Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

I don't know how to cook and even if I did I wouldn't have the time. This means I'm eating out at least three times a day (the rest are snacks / leftovers). The majority of these meals are not at expensive, high class places. I simply can't afford that.

While Subway and Organique seem like healthy choices for me, looking at calorie counter, it appears like i'm taking in way too many carbs. Admittedly, I know very little about nutrition, but from what I've read, this is a killer.

Any suggestions on where to eat out?

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

Whole Foods sells some great prepared food and their salad bar is full of variety and all organic. Just be careful, it's almost all sold by weight and it adds up fast.

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

eggs in the a.m., sandwich for lunch, and the microwave-restaurants like tgi's and applebees all have "healthy" menus. mix in some meal replacement bars or shakes and you'll be in range, but it won't be anything close to optimal.

you have 0 time throughout the whole week to cook up some chicken to refrigerate?

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

have you considered cooking all your meals on a weekend day and just putting them in tupperware?

a lot of people, myself included, do this...

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

dont' eat fried or crappy food likes that. go to places where you can look up nutritional info beforehand and count your calories.

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

I would really prefer not to cook. I have the means to avoid it and the kitchen I have is really terrible and without any of the neccessary preparation tools. Plus I would have to learn from scratch without any assistance.

Another thing to keep in mind is my goal is to gain weight (not fat obviously) so counting calories is not as big of a concern.

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

If you have the "means", but a [censored] kitchen.

And if you are serious, counting calories is a "big deal".

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

To make amazing chicken all you need are:
Skinless chicken breasts
Salt
Sugar
Water
Something to keep them in
A meat thermometer
Something to cook them in

Put a 1/4 cup of salt and 1/8 cup of sugar (about a 2 inch diameter circle of salt, half as much of sugar) into 4 cups of water. Soak for at least an hour.

Cook the chicken until it has an internal temp of 160 degrees. Easy Peasy. You can get the chicken breasts for about a buck each in 6 packs, the above brine is enough for 2, the cooked breasts will last in the fridge longer than you can keep from eating them.

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

Thremp: It's not worth investing much in my kitchen because i'm only renting this apartment for 1 month longer.

I shouldn't have said counting calories is not a big deal. It is and I know I need to put more of an emphasis on it. How do you know how much your body needs to maintain?

Kerowo: Thanks for the tip. I may seriously have to look into cooking some things on my own.

All: Any more advice on where to eat out / purchase easy to make dinners. I liked the Whole Foods idea.

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

[ QUOTE ]
Thremp: It's not worth investing much in my kitchen because i'm only renting this apartment for 1 month longer.

I shouldn't have said counting calories is not a big deal. It is and I know I need to put more of an emphasis on it. How do you know how much your body needs to maintain?

Kerowo: Thanks for the tip. I may seriously have to look into cooking some things on my own.

All: Any more advice on where to eat out / purchase easy to make dinners. I liked the Whole Foods idea.

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Ah. Then get a place with a nice kitchen in the future. Whole foods and other specialty food stores will be a good bet. Best thing for breakfast is just cheap ass oatmeal. You can get some nutritional information on the internet for fast food/fast casual places and perhaps some chain restaurants. Otherwise I'd just stick with low sauce, low fat meals when out and make sure to get a sizable amount of snacking in during the day.

GL.

BTW: When you do start cooking Dids has a great blog.

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

[ QUOTE ]
I would really prefer not to cook. I have the means to avoid it and the kitchen I have is really terrible and without any of the neccessary preparation tools. Plus I would have to learn from scratch without any assistance.

Another thing to keep in mind is my goal is to gain weight (not fat obviously) so counting calories is not as big of a concern.

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First of all, you need to stop making excuses. Yeah, you're busy - so am I. I work probably 60-80 hours a week and therefore cannot cook all the time, but I still find time to grill or bake some things when I have free time to eat elsewhere. You don't cook because you are lazy. At least admit this.

Secondly, "counting calories is not as big of a concern" is pretty ridiculous. You can't gain weight unless you eat a lot of calories.

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

[ QUOTE ]
Thremp: It's not worth investing much in my kitchen because i'm only renting this apartment for 1 month longer.

I shouldn't have said counting calories is not a big deal. It is and I know I need to put more of an emphasis on it. How do you know how much your body needs to maintain?

Kerowo: Thanks for the tip. I may seriously have to look into cooking some things on my own.

All: Any more advice on where to eat out / purchase easy to make dinners. I liked the Whole Foods idea.

[/ QUOTE ]

Alright, just saw this response. It makes it a little more reasonable, but constantly finding ways to get out of things is the reason why people cannot achieve their health/fitness related goals.

Baked potatoes and grilled chicken sandwiches from Wendy's are pretty good.

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

chicken fajita from Jack in the Crack is good, along with their fruit cup

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

[ QUOTE ]
chicken fajita from Jack in the Crack is good, along with their fruit cup

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I cant imagine, if the fruit cup is anything like when I was a kid being remotely good for you with all that sugar syrup. or is it fresh fruit?

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

I had the Graffiti Chicken from Applebees last night and it was one of the healthier things I have eaten out.

It's just a marinated grilled chicken breast and a ton of veggies. Alot of broccoli carrrots and zucchini. Served over a bed of rice. If yo are there check it out.

The salad they have their is good too. It has alot of veggies like broccoli that you usually dont find on a salad in a rest.

They are both on weight watchers menu though so you sorta feel like a [censored] for ordering them. But graffiti chicken is great.


I usually get double stacked subway sandwiches for lunch.

From waffle house alot of times I get the Chicken and Eggs breafast. It contains
2 eggs your choice
5 ounce chicken breast
2 pieces dry wheat toast
4 tomato slices

It's pretty good and healthy for ya. Tell them to cook nothing in butter.

I eat at steakhouses alot and get 8 ounce sirloins with house salad, fat free ranch and broccoli steamed without butter. It's pretty good

If you are going to eat mexican, fajitas are a good choice.
Veggies and meat. I usually just eat it with a fork and dont eat the tortillas.

I never really eat italian because they never have anything I will eat.

If you go to chinese take out you can get chicken and broccoli steamed. It's a pretty great meal. They will put the sauces on the side if you want so you can dip them if you need a little taste. But putting some pepper on it is decent.

Sometimes gas stations sell hard boiled eggs which are good snacks. Alot of times I stop and get 2 hard boiled eggs and a bag of nuts. That makes a pretty decent snack.


If you have to eat fast food, grilled chicken sandwiches are pretty decent. Just dont forget to tell them to leave off the mayo. Some places like McDonalds will smother it on there.


These are jsut things I eat on a fairly regular basis. I will post some more if I think of anything.

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
chicken fajita from Jack in the Crack is good, along with their fruit cup

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I cant imagine, if the fruit cup is anything like when I was a kid being remotely good for you with all that sugar syrup. or is it fresh fruit?

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it isn't like the canned fruit(Dole) you find in the supermarket. It's got pineapple, cantaloupe, melon, grapes. Good stuff

Re: Eating Out, Eating Healthy
 

[ QUOTE ]
To make decent chicken all you need are:
Skinless chicken breasts
Seasoning
Frying Pan
Tupperware
Cook on medium/medium-high until brown.

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FYP
I'm probably the worst cook in the world, but honestly, it's not that hard.