Travel Health and Fitness - Eating Out With Coworkers?

On Wednesday my department is having an end of year lunch (I'm an academic and this is the end of the academic year). I was thinking about going but when the location was announced I get unexcited really quickly. We're going to the place that we take ALL the guest speakers. I've been to this place 2 or 3 times since March.

The place is an OK place but they don't have really great healthy options beyond the veggie and hummus starter plate. They make a really good meatloaf but the fish offerings are usually "crusted" and fishy. So it's pretty hard to eat well there. I've always had trouble avoiding dessert there, too.

But the real problem is that I always leave the place hungry. I honestly get more hunger satisfaction from a big Snickers bar (which is probably at least1000 Calories cheaper).

I'm really havnig trouble deciding whether or not to go. I sort of hate the restaraunt and I'm sooooo close to goal weight; however, one faculty member is leaving and this will be his last lunch. What should I do, FTers?

Go to the lunch.

Have you called the restaurant to see if they can do something healthier for you?

If you attend, you might want to consider doing something similar to what TrojanHorse suggested (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/16343938-post25.html). Eat prior to attending the lunch. I'm not suggesting you don't eat at lunch, because I think when you're out with kids, it's a little easier to not eat. I think here, you run the risk of offending someone if you don't eat something. However, eat something similar, but a bit smaller, than what you'd normally eat for lunch, before you go to the department lunch. At the department lunch, eat the veggie and hummus starter plate as your lunch. Drink lots of water, and if you still want dessert after you eat the starter plate, ask for fresh fruit as dessert.

Go to the lunch.

Have you called the restaurant to see if they can do something healthier for you?

If you attend, you might want to consider doing something similar to what TrojanHorse suggested (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/16343938-post25.html). Eat prior to attending the lunch. I'm not suggesting you don't eat at lunch, because I think when you're out with kids, it's a little easier to not eat. I think here, you run the risk of offending someone if you don't eat something. However, eat something similar, but a bit smaller, than what you'd normally eat for lunch, before you go to the department lunch. At the department lunch, eat the veggie and hummus starter plate as your lunch. Drink lots of water, and if you still want dessert after you eat the starter plate, ask for fresh fruit as dessert.

Good advice on both parts.

Cheers.

Go to the lunch.

Have you called the restaurant to see if they can do something healthier for you?

If you attend, you might want to consider doing something similar to what TrojanHorse suggested (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/16343938-post25.html). Eat prior to attending the lunch. I'm not suggesting you don't eat at lunch, because I think when you're out with kids, it's a little easier to not eat. I think here, you run the risk of offending someone if you don't eat something. However, eat something similar, but a bit smaller, than what you'd normally eat for lunch, before you go to the department lunch. At the department lunch, eat the veggie and hummus starter plate as your lunch. Drink lots of water, and if you still want dessert after you eat the starter plate, ask for fresh fruit as dessert.

Excellent advice, IMO. ^

I went out to eat three times in the past 4 days with colleagues/friends.
Simply had a salad and a small appetizer as dinner (I am a vegetarian ..so thats a huge help for me not to choose many other options on the menu).

It'sHip, I feel your pain!

Mr. Kipper and I are going to a meeting tonight at a German restaurant... *ugh*

Their dinner menu, in PDF format is: http://www.ottosbrauhauspa.com/pdf/dinner.pdf

Add to it that Mr. Kipper wants to have appetizers there and then go to a cheesesteak place, I'm ready to tell him to go and I'll stay home!

My plan of attack is: eat a big lunch--lots of steamed veggies, some grilled chicken tossed in there, and have a snack of fruit and yogurt right before we arrive at the restaurant. I'm hoping to do a salad or steamed veggies at Otto's, and then a few bites of a buffalo chicken cheesesteak afterwards, if I'm still hungry. My guess though, is that I'll be stuffed after a salad and or steamed veggies, and will happily let Mr. Kipper have a cheesesteak while I sit and think "If I were to have even a bite or two, I'd be so stuffed and uncomfortable."

It'sHip, I feel your pain!

Mr. Kipper and I are going to a meeting tonight at a German restaurant... *ugh*

Their dinner menu, in PDF format is: http://www.ottosbrauhauspa.com/pdf/dinner.pdf

Add to it that Mr. Kipper wants to have appetizers there and then go to a cheesesteak place, I'm ready to tell him to go and I'll stay home!

