90/10 Rule calories cheat day Dinner food Food update Portland Portland Restaurants swimming

I Call Calorie Shenanigans

Lisa Eirene

About Lisa Eirene Lisa lost 110 pounds through calorie counting and exercise. She swims, bikes, runs, hikes and is enjoying life in Portland, Oregon. Her weight loss story has been featured in First Magazine, Yahoo Health, Woman's Day and Glamour.com.

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22 Comments

  1. steff (steffsays)

    i swim with Aqua Sphere Seal XP Lady goggles. they are definitely the best i have ever used. they are big and goofy looking but they have an excellent seal and only leak if i change my facial position drastically from like coughing or smiling or something. and while they do leave a pretty serious red goggle mark around the face it’s much better than the black eye/broken blood vessels i was getting from my traditional speedo googles.

    have fun!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      I have really old goggles that fog right now but if I have them on really tight they don’t leak. I always have red marks too!

  2. Aj

    I hate to burst your bubble but I remember reading something a few years back that the calorie counts at restaurants, particularly chain restaurants, is off. The calorie counts are based on portion sizes when made in the test kitchen and those portions tend to be much larger when served in actual restaurants. When actual portions were assessed in a lab by an independent company, they were found to be hight. However, the counts are a very good way of determining the healthiest choices – because you can compare each dish and assume that the counts are off about equally. Obviously being off of a count one (or a few) days is not going to “ruin” anything, I think the very practice of counting influences choices for the better even if the exact count is off, and I’m not sharing this to upset you. It just may be something to keep in mind for future trips.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      I was wondering about that too…like were the calories based on a whole serving? That’s good to know!

    2. Jane

      Aj is right. The article was pretty critical of chains that served pastas because the amount served was never the amount of a portion – it was often three times the amount. The dressing and sauce counts in the test kitchen are greatly reduced compared to the amounts poured on to the dishes at the restaurants.

      On the positive side, I love having the information available to me when dining so I can make the better choice.

      It also pays to be aware that ingredients in your food choice may not be apparent. For instance a steak may have one calorie count in the test kitchen but the test kitchen may not be aware that the chef actually bastes it in butter as it is finished in the pan. Hidden calories are all over the dining out experience.

      1. Lisa Eirene

        So true!! I was skeptical of the menu and calories listed…I’m still skeptical. But I feel like I made a good choice. After all, ALL of calorie counting is really a guessing game!

  3. Aj

    PS PF Chang’s has calorie counts online (for what they’re worth) and there are some dishes that are not so bad…and vegan!

  4. Michele @ Healthy Cultivations

    Panera Bread is one of my favorite places. I usually go with the half sandwich/ half salad option and can eat a whole meal for under 700 calories. That’s not bad at all.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Yep Panera was my second choice based on calories.

  5. Julie

    I use the TYR Hydrovision goggles and LOVE them. I think you kind of have to have a rounder face, but my kids even use mine and we never leak!

  6. shelby @ eatdrinkrun

    My cats have the double-wide version of that scratcher. It is the most coveted spot in the entire house to sleep. I’m not kidding…they fight over it. A freaking piece of cardboard.

    I wish they would use it for scratching – instead of sleeping on the scratcher and scratching on my couch! Bad kitties!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Bad kitties!!

      I had the double wide version until they destroyed it. Time for a new one! My cats LOVE that thing. It’s so bizarre. They shred it and claw it to bits. Sleep on it. Sit on it. It’s like the throne in the living room!

  7. Amy B @ Second City Randomness

    I’m really picky about spinach dips and such- I prefer them so much more when they’re homemade!

    I love Jason’s Deli (I know it’s not everywhere, but it’s a lot like McAlister’s if you’ve ever heard of it). They have lightened options of a lot of their sandwiches, and they have no problems customizing your order!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      That’s the kinda restaurant I like. I love being able to make healthier substitutions.

  8. Jennifer is Always Sick

    First, the title seriously made me LOL.

    But regard to the question, we go to Chilis a lot, but it’s not because of the nutritional value or the low calories or healthy aspect of the food – I doubt any of the food falls into any of those categories. But we go there because it’s close to our house and they have allergy menus for all the major food allergies, viewable and printable from their site, and it’s updated monthly.

    Macaroni Grill has the same thing, as does On the Border. I think all three are owned by the same company.

    Outback is good too. They have a gluten free menu, some basic food allergy info on their site, and the servers are usually really great about special requests. We’ve actually had managers prepare our meals to ensure there was no cross contamination.

    I haven’t tried Olive Garden in awhile. Not since we found out about our egg allergies. I’m not sure it’s a safe option for us, but I used to love eating there.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      The Chilis in Oregon closed! I was bummed. Their black bean burgers are good.

  9. MizFit

    it seems as tho at most places we can MAKE healthy options by getting creative—-EXCEPT for olive garden πŸ™‚
    I have to speed up and pass that place by…

  10. Sasha

    Chain restaurants are off limits for me and my husband. Even if the amount of calories are acceptable, he’s worked in enough kitchens to know that the water for their pasta is absolutely loaded with salt and the way their food arrives from their purveyors is pretty much pre-packed, pre-prepared, processed and loaded with sodium. I understand they have to have uniformity between restaurants but you’re sacrificing flavor and freshness. It’s just…yuck.

  11. Veggies, Cake and Cocktails

    I haven’t had Olive Garden in such a long time. I love their salad!

    I really like some of the sandwich shops around me. Like Potbelly’s and Jason’s Deli. They have lighter options and you can basically tell them exactly what you want and they will accomadate.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      As a general rule I don’t like chain restaurants. I’d much rather go to a mom and pop restaurant.

  12. Anonymous

    nice post. thanks.

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