'This' is Advice for Dieters

[u]‘This’ is practical advice for dieters[/u]
By Nanci Hellmich
Many diners face a mystery of sorts at restaurants: They don’t know how many calories are in the dishes they’re eating. And when they guess, they greatly underestimate the numbers.

So says David Zinczenko, author of the new book Eat This, Not That! written with Matt Goulding.

But if consumers arm themselves with nutrition knowledge when eating out, they can figure out “a ton of ways to lose a ton of weight,” says Zinczenko, who is editor in chief of Men’s Health magazine and also wrote The Abs Diet and The Abs Diet for Women.

“Forget the unrealistic New Year’s expectations we make. Just learn to find the healthiest alternatives to all the foods you love, and you can shed pounds,” he says

The new book, which is based on a popular column in the magazine, is mostly colorful photos of good and not-so-good choices at more than 60 fast-food and chain restaurants, from McDonald’s to Applebee’s. Under each picture, there’s a list of other restaurant dishes to consider or avoid.

Some examples:

�?�Burger King’s Whopper Jr. without mayonnaise and garden salad with fat-free ranch dressing has 365 calories and 12 fat grams, compared with a BK Big Fish Sandwich with tartar sauce and medium fries with 1,000 calories and 52 fat grams.

�?�A ham, egg and cheese English muffin sandwich from Dunkin’ Donuts has 310 calories and 10 fat grams vs. a multigrain bagel with light cream cheese, 500 calories and 15 fat grams.

�?�Popeyes’ spicy chicken breast, thigh, leg and wing without the skin and breading has 280 calories, 8.5 fat grams vs. a spicy chicken breast with the breading and skin, 360 calories, 22 fat grams.

The book also offers examples of better choices for foods sold in supermarkets, vending machines and ethnic restaurants and compares foods served on holidays from Valentine’s Day and Easter with Thanksgiving and Christmas.

It’s a start that’s better than nothing.

My day will come when Milk, chicken breast and peanut butter are a meal.