My close friends never have to ask me where I want to go out to eat because they already know the answer. One of my favorite places is Longhorn Steakhouse. 

I shared in a previous post how much I enjoyed the grilled chicken there. But some of my other favorites aren't hard to guess either (if you know me). I most often order a seafood dish. Among my favorites are the grilled redrock shrimp or the salmon. Trout is also on the menu. They also offer an appetizer of chilled shrimp cocktail now. 

I know I live at the coast where fresh seafood is readily available. Most anywhere that serves seafood is on the top of my list. And I rarely eat steak. So I guess a "steakhouse selection" needs an explanation—and a good one! Actually there are 10.

The reasons I enjoy Longhorn are because it has such a wide variety of menu items that are bariatric friendly. The servings are ample enough to share or take home for later. Their food is always good, serve friendly, quality reliable, food preparation flexible, and prices affordable. Their multiple seafood selections are really excellent. And reason number ten—it is very close to my house. So I eat there often! So how often do I eat there? I eat there so often, the servers know what I want before I do!

Their seafood selections come with two sides. It is also served with rice, but you can substitute another. There are several great bariatric friendly green and starchy veggies in which to choose. So that's 3 sides.

When you order rice, it's good to know that the standard portion size with this dish is always exactly 2/3 cup. I can eat half—1/3 cup. One third cup rice is 100 calories, 21 grams carbs, and 0.2 grams fat. I can also opt for less rice and add a few bits of green or yellow veggies. They are very willing to leave off butter or adjust cooking time. 

The shrimp dish has 12 shrimp. I can eat 4. Which is 43 calories. 

This one meal serves both my husband and myself, or another bariatric size portion to go! 

"Sea-ya" at Longhorn!

OK...I realize this is fast food, but sometimes life just comes at you "fast". 

Weight loss success is about making successful choices -  it's about lifestyle. It's about learning and wanting to make wiser, healthier choices when your situations in life aren't ideal. For me success has come with arming myself with the right mindset about taking care of myself and about losing that "diet mentality",  making healthier choices or better yet, the wisest choice, even when you're not in those "healthy choice" moments.

So part of life is knowing how to make those choices. Now, please understand, I'm not condoning, nor am I suggesting that Chick-fil-a or any other fast food eating is your everyday best choice for eating. I rarely eat at fast-food places. But on the days that things are busy and I'm running from appointments on one side of town to the other, I sometimes need that fast-food choice and I'm very thankful for them. It's learning how to be selective and making wise choices that best fit my needs without going "off track" with my eating. It's not making compromises on what to eat or how to eat. Life on the run...you still can...

Early Out From Surgery Choices:

So some of my choices at Chick-Fil-A have been the char-grilled chicken...not the sandwich, I'm not into eating the white bread. White bread is no longer one of the things I consider a healthy choice.  In the beginning of my weight loss experience, I would order the char-grilled chicken patty and a fruit cup, or the carrot raisin salad (only if your eating a small amount) this item has more sugar, it's made with pineapple and raisins.

Later when I was eating larger portions I had to drop the carrot raisin salad and opt for fruit instead. The apples and berries are less sugar than the grapes and oranges...this is when it's important to "know your fruit sugar contents and carb counts". 

A note about bread: enriched is not a good start. I know that bread that says whole wheat is not always whole-grain or high fiber bread, it can be no different than eating white, I haven't checked the Chick-fil-a bread, I will soon...but it is a matter of inquiry, in most places, I inquire about the nutritional facts and sometimes ask to see the labels myself. Am I picky? yep, absolute - 300 pounds plus and not going back picky!

Be careful for slaw, most likely contains sugar...it's raw and can cause gas and bloating, air in the tummy is not the "fill" you need!

Yes, I have been known to order the fries, but I waited to order them until I was at a place when I controlled the amount I ate and they didn't control me. I have reached the place in my journey when my choices revolve around eating to live. I know how many fat grams and how many carbs are in the fries. I make my choice based on those facts. I don't order fries and eat fried chicken together. If I want the nuggets or the whole fried breast, I consider the fat and carbs involved and make choices based on the overall meal counts.

Note to self:  this is not to say that fries are a healthy choice, but potatoes are a veggie...and I'm not living under the diet law anymore...if I want them on occasion, I don't condemn myself for having a few...easy on the ketchup...I used to eat a little fries with my ketchup!

I still remember the basic guidelines around single digit fat, around 10 sugars and about 15 to 20 carbs per meal. 

Recently, I have made the choice of having the chicken salad sandwich...

Let's look at the nutritional information and consider what makes it a good choice.

Chick-Fil-A Chicken Salad Sandwich nutrition:

1 whole sandwich made with whole wheat bread 

500 calories, 20 grams fat, 4 grams fiber, 12 grams sugar, 29 grams of protein.

Here's how to eat it: (food phase-when eating 1 cup portion amounts)

I eat about 2/3 to 3/4 of the sandwich, if I'm not eating any other carb. 

I would not add fries because it would be too many carbs and fat.

