Advance Weight Loss & Fitness

Thanksgiving Survival Strategies!

• When trying to maintain or even lose weight 95% of your diet should be about nourishing your body with healthy, food and 5% should be because it is JOYFUL! Foods like your mother's homemade apple pie. On special holidays like Thanksgiving focus on these foods and skip the ones you can eat any time of the year.
• Keep the focus on the people and not the food. Enjoy your children, grandchildren and those cousins you only see once a year.
• Move away from the food and get outside for a brisk walk or a game of touch football.
• Avoid mindless eating by not standing near the appetizer table or the chip bowl. Sip a glass of cool water or chew gum to keep your hands and mouth busy.
• Limit yourself to one trip to the buffet.
• Remember the food is not leaving the planet. You can have turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie again.
• Put your utensils down between bites and focus on the company. You don't have to have seconds or thirds just to finish it up.
• Do not sit down to your holiday dinner absolutely starving. Have a small snack a couple of hours before the feast, i.e., an apple and a slice of low-fat cheese. This ensures that you are hungry but not famished.
• Make sure not to fill up on too many appetizers and be too full to enjoy the meal.
• Bring your own healthy appetizer that you can nibble on like fresh veggies and hummus.
• Be aware of the calories in alcohol. Avoid cocktails with sugary mixers and stick to a 5 oz glass of wine for about 120 calories or a light beer for about 110 calories.
• Do not nibble while cleaning up and do not bring leftovers home if they will call your name in the middle of the night. Tell yourself, I can have this food again. No need for a "last supper!"

With these simple strategies you can have your turkey and eat it too without worrying what the scale will show the next day.

Thanksgiving Do's and Don'ts

DO have 4 oz of white or dark meat turkey for about 120 calories.

DON'T have 2 cups of stuffing for 712 calories.

DO have 1/2 cup of stuffing for 178 calories.

DON'T have 2 cups of homemade gravy for 244 calories.

DO have 1 cup of homemade gravy for 122 calories.

DON'T have 1/8th of a 9 inch pecan pie for 510 calories.

DO have 1/8th of an apple pie for 411 calories or a pumpkin pie for 316 calories.

DON'T have 2 cups of mashed potatoes for 324 calories.

DO have 1 cup of mashed potatoes made with whole milk for 162 calories.

DON'T have 2 ounces of full fat cheese with 6 wheat thins for 280 calories.

DON'T have 1/2 cup of mixed nuts for 340 calories.

DO have 5 medium shrimp with cocktail sauce for 100 calories.

DO have a small sweet potato for 62 calories.

DO have 1/2 cup of squash for 57 calories.

DO have 1 slice 1/2 inch thick of cranberry sauce for 86 calories.

DO focus on the people and, not just the food, and practice joyful, happy eating!

Restaurant Do's and Dont's

At Friendly's DON'T have the Chicken Sliders for 740 calories, 9 grams of saturated fat and 1210 mg. of sodium.
DO have the Half Turkey Club for 350 calories, 6 grams of saturated fat and unfortunately, 1140 mg. of sodium.

At Five Guys DON'T have the regular cheeseburger for 840 calories and 26.5 grams of fat.
DON'T have the regular French Fries for 620 calories. DON'T even have the hotdog for 540 calories.

DO have the Veggie Sandwich for 440 calories and 6 grams of saturated fat.

At Longhorn DON'T have the Grilled Salmon Caesar Salad for 810 calories, 11 grams of saturated fat, and 1120 mg. of sodium.
DO have the Citrus Grilled Chicken for 415 calories, 3 grams of saturated fat, and 890 mg. of sodium. Also DO have Flo's 7 oz filet for 450 calories, 8 grams of saturated fat and 510 mg. of sodium.

At Macaroni Grill DON'T have Chicken Marsala for 1090 calories and 2060 mg. of sodium.
DO have Pollo Magra Skinny Chicken for 310 calories and 770 mg. of sodium.

DON'T have Burger King's Big Fish Sandwich for 640 calories, and 32 grams of fat. If you must have fast food,
DO have a Whopper Jr. without the mayo for 260 calories and 10 grams of fat.

