Restaurant Tips
I lost most of my weight in the first four months using the NutriSystem diet program. Since then, I have not only kept the weight off, I have lost even more! I have done it by making smart choices at home and on the road. I have done a great deal of research on healthy options here in Gainesville and when I travel. I have put together some of my favorites below. There is no reason you can't eat healthy when you dine out. Just do a little planning first and feel good about your choices! If you know of a national chain with a local location that offers healthy choices and it's not listed, e-mail me and I will include it. Choose a link below:
 Sit Down Restaurant Chains
Ruby Tuesday
National: Yes
Local: In Oaks Mall, Gainesville FL
This is one of my low calorie favorites. They have a great smart eating section on the web site and many of the menu items list nutritional information right on the menu. They have a great salad bar and you can get the calorie and fat info on the salad dressing on-line. Visit the web site and plan your meal before you go.
Macaroni Grill
National: Yes
Local: In Oaks Mall, Gainesville FL
Macoroni Grill offers a nice atmosphere and it's a nice place to go for lunch or dinner. That said, it's not one of my favorites for low calorie meal options. Most of the food available is very high in calories, fat and sodium. For lunch, there are only two real options at or under 500 calories. The Pollo Margo "Skinny Chicken" (410 calories) and the Simple Salmon (500 calories). That's for the meal with grilled veggies only. A garden salad adds 140 calories with Fat Free creamy italian dressing. Beware of that little shinny loaf of peasant bread, it's only about 5 inches long and it packs a whopping 520 calories. My advice, just say no! Here is a link to the latest nutritional information. http://www.brinker.com/gr/Nutritional/Mac_NutritionalInfo.pdf Print it out and take it with you.
Don Pablos
National: Yes
Local:Oaks Mall Area, University Ave. Gainesville FL
Mexican food is always a favorite and it's definitely one of my favorites. Unfortunately, it's easy to sit down and throw down a fat packed 2,000 to 3,000 calorie meal if you are not paying attention. Don Pablos has excellent nutritional information on their web site and you can even print it out and take it with you. There are a number of low calorie/low fat options available if you know where to look. If you like Mexican food it's worth a visit to the site. Stay away from the chips and salsa!
Chili's
National: Yes
Local:Butler Plaza Area, Archer Road, Gainesville, FL
Chili's is a great choice for a healthy southwest meal. Chili's has had a line of menu items for years called Guiltless Grill. The menu includes items like the GUILTLESS CHICKEN SANDWICH and GUILTLESS CHICKEN PLATTER. Both are served with fresh steamed veggies and are under 10 grams of fat. They have recently updated the web site to include calories. Just click on the link below, choose menu and follow the links to the Guiltless Grill page
Applebee's
National: Yes
Local:University Area, 13th Street, Gainesville, FL
I don't know much about the food at Applebees but they do have a new line of Weight Watchers menu items including salads, meals and desserts. The web site lists calories and nutritional information to help you make a healthy choice. If you eat there, e-mail me and let me know how it is.
Olive Garden
National: Yes
Local:Butler Plaza Area, Archer Road, Gainesville, FL
Pasta is another one of my favorites and like Mexican food it can get you into trouble fast. Cream based sauces and huge portions can weigh you down with fat and carbohydrates. Don't forget the all you can eat salad and bread sticks! Nothing but trouble. However, not all is lost, Olive Garden offers a new menu line called Garden Fare. It's identified on the menu next to the food item with a little olive branch  and the items are fantastic. Lunch entrees range from 316 calories to 497. Dinner entrees start at 514 and go up to 738 calories. Stay away from those bread sticks and order your salad dry with low fat or low cal dressing on the side and you can make it out the door under 500 calories with a full belly. The web site has a Garden Fare download with all of the nutritional information on it. You can print it and take it with you! Enjoy
Boston Market
National: Yes
Local:Oaks Mall Area, University Ave. Gainesville FL
Boston market represents a crossover between fast food and a sit down restaurant. With a drive through, it offers true convenience when you need to grab a quick meal on the way home. This is where you need to be careful. Many of the items on the menu look like healthy choices but you must be sure you know what you are getting first. There is not a lot of time for questions in that drive through line and chances are you will know more about the nutritional content from this site than the person at the window or behind the counter so visit the web site. It lists nutritional information for every combination of meal, sandwiches, hot and cold sides and desserts.
