KYPO Guide to Lynchburg Eats


While I love making my own food, and I think I am the baddest healthy chef on the east coast, I do think that food is social. So to bring a container of perfectly portioned veggies and protein to grandma's birthday dinner just won't work, and it shows those around you that you are prioritizing food over fellowship. You can never be 100% sure what you are putting in your body when you are eating out, but you CAN make the best of every situation. Social settings should be just that- social. Don't stress, enjoy those around you, and you don't have to blow your health goals out the window in the process! Here are some of the ways that I enjoy eating out:

I always look for salads first, this is because I like to eat a lot of food. Having a full plate of salad is very high in nutrients, very low in calories and very filling- most of the time. When you order a salad with fried chicken, dried fruits, croutons, cheese, avocado, peanuts, tortilla strips, and three deep dish pizzas on top, this is not the case.

Sometimes even the "superfood" option at restaurants can be 1200 calories, because they add every superfood every made to the bowl. If your meal or salad has 35 components to it, try and simplify.

Here are my three essentials to eating out:

  1. As many veggies as possible (I'm afraid that you heard me say "a lot of veggies"- to be clear, I said AS MANY AS THEY WILL ALLOW)

  2. A serving of lean protein, ideally fish or chicken. Steak is usually drowned in butter and just makes me feel so heavy. Also I always use the palm of my hand as a portion guide here- sometimes restaurants will serve 12 oz of protein instead of the 4 oz portion that is right for me. I will just cut it in half if it seems way too large, or put half on my husbands plate.

  3. A source of fat. Usually the dressing, sauce, or marinade is oil based which gives a good amount of fat, but I still like to have some avocado, nuts, or cheese if I am feeling crazy!

El Jefe:

  • Tacos: all but potato or breakfast tacos, with traditional (not gringo) style, corn tortilla.

  • El Jefe Ensalada with no crispy chips, citrus vinaigrette.

KYPO pick: El Jefe Ensalada with no crispy chips, citrus vinaigrette.

The Neighbors Place:

  • Chargrilled Chicken*

  • Santa Fe Chicken*

  • Pork Chops*

  • Ahi Tuna, Mahi, or Salmon*

  • Blackened Mahi Sandwich (1/2 bun)*Southwest Chicken Wrap*

  • Sesame Szechwan Salmon (ask for over veggies not rice)

  • Split Romesco Shrimp Sirloin (split this with someone, noone needs 12 oz of protein in one sitting!)

*Sides: Sauteed Garden Vegetables, Sauteed Mushrroms and Spinach, Asparagus, Steamed Vegetables and Broccoli, Sauteed Green Beans

KYPO pick: Mahi Mahi with sauteed garden vegetables and asparagus

or sesame szechwan salmon over extra veggies.

Isabella's Italian Trattoria

  • Braised Local Meatballs

  • Any salad with any vinaigrette dressing, add protein

  • Artichoke, Margherita, Siciliana, or Grilled Chicken Thin crust whole wheat/gluten free pizza with very light cheese.

  • *They have gluten free corn pasta or whole wheat pasta, but I still wouldn't recommend getting a whole plate of it.

  • Cod Nicoise

  • Pan Seared Salmon in a marinara sauce instead of a butter sauce.

  • Grilled Beef Tenderloin Medallion

Sides: Garlic Rosemary Smashed Potatoes, Sauteed Squash and Zucchini, Sauteed Spinach and Green Beans, Roasted Mushrooms, Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

KYPO pick: Cod Nicoise or House Salad with Seared Salmon and tomatoes in balsamic vinaigrette.

Shakers:

  • Seared Shrimp

  • Sesame Ahi Tuna

  • Santa Fe Salad (No tortilla strips)

  • Feta Chicken Salad

  • Special House Salad, add protein

  • Chicken Almond Salad (No tortilla)

  • Asian Chicken Salad (No wontons)

  • Blackened Ahi Tuna*

  • Grilled Shrimp*

  • Fresh Salmon (ideally with the salsa fresca)*

  • Grilled Tuna Sandwich (1/2 Bun)*

  • Avocado Chicken Grill (no cheese 1/2 bun)*

  • Grilled Portabello Mushroom (1/2 bun)*

  • Fresh Vegetable Bake

  • Asian Chicken Stir Fry over vegetables

*Sides: Sauteed Green beans, Steamed Broccoli, Baked Sweet potato, Seasonal Vegetable medley

Market at Main:

  • Eggwhite Breakfast Burrito with

  • Eggwhite Downtown Omelet with turkey sausage and all vegetables.

  • Oatmeal with apple slices and extra berries.

Lunch:

  • Seasonal garden salad, Orchid Spinach salad add chicken, Caprese salad add chicken with apple cider vinegar or balsamic.

  • Homemade Vegetarian Chili

  • The Randy Mac Wrap

  • Cabell Street Chicken (1/2 bun)

  • Honey Salmon with grilled okra

Bootleggers:

  • Any salad but the Caesar.

  • Bootleggers natural

  • Turkey burger

  • Seared ahi tuna sandwich

  • Grilled chicken sandwich no cheese.

  • They also have AMAZING black bean burgers that are not on the menu.

**For the sandwiches get them either bunless on a salad or do ½ bun.

KYPO pick: Seared Tuna and Coconut Gremolade Salad, or Turkey burger no cheese bunless on a salad with balsamic.

Shoemakers

  • Blackened Seared Ahi Tuna

  • Garlic Lime Jumbo Shrimp with Roma Tomatoes

  • 8 oz filet

  • Berbere double breast of chicken with approved side instead of rice

  • Iceberg Wedge salad with herb vinaigrette

  • Chophouse salad (choose bacon or blue cheese)

  • Spinach Salad add protein

  • Caprese salad add protein

  • Blackened Grilled Salmon Fillet substitute for approved side

  • Personalized vegetable plate: today's fresh vegetable, asparagus, onions and mushrooms

**ask which options are gluten free!

Dessert:

Fresh berries with whipped cream and a coffee with a little sugar.

