Help...

[sloppail]

I have been strict low carb for 6 weeks no cheats and our basketball team is going for Chinese food for supper...what do I order? We r going in about 15 mins...

[Hot Tamale]

I'd get chicken and broccoli, sauce on the side if you can, and, of course, no rice! Good luck!

[sloppail]

What sauce?

[Hot Tamale]

I think it comes with a brown sauce on it usually, you know? You can see if they will just make you chicken and steamed broccoli...

[picklepete]

If you want to be super strict, look for a "health/diet" section of the menu. You'll get plain steamed meat and veggies. Otherwise, I'd opt for something like mu shu (minus the wraps) or pretty much any other stir fry that doesn't have "sweet" in the name.

[sloppail]

Ok thanks so much!!

[chinahopes]

I'd bring my own food or not go... asian food is one of those foods that is not easy for LCers.

[picklepete]

Originally Posted by chinahopes

I'd bring my own food or not go... asian food is one of those foods that is not easy for LCers.

Yes and no. The divey places are all lo mein and battered/fried appetizers, but some places will have really clean seafood or--even better--a hibachi service where you can load the plate yourself.

[babycakez]

I usually just get a side of beef and broccoli... or there is this one thai place that I go to that has basil chicken with onions and bell peppers... it's super yummy and low carb.

So what did you end up getting?

[LiterateGriffin]

Order as clean as you can, and ASSUME there were hidden carbs in the sauces... even off the hibachi.

So what do you do today? Some exercise, to re-deplete your glycogen stores, and extra-strict carb levels/high fat for a couple days.

This is the real world. Sometimes you have to eat food that's not 100% according to plan. The secret is to not let it throw you for a loop. Minimize the damage, and then do "damage-control".

[pentimenti]

There is one dish at one Chinese restaurant we go to that is soft tofu, thousand year egg, green onion, sesame oil, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Some recipes I've seen call for sugar, of course. At any rate, that is one dish I've enjoyed without feeling too guilty.

I like the Mongolian Barbecue places best, because you can more control what goes in.

I've ordered steamed veggies and meat, and it was a pretty noxious tasting lot. The meat tasted slimy like the meats that are "brined" in sugar.

[Punkin]

Thai is much more forgiving than chinese for LCers. Some chinese places will just do salads. Look for a dish with the least amount of sauce on it, because there are hidden carbs in the sauces. Ask the server what dishes aren't sweet tasting. That will probably help.

[Britt1975]

Our Chinese place has a Mongolian Bar where you can load up your bowl with raw meats and veggies (and noodles and rice) and they throw it on the grill to cook. You add it all yourself, they don't put any extra ingredients in it. I put a little sesame oil and soy sauce in my bowl with my meat and veggies (no rice or noodles) and enjoy the heck out of it!

[sloppail]

Thanks everyone so much for your help...it means a lot to me that I could ask a question on short notice and get prompt helpful replies!

Our team went all together...7 kids and 5 adults...I had to go, couldnt opt out, so I went. Everyone had buffet...there was ceasar salad made up so I had that...the bacon bits were those processed things...yuck. I took the vegetable dishes...beef and broccoli, and a mixed veggie dish, the meats were all breaded or saucy so I didnt have those, then I ate a pkg of nuts that I brought along. I did the best I could...I am up 1.6 this morning but I did ok. Thanks again everyone!!

Kim

[Strawberry]

Good job sticking with your plan, under more difficult circumstances!

Your weight is probably up from the salty food and water retention.. I'm sure it will go away in a day or two.

[Meli-Mel]

Sometimes you just have to do the best you can with what you're given and it sounds like you did just that. Great job planning ahead and having some nuts with you to fill in the gaps.

[synger]

I agree with the person up-thread who said that there are always going to be times when you can't control what you're offered. The key is to pre-plan as much as possible, choose the least-damaging options, then get right back on-plan.

I have a couple of go-to dishes for when we end up at Chinese or Thai places, Indian places, Tex-Mex, Greek, and Sushi places. They're not strictly on-plan, but they're better than many of the carb-laden options on those menus. Sometimes that's the extent of the pre-planning I can do, but it's better than nothing.

Good on you for making the healthiest choices from a buffet! Sometimes that's the hardest thing to resist, because all that tempting food is right there laid out in front of you. It sounds to me like you did very well with the dinner.

So now you know some options for Chinese and Thai restaurants. And you have more confidence in your ability to choose on-plan or close-to-on-plan foods. Next time, you'll be better prepared because of what you've done this time.

[sloppail]

Thanks again everyone!! I am back down to where I was before the meal...I thought I did ok but there must have been extra sodium or some hidden carbs in there, I guess you just never know. I would have ordered off the menu but everyone would have been done their meals while I would just be starting...Anyways I'm not planning on doing any more Chinese food in the near future...

Kim

[sloppail]

I'm pretty proud too that I didnt cave and eat everything in sight...thats something I would have done 2 months ago. That in itself shows me I am FINALLY commited to eating this way for life

[picklepete]

Originally Posted by synger

Good on you for making the healthiest choices from a buffet! Sometimes that's the hardest thing to resist, because all that tempting food is right there laid out in front of you.

It's funny--a year ago I would have typed that myself but now I consider buffet (esp. American or Indian) to be the safest and most enjoyable option by far. Double protein, double veggies, no awkward negotiations with the server!