I probably wouldn't add fruit, too many carbs, unless I cut the bread down to 1/4 or 1/2 piece...remember portions...sandwiches have 2 portions of bread.

Yes, you could just order the chicken salad, but you have to be careful not to fill up on the fat...you can still get your protein and watch the fat, adding carbs is necessary for blood sugar balance and overall health, such as the apples in the fruit cup. Balance is the key. Eat too much fat and it's going to feel like you swallow a brick.

Info 

I order the chicken salad sandwich with no lettuce add pickles...I got to have those pickles!

2/3 sandwich: 233 calories, 10 grams fat, 3.3 grams fiber, 4 grams sugar, 13.3 grams protein.

3/4 sandwich:  262 calories, 11.2 grams fat, 3.8 grams fiber, 4.5 grams sugar, 15 grams protein.

Yes, I realize the fat is not single digits, but remember, it's a guideline not a law, an occasional choice, and not an ideal everyday selection. 

Check for tips on eating on the run under the blog entry: "where there is a "wheel" there is a way" 

yeah.... that's what I call tempting all right!

And it's the signature sandwich at Temptations Everyday Gourmet. Right here in Wilmington. Tempations now has two locations in the Wilmington area, the orginal, across from Independence Mall in Hanover Center and a second location a little further north at Porter's Neck. 

Somehow my husband has been lead to believe that this is a place that caters to “ladies only”, but that is certainly not the case.  With that said it is a great place to meet with the girls for lunch, which is exactly what I did yesterday. 

Tempations is going north alright, the location at Porter’s Neck has a full kitchen and serves lunch and dinner menus. I hear the Chicken Marsala and the parchment steamed Talopia...well, need  I say more...

The Hanover Center location serves lunch only and does not have a full kitchen; they serve sandwiches, soups and salads, and include some dishes such as quiche. Which is exactly what I had for lunch today. 

You read right, twice in two days.  How did that happen? I haven’t eaten at Temptations but a couple of times in the last few years since my surgery.  But during the last two days I have eaten there twice. Go figure! My excuse was that i had an appointment over in that neck of the woods around noon, but you wouldn't believe me!

Yesterday’s menu, for me, was turkey, Brie cheese and apple, which is one of their signature sandwiches, which comes with a side. I chose the fruit side and discarded the bread on the sandwich, (I'm not so much a sandwich person). Today I tried the ham and cheddar quiche feature of the day. Although I will say I was tempted by the tuna salad, if I had noticed earlier, I would have ordered the Blue Beef Wrap with roast beef, caramelized onions, mixed greens, Danish blue cheese sauce in a whole wheat wrap…now that’s temptation! Well....no, I'm not going that way tomorrow!

Being four years out from surgery, I had this “restaurant / after RNY” thing down pat, and was hardly ever nervous that I would be stranded with food choices.  But over the past year, with the increase of sensitivity to carbohydrates, or the lack thereof, I have become a little more unsettled with restaurant fare. Yesterday, out with the girls, was a little scary I will admit, but there was a good selection on the menu of safe choices, even the quiche.  Yes I know it has a crust. 

So let’s talk about pie crust, it maybe not be the best choice every time, but with the egg, cheese and ham this quiche was not an inappropriate choice on occasion.  One eighth of a ten-inch pie crust has about 14 or 15 carbs and 10 grams of fat. Quiche may be a little higher in fat than most foods, but it’s made with lots of satisfying whole food ingredients such as eggs and meat and sometimes veggies, I consider it a good choice and very filling.   

Chicken and turkey are most always good choices, and Temptations even offers salmon. They have a wide selection of salads; just make sure you top them off with plenty of protein. 

So the next time you’re tempted by Temptations Everyday Gourmet, go ahead, yes, you can, you have many more miles to go!

Ready for Italian! Try Cicchetti's in the Forum. Officially and affectionally known by the folks who frequent there as the "OC".  This has got to be one of my top five favorite local restaurants. Locally owned and operated Cicchetti's menu is great. Of all the folks that I know that eat at Cicchetti's, no one has had a bad meal here. 

And no, you don't just have to order pasta! Italian doesn't have to be just red sauce, pizza and pasta. Their menu always sports great seafood selections and their soups are fabulous. But my current favorite of all favorites....the Chicken Franchaise. And the appetizer white bean dip, oh...makes my heart skip a beat! 

The Chicken Franchaise is sauted in a little olive oil, and it does have a little flour, but it's egg battered and topped with a lemon sauce (which is basically lemon juice). It comes with spinach, but I substitute it for...you guessed it, green beans. And the white bean dip...got to have those healthy carbs...is out of this world fabulous.  

When I first started eating at Cicchetti's, I used to order the pesto chicken pizza, but I ended up taking off all the topping and eating only one slice of pizza bread or ordering another pizza with a side of grilled chicken. Then one day, after a conversation with the server, I discovered that the chicken they use on the pizza is the Chicken Franchaise...so I now order that instead. I don't even miss the pizza bread.

OK...so you miss the cheese, just ask for a spoonful of parmesan on the side.

