. I need some great ideas for dining out. We go out on the weekends and am looking for both restaurant and best menu choices.

Thanks!!!!!

Hi Chershi, Great job! I don't have a desire to eat out when I'm in P1...I can do it, but would rather not. I applaud all of you who do do it!

For what it's worth. I've always read the best choice for veggies is steamed broccoli. Whatever you chose just be specific that it can't be cooked in anything but EVOO and have not been marinated.

I imagine grilled chicken or fish would be delish! Of course a salad with EVOO (or sneak in a favorite one of your own). Some restaurants frown upon it...Ask for a corner seat and they won't see a thing!

We go out quite often. I always take a small Tupperware container filled with my own dressing (olive oil, vinegar, dijon mustard, spices). My favorite places to go are:

Texas Roadhouse - 6 or 8 oz. top sirloin with steamed broccoli (I always ask for it to be prepared with no butter) and a salad with no croutons or dressing.

Red Robin - Simply grilled chicken salad or occasionally a burger protein style (which comes wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun)

Red Lobster - crab legs or grilled catch of the day, salad (no croutons or dressing) and steamed broccoli or asparagus

Carraba's - grilled chicken without grill baste, steamed broccoli and salad (no croutons or dressing)

Any mexican restaurant - steak and chicken fajitas w/lettuce cups instead of tortillas. I always ask them to not bring refried beans, cheese, rice or guacamole and ask instead if I can get a plate of shredded lettuce. Then I just add my dressing and have a side salad.

Whenever I go to any restaurant, I always ask exactly how its prepared. I'll usually ask if there's butter and if so ask for it be prepared without and maybe with olive oil instead. If I order, say, a cobb salad, I just tell them what I want in it or don't want in it. The other day I ordered a chopped salad without bacon, avocado, blue cheese or dressing. I was basically left with lettuce, grilled chicken and a hard boiled egg, which is exactly what I wanted. I have not found a restaurant that won't prepare your food just as you want it. I've had things served to me not as I requested but I just tell them it's not what I ordered and I can't eat this and they'll redo it right away. I'm always nice about it and I've never had a problem getting what I want.

I agree with EXACTOR Most restaurants are more than willing to accommodate my special requests. I always call up the menu first so that I know what I can have and how it should be prepared. Sometimes I call ahead to find out if they prepare with butter.
Outback Steakhouse also has a ton of choices and we eat there often. Most of the steakhouses are really good about doing exactly what you ask.
Ive sent back a plate one time for it not being prepared the way I could eat it and the manager came over to apologize! I think most restaurants are very customer friendly these days

I've been to Chili's several times and they let me order off of the children's menu the Grilled chicken sandwich without a bun or dressing, so, I end up with a yummy grilled chicken breast and steamed brocolli. And it's inexpensive cuz it's off the children's menu. They do sprinkle the brocolli with cheese, so, you have to remember to ask them to hold the cheese. It took me a while to pick it off the first time.

Great tips! Thanks everyone. We are going to Red Robin so looks like that is IP friendly.

My fave is Mongolian Barbeque. I can pick and choose the veggies, meat, and sauces. I typically use a bit of hot pepper, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and soy sauce.

My coach advised me to tell the waiter that I'm a medically supervised diet and then they are really interested in making sure it gets done exactly as I want it prepared. I know others tell the server they're diabetic. Also, gets it exactly as you asked for it.

We've eaten out a bit. I think its doable wherever you go.

I really like Chilis because they have a light option salmon and broccoli that does not use butter. Everytime I have asked them to change things they have been great about it.

Ruby Tuesdays has the best sides, I get grilled chicken breast and either grilled zuchini or aspargus or green beans and salad with oil & vinegar

We eat out frequently but hardly ever at chains. There are so many locally owned neighborhood places in St Louis and I really like supporting small businesses.

Most of the places where we go have chefs. They seem to understand my needs when I ask for plain meat/veggies.
Even when we were visiting our friends in FL, they asked me: what can you have? I said, so easy. Meat (or seafood), green veggies, salad. Plain. No butter, no sauce. Some olive oil and Apple Cider Vinegar and I'm good.

And chefs are good at spicing things up for me!

I can get that almost anywhere!

If you look under the first sticky thread at the top of the forum there are a couple restaurant related threads for lots of great IP tips.

Yes Ruby Tuesdays is good too, but we don't have one close to us anymore

Applebees was rought when we went.

My favorite eat out place is Ruby Tuesdays because they have a top sirloin that is about the right number of ounces plus they have grilled zucchini and steamed broccoli as vegetable choices. Also, they have that salad bar so if you bring your own dressing, you can have your choice of all the allowed veggies!

The 99 restaurant (east coast chain) has a great little sirloin steak for low carbers, comes with steamed broccoli.

I eat out a lot and most restaurants are really great about special diets. They almost always have broccoli or asparagus available.

If you order steak, make sure you tell them not to brush it with butter, lots of places do that. Ruth Chris steak house actually serves all their steaks in a pool of butter.