michael s
(Michael S)
#1
Record what you eat and how much. List everything that goes in your
mouth—drinks and snacks, too. Then grab a calorie book or jump on
the Internet and find the calories in the foods and beverages on your list.
Tally up your numbers; I think you'll be surprised, even shocked by the
number of calories you consumed. Regular restaurant eating will make it
difficult to make a dent in your belly. Remember the lesson of the
USDA study that found that people who frequent fast-food restaurants
consume, on average, 500 more calories a day than people who make
meals at home.
Ah, but you can save the couple of bucks a day—and the 130,000
calories a year—by preparing your own lunch. I know, I know—brown-
bagging it can seem like a hassle. You have to remember to make it, you
have to remember to bring it, and you have to not spill it along the way.
Chicken soup may be good for the soul, but it doesn't hold up so well
when you're being jostled in a commuter train or trying to keep your
lunch from hitting the windshield in stop-and-go traffic. So, you need to
think about portability and plan ahead, at least on workdays.
The easy solution: Make lunch while you're making dinner. You're
already in the kitchen, and you've got to do something with yourself
while you're waiting for the pasta to boil. There are plenty of ways to
whip up a fast and portable lunch in this chapter, as well as genius ideas
for turning last night's leftovers into tomorrow's treat. (Hint: Keep whole
wheat tortillas and pita pockets on hand for wrapping and filling quick
lunches.) So don't give in to the tyranny of the fast-food lunch every
day. You don't have to.
Here's how to start taking back control!
Quick Lunches Tip
You can trim your carbohydrate and calorie intake in sandwiches by
