Calories on menu

[GK4Herd]

Most of the major chains publish calories now. Does if change the way you order?

I’ll go first. I’ve always had a decent handle on which items were higher in calories than others. But some items fool you. I’ve always known that items like Bloomin Onions were going to have 2000 plus calories. I’ve always known that most desserts were going to pack 1200 to 1800. But I’m finding some entrees are deceiving. I definitely change my habits and eliminate restaurants based on their lack of healthy and lower calorie items.

I can understand why restaurants fought disclosure of calories. That being said, many friends of mine have zero conscience when it comes to ordering. One family I eat with quite a bit orders two appetizers to start every meal and then order a full course. My wife and I order no apps and then sometimes shares an entree. They must think we’re cheap, but the truth is keeping my weight down is a struggle. When I go out with them I like to have a couple of beers, but I couldn’t imagine adding beer calories to appetizers and my meal.

Anyway...do calories influence you?

 

[mlblack16.]

Hell yes they are a factor. It's amazing how many calories we eat and how careful one has to be just to order a meal around 500 kcals. It's really not a lot, but, as you mentioned, I like to enjoy beer with a meal when I'm out. I know when it's all said and done I'm consuming around 800 kcals, but I am mindful of that earlier in the day when choosing breakfast and lunch.

Compare that to what someone throwing caution to the wind is doing, and I'd say I'm far better off consuming my caloric intake vs someone like @WV-FAN and his 5000 kcals worth of caprese and orange flavored beer.

 

[herdfan06]

Only a little bit, I have made decisions based on the sodium content in prepackaged food.

 

[i am herdman]

I go for the low fat onion and diet ribs.

 

[countryroads89]

Most of the major chains publish calories now. Does if change the way you order?

I’ll go first. I’ve always had a decent handle on which items were higher in calories than others. But some items fool you. I’ve always known that items like Bloomin Onions were going to have 2000 plus calories. I’ve always known that most desserts were going to pack 1200 to 1800. But I’m finding some entrees are deceiving. I definitely change my habits and eliminate restaurants based on their lack of healthy and lower calorie items.

I can understand why restaurants fought disclosure of calories. That being said, many friends of mine have zero conscience when it comes to ordering. One family I eat with quite a bit orders two appetizers to start every meal and then order a full course. My wife and I order no apps and then sometimes shares an entree. They must think we’re cheap, but the truth is keeping my weight down is a struggle. When I go out with them I like to have a couple of beers, but I couldn’t imagine adding beer calories to appetizers and my meal.

Anyway...do calories influence you?

Yes. One of the best tasting and low calorie dishes is the Skinnylicious Chicken Pasta at the Cheesecake Factory. I think it has something like 600 calories. I’ll choose the lower calorie sandwich at Subway.

 

[i am herdman]

Yes. One of the best tasting and low calorie dishes is the Skinnylicious Chicken Pasta at the Cheesecake Factory. I think it has something like 600 calories. I’ll choose the lower calorie sandwich at Subway.

You guys can do that but something else in that stuff is going kill you anyway. Or at least that is what they say.

How about the carbs? All this stuff confuses me. calories, carbs, sodium, artificial sweetener, Red Die #9. Pesticides on the salad.

 

[countryroads89]

You guys can do that but something else in that stuff is going kill you anyway.

How about the carbs? All this stuff confuses me.

Pasta = high carbs.

I don’t worry about that, others do.

 

[19MU88]

Yes. One of the best tasting and low calorie dishes is the Skinnylicious Chicken Pasta at the Cheesecake Factory. I think it has something like 600 calories. I’ll choose the lower calorie sandwich at Subway.

I figured you for a Cheesecake Factory lover Gomer

 

[mlblack16.]

Yes. One of the best tasting and low calorie dishes is the Skinnylicious Chicken Pasta at the Cheesecake Factory. I think it has something like 600 calories. I’ll choose the lower calorie sandwich at Subway.

Did you see the Seinfeld episode where they all thought they were eating fat free yogurt, but it was falsely labeled, because they were gaining weight?

When something tastes too good I am always paranoid that the calorie info is way off, or the establishment is just bullshitting the numbers, because they know they are highly unlikely to get caught and people will eat the hell out of its food.

