How to Count Macros When Dining Out

The world has been on lockdown for practically all of 2020. Now is when we are starting to adventure out, eating at restaurants, and doing as many things as possible while still staying safe. While there is a virus still out there, I do believe that being locked up inside is not the best for our mental health. There are ways of doing things and being safe.

Eating at a restaurant is one of those things that can be done safely. As if the pandemic isn’t enough stress, eating out and counting macros can add to that stress. I’m here to tell you that it does not have to be that way. At the beginning, it can be a bit overwhelming and confusing, but isn’t that true with almost anything? You just gotta keep at it. Practice makes perfect.

First thing you gotta do is know where you are going to eat.

Once you know, you can go online and check out their menu (mostly all restaurants have online menus). Scroll through and see what you find the most appetizing. Write it down, it can be anything from appetizer, main course and dessert or just dessert and appetizer, etc. Now analyze the foods and see where you can make more health conscious choices. Let's say you really want that dessert but you have burgers and fries for your main meal. Why not switch the burger for some chicken and veggies?

Once you’ve decided then just add it to MyFitnessPal. Some restaurants already have their meals on there but if not, you can do each item individually. If you're eating chicken and veggies, you can search for the chicken and then the veggies on there. If you are having a brownie a la mode separate the items. For instance look for brownies on MFP and then look for ice cream. Same goes for anything else you decide to have.

Pro Tip: Do all of this the night before or a couple hours before. The point is to not wait until you're sitting at the restaurant to figure this all out. You will be hungry and make irrational decisions, and you may have crappy wifi service.

REMEMBER: PREPARATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS.

You don’t have to stick to the boring foods that everyone thinks of. I sometimes choose a salad with a side of fries. It's all about balance and not depriving yourself!

Any other questions, feel free to send me an email.

I found this on the MyFitnessPal about eating out at restaurants.