This is my Low Carb Food Diary for Day 16 of the Summer Low Carb Mini-Challenge so you can see what I ate and how the macros work out. Join in! Even if we’re in the middle of a challenge you can get signed up to stay in the loop. 🙂 It’s free and fun, and I’ll be kicking off a NEW challenge on August 1st so plan to join us!
I had a craving for Mexican food yesterday. I was out running errands so I rang up a friend to join me at La Cazona Mexican Grill for an early lunch.
A low carb lunch of course. 😉
You have to stay out of the margaritas, chips & salsa, rice & beans and tortillas of course… but eating low carb Mexican food is easy & delicious!
I’ll share with you what I ordered for lunch yesterday (it was fabulous!) as well as another favorite low carb Mexican restaurant meal I get often…
Day 16: Wednesday’s Low Carb Meals
I had my favorite low carb breakfast of pecans, cottage cheese & berries yesterday – as usual! 🙂 I mentioned I was getting bored with the same old low carb foods and needed to mix things up, which is exactly what I’ve been doing the last few days.
For lunch, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted (my usual!) but I was glad I opened the menu – because this was a different Mexican restaurant than I usually visit.
I spotted the Chicken Caesar Salad right away. Because it had a pretty picture. 🙂
That actually required fewer modifications than what I usually get, so I ordered that. I did ask for no dressing, “add grilled shrimp, please” and no croutons of course.
(Mistake: I didn’t ask what the upcharge was for the added shrimp – and they charged me $8 for it!! 😯 lol, oops)
I also asked for a side of cheese dip. That stuff is DELICIOUS. 🙂
That’s why I asked for “no caesar dressing” by the way – I was planning to use the salsa on the table (that came with the chips I didn’t eat) and the cheese sauce with/on my salad instead. 🙂
I mostly just ate some chicken, shrimp & avocado off the top of my salad – dipped in the salsa & cheese sauce. It was A LOT of food! I brought the rest home in a take-out box to enjoy for dinner.
For dinner I took the chicken, shrimp & avocado off the salad. I poured the sauces over that and warmed it all up together – leaving the actual salad cold.
Then I poured the hot meat & sauce over the salad:
Yum! 🙂
I didn’t end up eating any of the romaine salad, lol. By the time I ate all the good stuff off the top I was full AGAIN, haha.
You can see how I logged the salad below under “Lunch” in my MyFitnessPal app.
I simply added the individual ingredients, which is what I usually do. I put the entire meal in as one, knowing I was going to finish the rest of it for dinner.
The almonds & string cheese was a quick low carb snack I had around midnight. 🙂
Here’s My MyFitnessPal Diary for Wednesday:
Macronutrients: A Simple Explanation Of Low Carb Macros
How To Get A Net Carbs Column in MyFitnessPal
Calories: 1556
Net Carbs: 28
Total Carbs: 47
Protein: 86 Grams
70% Fat, 23% Protein
Water: 56 ounces
I went over on my carbs by a bit, but to be fair I woke up at 3:45am yesterday and was up until 2am last night, so it was a longer day than usual. I had a nice long afternoon nap of course. 🙂
I blame the cheese sauce & salsa! Not the coffee creamer, of course. 🙂 haha
Normally I order the Taco Salad when I go out for Mexican.
I do have to special order it too, though. I ask for grilled chicken instead of shredded chicken (the shredded chicken is a fajita mix), avocado slices instead of guacamole, add grilled shrimp, and usually extra sour cream:
The fewer ingredients or the more simple you make your order, the easier it is to log & track – and control what it is you’re eating exactly. I don’t always know what’s in the “fajita mix” or the guacamole, or the carb count on those things.
Plus I really like “simple, whole foods” on my plate. 🙂
As an interesting twist, you don’t HAVE to get the salad! I once saw a fellow low carber order “a cobb salad with no lettuce.” That was a pretty cool plate of food!
Sometimes you just have to get creative. It’s your dollar, your meal, your health and your body. Don’t be afraid to custom order a restaurant meal you’ll LOVE.
As for the $8 upcharge on the shrimp this time, that was a first. There’s usually an upcharge with additions, but not THAT much lol. It was worth it though. There were 8 LARGE shrimp on my plate and it was A LOT of food. And delicious. 🙂
What about you? Do you eat out much, and when you do – do you find it harder or easier to stay on track eating low carb at restaurants?
I would love to hear your thoughts & experiences!
Best,
Lynn Terry,
aka @LowCarbTraveler
Discount Code: LOWCARBTRAVELER
I travel weekly and have found that I pick apart my food so much! I’m careful of sauces and toppings and so far it has been good. Hubs and I were on vacation for 10 days where a lot of beer and wine was involved. I get a whole 12 days without travel coming up so I am going to be in my kitchen where it’s easier to control carbs and by my fave running trail!
That will be SO nice, Michelle. π Enjoy!!
What do you mean by “pick apart your food” – you mean instead of asking for modifications? Sometimes that does make it easier…
YUM. I love Mexican food. I think i would have ordered Steak fajitas without the tortillas
or Chile Rellanos. It is a poblano pepper stuffed with Mexican cheese. Yum.
I found that take out salad or leftovers salad meals do not keep well and often o end up throwing it away.
I really loved the tostada bar here the other night
i got all the fixins and took it to my room to make my own tostadas from melted cheese in my microwave. I still got that ‘crunch’ i missed from my cheesy tostadas. Yum.
I love fajitas without the tortillas! π I usually LIKE take-out salads, and this one did keep well… I just wasn’t in the mood for salad. :p haha. I knew that when I ordered a “salad” off the menu but it had SO many great foods on it!
