Fast food and eating out

Hi All!  This is an awesome forum and I am learning SO MUCH to be well informed on my life decision.  THANK YOU!!!

How do you eat fast food or other restaurants?

I travel every summer for 2 months w/o kitchen availability (I posted about going to summer camp in another thread) so wonder what I would eat.   We drive from Texas to Pennsylvania, work at camp, then back again at the end of the summer.  We also have days off that we travel to sites and cities nearby for the day.  (by the end of the summer I am SO ready to eat real food again!)

First let me say that I completely understand the challenges of driving long distances, we are a travelling family and almost all of it is done by car. Second I am only 12 weeks out so I'm sure there are people that know more than I do.

Sure you could grab a kids meal sized ham/cheeseburger. I did in a pinch. And then felt ucky. I even ate it with the top bun off to minimize carbs. Instead I now bring protein bars, nuts, cheese, and drinks. You do have to be prepared to eat what you should even when those around you are eating what you shouldn't.

We just traveled a 1000 miles to move and it was a challenge to eat within my guidelines but with that being said i did it. At sit down restaurants i ordered cobb salads and fruit for dessert all with in my meal plan and drank protein shakes for breakfast and protein bars for snacks it went pretty well and still continued to lose weight. As far as fast food we ate at alot of chicken places or bbq places where i could get grilled or roasted chicken or bbq without the sauce and a vegetable. It wasnt what i always wanted but it kept me on plan. Good luck with your trip and have a great time.

Never checked before . 33 carbs in McDonald cheeseburger. 

Wendy's chili is a great fast food option.  It is high in protein with a reasonable fat and carb (from the beans, which also have protein) content.

Most places have some type of grilled (or baked) chicken sandwich that you can eat without the bun (or open faced with just the bottom bun once you are much further out) OR a salad with chicken chunks where you can eat just the protein and a bit of the veggies.

Soups can be a good option if they are broth based.  No noodles, though, obviously... and you will need to drink the broth first and then eat any solid protein and veggies.

You can do a hamburger/cheeseburger in a pinch, but many people find that the lesser quality of beef in thsoe places makes it hard to chew it up well and can cause pouch/sleeve discomfort because of that.  Even at a fried chicken place, if there is no non-fried option, you can get a fried chicken breast and pull the skin off.

There really isn't anywhere that I cannot find something decent to eat (but the choices are limited)

Lora

It can be done, I use MFP and check the calories, carbs, fat, proteins and sugars before going into a restaurant to make sure what ever I plan on getting is within my plan and budget (affordable for my intake for that day).  I also know that not all restaurants are 100% truthful so I do use some common sense.  Below are just a few options I have found that I believe are fairly good.  Now, I can't eat a whole Wendy's patty, or Culver's chicken patty or even two chicken legs for that matter so my #'s never = the below.  I usually can only eat about .5 of each one listed below. If you can, I would also suggest taking protein drinks and high protein/low cal snacks, this way when everyone else in the vehicle are snacking on chips, cookies and all the "good" stuff we are trying to stay away from, you can pull out something healthy!  If you have a plan to start out, it seems to go so much easier!  Good Luck, have fun and burn calories while doing so! :)

Wendy's ultimate chicken grill (Patty only). = it has 130cal, 3Carbs, 2fat, 27proteins and 0sugar.  Also if you order it as a patty only they only charge you $2.50, most restuarants will charge less if you order the patty only but you have to order that way.  If you order the sandwich no bun they charge you the whole price, so make sure you ask at everyplace you go to.  I know Wendy's, MD, Culver's all charge less if you order it right!

KFC grilled chicken leg (X2, no skin) = 118cal, 0carbs, 4fat, 20proteins and 0sugar.

Culvers grilled chicken (patty only) = 160cal, 0carbs, 2fat, 34proteins and 0sugar.

I didn't eat fast food prior to surgery and don't eat it now, so I can't help there.  But restaurants are super easy - I just plan ahead of time, check out the menu online, and get the best protein option for me.  In a pinch, it's always possible to do sandwiches without the bread.  

Because of work and meeting with people during lunch - I am almost always eating out.  My favorite is a taco bell bean and cheese burrito.  I usually eat a tiny piece of the top and then suck out the beans and cheese.  Sounds gross but I love it.  Subway will make any sandwich into a salad for you, pizza place - I order pizza with lots of veggies and just eat the cheese and toppings - really I have learned how to still eat at my places but make it as carb light as possible.  Now I am not a fried food person so burger and fries never calls to me.  Since this is our new life, I had to find a way to incorporate my pouch with my lifestyle forever by being creative.  

Best advice - not matter what or where you eat, learn to stop when you are starting to get full.  Practice protein, veggies and then carbs.  

McDonalds and Wendy's both have a small snack wrap..just the perfect size for me.  That's all I can eat!  I am a cheap date now! Lol

Grocery stores have been a favorite spot to stop when out-of-town.  Most have a deli with salad bar nowadays. If no salad bar, I will select a meat choice like chicken. If one has a salad bar, I make protein choices like meat, egg, and cheese and then a veggie choice like cauliflower.  I skip the dressing instead grabbing a mayo packet.