DON'T have Johnny Rockets BLT for 660 calories and 1300 mg. of sodium. DON'T have their chocolate shake for 1100 calories.

At TCBY DO have 1/2 cup of low-fat chocolate yogurt in a dish for 110 calories.

DON'T have a Berry Slim Fruithead Smoothie (20 oz.) for 410 calories.

At Long Horn DO have Flo's 7 oz Filet for 450 calories, 8 grams of saturated fat and 50 mg. of sodium.

DON'T have the Grilled Caesar Salmon Salad for 810 calories, 11 grams of saturated fat and 1120 mg. of sodium.

At Dunkin Donuts DON'T have a medium Strawberry Coolata for 400 calories and 97 grams of sugar.

DO have a regular hot chocolate for 210 calories or a black coffee for 0 calories.

At a Chinese restaurant:

DON'T have 1 cup of fried rice for 400 calories.
DO have Hot and Sour soup for 75 calories.
DON'T have a large egg roll for 350 calories.
DO have a spring roll for 200 calories.
DO have a fortune cookie for 30 calories.
DON'T have Coconut Curry vegetables for 510 calories. (The high calorie culprit is the coconut.)
DO have Steamed Veggie Dumplings for 300 calories.

When ordering pizza:

DON'T have Domino's Pepperoni Feast for 215 calories and 13.5 grams of fat per slice.
DO have Domino's Pepperoni Thin Crust pizza for 170 calories and 9.5 grams of fat per slice.
DON'T have Papa John's The Works for 350 calories and 14 grams of fat per slice.
DO have Papa John's Garden Fresh Original Crust pizza for 200 calories and 11 grams of fat per slice.

When craving chocolate:

DO have a Stonyfield Farm Chocolate Underground yogurt for 180 calories.
DO have a Deep Chocolate VitaMuffin Top for 100 calories.
DON'T have a chocolate whoopie pie for 491 calories.

At the movies:

DON'T have a medium popcorn with butter for 1,100 calories and 90 grams of fat.
DO have an AMC Smart Movie Snack for 450 calories and 10 grams of fat or bring your own healthy snack.

At Breakfast:

DON'T have IHOP's New York Cheesecake Pancakes for 1,100 calories, 21 grams of saturated fat (more than one day's worth) and 2,430 mg. of sodium.
DON'T even have their Original Buttermilk pancakes with 1/4 cup of syrup for 990 calories.
DO check the calories on the menu and choose wisely.

DON'T have Dunkin Donut's Chocolate Chip Muffin for 590 calories or their Blueberry Crumb Donut for 500 calories. (Most muffins are just glorified cake!)
DO have an Egg and Cheese on an English Muffin for 320 calories and 14 grams of protein.

At Lunch:

DON'T have P.F. Chang's Crispy Honey Chicken for 680 calories and 705 mg. of sodium.
DO have P.F. Chang's Moo Goo Gai Pan on Brown Rice for 380 calories but a whopping 1000 mg. of sodium.
DO have 2 spring rolls for 156 calories and 271 mg. of sodium. Add Sweet & Sour Sauce for 80 calories but unfortunately, another 210 mg. of sodium.

DON'T have Chili's California Club Sandwich for 1,100 calories.
DO have Chili's Chicken Fajitas without tortillas and condiments for 330 calories but 1,250 mg. of sodium.

At Breakfast:

DO have Starbuck's Apple Bran Muffin for 350 calories and 6 grams of protein.
DON'T have Starbuck's Zucchini Walnut Muffin for 490 calories and 28 grams of fat.

DO have Tim Horton's Egg and Cheese Breakfast Wrap for 220 calories, 3.5 grams of saturated fat and 550 mg. of sodium. Or, DO have the Mixed Berry Brown Sugar Oatmeal for 210 calories, .5 grams of saturated fat and 220 mg. of sodium.
DON'T have the Cherry Cheese Danish for 350 calories and 5 grams of saturated fat.

At Lunch:

DO have Taco Bell's Chicken Ranch Taco Salad FRESCO Style for 240 calories, 1 grams of saturated fat, and 1080 mg of sodium.
DON'T have Taco Bell's Express Taco Salad with Chips for 660 calories, 10 grams of saturated fat and 1490 mg. of sodium.
DO have 2 Taco Bell Fresco Soft Chicken tacos for 270 calories and 2 grams of saturated fat. (At Taco Bell Fresco means healthier!)

