5 Tips for Keeping it Keto At Restaurants - Keto Cut Day 19
Eating out on Keto can be relatively easy if you follow a few simple rules:
- Try to look up the menu beforehand 📱
- Pick the right restaurants 🍗
- Avoid going on a completely empty stomach 🍽
- Don’t be afraid to ask ❓
- Keep your eyes peeled 👀
1). A lot of restaurants these days keep online menus updated with the macronutrient breakdowns for their popular items. Not all restaurants do this, but if you follow step 2, then you can purposefully pick the restaurants that do have accurate macros listed.
I also like to plan on what I'm going to order before I even get to the restaurant. It helps me to avoid any last minute cravings and pressure to order something that I don't want.
2). Picking the right restaurants is a great way to put yourself in good situations. If you pick a restaurant that has a lot of low-carb-friendly options, then you're probably going to be a lot happier eating there. If you pick a restaurant that only has 1 thing on the menu, you might risk being disappointed. As with tip #1, doing your research before going out can be a great help!
3). If I'm going to a new restaurant that I've never been to before, I'll typically eat a small snack before going. Even if you do some preliminary research on the restaurant, you may get there and be disappointed with the portion sizes, the quality of the food, or any other number of reasons. Avoiding a completely empty stomach can be a great way to stay on diet!
4). Don't be afraid to badger your waiter/waitress with questions!! Some people are afraid of seeming too needy at restaurants, but I've found people to be extremely patient with me as I ask tons of questions about how things are cooked, what sauces they use, etc. Don't be afraid to ask questions about your meal!
5). Keep your eyes peeled and stay on high alert! I've been in a lot of situations where I ask for something without dressing, without sauce, cooked a certain way, etc. and have had them bring out the order and forget what I asked! Always have a healthy suspicion of your food before you eat it! If you think they put something in there that has carbs in it, then don't be afraid to politely ask them to change it!
Day 19 Log:
Weigh-In:
| Start Weight (lbs) | Goal Weight (lbs) | Weight Lost (lbs) |
|---|---|---|
| 198 | 173 | 9.6 |
| Today's Weight (lbs) | Fat Mass (%) | Body Mass BMI |
|---|---|---|
| 188.4 | 22.2 | 22.3 |
Workout:
Off Day
What I Ate Today:
| Meal | Food |
|---|---|
| 0 | Coffee 1 TBSP Half & Half, 1 TBSP MCT Oil |
| 1 | 4 Eggs, 6 oz Corned Beef, 2 oz Cheddar Cheese |
| 2 | 10oz Ground Beef, Asparagus, Mushrooms, 2 TBSP Olive Oil |
| 3 | 8 oz Turkey, 1 OZ Swiss Cheese and Broccoli with Butter |
| 4 | 1 Protein Bar, 1 Serving of Nuts, 2 Low-Carb Tortillas |
Here's the Question of The Day, don't forget to post your answers in the comments!
QOTD: Do you go out to eat often when you're cutting or do you try and eat home-cooked meals more? What's your favorite restaurant to go out to?
Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave your thoughts below and I look forward to seeing you in the comments!
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Great post @khaleelkazi! I do agree with your points. Nowadays if you do some research before going to a restaurant can be quite handy in managing your diet. And with a rise in metabolic disorders such as obesity and prediabetes (let alone diabetes type 2) it is crucial to research on healthier food to consume - particularly low carb or even keto choices! 🙌
I do a carnivore diet, which is also really hard to stay on track at restaurants. Thanks for the tips, I’ll give it a shot!
a nice share
I sometimes choose a restaurant I never been and see what happens. If it is good I recommend this restaurant to my friends. If it is not good then I am not going back.
I like your work .. well done
Yes only perfect for God .. Must be patient
thank you for the advices..
Thank you! What did you think of the QOTD? Home-cooked or restaurants?
I'm more of a fan of home-made meals! I think they're way better for people who are watching their weight and also watching their wallets!
I like eating home-cooked meals more when cutting, although when the restaurant craving hits, I really like sushi! Not exactly keto, but so yummy and satisfying nonetheless!
oooo Sushi is also one of my favorite "cheat meals"... I love to go to Sushi buffets during my carb-loading cycle days!! I can eat rolls upon rolls of it!
I started slowly moving towards a more keto diet 6-8 months ago. At my heaviest I was 230lbs. Today I'm down to about 193 and feeling much better. Im still learning and tweaking my diet but teaching myself that carbs are bad and that feeling hungry isnt necessarily a bad thing has been important. Alcohol is still my weakness but portion control and cutting as many carbs as possible is the key to success i think. Ive heard many opinions on how many carbs you should have per day but I shoot for zero grams of carbs unless Im carb loading on a cheat day - i find these to be helpful to break through to new lows. I also dont work out so thats another factor as well. Keto is awesome!
Ancillary and anecdotal thoughts: it has helped my intestinal distress issues and my facial dermatitis as well!
WOW! Great work, that's phenomenal! Feeling hungry can actually be a great thing, research has shown that being hungry actually makes us more alert because our bodies have adapted to being able to be more efficient at hunting and gathering when on an empty stomach so that we don't starve.
Alcohol is definitely a tough one. While I'm dieting I try not to go out with friends too much in order to avoid drinking. I leave that for the summer when the diet is over and I'm looking to maintain! Yeah, I typically hit 20-30g of carbs per day, but I keep very rigerous workout schedules, so that can cause my body to require more carbs for glycogen refueling. It's all about testing what works for you!
For sure you could need more carbs for workout purposes and it's definitely not a one size fits all. I've gone a week at times having fewer than 10g TOTAL. Cheat days are fun after that lol
Agreed! Everyone's body is individual and unique! Wow, that's really low on carbs! It seems to work out for you though! Haha yeah, I always love a good cheat day after a week of hardcore dieting!!
Basically 10 pounds down congratulations! I never really look at any menus online before I go. I cut out eating out in general, as I get older I don' see the point anymore. But when I do eat out I like to go to a place called Uncle Julio's. Great Steak in my opinion with an outstanding amount of guac. Hits the spot. What's your favorite spot?
Thanks!! I just hit the weigh-in today where I'm officially down 10lbs! Ooh they have an Uncle Julio's right near my house, I love it as well!
My favorite spot kind of rotates around to be honest. I'm a big fan of Mediterranean and Indian buffets, there's a plethora of them in Chicago!! My favorite dishes from those types of places are Nihari, Chicken Tikka Masala, Naan, etc.
I'll only eat out with family/friends or work purposes. Normally only ever eat at home since I was young. I guess it's part of the Malaysian culture and our spending power isn't so great so most of the time we cook at home :)
Looks like you're doing great with the new diet.
Yeah, eating at home has always been my preference both for dietary reasons and for the sake of a healthy wallet! Eating out is so expensive, especially when you try to go for more health options! All the crappy food is always cheap - McDonald's, BK, Wendy's etc... they're cheap and terrible for you.. We need more options that are healthy, cheap and convenient!
Thanks, yeah I'm feeling great on the new diet and I just hit the 10lb milestone!! Just 15lbs more to go! I've lowered my calorie intake a little, so I feel slightly fatigued, but nothing too crazy yet!! As my body fat pushes lower, I definitely tend to feel more and more fatigue throughout the day!
I prefer to eat home-cooked meals more.
Me too, I typically only eat out when I take clients out for meals or go out with friends/family. I definitely prefer to cook my meals for myself!
We're on the same side =D
Haha 100%! =D