 

[WVUSerg]

How do you guys feel about keto? I had some success with it but it is hard for one person to eat a certain way in a family of 5.

 

[mlblack16.]

How do you guys feel about keto? I had some success with it but it is hard for one person to eat a certain way in a family of 5.

That's the problem with any fad diet though. The only thing that diet (or any others for that matter) is doing is creating a calorie deficit. Find less calorically dense foods which you enjoy and thrn ask the wifey to get from the store. Tons of non-starchy vegetables are my mainstay, but that may not work for you. I also like broth soups with protein/vegetables as they tend to be larger volume to feel like I get to actually enjoy something and relatively lower in kcals.

@murox follows a very strict regimen from what I understand and is able to maintain his 18-year old physique. Perhaps he can comment?

 

[WVUSerg]

My macros was 2500 calories
208 grams of fat
139 grams of protein
25 grams of carbs

I always felt full and was satisfied with my meals. It was hard to hit my fat numbers though. I figured this would mess up my cholesterol but my numbers were better after being on the diet.

Like I said the only problem was having to make 2 meals one for me and one for the family.

I am 41 and got back in to weight lifting a couple months back. I need to make my gut smaller.

 

[WV-FAN]

Did you see the Seinfeld episode where they all thought they were eating fat free yogurt, but it was falsely labeled, because they were gaining weight?

When something tastes too good I am always paranoid that the calorie info is way off, or the establishment is just bullshitting the numbers, because they know they are highly unlikely to get caught and people will eat the hell out of its food.

my kid gets to watching his weight from time to time for sports. i told him, if it taste good, spit it out, it's probably bad for you.

 

[WV-FAN]

How do you guys feel about keto? I had some success with it but it is hard for one person to eat a certain way in a family of 5.

i did the keto, lost 15. great thing about it was i could drink the shit out of low carb beer and still lost weight.

 

[countryroads89]

Did you see the Seinfeld episode where they all thought they were eating fat free yogurt, but it was falsely labeled, because they were gaining weight?

When something tastes too good I am always paranoid that the calorie info is way off, or the establishment is just bullshitting the numbers, because they know they are highly unlikely to get caught and people will eat the hell out of its food.

You could be right. I've thought the exact same thing. Regardless, it is tasty and the serving size is slightly smaller than most other entrees. It is just the right serving size to fill you up but not make you feel like you have overeaten.

 

[countryroads89]

I figured you for a Cheesecake Factory lover Gomer

What about Subway? Did you picture me a Subway guy? Curious minds want to know.

 

[ohio herd]

I think about it for sure. What really brings a smile to my face is when people order a diet drink and then load up on deserts and entrees to go along that huge pasta dish. I guess every lil bit helps

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

Absolutely. I really noticed it at Olive Garden (I don't care for Olive Garden, but sometimes we have to eat there, that's life). Chicken Carbonara is about 1000 calories more than Shrimp Scampi. Yeah, I ordered the scampi.

The only fast food breakfast item I will order is McDonald's sausage burrito, and the only reason I order that is to begin my day with some hot salsa on something. I used to eat 3 of them. The damn things are 300 calories apiece. Now I order 2.

The one thing I do not care what the calories are is ice cream. If I want Bourbon Pecan Pie Ice Cream in a chocolate dipped waffle bowl from The Comfy Cow, by God I am going to go get it. It's probably 8000 calories, and I don't care.

 

[Walter Brennaneer]

Exercise and jog daily. You can eat whatever you want. You just need to work off the calories.

 

[GK4Herd]

Exercise and jog daily. You can eat whatever you want. You just need to work off the calories.

I disagree with eating whatever you want by working out. Exercise helps. But if you want to lose weight it needs to be accomplished on the diet end. For example...the rule of thumb for jogging is you burn .75 percent of your body weight in calories per mile of running. So if a 200 pound man jogs for two miles per day he will burn 300 calories. You can negate that loss with a bag of chips or a bag of M&Ms or two beers. It's about the calories consumed.

