What should I pick?

julesm

julesm

Slimming World
Hi everyone!

I have been doing Slimming World for nearly four weeks and am doing well.

However on Saturday I have been invited to go for a meal with my friend and her parents to a fancy restaurant. I don't want Slimming World to spoil my evening but I am already quite anxious about it. I don't want to be rude in front of my mate's parents and don't want to appear fussy / rude or anything. But I know I will probably have to have a glass of wine or two. :4633:

I have had a look at the menu here:

http://www.themodernmcr.co.uk/uploads/RESTMENUautumnFINALlift revised.pdf

SO... what can I have that is not too synful? I don't eat meat but I do love fish and vegetarian. I was thinking maybe if I did Extra Easy I could have the potted mackerel but then is that a Syn on EE? I'm pretty sure the veggie black pud would be fried and no idea what it would be made of... The salsify main looks nice...

WHAT do you think would be the best option for me? I've been trying to save my syns up. I really don't want to have a gain this week :(

Please help!!!!!
 
Oh and do you have any other tips for "damage control" that I can do in the meantime? I've just eaten a massive plate of superspeed grapefruit and melon. I have some scan bran that I could start gnawing on. Anything else?
 
I think the salmon and crab and Jerusalem artichoke sounds wonderful. But actually I think the whole menu sounds pretty good!!

My feeling is that as this is a special occasion, and a rather good restaurant, that you should have exactly what you would like to have, relax, enjoy the food and the company (and the views!!).

Before and after you can stick strictly to the SW plan, and limit your syns.

But honestly, this kind of opportunity is not going to come your way every day, so I would make the most of it!!
 
Thanks for your advice guys. You're right that I should just enjoy myself but it's hard not to worry too! I would hate to have a gain!

So, if I go for the sole or cod, how would I work out the syn values or do u just have to guess?

Oh and just another question, the people at my group always seem to talk about going out for a meal as if that is it, you go out for a meal, you're definitely having a gain. Is this true? Do you guys always have a gain when you go out to eat?
 
Absolutely not !

I have been on plan since mid August and have had no gains and 2 STS's (one was for a holiday week and the other it was totally obvious why I stayed the same !). I have had plenty of meals out in that time. I have 3 options when I go out for a meal and it depends on what type of restaurant I'm going to and how I feel as to which option I pick.

1. Try to pick the most sensible option and ask the restaurant whether they can help keep the syn count down

eg at an italian I had fish skewers (asked restaurant for no oil), 'buttered' spinach (asked restaurant for no butter or oil !) and broccoli (no oil/butter).
This option depends on how I feel in my head. If I'm going to feel deprived that way or feel that I've missed out then I'll go for one of the 2 below. But sometimes I am genuinely so focused on wanting to continue my success that I really don't feel deprived.

2. Try to pick the most sensible option of the ones that you really would like

eg if I wanted either between spaghetti carbonara and pizza both of which I really liked, pick the spaghetti.
This helps me not to feel deprived, because I've chosen what I would have liked but chosen the better of those options

3. Decide 'blow it' (but with control - try not to pick at everything available eg don't have loads of bread etc !) and have exactly what I want including pudding but accept that it will affect my weight that week. I try to save this for the really nice places.

On the occasions I've chosen this (and there have been at least a couple) I haven't felt guilty about what I've eaten. I have really enjoyed it.

The only thing that I've had that reliably affects my weight loss (in the wrong way) is pizza. This is at least in part because when I've had it (not many times since August) it's been takeaway rather than for example Pizza Express which is probably more 'containable'. So I've had several pieces which was probably between 15-20 syns per slice. Eeek. I try to stay away if poss.

Anyway, good luck. Don't feel too worried. It can be done. I would also have chosen what I liked in this place because it looks nice but do what you feel comfortable. Whatever you decide, have a great night. And let us know what you decided (and what it was like) - my mouth is watering...............yum yum !

Gail x
 
Thanks everyone for all your advice! I'm really glad I asked you all as you all helped me to relax and enjoy the meal. I did try to just have what I fancied and in the end I don't think it turned out too bad.

For starter I ordered Scallops with Watercress sauce. They didn't seem to be really oily and there was only a tiny bit of the sauce on the plate.

I only had one tiny bite of the white bread just to taste between courses then left the rest of the roll.

Then for main I ordered a whole lemon sole with potatoes. It should have come with a herb butter but asked them not to serve it. I also had a side order of carrots with cumin and a herb salad. I think the potatoes and carrots may have been quite synful as they looked quite shiny! But still ate them as didn't want to make a fuss!

I skipped dessert, even though they all looked amazing but I didn;t really mind as I was full.

The only problem was I think I had about 35 syns worth of alcohol as when I arrived, my friend's parents had already poured me a glass of sparkling wine (which I drank really slowly to avoid being topped up!) and with the meal the waiter poured me a glass of dry white wine. I also had six :eek: vodka and diet cokes over the course of the evening (including going out afterwards).

But I enjoyed it all anyway and I'm sure I won't be invited for such a lovely meal again any time soon.

Just wondering though, what do you think the damage was? I purposely didn't have a Healthy Extra B yesterday to try and cover any oil that things would have been cooked in and I didn't have any other syns in the day.

Do you think if I don't have any syns today and tomorrow that will cover it? I also went for a long jog this morning to try and undo some damage! Anything else you can suggest. My weigh in is on Tuesday - EEK!
 
Hi,

It sounds as though you did brilliantly. Found a balance between enjoying the night with great food but not wasting valuable syns on stuff that really isn't worth it. Really well done. However I can't ever understand the concept of 'too full for pudding' !!!

You obviously would recommend the restaurant then. I'll have to consider going there for a treat sometime ! Was it very expensive/difficult to get a table there ?

Well done again.

Gail x

P.S. I loved your cupcake photos - couldn't help browsing your blog. Fantastic control though to not taste them :drool:
 
What a brilliant review! I am so glad you had a good time. The food looks amazing.

What you have done is proved to us all that it is possible to go out and have a good time, without going too crazy, but without feeling that you have missed out. Well done!!
 
Wow thanks everyone! Pleased u think i didn't go too crazy! Glad u liked the blog too :)

Gail, I would definitely recommend the restaurant. I snuck a peek at the bill and it was quite pricey - £200 for the four of us! However they do an early bird which is 3 courses for £15 so I think I would go for that next time.

If you live in / near Manchester, my boyfriend found a good restaurant that we're going to go to for my pgce graduation. It's a Japanese restaurant in china town and it was voted one of the healthiest restaurants in the uk. It says on their website you can ask to have things cooked however you like. I looked at the menu and there are loads of slimming world friendly things like grilled meat and veggie kebabs, noodles and loads of sushi!
 
Hi Jules,

I have been there and it is good ! It was in my pre slimming world days (!) but from memory it wouldn't be difficult to eat loads of yummy stuff on a SW plan. Let me know how you get on if you go. I'll have to bear the modern in mind. It looks great.

Gail x
 
Thanks Gail! I don't know how to "thank" you on here but you have been so supportive and helpful! I will defo let you know how Samsi is. And let me know if you go to the Modern!

Now the only thing left to worry about is my W.I. tonight! Fingers tightly crossed!
 
It's a pleasure. I will keep you posted !

Don't worry about 'thanking' - thanks is a good result tonight for you and living a 'normal' life enjoying a bit of what you want (for both/all of us) !!!

Let me know how you get on tonight.

Gail x
 
Must do more of that then...........!!!! :D

Gail x
 
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