DO have Arby's Regular Roast Beef Sandwich for 340 calories, 4 grams of saturated fat and 970 mg. of sodium or Arby's Roast Chicken Ranch Sandwich for 360 calories.
DON'T have Arby's Roast Turkey and Swiss Market Fresh Sandwich for 710 calories, 7 grams of saturated fat and 1780 mg. of sodium.

DO have Ruby Tuesday's Barbecue Grilled Chicken for 290 calories and 4 grams of fat.
DON'T have Ruby Tuesday's Fresh Grilled Chicken Sandwich for 869 calories and 41 grams of fat.

DO have Subway's Oven Roasted Chicken Breast with Chipolte sauce for 495 calories.
DON'T have Subway's 6 inch Meatball Marinara sandwich for 580 calories and 9 grams of sat. fat.

DON'T have Friendly's Asian Chicken Salad with Oriental Dressing for 760 calories.
DO Skip the dressing and save 270 calories.
DON'T have Friendly's Chicken Sliders for 740 calories, 9 grams of saturated fat, and 1210 mg. of sodium.

For daily Restaurant Do's and Don'ts become a fan of Maine Weight Loss Coach on Facebook. Remember restaurant meals almost always contain more sodium than your home cooked meals!

Thanksgiving Do's and Don'ts

DO have 4 oz of white or dark meat turkey for about 120 calories.

DON'T have 2 cups of stuffing for 712 calories.

DO have 1/2 cup of stuffing for 178 calories.

DON'T have 2 cups of homemade gravy for 244 calories.

DO have 1 cup of homemade gravy for 122 calories.

DON'T have 1/8th of a 9 inch pecan pie for 510 calories.

DO have 1/8th of an apple pie for 411 calories or a pumpkin pie for 316 calories.

DON'T have 2 cups of mashed potatoes for 324 calories.

DO have 1 cup of mashed potatoes made with whole milk for 162 calories.

DON'T have 2 ounces of full fat cheese with 6 wheat thins for 280 calories.

DON'T have 1/2 cup of mixed nuts for 340 calories.

DO have 5 medium shrimp with cocktail sauce for 100 calories.

DO have a small sweet potato for 62 calories.

DO have 1/2 cup of squash for 57 calories.

DO have 1 slice 1/2 inch thick of cranberry sauce for 86 calories.

DO focus on the people and, not just the food, and practice joyful, happy eating!

At Applebee's

DON'T have the Riblets for 1,570-1,700 calories and over 4000 mg of sodium.

DO have the Steak and Portobellos for 330 calories, and 1,620 mg of sodium. (Still very high in the sodium department.)

At Wendy's

DON'T have the BLT Cobb salad for 740 calories and 50 grams of fat.

DO have the Apple Pecan Chicken Salad without the pecans but with 2 packets of the Pomengrante Vinagrette dressing for just 470 calories.

At Quiznoes

DON'T have the Chicken Caesar Flatbread Salad for 920 calories, 66 grams of fat, and 2,090 mg. of sodium.

DO have the Raspberry Chipolte Chicken Salad for 320 calories and 16 grams of fat.

At Ruby Tuesdays

DO have any of the new lighter menu items for 700 calories or less. DON'T have the Cheesy Mashes that come with many of these entrees and save 169 calories. DO have the Vinagrette Dressing and save 155 calories on your Petite Lunch Salad.

At On the Border

DON'T have the Sizzling Fajita Chicken Salad without the dressing for 710 calories and 20 grams of saturated fat.

DO have a Mesquite Grilled Chicken Fajita for 300 calories and 1 gram of saturated fat. Add the Classic Veggies for 90 calories and the Habanero Fire Sauce for 120 calories rounding out your meal at 510 calories. Skip the Mexican Rice for 210 calories and have the Pico de Gallo for 10 calories.

At Johnny Rockets

DON'T have the Chili Dog for 570 calories and 13 grams of saturated fat. DON'T have the Garden Salad for 250 calories because it has 12 grams of saturated fat. (I could not find anything healthy at Johnny Rockets.)

