Cheesecake Factory

Okay so I am having a girls night out and we are going to Cheesecake Factory before a concert .  So I looked up the nutritional info on calorielab.com (they have the whole menu) and I don't know what to get.  It looks like I should fast all day just so I  can have a wonderful dinner.  However, I will probably leave with lots of leftovers.  When I eat at a resturant I usually get a couple of meals out of the 1 I purchased.  But here is the deal you can't go to the CF w.o ordering cheesecake.... Luckily the kind I like (Dutch Apple) has less calories than most......... 871  Now that's more than a meal normally for me....  Will I look like a dork asking for a to go box for half my cheesecake?   Not to mention half of my meal.  This is what I want to order:
Water with Lemon
Cuban Sandwich  1135 calories
French Fries (come with maybe I can substitute) 574
Dutch Apple Cheesecake 800

Total: 2509

If I take half home I could probably cut the calories down too about 1600....

But I also like the Luau Salad and if I got that instead of the Cuban Sandwich the calories would be: 1601
However I probably won't take any of the salad home because it would have to sit in the car for a while and it wouldn't hold up.  

What would you do? =oP  Sorry this is a LOOOOOOOOONnnnnnnnnnng post for me. I know the other girls are going to eat what ever and order :::gasp::: adult beverages but that's not something I want to do tonight and I want to be somewhat aware of what I am putting into my body.

Thanks

I went to the Cheesecake Factory Wednesday night with a friend I hadn't seen in 20+ years. Long story - but, anyway...   It's awesome and horrifying that they have the nutritional information so readily available. I got a dry cappuccino. Period. The cute waitress was encouraging us to have cheesecake and I thought - an entire day's worth of calories in ONE item, not to mention the saturated fat and who-knows-what-else in there! YIKES. The offererings looked gorgeous, and would have felt like cement in my stomach.

I would say absolutely  NO on the fries if you're serious about eating as healthy as you can. A 1600 calorie salad isn't healthy.... maybe you can get the salad with oil/vinegar on the side, or get a salad and ask for vinegar only as a dressing. Many commercial salad dressings not only have hydrogenated oils, but also contain propylene glycol, which is an ingredient in anti-freeze. Nasty stuff - stay away. You're safe (pretty much) with olive oil and vinegar.

If I "had" to eat at a restaurant like that, of course I'd just cleanse the next day and get rid of the meal. BUT, aside from that, you should have something healthy before you go, and choose what you order based on your own goals and not the opinions of others. You might inspire someone else there to take a look at what they are putting into the one and only body they'll get.

You want an honest answer?  I wouldn't go to the Cheesecake factory.  I would chose another restaurant that offers healthier choices.  Even if you only eat half of it and save the rest until later, there are a whole lot of saturated fats  and evil things in those choices.  

That place is like addiction central for me - it has all the foods that got me in trouble before.   I just don't want to get started back down that road again.  

 Some famous WWII general, it might have been Patton once said that he didn't like paying for the same ground twice (with blood).  Frankly, I feel the same way about weight loss - it is so hard to get the scale to go down a pound of two that the momentary fun of enjoying cheesecake and fries is offset by lots of sacrifice later - to me it's just not worth it.

I should probably lighten up ...... Whatever you decide, have a good time with the girls. 

Babs, I LOVE that Patton quote!  I feel the same exact way about going through all of the blood, sweat and tears to lose one stinking pound, only to have to go through it all over again because of something I won't even remember I ate next week.  Sometimes, it just ain't worth it.

Mary

Thanks for the advice gals.  Just to clarify (I wasn't clear) the salad wasn't 1600 calories, that was for the salad and the 800 calorie cheesecake.  I know 800 calories for a salad isn't that great either but I think that is the better decision and it is probably what I will end up getting.  The salad is HUGE too.  Last time I went to the CC factory (over a year ago) I ordered the salad and I couldn't fini**** (I don't eat the fried wonton wrappers that come with it either because I'm not really a fan, other than french fries I really don't care for fried food.) I don't have the total fat info but it has 3 grams of saturated fat and I can deal with that, it is healthier than what I have been eating anyway. 

As for the cheesecake who knows.... but I'm sure at the end of the day I will probably eat at least a bite of one..... Or I can get coffee instead.... I just haven't mastered the art of watching people eat food glorious food without joining in.

Boy...this going out issue can be harsh. For me, I do not try to control where a group goes...I try to stand back and suggest healthier places - even say that's why I choose to go, but whatever the group wants, i do.

I reckon i have a choice - to go or not at all.

For me, I'm going to go and make my own plans on what to eat. If it's a high fat place like what you bring up, i would get a salad or better yet a thin broth based soup, no bread or wontons and have a bite or three of cheesecake.

Mexican is the WORST to deal with. I stay off the chips/salsa, and try to eat only a few bites of beans/rice, 1-2 tortillas.

Overall, I tell friends that I can only go out here and there, for health reasons. During initial weight loss, I will decline social things at such places pretty heavily. I also tell them we should consider more things like hikes, bike rides, walks, tours, planning a healthy meal together, etc.  Then those types of invites are what I offer forward as hostess!

At our house parties, a healthy lower fat, less grain-y things are always available - so are the less great things!

Well after the fact we had a great evening.  I did order the salad sans wonton wrappers, I ate 75%.  And I brought back half the cheesecake for my hubby.  After we ate out we went to the concert whi*****luded dancing so I felt good about the fact that we got some exercise in.  I know I need to start paying more attention to the fat that I put in my body but the overall calorie count for the day was okay. I'm not going to gain any weight this week from eating at the cc factory.  The girls are getting used to the fact that I prefer to eat what I cook but it was special evening so I feel like it was worth it.

But in all honesty it's nice to hear harsh words when I decide to eat unhealthy.  Usually when I try to avoid unhealthy food people just tell me that I'm not fat and it doesn't matter... Then I have to explain my way out if it.