Restaurant food's calories are non-intuitive, invisible, and insane!
I remember watching a recent TV show that had calorie counts from restaurant meals. This particular restaurant was a fancy-shmancy one. The kind with the big plates and the small, little portions in the middle.
Anyhow, this one lady decided to order a beet salad as an appetizer, followed by fish, served on vegetables, served on couscous.
Total calories for her meal? Over 2,100.
Crazy!
So let's say she was doing the pretty common dieting practice of only eating half her meal. She'd still be downing an astounding 1,050 for the meal (not including beverage or dessert).
And if she got a doggy-bag?
She'd be doing it again for lunch.
I get it. I'm thrifty too, and if I paid for it, I feel I ought to bring it home. But really, is it worth the calories?
My advice?
If it's an awesome meal - by all means, have it again for lunch, calories be damned.
But if it's not. If it's just a meal. Why not just leave those calories behind at the restaurant?
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Sorry Yoni, I do not buy or get that one. I still admire you for your discipline and consistency, But not today. Sorry. You can not be good every day.
ReplyDeleteOk Let's argument. Without a duggy bag, I would have eat the 2000 calories, on the spot. If not my plate, it would have been done in the plate of my fellow. Many many others would have done the same. So, YES please, take the doggy bag.
ReplyDeleteAnd for lunch I always have a small portion, why would any body have necessarily the full second half plate counting for 1000 calories? Pure hypothesis from your imagination that is probably not right for the majority (it can have exception and these people are probably obese doing that) because the doggy bag is probably less than 1000 calories any way.
I have never thought of it this way. Maybe if you don't want to waste the money, you take a friend and split the meal. That way you eat half the calories but don't waste anything.
ReplyDeleteIn truth, if we truly want to eat healthfully, restaurant fare should be reserved for an occasional treat and indulgence.
Thanks for your post -- always enjoy your blog.
Here's the thing Paul,
ReplyDeleteUnlike apparently you, most people don't mindlessly shovel everything on their plate into their mouths.
Instead people will eat a portion and bring a portion home.
What you're "arguing" is that everyone is you.
That's not much of an argument.
If it were, there wouldn't be any such thing as a doggy-bag to discuss.
Truth is, people don't understand calories -- what they need, how many are in the foods they eat, how restaurant food has crazy amounts even for things that seem healthy. MOST people take home doggy bags, and most people eat the leftovers, many simply because they paid for it.
ReplyDeleteSo, even you "always have a small portion for lunch", and that small portion is some frakenfood, high-calorie doggie bag leftover, you haven't actually eaten a small lunch, calorie-wise.
Dr. Freedhoff's right -- leave the leftovers on the plate.
I use the doggy bag strategy for the typical huge restaurant portions, but often do not bother eating it the next day. I am concerned, though, about the analysis of the "fancy shmancy" restaurant meal with the tiny portions. That is precisely the type of meal I might order, thinking it was a healthy choice.
ReplyDeleteI am astounded at the calorie counts of that meal! And there is usually nothing to pack up in a doggy bag when the portions are gourmet tiny. 2,000 calories for that meal, and that is without wine!!! Yikes
I also have trouble with the idea of "wasting" food that I've paid good money for.
ReplyDeleteIt's not always a possibility, but I like to offer my wrapped up leftovers to homeless people I may see on the street. I don't like to assume that they want my leftovers, but it never hurts to offer.
Sorry but I kindof have to agree with Paul here. I too am an avid follower of your blog Yoni but I don't think this was your strongest post. I guess the question I would ask is: Why wouldn't you just avoid eating at the restaurant in the first place? If you've made the decision to go there and eat a calorie-heavy meal, might as well take the doggy bag, no?
ReplyDeleteI would say no - if you take the doggy bag then you are making the decision to have 2 calorie heavy meals and not just one. It costs the same whether you eat it or not so better to not eat it. I am not a fan of wasting food; however, until restaurants decide to serve reasonable portions that I can fully enjoy in one sitting, on the occassions that I do decided to "treat" myself I will also make the decision to waste some food or accept that I am buying into 2 indulgences in a row and not just the 1 that I really wanted. Which is far better than what I used to do which was to eat everything on my plate no matter how horrible it made me feel because I did not want to either waste food or "cheat" 2 days in a row.
ReplyDeleteIt is all about choices and with portion sizes and calorie counts out of control in restaurants - it is hard to make good choices AND eat out.
Why would you recommend to waste food you pay for in restaurant? Non sense for very large majority. If you are wise enough to eat just what you need from the plate, would say 650 calories out of 2000, then you will be wise enough the share it with some one else or take the doggy bag and then use it into 2 more meals of about 650 calories. So your message "Please step away from the Doggy-Bag" is not a good one. My recommendation as a strategy is totally inverse: if you are served a very large portion at restaurant: Share it or ask for a doggy-bag!!
ReplyDeleteClearly Paul, you're having a very difficult time understanding this post.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why, it's not a particularly complicated one.
Your original "argument" was that you yourself don't take doggy bags home and that you yourself have small portions at lunch.
I pointed out there was no argument there.
Now you've change your "argument", this time talking about wasting money.
Of course I address wasting money in the blog post.
As simply as I can write it - if you have a very high calorie, mediocre meal, I'm suggesting that it's not worth the calories to finish it either when you order, or the next day, as I don't believe that taking home mediocre calories is worth it.
Bad enough you've already wasted money on a not particularly enjoyable meal, I'm suggesting it's not worth making it worse by also consuming huge numbers of only mediocre calories.
And yes, I realize this isn't what you yourself would advise or do.
Of course you yourself aren't trying to lose weight, and you yourself have told me many times that the incredible amount that you exercise makes up for your dietary indiscretions.
My readers might not all be like you Paul.
Totally, food for thought! Thanks Yoni.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but that's one cute doggie in that bag. I'd take him home too! :-)
ReplyDelete