At McDonald's

DON'T have the Small Strawberry Fruit Smoothie with 42 grams of sugar (over 10 tsps!) and 278 calories.

Just an aside but if you like veggie burgers DO try the Blue Mango burger from the natural food frozen section at Hannaford.

At McDonald's:

DO have a 12 oz. Real Fruit Smoothie for 210 calories and .5 grams of fat.

DO have a Filet-O-Fish for 380 calories.

Do you feel like a taco salad?

DO have a Wendy's taco salad without the dressing and tortilla chips for only 440 calories.

DON'T have Taco Bell's Fiesta Taco Salad for 820 calories and 1.5 grams of trans fats.

At Cold Stone Creamery:

Do have a Sinless Island "Like It" dish for 270 calories and 0 grams of fat.

For an occasional breakfast on the road:

DO enjoy the Subway Egg White Muffin Melt for 140-190 calories, 12-16 grams of protein and 620 mg. of sodium.

At Chili's:

DON'T have the Small Loaded Chicken Nachos (8 nachos) for 1,060 calories, 66 grams of fat, and 2,680 mg. of sodium.

DO have 1 cup of the Black Bean, Southwestern Vegetable or Chicken and Green Chile soup for 100-150 calories and 4-5 grams of fat.

For an occasional lunch in the mall or airport:

DO have 1 slice of the Sbarro Low Carb Cheese pizza for 310 calories.

DON'T have 1 slice of the pepperoni pizza for 730 calories.

At your Memorial Day Picnic:

DO have 1/2 cup of macaroni salad for 140 calories and 8 grams of fat.

DON'T have 1/2 cup of potato salad for 180 calories and 10 grams of fat.

IF dining out in a steak house:

DON'T have the 6 oz prime rib for 512 calories and 36 grams of fat.

DO have the 6 oz sirloin for 312 calories and 10 grams of fat.

Sometimes you just have to get a meal or a snack on the road so be sure to make the healthier choice!

At Starbucks DO have one of new hot panini sandwiches for about 380 calories. Try the Chicken Santa Fe, the Ham and Swiss or the Tuna Melt.

At KFC BE AWARE that the Boneless Fiery Buffalo Wings have 87 calories each and 4 grams of fat.

At Wendy's do have the the Southwest Taco salad but skip the dressing and tortilla chips. Just 440 calories.

DON'T have Taco Bell's Fiesta Salad for 820 calories and 1.5 grams of trans fat.

At the Outback DO have the Seared Ahi Tuna appetizer for 432 calories and 3 grams of saturated fat. DON'T have the Kookaburra Wing appetizer for 1,459 calories and 31 grams of saturated fat.

At the movies you are stuck if you have not brought your own healthy snack. BE AWARE the nachos have about 554 calories and 44 grams of fat and a medium buttered popcorn is approximately 1,100 calories and 90 grams of fat.

At Quiznoes DON'T have the Turkey, Ranch and Swiss regular sandwich for 977 calories, 48 grams of fat and a ton of sodium.

At Tim Horton's DO have Tim's Own Chicken Salad Sandwich for 380 calories and 9 grams of fat.

Sometimes you just have to get a meal or a snack on the road so be sure to make the healthier choice!

At the mall DON'T have the Sbarro spaghetti with meat sauce for 820 calories ands 28 grams of fat.

DON'T have the Cinnabon for 670 calories and 34 grams of fat.

DO have the Panda Express Chicken with Mushrooms for only 170 calories or 390 calories with the steamed rice.

DO have the Minibon for 300 calories and 13 grams of fat if you must!

At Panera Bread DON'T have the Spinach Artichoke Egg Souffle for 540 calories and 20 grams of saturated fat.

DO have the whole wheat bagel for 350 calories and just 3 grams of saturated fat.

At Wendy's DON'T have the Small Frosty for 330 calories.

DO have the Junior Frosty for 160 calories.

At Dunkin Donuts DON'T have the Banana Walnut muffin for 540 calories and 3.5 grams of saturated fat.

DO have the English Muffin for 160 calories and no saturated fat.

Ready to learn which restaurant salads NOT to order?