Their pizza bread is handmade and very thin like a cracker, as a matter of fact they serve it as a "cracker" in thier bread presentation. The "cracker" also comes with the White Bean dip, so I get a little taste of it when I eat the bean dip. Yes, you can, remember everything in moderation. 

Once while dinning with a friend, we tried the white bean dip and need I say more, I fell in LOVE with it. For me, the white bean dip is worth giving up the bread they bring before the meal.  If your tempted to eat it first, just ask them to serve it with dinner...or order that white bean dip...with your meal.

The white beans are perfect for healthy carbs and the portions for this and the entree are gracious enough for two meals, serve with two chicken breast.  

Cicchetti's soups change everyday.  Last winter my favorite was the Lemon Chicken Orzo. Orzo is the pasta that looks like rice. This soup is really lemony and you get chicken as well, however, I sometimes order a side a chicken or other protein if the protein portion is small. Remember, the orzo has been hanging out in the soup liquid for a while now, and its absorbed all it can hold, so you don't have to worry so much about further swelling, just take it slow, make sure you eat the chicken and your set. 

I have ordered other selections at Cicchett's such as fish, meatballs, and other chicken dishes. There's always a way to eat at your favorite restaurant, just get creative, ask questions and find something that works for you...

So...if you're looking for great Italian...visit the Osteria Cicchetti over in the Forum...yes, you can...you have many more meals to go!

Your fast food days are not over, just the menu choices have changed.  

My fast foods days are few and far between, (with one exception: Moe's) but that doesn't mean I can't eat there especially if I make wise choices. Do I always make the right choice?Ah... no. I sometime kick myself later...

On occasion, I can identify with that commercial...I could have had a ...V8. Why did I make that choice when I could have chosen....

So, what if we find ourselves with fast food fare...what then?

When traveling sometimes it's not so much a choice but a must.

I'm thankful that there are healthy choices at fast food restaurants these days, you just have to make that resolve not to be tempted with the wrong one. 

KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL FAST FOOD EATING

• Make the resolve long before your faced with dilemma, you want to make a practical decision based on wisdom not an emotional one in the heat of the moment. 
• Sticking to the lean meats, whole foods, and avoiding fried items.  There are some fast food establishments now that offer a wider variety of healthier choices. 
• Make fast food fare an occasion and get back on track as soon as possible.

Here are a list of better choices when visiting fast food.

• grilled chicken
• fruit
• veggies and salads, watch the dressings or use low calorie, lemon or pack your own
• chili 
• soups, (watch out for the "creamy" varieties and choose protein and veggie ingredients)
• lean deli meats such as turkey, ham and cheese, (avoid lots of bacon, limit to one piece) 
• roast beef 
• taco meats and beans
• limit the breads
• hamburger
• avoid fried foods, sauces, condiments and gravy 

Hamburger is at the bottom of the list for a reason.  It's not that we can't eat them, but there are other choices that are better.  If hamburger is my choice, I compensate by making a few adjustments. I take off the bread or eat a very small portion of bread. I also leave off the cheese, mayo and ketchup and eat the tomato, onion, pickles and lettuce. You can substitute mustard for mayo, or get an individual serving of ketchup, so you can control your portion size. 

A word about the cheese...I usually eat cheese with lean meats such as turkey, ham, or even roast beef, but usually not with hamburger.  I personally feel that eating more hamburger offers me more protein and will hold me longer than adding cheese or other fats such as bacon or mayo.  Spending calories is a lot like spending money, where can you get the most for your buck.  

I probably eat at Moe's Southwestern Grill more than anywhere else when it's "fast food".  At Moe's I can get 1/2 taco meat and 1/2 chicken, add a little cheese and black beans.  I usually choose the chips, (personal preference) which I can control the portion instead of rice, wraps or shells. Tortilla chips have 1.2 grams of carbs per chip. So if I eat 5 pieces that is 6 carbs and 3l calories verses a 6" flour wrap with 15 carbs and 95 calories.   

I sometimes select fried chicken, at Smithfields, but I make sure I remove all the skin...I know, I know...that's the best part... this is where I have to do a little self-talk...reminding myself of my goals and remembering what the consequences are for eating it...extra calories, greasy fat that goes directly to my thighs, additional hidden carbs that could drop my blood sugar, higher cholesterol, an unsettled tummy, a few hours of nausea, feeling like I swallowed a brick, severe stomach cramps and explosive diarrhea, ah...no thanks. Not so appetizing anymore!

One good idea is the familiarize yourself with our options.  Most every restaurant has nutritional information on-line now. So do your homework ahead of time and play it safe.  

When eating out fast food, usually it's just one meal, so you can compensate by making the other meals of the day the best and healthiest choice possible.  

Life sometimes throws us a curve ball, we can't and won't always be 100% on-point with our food options, but the key is to get back on track as soon as possible.  Once you establish good habits you don't have to "sweat" the one-in-a-while stuff.  You're not going to become overweight with one indulge, it's what becomes the routine that is important.