 

[ohio herd]

I disagree with eating whatever you want by working out. Exercise helps. But if you want to lose weight it needs to be accomplished on the diet end. For example...the rule of thumb for jogging is you burn .75 percent of your body weight in calories per mile of running. So if a 200 pound man jogs for two miles per day he will burn 300 calories. You can negate that loss with a bag of chips or a bag of M&Ms or two beers. It's about the calories consumed.

I have found that I need to do both. I agree with you that exercise alone does not get it done ,(at least for me). I have also found that I do better if I am active ( lifting weights and doing cardio) Disclaimer: I have recently gained weight so I am in no way trying to tell anyone what to do! LOL

 

[murox]

That's the problem with any fad diet though. The only thing that diet (or any others for that matter) is doing is creating a calorie deficit. Find less calorically dense foods which you enjoy and thrn ask the wifey to get from the store. Tons of non-starchy vegetables are my mainstay, but that may not work for you. I also like broth soups with protein/vegetables as they tend to be larger volume to feel like I get to actually enjoy something and relatively lower in kcals.

@murox follows a very strict regimen from what I understand and is able to maintain his 18-year old physique. Perhaps he can comment?

I don't eat out unless I'm out of town or going out with friends, so when I do I get after it. Lobster mac and cheese? Yep. Fettuccini alfredo? Yes sir. Bread pudding with ice cream? I'll take two.

99% of the time its intermittent fasting (18/6) with salmon or pork tenderloin (occasionally beef tenderloin), steamed veggies, strawberries and blueberries and greek yogurt. Occasionally I'll snack on peanuts if I'm hungry.

 

[GK4Herd]

I have found that I need to do both. I agree with you that exercise alone does not get it done ,(at least for me). I have also found that I do better if I am active ( lifting weights and doing cardio) Disclaimer: I have recently gained weight so I am in no way trying to tell anyone what to do! LOL

I agree with that. I was just disputing the statement that if you work out you can, “eat whatever you want.”
You can’t. Lifting weights just doesn’t burn that many calories. Neither does running or walking at the rates that the average person can and does work out. If I can add 500 calories burned daily through activity to my BMR, I’m happy. My BMR is around 2100 calories. When I’m lifting and walking I end up burning around 2700 calories for the day. I’d have to average only 2000 a day to lose only a single pound in a week. I can totally wreck that with a single day’s lapse.

But I agree with Rox and Raul too. You have to treat yourself from time to time to make life worth living. I’m 5’11” and weigh right at 200 pounds. Two years ago I was around 40 pounds higher. I lost weight through CICO (calories in/calories out). Working out was a big part of that, but dieting is what moved the needle. I still need to lose 15-20 more and I’ve struggled with it. I went out of town for nearly three weeks on vacation and ate out most meals. Eating at home makes a huge difference.

 

[GK4Herd]

I’d be interested in doc Hungus’s take on keto. I was on keto all summer. I’m not totally convinced that there’s anything going on magical besides a calorie deficit. I stayed between 15 and 25 carbs per day. By cutting out bread and sugar I eliminated a ton of calories that I might pick up through impulse eating. People will grab a small piece of cake at a birthday party, maybe a handful of chips later in the day, and pick at a roll at Bob Evans and without realizing it you added 500 to 600 calories. Keto conditioned me not to impulse eat.

Also, meat is high protein but not overly calorie dense. If I went to BW3s I would order the 6 naked tenders with medium sauce on the side, the veggie boat with carrots only and a side of ranch. The chicken is only 260 calories. With the condiments and other items I’ve stayed around 500 calories. Compare that to a burger and fries at most restaurants and you’ve eaten 1200 to 1500 calories or more. So keto may very well be just reducing calories.

But this much I do know. That diet messed with me. About a week into I got weak, lethargic and felt like I was running a low grade temperature. My heart rate elevated as well. I literally laid in bed all day. I started reading and discovered that this was the symptoms of keto flu. I had a serious electrolyte deficiency. I went and bought a supplement and drank several Propels and I was back to normal within a few hours. Magnesium, potassium, calcium...I was in serious need of it.