Just say, "NO" to these monstrosities:

• Ruby Tuesday's Carolina chicken Salad for 1,129 calories and 71 grams of fat
• Quizno's Roasted Chicken Flatbread Salad w/Honey Mustard for 1,070 calories and 71 grams of fat
• Chili's Southwestern Cobb Salad for 1,080 calories and 2,650 mg. of sodium.
• Macaroni Grill's Chicken Florentine Salad for 1,020 calories and 17 grams of fat.

Say "YES" to these:

• Ruby Tuesday's Skinny Chicken Salad w/Light Ranch Dressing for 338 calories
• Applebee's Southwest Cobb Salad for 440 calories
• Panera Breads' BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad for 490 calories (this includes the dressing)

Wondering what to order at Tim Hortons?

• DO have the Chicken Salad Sandwich for 380 calories and 9 grams of fat.
• DO have the Hearty Vegetable Soup for 70 calories

Ready for a new healthy breakfast to grab on the run?

The Starbucks Egg White, Spinach and Feta Wrap is just 280 calories and 19 grams of protein. However, make this an occasional treat because the sodium is sky high at 1,140 mg.

Also DO try the Starbucks low-fat blueberry muffin for 270 calories and 4 grams of fat. But remember the protein in the wrap will keep you fuller longer!

If you prefer to sit down to breakfast try the IHOP Spinach, Mushroom, and Tomato Omelette off the IHOP for Me menu with just 330 calories, 30 grams of protein, and 660 mg. of sodium.

DON'T have IHOP's standard Spinach and Mushroom omelette for 986 calories and 30 grams of saturated fat.

Don't be tricked by the word "Lite!"

At Au Bon Pain DO order the Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing for 140 calories and 1.5 grams of saturated fat.

DON'T order the Au Bon Pain Lite Honey Mustard dressing for 240 calories, and 2 grams of saturated fat.

Wondering what to order at Applebee's?

DO have the Tortilla Chicken Melt for 480 calories and 6 grams of fiber.

Thinking about a slice of pizza at the mall?

DO have 1 slice of Sbarro's Low-Carb Cheese Pizza. the lowest calorie pizza on their menu, for 310 calories.

DON'T have the Fresh Tomato Pizza slice for 450 calories or the Low Carb Sausage/Pepperoni slice for 560 calories.

Determined to get takeout?

Do stop by KFC and get the grilled chicken breast for only 180 calories and 440 mg. of sodium which is much less than the fried breast's 1,000+ mg of sodium and 370 calories. For a healthier side skip the biscuit and go for the corn on the cob.

Don't be fooled like I was at Applebees by a healthy sounding name!

The Grilled Shrimp and Spinach salad with dressing has 1,160 calories!

Don't be tricked at Friendly's!

The Garden Omelette without the sides has 860 calories, 55 grams of fat and 1,170 milligrams of sodium. When in doubt check the nutritional information of any major chain on-line BEFORE you order!

Trying to decide between Wendy's, Burger King, or McDonalds for a quick lunch? If you must have fast food...

DO have Wendy's Ultimate Chicken Grill sandwich for 370 calories and 8 grams of fat.

DON'T have Burger King's Tendergrill sandwich for 450 calories and 10 grams of fat.

DO have McDonald's Filet-O-Fish for 380 calories and 16 grams of fat.

DON'T have Burger King's Big Fish sandwich for 630 calories, 30 grams of fat and more than twice the sodium.

Looking for a smoothie at Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme?

DO have Dunkin Donuts 16 oz strawberry Fruit Coolatta for 290 calories and 0 grams of fat.

DON'T have a Krispy Kreme Frozen Raspberry 16 oz blend for 590 calories and 19 grams of fat.

Stuck at the fair without your healthy snack?

DON'T choose a Sno Cone for 540 calories. (Every squirt of the syrup contains up to 100 calories!)

DO choose cotton candy for 175 calories and no fat.

Want to know what to order at Ruby Tuesdays?

DO try the Skinny Chicken Salad (with light ranch dressing) for 338 caloires and 15 grams of fat. DON'T have any of their burgers unless your waist line can afford at leat 1000 calories and plenty of artery clogging fat.

Feel like a muffin just for a change?