Taco Salad is a favorite too, especially at home. I have to try the cheese shells! Everyone raves about those.
Hi Lynn, I love Mexician Restaurants and get the fajitas and taco salads. I have also brought pork skins in and dipped them in salsa instead of the chips. Add a little sour cream to the salsa and it’s a treat! I just eat more than you! I have to work on cutting my portions down a bit! We had jalapeΓ±o poppers ( jalapeΓ±o cut in half, seeds removed, stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon , baked for 45 minutes minutes on 400. I like the bacon crisp) and I bet I had 6-8 poppers while the rest of the normal eaters ate 1-3. Plus, yes, there is a plus lol- I had 3 michelob ultras. Remember, I was supposed to give those up for this challenge! Blew that! But, on a good note, I have lost 31/2 lbs this time on the mini challenge. Congrats on your weight drop!
I love sour cream & salsa. π I usually just save it for when my meal arrives and enjoy it with whatever I ordered (instead of the chips).
I sometimes eat much larger portions. That salad was HUGE and did make two meals for me – even without all the romaine lettuce. BUT I was in a deep conversation over lunch is why I didn’t eat that much of it. It’s hard to eat when your mouth is running a million miles a minute, lol.
Plus when I’m upset or stressed I eat less. π
Congrats on YOUR weight drop!! That’s awesome. π π
I learned about Benitos chips. Netrition, Amazon, and even Kroger carries them now. They are made from black, white, and even pinto beans! very high in fiber, and about 10-12 chips will give you about 10 ish carbs.. theyre very tasty, I always pack a baggie of the right amount to enjoy w/ my fajitas!! And… if you break them in half… well you get 20 chips!! π
I had your cottage cheese,pecans, and strawberries for the first time this morning. Pretty tasty and will be enjoying it more often now. I am not a big breakfast eater and get so tired of eggs. I was a toast, donut, cereal eater before starting low carb 15 months ago. I am 59 years old and have lost 50 pounds. Would like to drop 10-15 more. Just wondering if you have tried the low carb tortillas. I like to brush them with oil,sprinkle with seasoning, cut into triagle shapes then bake. Great with a little sour cream dip. I have even spread them with a little cream cheese and peanut butter.
Wow Debra – congrats on losing 50 pounds already!! π
I am not a big breakfast person either. I usually have that “low carb cereal” a couple hours after I wake up (it’s coffee first! lol) and I eat on it over the course of 30 minutes to an hour while I’m working usually…
I often just like a “snack breakfast” like a half ounce of colby jack cheese off the block with 1/2 cup (60 grams) of pecan halves. They are both high fat foods, so it’s very filling – and easy to just grab & eat at my desk or in the car.
I have tried low carb tortillas. They are great for making quesadillas at home! I love those. π
I love love love mexican food….especially the cheese dip! I could eat that stuff all day. I dropped another 1.5 pounds since yesterday, yay!
My meals yesterday were:
B: bpc, scrambled eggs w/ cheddar cheese
L: chicken salad (chicken, mayo, celery, seasonings) Over romaine lettuce
D: LC pizza (ccrust is made from eggs, cheddar and mozzarella) I used a pizza sauce with only 1.5 net carbs per 1/4 cup. And added some pepperoni and a few Sliced mushrooms.
My net carbs were 10. Fat was 79%, protein was 16%, carbs 5%
Wow Justine – that’s GREAT! You’re seeing awesome results the last couple of weeks. π π Your macros are always spot on. Good job!! I love that you share your meals too. It gives me ideas – and I could use some fresh ideas lately! π *cheers*
When you mentioned that you didn’t end up eating any of the lettuce, I thought of the time we were in Atlanta at NAMS and I wondered if you remembered me ordering a salad with no lettuce. LOL I still almost always order my salad with no lettuce. Who needs rabbit food with little nutritional value? π I do occasionally order it with lettuce if it’s a place that I know has good crispy lettuce.
By the way, you really inspire me! I have not been being as strict as I should with my food but I am exercising regularly and my fitbit is a dear friend.
“Fellow low carber”,
Glennette
Just re-read your Mexican meal and wanted to tell you what I had tonight. Paella!! Without the wraps that come with it or the rice. It was chicken, steak, shrimp and scallops, peppers, onions and tomatoes…(I don’t like tomatoes..so skipped them) ..Very filling and plenty of leftovers for tomorrow. Had your ‘cereal’ for breakfast and an scrambled egg w/ sausage dish for lunch. Looking forward to weigh-in on Monday and startng the 90 day Challenge..taking it week-by-week!! Love your site..Karen
Thank you, Karen! π That sounds delicious!! Actually your whole day sounds fabulous. π Kudos – you’re doing great!!
I admit, I sneak a couple of La Tortilla low carb tortillas in with me when I go out for Mexican. This way I can have real fajitas without feeling deprived the way I tend to when I can only eat the meat, peppers, and onions. No one knows. I slip them in my purse, and I’m a happy girl when it’s time to eat. If only restaurants would offer low carb tortillas, etc. The low fat stuff is offered everywhere, but I suppose low carb is simply taking a while to take hold?
That’s a great idea, Erica. π I always end up with too much food as it is though, lol. I find it easy to alter my orders when I eat out. There are plenty of diabetics in the world that can’t (or shouldn’t) eat bread, potatoes, etc. And most places offer healthier swaps and options now – like salads at fast food places even. Not the greatest, but they ARE trying. π
Yes but how do you keep your tortillas warm when you take them with you?
That is funny. π Smuggling in low carb tortillas. LOL