How to Lose Weight: #5: Know Your Menus

David Bennett

McDonald's Drive-Thru in the Snow, photographed by Jonathan Bennett

I don't believe that fad or temporary diets are beneficial. I believe it is important to develop an overall health plan that includes eating right, exercising, and living moderately (and if you are overweight, losing weight). I think we have to avoid getting stuck in a "diet bubble" when you can successfully lose weight in a narrow or controlled environment, but can't make it work outside of this. Basically, I am saying that fad diets and severe restrictions are successful for a short while, but not over the long haul. This is perhaps another article in itself, but I am trying to make the point that if you are trying to be healthy in the long term you need to be able to eat healthy when you eat out, and merely avoiding eating out doesn't seem to me to be a very practical option. Let's face it, you will have to eat out at some point in your life. Avoiding it may work in the short term, but in the long term it is essential to have a plan for eating out.

First, let me say I don't eat out too frequently for dietary and budgetary reasons. When my wife and I visit family, we eat out more often, because they pay (hey, they make more than I do!). My personal experience here is just one example of why it is good to have a plan when eating out, even if you don't do it too frequently, because for most Americans, chances to eat out are plentiful.

My best advice from experience is to check out a restaurant's nutritional information before going out. Research the menu choices so that you are able make a fully-informed choice. Walk in all restaurants armed with the knowledge of what you should, and shouldn't, eat, from their menu. Most restaurants post nutritional information online, making the task relatively easy. If a restaurant doesn't post information, then use your head. Generally pick items that you would eat at home if you are on a health program, and avoid the foods you would avoid on that same program. However, sometimes the task is tricky, because restaurants have a way of adding hidden fat and calories.

Below is a brief rundown on what I tend to get when I eat out, and what places I usually just plain avoid. It is just a sampling, but it illustrates what I mentioned above: I have done my research. Also, I should note that it is easier to avoid being trapped into eating at a bad restaurant when you pick up food and bring it home, because you can stop at multiple places if need be. If you are eating at a bad restaurant because your friends of family have insisted on it, and there are no negotiations...just do your best and maybe consider it an "off day" if it is really bad!

Arby's - I often like the taste, but usually avoid it for calorie reasons.

Burger King - I avoid it. I don't like the food that much, and there are few healthy options.

Captain D's - I love it. I get the Bourbon Salmon Dinner with fries, green beans, and bread stick, or the baked fish with rice and green beans. The Salmon is somewhat expensive, but it really is high-quality. Avoid the deep fried stuff, especially the hush puppies!

Chinese Buffet - I love the shrimp dishes (with vegetables, and not deep fried), sushi, garlic green beans, and vegetable lo-mein. I allow myself a cup of deep-fried General Tso's Chicken, but otherwise I try to avoid deep fried stuff.

Cici's Pizza - I like it. The price is great (two people eat for a little over $10.00), but I have to be careful what I get. I try to eat a lot of salad, and avoid the brownies and garlic bread (according to the website, the calories are high for these items for the small portion size). The taco pizza has just over 100 calories per slice, making it a tasty calorie "bargain."

Coffee Shops - For price and calorie reasons, I try to avoid the fancy drinks. I usually get a good, bold, caffeinated coffee, and add some cream and an artificial sweetener (mmm...sounds good!). I try to avoid Starbucks because even though I love their bold coffee I can't quite stomach their prices.

KFC - I avoid it. At least they no longer use trans-fats, but it is impossible to make a "light" piece of fried chicken. A four-piece meal could easily have 2000 calories if you order bad side dishes and a large drink. The salads seem to be healthy.

Long John Silvers - Last time I ate there, they had one baked fish option and it was almost as if they had it on the menu as a token effort, because they put very little effort into it. It was tasteless, mushy, and the portion was so small it didn't fill me up at all. If you have one around, Captain D's is a much better fast-food seafood option.

McDonald's - I tend to avoid it, because I don't like it that well, although I used to get the Asian Chicken Salad, but the local McDonald's no longer carries it. I have to confess that I love one item on the McDonald's menu: the vanilla cone. It is cheap, and satisfies my sweet tooth for only 150 calories.

Subway - I have mixed feelings about Subway. Usually it takes a footlong sub to get me full, and then I am hungry an hour later. For the fairly high price of a footlong sub and a drink, and taking into consideration how poorly it fills me up, I don't eat at Subway much. I know that eating at Subway worked for Jared and other dieters, probably because many of their menu items are higher in vegetables and not deep-fried.

Taco Bell - I love it. Well, I should say I love a very small percentage of the menu. I usually get 2, half-pound cheesy bean-and-rice burritos, which contain 480 calories each. Most dieters would probably be better off eating only one of these, but since I am very active, I usually get two. So for most dieters, this vegetarian, high-fiber, filling burrito costs a grand total of $1.50. I love the taste and the price. The new "fresco menu" is light and tastes great too, and the fresco bean burrito is even cheaper (99 cents) and lower in calories than the burrito I just mentioned, but not as tasty.

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Disclaimer: These tips reflect the insights of one or more individuals about weight loss and other issues of health. These insights are based on personal experience and scientific research, to help you live a life of greater wellness. They should not be construed as medical advice or the services of a dietician. Before beginning any weight loss or exercise program, you should consult a physician.