Then I had another issue. I couldn’t concentrate. I read where that was a temporary symptom of keto diets. This is totally anecdotal, but my golf game went to hell in a hand basket. The scores I was shooting before I started keto were around 15 strokes lower than after I entered ketosis. I couldn’t stay focused. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t concentrate. In Hilton Head I shot a round so bad I was embarrassed. I decided to break the keto and ate carbs the next two days and my next round was my best of the summer at that time. I came home and played Esquire and Sugarwood and was in the low 80s, which is very good for me.

Like I said...purely anecdotal, but I’m convinced that the carb deprivation played into it. I mean...I stink at golf, but not at the level of bad I was playing. That being said, I Iost weight and wasn’t ever hungry on keto. I ate to satiety. But it really messed with me.

 

[HerdFan76]

Counting calories is an antiquated way of tracking your food intake. You could limit your caloric intake to 2000 daily but consume 2000 calories from absolute trash food. Calories are a measure of energy, not nutrition, so in order to really hit your needs and goals - track your macros.

Rox mentioned IF, which isn't a fad diet. People are making major body changes using IF while not even training (obviously more if you do train), I can't believe it's not more main stream right now. The definition of a fad diet is starving yourself of one of the macros, usually carbs or protein. That's ridiculous, your body needs these things. Without them you're going to crash, which is why fad diets never work long term and the users revert to their previous state and usually gain weight. With IF you still hit your daily macros needs, you aren't denying your body of nutrients, and you don't feel hungry all day long. You can drink black coffee and take multivitamins (if needed) in the mornings without breaking the fast. Rox obviously does a more hard core 18/6 split but most use a 16/8 feeding window.

GK, you said weight lifting doesn't burn many calories. That's true, but it does burn more than cardio. Your body uses fat and calories to repair damaged muscle and create new muscle fibers in the hours following weight training. You can burn fat 6-8 hours after lifting as opposed to cardio, where you really only burn calories during the exercise.

GK's keto flu is spot on. I don't do keto but every keto follower I know has gone thru it, and reading hundreds of online posts, it's a nasty transition. Seems fad-like to me, your body shouldn't crash that hard if it's fed properly.

 

[GK4Herd]

Counting calories is an antiquated way of tracking your food intake. You could limit your caloric intake to 2000 daily but consume 2000 calories from absolute trash food. Calories are a measure of energy, not nutrition, so in order to really hit your needs and goals - track your macros.

Rox mentioned IF, which isn't a fad diet. People are making major body changes using IF while not even training (obviously more if you do train), I can't believe it's not more main stream right now. The definition of a fad diet is starving yourself of one of the macros, usually carbs or protein. That's ridiculous, your body needs these things. Without them you're going to crash, which is why fad diets never work long term and the users revert to their previous state and usually gain weight. With IF you still hit your daily macros needs, you aren't denying your body of nutrients, and you don't feel hungry all day long. You can drink black coffee and take multivitamins (if needed) in the mornings without breaking the fast. Rox obviously does a more hard core 18/6 split but most use a 16/8 feeding window.

GK, you said weight lifting doesn't burn many calories. That's true, but it does burn more than cardio. Your body uses fat and calories to repair damaged muscle and create new muscle fibers in the hours following weight training. You can burn fat 6-8 hours after lifting as opposed to cardio, where you really only burn calories during the exercise.

GK's keto flu is spot on. I don't do keto but every keto follower I know has gone thru it, and reading hundreds of online posts, it's a nasty transition. Seems fad-like to me, your body shouldn't crash that hard if it's fed properly.

I was and am at a serious plateau, so the Keto was kind of an experiment with me. This much I know, a lot of people are successful with it. But I tend to believe it’s just a glorified calorie deficit. The same with IF. This study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found no significant difference between a form of IF (alternate day fasting) and regular daily calorie restriction.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2623528?redirect=true

I don’t disagree with you about hitting your macros either. CICO doesn’t mean that you are inviting yourself to eat poorly if it fits your daily calorie count. In fact the opposite is true. If my calorie intake is going to be 2000 calories, I can reach satiety much easier by eating healthy. Grilled chicken and vegetables (I love asparagus) allows you to eat till you’re satisfied. On the other hand if you eat a calorie dense junk food item you are going to starve because you can’t eat much of it.

Macros, IF, Keto, or whatever...I can’t shake the first law of thermodynamics...energy in/energy out at the end of the day.