Tracking macros when eating out can become a real challenge, especially when you’re on a diet and you’re trying to meet your goals. Most restaurant meals are super high in calories, so how can you make sure you’re staying on track? In this blog post, ill provide some tips on how to track macros when eating out. It will make the tracking process a bit easier. So whether you’re on vacation or just eating out for a special occasion, stay on track with your macros by following these steps!

You will find in this post an example of how to incorporate restaurant outings in your macros. It is always fun to eat out with family and friends! You do not have to sacrifice this to reach your goals. You can have the best of both worlds.

To track macros when eating out, the first detail you need to figure out is what you’re in the mood for? Is it pizza, Mexican food, a burger? Once you know what you’re in the mood for, this process will be a lot easier.

Some great websites and apps can help you find restaurants near you that provide nutritional information. If all else fails, do a quick Google search for “ restaurants near me .”

Some people wait till the last minute to decide what they want to eat. This is a problem because instead of thinking about making your meal fit your macros, you will most likely be too hungry to care. So, save yourself the headache and decide ahead of time.

Many restaurants nowadays have their menus available online, so take advantage of this! It’s a lot easier than flipping through a physical menu at the restaurant. Plus, you can check out how many grams of protein, carbs, and fat are in each dish before making your decision.

Now let’s say you decide to skip this whole step; what could happen? Sadly, this was me at the beginning of my journey. I had to learn the hard way. I would eat out without even checking to see how many macros I had available, never thinking about what I wanted to eat or what I was in the mood for. I would make a choice last minute, and at that point, I was already stressed out and hangry because, let’s face it, there are so many good restaurants; how do you even make up your mind?

Check the restaurant’s menu online once you know exactly what you’re in the mood to eat. This will help you narrow down your choices and make it easier to find something that fits your macros. Since I have found that tracking macros when eating out is a big challenge, I’ve created a section on My Macro Guide that also includes an Eating On-The-Go Guide that many have found super helpful when eating out.

This stress would block my ability to make a sound choice, and I would end up choosing the anything that looked appetizing regardless of the calories, carbs, and fat in that meal. At that point, I had already messed up my macros, so I might as well get the appetizer and dessert with the most calories.

What that being said, if you’re trying to count macros, always check the menu online before you go out to eat. That way, you can make sure you’re choosing a dish that fits your macro goals.

Doing this ahead of time will help keep you on track and prevent you from overindulging later in the day. When it comes to eating out, we all want to enjoy our food without having to worry about calculating grams and counting calories on the spot. However, by following this tip you’ll be able to track macros when eating out and still enjoy your favorite restaurant meals!

After looking at the dish you wish to order, you notice that the dish is smothered in sauce. What now? Why not ask the server if they can modify your plate?

Just remember: always ask! The worst thing that can happen is they say no, and you’re back at square one. But, most likely, the server will be more than happy to help make modifications. You’ll be able to track macros when eating out with ease.

Quick Tip: If you know what dish you want, try calling the restaurant ahead of time and ask them to have it prepared without sauce or with less sauce. This way, when you get there, all you have to do is enjoy your meal instead of worrying about having to explain this in detail.

Sometimes you will find that the meal you want does not fit your macros! What can you do in this case? You have a few options:

-Order a side salad instead of ordering the heavy carb

– Switch your side dish for a veggie

The great thing about salads is that they can be customized to fit your macros. Just make sure you ask for the dressing on the side. For appetizers, we recommend choosing something like grilled chicken or fish as these tend to be lower in fat and higher in protein.

When it comes to swapping out the sides, let’s say your meal comes with rice, pasta, or bread. Why not choose a veggie instead? This will help cut down on the calories and carbs in your meal without sacrificing too much flavor.

Quick Tip:  Let’s say you end up choosing the Cheesecake Factory and you want the Fresh Grilled Salmon. This dish comes with mashed potatoes, but let’s say it does not fit your macros. However, you can still enjoy the Salmon by swapping the mashed potatoes for a side of Broccoli and a side salad. This will save you approximately 315 calories, and you still get your Salmon along with your greens.

Eating out is one way we spend quality time with those we love. It gives us a break from cooking every week. You do not have to sacrifice this just because you decide to track macros when eating out.

Quick Tip:  If you know you are looking forward to eating out on Saturday night, make sure that your breakfast and lunch are high protein. Don’t skip breakfast and lunch! If you’re starving, you can quickly end up eating over 2,000 calories in one sitting. Yes, this is extremely easy to do at restaurants. Oils and sauces add up quickly.

I recommend using an app like MyFitnessPal to track your meals. This way, you can easily track how many calories you’re eating when eating out. Plus, these apps have built-in databases of most restaurant menus making this process easier.

There are many different ways to track macros when eating out. Here are some of the tips that we learned:

• Plan ahead by deciding what you want to eat before you go out

• Check the restaurant’s menu online and look up the macros of the meal you want to eat

• Pre-log your meal

• Look for dishes that are lower in carbs and higher in protein

• Ask your server how the dish is prepared and if there are any modifications you can make

• Ask for any sauces and dressings on the side

It can be hard to track macros when eating out, but it’s not impossible! With a little bit of planning and some quick tips, you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite meals.