CHAPTER 6

The New Abs Diet Lunches

TO WIN THE WAR AGAINST weight gain, remember what Napoleon said:

An army travels on its stomach. If you can't control the food lines, you

can't win the war.

That's what makes lunch the most hazardous meal of the day. It's

the meal that's most out of our control, the one that too often comes via

chain restaurant, fast-food court, or vending machine. (Or, if we're

among the lucky few, it comes from a thick, juicy expense account.)

And therein lies the danger, my friends: Want a filling, delicious

sandwich? You could stop by Quiznos, but their Prime Rib Cheesesteak

Sub effectively delivers 1,070 calories—almost half of what you should

eat in an entire day—in about 12 bites. Rather go Mexican? On the

Border's Grande Taco Salad with Taco Beef weighs in at 1,620 calories

—enough calories to pack on nearly half a pound of flab in one sitting!

Too freaked out by the food and figure you'll just have a soft drink?

Jeez, don't go ordering one of “The Hulk” drinks at Smoothie King: A

strawberry smoothie will cost you a whopping 2,088 calories—about

the equivalent of FIVE Wendy's quarter-pound burgers.

Now, it's not my intention to freak you out: Counting calories is no

way to enjoy a corned beef on pumpernickel rye. But it pays to

occasionally glance at the calorie and fat gram numbers in fast food, if

only to remind yourself how dangerous lunchtime in America can be for

someone trying to lose weight. To get a more accurate and personal

picture, try this little experiment: Keep a food diary for two days in

which you patronize a coffee shop, deli, or restaurant at least once.