Wednesday 29 July 2009

Help??

So, this weekend (or possibly next) I'm supposed to be going out to dinner with my good friend S.

S used to be anorexic, and says she's still very aware of the feelings toward food, but that she pushes through and ignores them. That said, she's tiny and makes me feel like a huuuge whale when I'm around her - she's about 5'3" and a UK size 10 (a US 6?) - and is constantly saying she wants to lose weight. She used to weigh 6 and a half stone, which is around 90lbs, and laments the loss of her skinny days. Although even now she only weighs around 120ish. So I wouldn't necessarily say that she's completely recovered, but that she tries to eat normally so that her fiancee and her family won't worry (apparently if she's out all day and doesn't eat at home, her grandmother will have a go and automatically assume she hasn't eaten while she's out, or makes a deal if S doesn't eat everything put on her plate at mealtimes, even though her grandmother really packs it on etc). So, all of that is to say that I don't think she's completely "recovered" but that she loves her some sweet food and eating out in new restaurants.

Anyway. S doesn't know about my issues... She knows I'm trying to lose weight and "behave myself" and whatever, but whenever we go out to eat (which is once or twice a month after shopping or something) it's usually to somewhere "bad". Last time was to Chiquito, a Mexican restaurant here, where about the healthiest thing on the menu was the pork enchiladas with Mexican rice. I didn't gain, but it wasn't great either.

So, upon deciding where to go next, I told her that I wanted to go somewhere a bit healthier this time, and she agreed. But then we couldn't think of anywhere. Buuut then she said if we go for spicy food, it's not so bad - since spicy food increases your metabolic rate for up to 3 hours after you've eaten (or so I've read in a few places). So, I agreed, figuring spicy food is good and I can try to find something lower in calories as well.

Now, we're planning to go to this Indian restaurant in town, that I've heard is really nice. My only problem is that my ONLY experience with Indian food to date has been chicken korma, which I know is very bad.

So, I guess what I'm asking for here is advice. What is something healthier that I'll be able to order? Some manner of Indian food that has less fat/calories, and is "safer" than a korma and rice? I want to have some ideas in mind, otherwise I'll get there and start panicking =/

Thanks for your advice loves

Vee xox

PS: their menus are HERE if that helps

6 comments:

Dorothy said...

As long as you get something vegetarian and without paneer it should be decent. There is an eggplant dish that I get which I know is low cal, but I forget the name : / Just stay away from the naan and galub juman ; )
I'm sure it will be fine. It's really just one meal and having some extra cals might help trick your metabolism.
Stay strong <3

Vee said...

That's what I'm hoping for, anyway, that the spices and a slightly higher-calorie day will help keep things revving. In fact I'll probably plan for one higher calorie day a week just to keep my body guessing.

Haha I know nothing about Indian food.. so I know what naan is but "galub juman" means nothing to me. I'll try to remember... and I'll scour the menu for something with eggplant in and see if it's the same thing haha.

Thanks for the advice! xx

Undenied said...

I don't think anybody ever fully recovers...I think they just learn to focus their energy elsewhere.

Vegetarian curry might be a good way to go. I've made Indian curry at home, and I was surprised how few calories it is. It's mostly just spices and oil and water boiled down to a thick sauce. You can eat it without the rice to save on some cals, I suppose.

Just avoid anything with cheese in it, because cheese is tons of calories.

Vee said...

I think you're totally right. The way she talks about people that are thinner than her and how she has "fat days and looks like she's effing pregnant" (her words), it's obvious she still obsesses. She just makes a greater effort to eat normally, I guess.

I've been googling all afternoon haha. Right now, on the menu available to me, it sounds like Tandoori Chicken (no sauce) is probably the healthiest thing on the menu. Or a Goan King Prawn is around 340 calories, which isn't too bad for eating out at a restaurant =] Or, going down the vegetarian route, a Vegetable Makhani is 350 - and is probably better for you what with the veggie goodness and all.

I'm not panicking so much now. At least researching the dishes before hand I'll be able to guesstimate where my calories are and not feel too horrible. Having either the king prawn or veggie dish shouldn't be too bad so I'm happier about the outing now. <3

Samantha said...

Be wary of curry, restaurant curries often use a ton of oil.

Vee said...

Hey Samantha!

That's exactly why I was panicking over it. Even the veggie dishes are usually cooked in butter or oil. But I think if I can get one of the dishes I mentioned above I should be ok. I took the higher estimates for them from a couple google search results, since I'd much rather over estimate than under. And of course, I only plan on eating half of whatever they give me. To be on the safe side