If you're trying to eat a healthier diet or lose weight, your best bet is to use good meal planning techniques and cook your food at home. But, let's face it. We all end up in the drive-thru lane of a fast food joint at some point in our lives. So how do you eat better when you eat out? Use these guides to order fast food meals for under 500 calories.
Yes, you really can get a full meal at McDonald's that will satisfy your cravings and keep you feeling full. Choose from several different complete menus that total 500 calories or less. Some meals even include a McDonald's treat! More »
When you think of diet-friendly foods, you probably don't think of the food at Taco Bell. But there are several items at Taco Bell (including tacos!) that you can eat without regret when you're trying to lose weight. More »
Sure, chicken is healthy. But the chicken on the KFC menu is often fried and very high in calories. Use these Kentucky Fried Chicken menu guides to find out how to stay true to your diet and still get a yummy meal. More »
No fast food restaurant is great for a diet, but the Wendy's menu is one of the better ones when it comes to traditional "junk" food. Find out why and what to order when you visit the home of the Frosty. More »
Looking for low calorie menu options at Burger King? Some of the items that sound healthy are the items that are highest in calories. Find out which burger and which combos to order to stay lean. More »
Not everything on the Panera Bread menu is good for your diet. Some sandwiches total over 1000 calories! But there are delicious low calorie items, too. This guide shows you what to order and what to avoid. More »
Need a sweet fix? Yes, you can go to Dairy Queen and find diet-friendly treats and meals. Each of these complete meals total 500 calories or less and each one includes an ice cream treat! More »
Not every meal at Subway is healthy. Some sandwiches at Subway top 1200 calories. Surprised? The food at this "healthy" restaurant can ruin your diet. Learn to avoid the biggest blunders at Subway. More »
Juice drinks usually sound healthy. But the fact is that many of them are loaded with sugar and excess calories. If you go to Jamba Juice find out which drinks and foods to eat and which ones to avoid. More »
I wouldn't recommend donuts as the best diet food, but there are some donuts that are better than others. If you're going to indulge, make it one of these choices. More »
Coffee calories can ruin your entire weight loss program. Some coffee drinks contain more calories than a full meal! But you don't have to skip your morning cup of java. Just order one of these diet-friendly drinks. More »
Do you enjoy a traditional green bean casserole at your Thanksgiving dinner? It might seem like the veggie dish would be good for your diet - after all, it has green beans in it. But the calorie content of most popular recipes is very high. So do you have to delete it from your menu? No. Just learn to reduce the calories in your green bean casserole.
Traditional green bean casserole is made with cream of mushroom soup and topped with french fried onions.
It contains 161 calories per serving. If you make it with low fat mushroom soup, you'll save a few calories, but not many. According to the folks at Campbell's you'll only save about 15 calories per serving if you use their 98% fat-free soup.
You can prepare a healthy green bean casserole recipe that uses bread crumbs instead of fried onions to save a few calories.
But if you really love the onions, this alternative may not work for you. So another option is to use an online recipe tool to reduce the calories in your green bean casserole. These tools help you to evaluate the fat and calorie content of each ingredient so you can cut back according to your own tastes.
But if you don't really savor the creamy dish, why not simply enjoy steamed green beans? There are only 44 calories in green beans. They are low in sodium, high in calcium and high in vitamins and minerals. Green beans are also full of fiber so that they will help you to feel full before you overeat.
Remember that there are many ways to reduce your caloric intake on Thanksgiving. Evaluate your menu and cut calories where you can to keep your diet on track.
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When dieters think about foods to avoid at Thanksgiving (or any holiday meal) mashed potatoes usually top the list. Potatoes, in general, have a bad reputation among dieters. But it is possible to make healthy mashed potatoes and stick to your diet to lose weight.
Potatoes are not necessarily bad for you if you are trying to lose weight. Potatoes are naturally low in fat and high in both potassium and vitamin C.
Of course, potatoes are starchy, so people who are following a low-carb diet may want to avoid them. But if you are counting calories, potatoes aren't a bad choice because there are only about 100 calories in a potato. The key for dieters is choosing the healthiest potato recipes, because it's usually not the potato that causes problems.
Even though plain potatoes are low in calories, mashed potatoes aren't always healthy. A traditional homemade serving of mashed potatoes can contain 237 calories or more when they are prepared with butter and whole milk. Some chefs even prepare mashed potatoes with heavy cream, which drives the fat and calorie count higher. And if you top your potatoes with gravy, then your total intake could exceed 400 calories.