DO have Tim Horton's Blueberry Bran Muffin for 340 calories, 5 grams of protien, 5 grams of fiber and just 1.5 grams of saturated fat.

DON'T have a Panera Bread Blueberry muffin for 530 calories and 4 grams of saturated fat.

DO also try Tim's Twelve Grain Bagle for 330 calories, 10 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber. Top it off with a little Light Plain Crream cheese for just 85 more calories and you got breakfast!

At the movies without your own snack?

DON'T have the nachos for 554 calories and 44 grams of fat.

DON'T have a medium buttered popcorn for 1,100 calories and 80 grams of fat.

DO have a kiddie size plain popcorn for 300 calories.

Think it is impossible to get a healthy low-calorie breakfast at Starbucks?

DO try their new oatmeal with raisins for 190 calories. The next best alternative is the Low Fat Blueberry muffin for 270 calories, and 4 grams of fat. But remember the lack of protein and fiber in this muffin won't fill you up.

Want to know what to order at Applebee's?

DO try the Tortilla Chicken Melt for 480 calories and 13 grams of fat.

Does an Italian Chicken Melt sound healthy?

Not at Denny's! DON'T order the Italian Chicken Melt for 1,134 calories and 62 grams of fat.

DO try some of the healthier selections on their "Fit Fare" menu including the Boca Burger which comes with a small fruit bowl for 506 calories and 11 grams of fat.

Want to make brownies at home?

DO try the No Pudge Fudge Brownie Mix in the natural food section with no hydrogenated oils, 0 fat and 120 calories.

Do you feel like an ice-cream?

DO have a Dairy Queen small chocolate cone for 240 calories and 6 grams of protein.

DON'T have a DQ Bacon Double Cheeseburger for 730 calories, 41 grams of fat, and 1550 mg of sodium!

Do you like steak houses?

DO chose the Lone Star Shrimp Dinner for 104 calories, or the Sweet Bourbon Salmon for 240 calories.

DON'T choose the Lettuce Wedge salad for 507 calories or the Pork Chops for 1432 calories.

Who doesn't get breakfast on the run now and then?

At Dunkin Donuts DO choose the Ham, Egg & Cheese English Muffin Sandwich for 310 calories 10 grams of fat and 5 grams of saturated fat.

DON'T choose the Ham, Egg, & Cheese Croissant for 430 calories and 11 grams of saturated fat.

When opting for the occasional fast food lunch remember:

At Wendy's DO choose the Ultimate Chicken Grill Sandwich for 370 calories and 8 grams of fat. However, be aware it does contain half your daily allotment of sodium.

At D'Angelos DO choose any of their D'Lite sandwiches.

DON'T choose the chicken caesar wrap for 791 calories and 8 grams of saturated fat.

At Panera Bread DON'T choose the Garden Veggie Sandwich for 640 calories and 25 grams of fat.

DO choose 1/2 sandwich and a cup of chicken noodle, black bean or garden vegetable soup.

Want some breadsticks with your Domino's pizza?

Do choose the Cheese Bread Stick with the marinara sauce for 123 calories. and 25 calories for the sauce.

DON'T choose the Cinna Stix with sweet icing for 123 calories and 250 calories worth of gooey nothing!

Want to try the new Subway Flatbread sandwich?

Feel free to try either the Chicken Florentine for 520 calories and 8 grams of saturated fat or the Steak and Bacon Melt for 440 calories and 6 grams of saturated fat. Make sure these flatbread sandwiches are an occasional treat because they each contain over 1300 mg of sodium; more than 1/2 days worth.

Who doesn't love pizza now and then?

But before you pick up the phone to place your take-out order consider this: DON'T choose Pizza Hut's Cheese Pizza (1 slice medium) for 240 calories and 4.5 grams of saturated fat.

DO choose Domino's cheese Pizza (1 slice medium) for 186 calories and 2 grams of saturated fat. With any pizza save 50-100 calories by just blotting the grease up with a paper towel before you take your first bite!

Who doesn't occasionally want chips with their sandwich?

DON'T choose French Onion Sun Chips for 140 calories and 6 grams of fat per serving.

DO choose Eat Smart Veggie Crisps for 100 calories or Baked Lays for 110 calories and 1.5 grams of fat.

