Here’s another post from the “Eat This, Not That.”

The Most Shocking “Healthy” Foods! (And What You Should Eat Instead!)

By David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding - Posted on Tue, May 19, 2009, 2:54 pm PDT

Eat This, Not That
by David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding a Yahoo! Health Expert for Nutrition

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More By This Expert

• The Most Shocking “Healthy” Foods! (And What You Should Eat Instead!)
• The Saltiest Foods in America, 2009
• Best and Worst Brain Foods

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You know that annoying person in your office or neighborhood who knows how to push your buttons? Well, a lot of food marketers are in the button-pushing game, as well: They’re using buzzwords to tempt you to eat what you shouldn’t. If they can make your belly override your brain, their profit margins might double (often along with the chins).
 
We’re talking about “reduced fat” products that probably do have less fat–but also piles of sugar and salt to compensate for the lack of flavor–and “all-natural” products that really do come from nature, along with scoopfuls of chemical additives like something straight out of Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory.
 
And the most deceptive, dangerous word of all? “Healthy.” Because there is really no way to define it, the FDA has no way to regulate it. And just about anything can be “healthy”—or unhealthy—depending on how much you stuff into your mouth. The latest book in our bestselling series—Eat This, Not That! The Best (and Worst!) Foods in America!—rips the confusing labels off the foods you eat, and exposes the ugly truth behind some of the food industry’s most dangerous health claims. This exclusive excerpt will give you a taste of five of the most dangerous “healthy” restaurant foods, plus better ways to make your meal.
WORST ‘HEALTHY’ SOUP
P.F. Chang’s Chicken Noodle Soup
759 calories
24 g fat (4 g saturated)
4,135 mg sodium
92 g carbs
 
It’s the best part about getting sick: The promise of chicken noodle soup to come. Studies have shown it works, too, but no study could have planned on the torrent of sodium that swirls around among Chang’s noodles. Experts recommend capping your daily sodium intake at 1400 milligrams, ideally, and no more than 2,400 mg. Any more than that can put you at an increased risk for heart disease, not to mention swell you up via water retention. Unfortunately all Chang’s soups suffer a similar fate. Your only choice is to swap out your bowl for a smaller cup. 

Eat This Instead!
P.F. Chang’s Egg Drop Soup (cup)
61 calories
2 g fat (0 g fat)
1,122 mg sodium

WORST VEGGIE SANDWICH
Blimpie Special Vegetarian 12”
1,186 calories
60 g fat (19 g saturated, 0 g trans)
3,532 mg sodium
131 g carbs
 
Just because a meal is vegetarian doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Blimpie’s off-menu sandwich (you have to “special” request it) proves the point. It contains diced vegetables resting on a bed of crumbled cornchips and held together with a wad of melted American cheese. Then the whole mess is covered in a sugar-loaded chutney. Hey, a hippo is a “special vegetarian,” too. But you wouldn’t want to see one in a bikini. (Want more? Check out this list of the worst vegetarian meals in America.)
 
Eat This Instead!
Mediterranean Ciabatta
447 calories
8 g fat (2 g saturated)
1,635 mg sodium 

WORST CHICKEN SALAD
T.G.I. Friday’s Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad
1360 calories
Fat: Unknown (The company refuses to disclose the nutritional content of the food they’re serving you.)
Sodium: Unknown (but likely through the roof)

Friday’s monster salads are just as massive—and wreak just as much waistline havoc—as their burgers. Six out of the seven salads we analyzed topped out with more than 900 calories, which means that lunchtime can be the start of something big: your belly. Thanks in large part to the crusted chicken and the heavy-duty dressing, this one salad packs more calories than a half-dozen Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnuts. Aren’t salads supposed to be “diet” foods? Click here to see more examples of belt-busting leafy greens.

Eat This, Instead!
House Salad with Bacon
280 calories

WORST WRAP
Applebee’s Chicken Fajita Rollup
1,450 calories

For some curious reason, wraps have come to be viewed as a healthy upgrade from sandwiches, as if those massive tortillas can be filled with nothing but anti-calories. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. The problem with wraps is that they function as holding tanks for fluids, so hurried fry-cooks can squirt in as much sauce as they want without making it look messy. With Applebee’s rollup, the offending sauce is a “Mexi-ranch” sauce, which looks suspiciously more like ranch than anything eaten in Mexico. But here’s the final insult: This “healthy” meal is served with fries. Eat them and you tack on an 400 extra calories.

Eat This Instead!
Garlic Herb Chicken
370 calories
 
WORST “HEALTHY” FOOD IN AMERICA           
Romano’s Macaroni Grill’s Parmesan-Crusted Sole
2,190 calories
141 g fat (58 g saturated)
2,980 mg sodium
145 g carbs
 
“Parmesan crusting” is a process quite similar to the one used to create mozzarella sticks and chicken strips: They’re covered with a sponge-like blanket of breadcrumbs that soaks up oil. But with Macaroni’s parmesan crust, cheese is mixed in with the breadcrumbs. So it’s essentially just another way to ruin a perfectly lean piece of fish. In fact, no parmesan-crusted item on Romano’s menu has fewer than 1,000 calories. Run away, while you still can.
 