If you love mashed potatoes, try making a healthier version with less fat. Skip the butter and use low-fat milk or chicken stock to soften and whip the potatoes. Or try this Garlic Mashed Potato recipe for a dish with more flavor. And remember that portion control is essential.
A single serving of mashed potatoes is just one cup.
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Gravy is an essential part of many holiday meals. But if you're trying to lose weight, you might want to do some homework before you ladle the sauce onto your food. Most gravy recipes are high in calories. There are a few smart ways, however, to reduce the calories in gravy.
There are only 25 calories in gravy as prepared by companies like Campbell's or Heinz. That doesn't sound too bad, does it?
The catch is that a single serving of gravy is just 1/4 cup. Most of us don't measure gravy before we pour it on top of our meal. It's easy to consume more than a single serving.
Do you make gravy at home? There are only 15 calories per serving if you make a standard gravy recipe with stock, flour and water.
But this is where counting gravy calories can get tricky. Many traditional gravy recipes call for butter and pan drippings. If you add those fatty ingredients, the calorie count goes way up depending on how much you add. Some estimates put the calorie count at 45-50 calories per 2 ounce serving.
If you want to enjoy gravy with your Thanksgiving meal, make it at home. There are a few good recipes that reduce the amount of fat and calories in the finished sauce. Try one of these low calorie gravy recipes:
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A big turkey dinner can be full of fat and calories. But it doesn't have to be. Turkey can be a lean meat. It's also a good source of nutrients including healthy protein. But if you are trying to lose weight, you should choose your meat carefully. The best turkey for you will be high in protein but low in fat and calories.
The calories in turkey depend on the type of meat that you choose.
There are 6 grams of fat and 159 calories in dark turkey meat. But if you choose white meat from the breast area, you'll only consume 89 calories and 1.4 grams of fat per serving. A single serving of turkey is 3 ounces or a portion that is roughly the size of a deck of cards.
The number of calories in turkey also depends on whether or not you eat the skin.
Turkey skin is full of fat. If you roast your turkey and baste it with fatty juices and butter (as it is traditionally prepared), the fat and calorie count is even higher.
Use these tips to eat healthy turkey and to eat fewer calories on Thanksgiving or any holiday meal:
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Most people don't choose to go on the heartbreak diet. Break up weight loss just happens after a split. But is it really healthy? And can you hope to or expect to keep the pounds off? Experts weigh in on why the heartbreak diet works and what you should do when you slim down.
To find out why we often lose weight after a breakup or divorce, I went to stress experts Dr. Dan Guerra and Dr. Dana Gionta.
These New York City psychologists recently teamed up to write From Stressed to Centered, A Practical Guide to a Healthier and Happier You. They explained how psychological stress can create physical change in your body.
"The truth is that some people lose weight during stress and others gain weight," says Dan.
"This relates to different types of metabolisms across individuals and it also relates to how we process stress, psychologically."
According to Dana, grief and depression can slow the metabolism of the body, so we require less food. Alternatively, she says that our anxiety levels may become significantly heightened and that can cause symptoms in the body, "especially in the digestive, endocrine and cardiovascular systems." Both experts say that the psychological and physical changes that occur during a breakup can easily result in changes to your regular eating habits - either a reduced appetite or avoidance of eating altogether.
So if you slim down during a heartbreak diet, is it reasonable to keep the weight off as you build a new single life?
The answer depends on a few factors including your health and your own feelings about your weight.
Dana explains that if you had wanted to lose weight prior to the breakup and the split caused you to slim down, you may be motivated to maintain the lifestyle habits necessary for your thinner body. But she adds that if you were previously happy with your weight and you slimmed down as a result of stress, it's likely that you'll return to your normal eating habits when you rebuild your life and your weight will rebound as well.
It's also important to get expert advice about the best healthy weight for you, says Dan. "I recommend consulting a physician and/or nutritional expert to assess what weight level is optimal for you."
If your new weight is healthy and you're motivated to keep the pounds from coming back, there are a few lifestyle tips that Dan and Dana recommend to keep your body in great shape as you transition into your new single life.
Remember that since stress can affect your body in different ways, your weight may fluctuate during and after your split. Your break up weight loss may be followed by a period of break up weight gain after the heartbreak diet is done. Take mindful steps to stay healthy during the transition so that you move forward into your new life with improved confidence and a strong, fit body.