When dining out:

At Applebee's DO order Grilled Cajun Lime Tilapia for 310 calories and 6 grams of fat.

DON"T choose Applebee's Fiesta Lime Chicken for 1,285 calories and 47 grams of fat.

At Ruby Tuesday's DON'T choose a Portobello Swiss Turkey Burger for 1,074 calories and 67 grams of fat. In fact, don't choose any burger if you want to save your waistline.

DO choose the Petite Sirloin for 206 calories and 5 grams of fat or the Garden Vegetable Soup for 167 calories and 5 grams of fat.

Remember:

Meals eaten at home generally have fewer calories, less sodium, and less fat. Eating out, however, doesn't have to be a disaster if you are armed with the right knowledge:

• At KFC DO choose KFC mashed potatoes with gravy for 120 calories and 4.5 grams of fat.

• DO choose KFC boneless fiery buffalo wings for 87 calories and 4 grams of fat per wing.

• DON'T choose KFC Macaroni and Cheese with 400 calories and 18 grams of fat. (Other healthy sides include green beans for 50 calories and 1.5 grams of fat and a 3-inch corn on the cob for 70 calories and 1.5 grams of fat.

• At Wendy's DO choose a small chili for 220 calories, 6 grams of fat and 17 grams of protein OR a Yogurt with Granola for 250 calories, 6 grams of fat and 8 grams of protein.

• At Burger King DON'T choose a BK Big Fish sandwich for 630 calories, 30 grams of fat and loads of sodium!

• At a steak house DO choose a 3-ounce portion of sirloin for about 156 calories and 5 grams of fat. *DON'T choose a 3-oz portion of prime rib for 256 calories and 18 grams of fat.

• At Subway DO choose the Deli-style tuna sandwich for 350 calories and 18 grams of fat.

• DON'T choose the tuna wrap for 440 calories and 36 grams of fat.

• At Denny's DON'T Choose the Italian Chicken Melt for 1,134 calories and 62 grams of fat. Denny's now offers several healthier selections on their "Fit Fare" menu all of which contain less than 15 grams of fat.

• At KFC DO choose KFC's Honey BBQ Snacker for only 220 calories and 3.5 grams of fat.

• At Dunkin Donuts DO choose a turkey, cheese and bacon flatbread sandwich for 360 calories and 5 grams of saturated fat. However, really watch your sodium the rest of the week. This little sandwich packs in 1000 grams!

• At Arby's D0 choose a Martha's Vineyard salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette for 465 calories and 6 grams of saturated fat.

• At McDonald's DO choose a grilled chicken salad with low-calorie dressing for 230 calories and 3.5 grams of saturated fat. Also choose a Fruit ' n Yogurt Parfait for 160 calories, subtract 30 calories if you do not use the granola, and 2 grams of saturated fat. You could also have a reduced fat vanilla cone for just 150 calories and 2 grams of saturated fat or a kiddie cone for 45 calories and a half a gram of saturated fat.

• DON'T have Taco Bell's Zesty Chicken Border Bowl with 730 calories and 40 grams of fat.

• DON'T have Panera Bread's Broccoli Cheddar Soup for 240 calories and 9 grams of saturated fat. (Remember your total daily limit of saturated fat should be about 20 grams or less!)

• When eating out, ask for a "to-go" box to be brought when the meal arrives. Start your meal with a winning strategy by cutting the entrée in half as soon as it arrives.

• At the mall DO choose 1 slice of Sbarro's Low-Carb Cheese pizza for 310 calories and 14 grams of fat.

• DON'T have 1 slice of Sbarro's Low-Carb Sausage/Pepperoni Pizza for 560 calories and 35 grams of fat. (SparkPeople.com)

• At Subway DO choose a 6 inch turkey sub without mayo for 280 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. DON'T choose a tuna wrap for 440 calories and 36 grams of fat including unhealthy trans fats.

• At Panera Bread DO choose the low-fat chicken noodle soup or strawberry poppy seed and chicken salad.

• DON'T choose a chicken salad sandwich on Artisan Sesame Semolina Bread for 740 calories, 27 grams of fat and 1,540 mg of sodium. (SparkPeople.com)