KYPO pick: Balckened Seared Ahi Tuna with todays fresh vegetable (makes it affordable too!)

Robyn Alexander's Bistro

  • Thai lettuce cups

  • Baja tacos

  • *Glam burger

  • *Tuscan griller over vegetables

  • Honey Spiced Salmon

  • Mahi Mahi

  • Thai Curry

  • Hot Pot

  • *Veggie Grinder Hoagie

  • turkey wrap,

  • Blackened Mahi sandwich

  • Any salad but the caesar and buffalo chicken, or steak wedge. (ask for Santa Fe not in a flour tortilla shell or with tortilla strips)

**(for sandwiches do 1/2 bun with roasted potatoes& Brussel sprouts, sautéed green beans, seasonal fruit, quinoa salad, or vegetable medley)

KYPO pick: Thai lettuce cups, Santa Fe Salad with no tortilla or strips, no cheese, white balsamic dressing, or Hot Pot with extra veggies.

Wasabi:

Miso or Onion Soup

Garden, Avocado, or Seaweed Salad

Sashimi Sampler

Sunomono

Edamame

Narudo Roll

Yakitori

Any hibachi grill entree, ask for double veggies instead of rice

Sashimi Regular

KYPO Pick: Narudo Roll with Edamame and Miso Soup

or Sashimi Sampler with Avocado Salad

My Dog Duke's Diner

Breakfast:

  • The hokie (no bacon)

  • Eggwhite scramble with chicken sausage and fruit instead of potato hash& grits

Or a la cart:

  • Greek yogurt and granola with berries

  • chicken sausage

  • steel cut oatmeal with no brown sugar, ask for extra fruit

  • Any of the salads are great options, add some protein to make it a filling meal.

Dinner:

  • Roasted Atlantic Salmon

  • Any of the salads are great options, add some protein to make it a filling meal.

Sides:

  • House made pickled vegetables

  • Rosemary roasted red bliss potatoes

  • green beans

KYPO pick: Eggwhite scramble with oatmeal and fruit

or Roasted Atlantic Salmon with a side salad

Jimmy on the James:

  • Bobby wasabi tuna salad (ask for your avocado not fried) (this is an absurd request for me to have to say)

  • Summer salad (add chicken)

  • Luquie duck

  • Teriyaki salmon

  • Rack of lamb

  • Antelope tenderloin (weirdly this is the healthiest option here)

Sides:

  • Grilled asparagus

  • Charred brussels

KYPO pick: antelope tenderloin or teriyaki salmon with grilled asparagus

DESPERATE TIMES CALL FOR DESPERATE MEASURES...

FAST FOOD:

Panera:

Breakfast:

  • Avocado Eggwhite and Spinach Sandwich

  • Oatmeal with almonds quinoa and honey, or granola and extra berries (no cinnamon crumble topping)

  • Greek yogurt with berries

  • Whole Fruits

KYPO pick: Avocado eggwhite and spinach sandwich with an apple.

Lunch/Dinner:

  • Any of the salads but watch for unnecessary add ins! For example, you are looking to have one source of fat. Choose cheese, avocado, or nuts, try not to have ALL of them or the calories will add up fast.

  • Any broth bowl (higher in sodium though!)

I do not think the sandwiches are the best option, but if you want to order one, get a youpicktwo! The best options would be the turkey avocado BLT, steak and arugula, Napa Almond Chicken Salad, or Mediterranean Veggie.

For soups, try and opt for broth based, rather than cream based soups. (and don't get a bread bowl!)

  • Black Bean

  • Garden Veggie

  • Chicken Noodle

KYPO pick: Spicy thai salad with chicken, no wontons, EVERYTIME!

Chick Fil A:

Breakfast:

Egg White Grill

Greek yogurt parfait

Fruit bowl

Entrees:

Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap

Grilled Chicken Sandwich with approved side

Grilled Nuggets with approved side

Spicy Southwest Salad or any salad with GRILLED chicken.

Sides:

Side salad, superfood side salad, fruit cup, greek yogurt parfait with granola, chicken noodle soup.

Dressings and sauces: skip the mayo based or "creamy" dressings. these are filled with soybean oil and sugar and just the ChickFilA dipping sauce will add 140 calories to your meal! Try using ketchup and mustard, honey mustard, zesty buffalo, or sriracha sauce for "better" (not perfect!) options. For salad dressings, go for light balsamic, light italian, or chili lime.

KYPO pick: Spicy Southwest Salad with no tortilla strips and chili lime dressing. Or the Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap with Chili lime dressing.

Zoe's Kitchen:

Take a load off and get whatever your heart desires! If you order something with a side of rice, maybe ask for no pita chips. Choose 1 starch.

Chipotle:

  • Ask for a salad bowl with no dressing, no rice, extra lettuce.

  • I ask for any of the proteins, any beans, extra veggies, pico de gallo, 1/2 serving of the guac.

  • Have the cheese, corn, and rice in moderation if you choose to add those on!

Taco Bell:

  • Anything off of the power menu, take out the cream sauce (the #1 ingredient is soybean oil!!)

Wendys:

  • Grilled chicken wrap/sandwich

  • Power Mediterranean Chicken Salad

  • Chili

  • If you NEED to get a hamburger, get a junior hamburger and a side salad.

Starbucks:

  • Any flavored coffee with almond milk add cinnamon

  • Any of the refreshers

  • Almond milk or soy milk chai tea latte

  • Green Tea Latte

  • Light Coffee/ Caramel Frappuccino

  • Evolution Green Juice