The last time I went to Macaroni Grill, I started with a nice salad, no cheese, dressing on the side. It was a GREAT salad. Then, I had the build your own pasta with whole wheat penne, spinach, artichoke hearts and something else (mushrooms?). As soon as the ENORMOUS bowl of pasta arrived at the table, I immediately asked for a to go box and boxed up half of it. Who can eat that much pasta!
If I remember correctly, they had a salad with shrimp that looked intriguing that I almost ordered
If you're going to eat bread, take ONE piece and then move the bread basket away from you. For me, it's just easier not to eat the first piece of bread. Olive oil is fabulous really, but you might want to just ask for a dish of just basalmic vinegar to dip your bread into.