Red Lobster
National: Yes
Local:Oaks Mall Area Newberry Rd, Gainesville FL
Red Lobster now offers a new menu called Light House Selections. It's a great way to watch out for your diet without feeling left out when you visit Red Lobster with your family or freinds. The in house menu lists nutritional information and the web site offers a great interactive menu. Choose your meal, sides and sauces, click nutritional information and it lists everything for you. You can even print it out and take it with you! I recently had the Snow Crab legs (1 pound 262 calories) and a baked potato (179 calories). I ordered cocktail sauce (68 calories) instead of melted butter and I used it on my potato and dipped the crab in it. It was fantastic! I stayed away from the cheddar biscuits and walked out at just over 500 calories for dinner.
Outback Steak House
National: Yes
Local:Butler Plaza Area, Archer Road, Gainesville, FL
Outback has always been a favorite of mine and just recently thay have come on board with some nutritional information posted on the web site. Unfortunately, they do not list calories as part of the nutritional guidelines. They have prepared a selection of menu guidlines for many types of diets including: Gluten-Free Menu , Healthy Weight Loss , General Guideline for Allergies , Heart Healthy Diet , Diabetic Diet, High Protein/Low Carbohydrate Diet, MSG And Sodium So if you plan on going, you can do a little pre planning and use common sense when ordering.
SUBS
SUBWAY
National: Yes
Local:Multiple Local Locations
Absolutely by far my number one choice for a low calorie low fat healthy meal any time of the day or evening. Excellent nutritional information on site and on the web site. 6" subs with no mayo or cheese start at just 230 calories for a Veggie and only 280 calories with Turkey. Ask for a low carb wrap instead of the 6" roll and you can knock another 90 calories off of the above! Make it a meal with a bag of Baked Lays Chips (130 calories) and a Diet Pepsi and you are out the door with less than 450 calories for lunch! I eat lunch at Subway at least three times a week when I am on the road. I even went to Subway when we were in Mexico!
FIREHOUSE Subs
Butler Plaza Area, Archer Road, Gainesville, FL
Subway has blazed a trail for healthy alternatives when it comes to the fast food / sub category. Many others have followed in their footsteps. Firehouse subs offers full nutritional information on their web site with medium subs starting at 350 calories and just 3 grams of fat without cheese or mayo. Not as low as subway but still in the ballpark for a healthy lunch choice. If you didn't know better, you might think you are ordering healthy with a medium veggie sub. Surprise!! 720 calories and 44 grams of fat! Check out all the facts at the web site.
Larry's Giant Subs
Multiple Local Locations
There is a Larry's not far from my office and I had only been there once or twice. I went for lunch recently and I was glad to see that they were printing some nutritional information on their cups and napkins. They feature "10 subs under 7 grams of fat" on the cups and napkins. I checked out the web site and they have a full nutritional content listing posted. I had a 8" veggie (286 calories) with mustard, no cheese or mayo, a bag of Baked Lays (130 calories) and a diet Pepsi. Not a bad lunch at around 420 calories and under 5 grams of fat. Add roast beef and you are still under 500 calories and 8 grams of fat. Just be careful and stay away from the cheese and mayo!
Panera Bread
Butler Plaza Area, Archer Road, Gainesville, FL
Panera Bread is a nice almost upscale fast food restaurant. Mostly soups, salads and sandwiches you order and grab a seat to eat. They have a great website with low calorie options under 500 calories. It's a nice step up from a Sub Shop for a lunch or light dinner.
FAST FOOD Chains
Sometimes there is just no way around it. Fast food may be the only option you have available. But, that does not mean you have to kill your diet. Follow a few simple rules and you should be good to go.
Rule #1- Don't go off the wagon just because you have the opportunity! "I tried to eat right but all I could find was a Burger King. That's no excuse to order a Whopper with cheese and a large fry. Think about it before you order and make smart choices (see rule number 2)
Rule #2- Plan ahead, most fast food chains now offer lighter selections for anyone who asks. Check out the options online using the chains Nutritional Information page. If you don't have access to a computer, ask at the counter for a nutrition guide.
Here is a list of Fast Food chains and links to their nutritional web sites.
PIZZA Chains
Local and National
When it comes to Pizza you are pretty much on your own. Sometimes you just have to have it so I have listed links to national chains with nutritional information that are located in the Gainesville area. I am not a big fan of the "Pizza Chain" pizza. I am originally from the Tri State area, PA, NJ, NY so I know what good pizza is. Nothing beats a New York pie! However, living in Gainesville I know that for many people, the chain pizza is what they prefer. Bottom line is, if you just have to have it, check out the web site info, make smart choices before you order, eat pizza in moderation (just two small slices can come it at over 400 calories) and fill up on salad in place of that third or fourth slice.
Godfathers
Hungry Howies
Litte Caesars
Papa Johns
Pizza Hut
Dominos
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Fast Food Chains