Tips on eating out

If we are to believe our demographics upwards of 50% of all Americans eat out at least once a week.

This shouldn't surprise you that this number coincides with a massive increase in weight we now suffer as a nation.

But not all blame can fall on the restaurants and not all statistics are actually meaningful, as I have pointed out in the blogs on medical research.

Two things are clear about restaurant foods; they tend to be calorie-dense and often of marginal food value. And the portions sizes are often way out of proportion to what we should eat at a single sitting.

Nowhere is this more the case than at fast food restaurants.

So today we'll look at some issues surrounding that and other weight related topics.

So on to the questions:

Q: Doc, is there a simple way to pick stuff from a menu when I eat out. It seems like there is always something unhealthy in every dish.

A: You are correct. Most restaurants do have something unhealthy going into most dishes. For example: Green beans may be pan fried in some type of unhealthy vegetable oil, or worse done in an oil that can't take the heat without turning into something unhealthy like olive or canola.

Watch for these oil choices and see if they can be limited to salads, etc. and not used in anything hotter than a sauté. A lot of restaurants are just banking on the name "olive" or "canola" as invoking healthy food. Especially when other restaurants are doing that.

In terms of picking, 'tis actually fairly easy. Stay with stuff that is cooked "simple" In other words steak, chicken or fish can be done without tons of breading, sauce or mixing.

Stay away from refined baked goods including breads, desserts or things that are cooked in a lot of sauce or dressings.

In this way you minimize the damage.

Salads can be especially bad. If the dressing makes the salad, chances are it's pure fat and not very healthy for you. See if they can load your salad plate with veggies that have a lot of natural flavor.

And by all means, avoid the bacon bits!

Don't forget to chase your meal with a couple of caps of fish oil for that health essential fat you may not get in your entree.

Q: Dr Dave, I suffer from scale frustration. If the numbers don't move fast I get frustrated and lose motivation. What should I do?

A: Stop acting like a child. You didn't put the weight on overnight and it's not likely to come of overnight unless you are very sick. Also, stop looking at the scale. Most people wouldn't give a crap what they weighted if three things happened.

1. Their doctors and/or family stopped bugging them about it because they were not unhealthy.



2. They looked good at there body weight.



3. They felt good at their body weight.

I think a good primary goal is to look and feel better. If you do those 2 things, you are undoubtedly losing weight. Just don't obsess over your weight on the scale. I recommend most people trying to drop weight or fat check no more than once a week.

The internet may change overnight, but you won't.

If you need a jump-start then get on Regenerizer and fish oil and start doing the Wicked Witch of the West deal from The Wizard of Oz.

"I'm melting!"

Only in this case it will be fat and you'll feel and look better.

Q: Doc, I eat a lot of fast foods and drive-thru, do you have any recommendations about this?

A: Yes, avoid them like the plague.

Still, I am a realist so here are some do's and don'ts.

Avoid: Subway Foot long Chicken Parm sub. OK, Roland or whatever his name is may have gotten skinny on Subway sandwiches but they still make some major league tub o' lard fodder.

One example is the Chicken Parm sub on white bread.

Weighing in at over 1000 calories, 35 grams of fat and probably a nice slug of high fructose corn syrup in the bread, this is one to avoid.

Sub: Get the sub with plain chicken on whole wheat and you scrub off 300 calories and 30% of the fat.

Avoid: Burger King Double whopper with cheese.

Slathered in mayo and ketchup, this hefty burger delivers 1000 calories and is truly a whopper at 64 grams of fat.

Sub: The mayo-less Whopper Jr. saves 600 calories and 50 grams of fat!

The Original Whopper's calorie and fat count are absurd and absolutely astounding and probably one of the fattiest fast foods around.

And now my personal favorite: The Taco Bell Grilled stuffed Beef Burrito tipping your scales at 1050 calories and 52 grams of fat, bolstered by an unhealthy slug of refined flour, this is one to avoid at all costs.

Sub: The set of 3 spicy chicken Tacos, half the calories and less than half the fat, if you are at the Bell this is the one to ring.

I remind you that I understand how hard it can be to get the body you want in today's busy, cyber-paced world.

I can help. Regenerizer and fish oil make an awesome combo to support your fat-fighting program.

Get going now and have the body you want by summer!

Doc