My plan of attack is: eat a big lunch--lots of steamed veggies, some grilled chicken tossed in there, and have a snack of fruit and yogurt right before we arrive at the restaurant. I'm hoping to do a salad or steamed veggies at Otto's, and then a few bites of a buffalo chicken cheesesteak afterwards, if I'm still hungry. My guess though, is that I'll be stuffed after a salad and or steamed veggies, and will happily let Mr. Kipper have a cheesesteak while I sit and think "If I were to have even a bite or two, I'd be so stuffed and uncomfortable."

A # of the sides are veggies, such as cucumber salad. Or order a real salad & make that your main, even if you go out afterwards to the cheesestake place. If you need a couple of bites of the cheesesteak to get through, then do that. But don't mindgame yourself - unless it's the I'm trying to change eating habits for a lifetime, not mindwrestle myself every single time I go out.
Good luck.

Cheers.

A # of the sides are veggies, such as cucumber salad. Or order a real salad & make that your main, even if you go out afterwards to the cheesestake place. If you need a couple of bites of the cheesesteak to get through, then do that. But don't mindgame yourself - unless it's the I'm trying to change eating habits for a lifetime, not mindwrestle myself every single time I go out.
Good luck.

Cheers.
Thanks. I'm trying to convince myself that I really don't want a cheesesteak or a lot of that really yummy sounding fried German food. :) I figure that eventually, I can convince myself of this and not blink when he wants to go somewhere like that. :)

It'sHip, I feel your pain!

Mr. Kipper and I are going to a meeting tonight at a German restaurant... *ugh*

Their dinner menu, in PDF format is: http://www.ottosbrauhauspa.com/pdf/dinner.pdf

The items on the menu actually don't look at all that bad - they'll even sautee wiener schnitzel instead of deep frying, on request.

And the staff pictured on the menu are in pretty good shape, so that must mean their food is healthy. ;)

The items on the menu actually don't look at all that bad - they'll even sautee wiener schnitzel instead of deep frying, on request.

And the staff pictured on the menu are in pretty good shape, so that must mean their food is healthy. ;)
:D Actually, we ended up not eating there. Although, I did kick back 3 beers, so that was more than dinner I guess. :)

I guess I should update everyone on lunch.

The restaurant is this independent jazz place whose food is really good for made in a home but really lackluster for restaurant fare. I guess that's why it is so popular amongst those who don't have a "chef" at home. Other than the mediocre food the real problem is that I always leave hungry because the portions are fancy, really expensive restaurant small.

After a few days of pouring over the online menu and fretting over whether or not to go, I decided that I needed to for my colleague who is on his way to other lands. Basically the only things on the menu that weren't breaded, fried, buttered, or creamed where the salads. But all the salads had worthless stuff like oils, chips, and cheeses and if you took those things off there'd basically be nothing left but shredded iceburg lettuce.

I decided that I would order whatever this formerly overweight colleague (literally half the man he used to be) ordered. As luck would have it he arrived just before my group so I was able to sit next to him and my luck continued when one of my thin colleagues took the chair on the other side of me. I knew they'd both order well so I wouldn't be tempted by the menu or my other colleagues.

It turned out OK except that my salad which came with torilla chips didn't just have chips on it but crumbled up in it.:rolleyes: I did my best but I'm not looking forward to having to go back to that place.

What did the 2 colleagues have?

And consider saying next time a lunch comes up - hey, we always go there. Why don't we try somewhere new? You might do some research & have suggestions on where the somewhere new is for the next time.

PS - Thanks for the update!

Cheers.

What did the 2 colleagues have?

And consider saying next time a lunch comes up - hey, we always go there. Why don't we try somewhere new? You might do some research & have suggestions on where the somewhere new is for the next time.

PS - Thanks for the update!

Cheers.

The formerly overwiehgt colleague had the same thing that I had. Or more precisely I had what he had... The thin colleague had a tabbouleh wrap. The wrap looked OK when I saw it. I'm always very cautious when ordering "healthy" wraps since they always seem to have some unhealthy addition like mayo or bacon.

I'm not sure the "hey we go here all the time" gig would work. The boss man really likes the place and actually has a band who plays there during the week. He eats there all the time and is there number 1 fan. I'm probably the only one who dislikes it since I make better food at home. No one else has a gourmet at home.

The formerly overwiehgt colleague had the same thing that I had. Or more precisely I had what he had... The thin colleague had a tabbouleh wrap. The wrap looked OK when I saw it. I'm always very cautious when ordering "healthy" wraps since they always seem to have some unhealthy addition like mayo or bacon.

I'm not sure the "hey we go here all the time" gig would work. The boss man really likes the place and actually has a band who plays there during the week. He eats there all the time and is there number 1 fan. I'm probably the only one who dislikes it since I make better food at home. No one else has a gourmet at home.
You could try the, "We go there all the time. Why don't we try, XYZ," suggestion, even if you think it won't work, but add to it a, "I've been wanting to try XYZ." You might find that others would prefer going elsewhere too.

Depending on your relationship with your boss, you could also explain to him privately that while you really enjoy this place, the food is really tempting, and you are really focusing on trying to improve your health, and would appreciate a little more variety.

Or, if you want to tackle a little extra work, tell him that you'd love to take on planning all of your department's lunches for the semester, and then you can feel free to schedule lunches at other locations.

I'm not sure the "hey we go here all the time" gig would work. The boss man really likes the place and actually has a band who plays there during the week. He eats there all the time and is there number 1 fan. I'm probably the only one who dislikes it since I make better food at home. No one else has a gourmet at home.

If you want to try being a little sneaky and play a head game with them, lol, data shows (and I actually have confirmed on my own anecdotally) that when someone asks for a favor, likelihood of acceptance increases dramatically when the request is posited like so: "Can we try ABC instead, because last time we went to XYZ I got some tummy trouble/my food was cold/I didn't enjoy it." The key here is to use the word 'because' and then append that with anything, reasonable or not. @:-)

You could try the, "We go there all the time. Why don't we try, XYZ," suggestion, even if you think it won't work, but add to it a, "I've been wanting to try XYZ." You might find that others would prefer going elsewhere too.

Depending on your relationship with your boss, you could also explain to him privately that while you really enjoy this place, the food is really tempting, and you are really focusing on trying to improve your health, and would appreciate a little more variety.

Or, if you want to tackle a little extra work, tell him that you'd love to take on planning all of your department's lunches for the semester, and then you can feel free to schedule lunches at other locations.

If you want to try being a little sneaky and play a head game with them, lol, data shows (and I actually have confirmed on my own anecdotally) that when someone asks for a favor, likelihood of acceptance increases dramatically when the request is posited like so: "Can we try ABC instead, because last time we went to XYZ I got some tummy trouble/my food was cold/I didn't enjoy it." The key here is to use the word 'because' and then append that with anything, reasonable or not. @:-)

These are both good suggestions. I'm going to come up with some plausible, non-offensive excuse this summer!

If you want to try being a little sneaky and play a head game with them, lol, data shows (and I actually have confirmed on my own anecdotally) that when someone asks for a favor, likelihood of acceptance increases dramatically when the request is posited like so: "Can we try ABC instead, because last time we went to XYZ I got some tummy trouble/my food was cold/I didn't enjoy it." The key here is to use the word 'because' and then append that with anything, reasonable or not. @:-)
I think this is a very good idea! You could try, "Can we try ABC instead, because last time we went to XYZ, I found hair in my salad." No one can really prove that, but it's disgusting enough that others will go, "Eww, I don't want to go there."

I think this is a very good idea! You could try, "Can we try ABC instead, because last time we went to XYZ, I found hair in my salad." No one can really prove that, but it's disgusting enough that others will go, "Eww, I don't want to go there."

I wouldn't do that because that's implying a health code violation by the restaurant, which is not fair to do. The other reasons such as got some tummy trouble/my food was cold/I didn't enjoy it are more personal in nature.

Cheers.

I wouldn't do that because that's implying a health code violation by the restaurant, which is not fair to do. The other reasons such as got some tummy trouble/my food was cold/I didn't enjoy it are more personal in nature.

Cheers.
True, but if it's "I didn't enjoy it," that can make the person saying that look like they are complaining.

True, but if it's "I didn't enjoy it," that can make the person saying that look like they are complaining.

I think it's best not to offend or make it seem like there are health code violations.

I think that in my case, "You know, we go there so often that it's really the only place I ever get to eat when in town. I really don't know the town's offerings all that well. Is there somewhere else an out-of-towner should try?" It will only work for my particular situation but I think it evokes the "help me" kind of vibe which creates white knights out of ordinary men. If it works, we all win!

This *just* happened to me - we had customers in town, and they wanted to go to a very popular local sandwich shop. For some reason, every time I eat there I get sick. I have no idea why, as this place is packed every day, so obviously other people aren't getting sick.

So I went...and got sick. Bizarre. I really have to remember that I don't want to eat there, and come up with a plausible excuse to divert these customers elsewhere in future.