Eat This Instead!
Simple Salmon
590 calories
32 g fat (6 g saturated)
1,800 mg sodium
 
For more food warnings like these, along with thousands of nutrition facts and tips, check out the new Eat This, Not That! The Best (and Worst!) Foods in America! Also, be sure to sign up for your FREE Eat This, Not That! newsletter for “no-diet weight-loss” advice delivered straight to your inbox!

Have your own examples of ‘healthy’ foods that aren’t? Please share them with the rest of us here.

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Are you watching what you eat and looking to lose weight even faster? Try the Belly-Off! Diet and join the club that’s lost 2 million pounds and counting!

Also, sign up for the Eat This, Not That! Premium site, where you’ll find nutrition information for all your favoriterestaurants and grocery items. It’s like having a nutritionist on call,24/7!

Get more nutrition, health, and fitness secrets from Men’s Health: Subscribe today with this special offer and save 50% off the cover price.

Ladies,

In case you are struggling today, I found this article on Yahoo Health.  I love this guy, he gives a blunt reminder of how I got SOOOOO FAT, through consuming mass quantities of fast foods.  Enjoy!

The Worst Drive-Thru Foods in America (And What to Eat Instead!)

By David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding - Posted on Mon, Apr 20, 2009, 12:18 pm PDT

Eat This, Not That
by David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding a Yahoo! Health Expert for Nutrition

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More By This Expert

• The Worst Drive-Thru Foods in America (And What to Eat Instead!)
• The 8 Worst Sandwiches in America (Plus 8 More You’ll Love!)
• America’s Unhealthiest Restaurants

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Time and money are two things Americans can’t afford to waste. So it’s not surprising (though slightly disappointing) that the drive-thru is considered one of the greatest inventions of all time. There’s even a study to prove it. In 2005 and 2006, researchers asked 600 adults and teens why they eat so much fast food. Three of the top four responses? It’s quick, easy, and affordable. Taste came in third, with only 69 percent of respondents listing flavor as a factor in their fast-food love.

Drive-thru foods may be convenient and easy on the wallet, but they’re loaded with unhealthy fats, added sugars, carbohydrates, and sodium. Translation: They’re no bargain at all when it comes to your health. But jam-packed schedules and a dismal economy make the occasional drive-thru meal a part of life. That’s why Eat This, Not That! studied the open-air menu boards and compiled a list of the worst items out there, plus better alternatives. Avoid these dietary land mines and save more than a few minutes and a couple of bucks—how does up to 20 pounds in a year sound?

WORST MILKSHAKE
McDonald’s Large Triple Thick Chocolate Milkshake
1160 calories
27 g fat (16 g saturated fat)
168 g sugar
510 mg sodium

You’d be better off eating two Quarter Pounders than sucking down one of these belt-breaking shakes. Steer clear of milkshakes at the golden arches. If you have to have a frozen dessert, order a vanilla ice cream cone to save more than 1,000 calories. Make swaps like that every week and watch the pounds melt off!

Eat This Instead!
Vanilla Reduced-Fat Ice Cream Cone
150 calories
3.5 g fat (2 g saturated fat)
18 g sugars
60 mg sodium 

Check out our list of the 20 worst drinks in America to see other equally atrocious beverages. It’s possible to lose more than 30 pounds of fat a year–just by focusing on what you drink!

WORST VALUE-MENU ITEM
Burger King Spicy Chick’n Crisp Sandwich
450 calories
30 g fat (5 g saturated fat)
810 mg sodium

Lean economic times make the value menu more appealing than ever. And that’s fine—most dollar menus have a few sensible items. But if you eat this sandwich often, saving a few bucks will quickly result in a surplus around your waistline.

Eat This Instead!
Whopper Jr. without mayo
290 calories
12 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat)
500 mg sodium

WORST MEXICAN ENTRÉE
Taco Bell Grilled Stuft Beef Burrito
680 calories
30 g fat (10 g saturated fat)
2120 mg sodium

Ditch this and order two grilled steak soft tacos (or any menu item) “fresco” style, and the Bell boys will replace cheese and sauces with a chunky tomato salsa, helping to cut calories in half and fat by at least 25 percent.

Eat This Instead!
Two Grilled Steak Soft Tacos, Fresco Style
320 calories
9 g fat (3 g saturated fat)
1100 mg sodium

WORST HOT SANDWICH
Sonic Chicken Club TOASTER Sandwich
742 calories
46 g fat (11 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)
1,742 mg sodium

How can a chicken sandwich pack so much fat? Start with a fried chicken breast, add bacon, cheese, and mayo, and you’re there. Add to that the sodium equivalent of 53 saltine crackers, and you’re looking at a serious dietary disaster. Ditch the chicken for beef and save 10 grams of fat.

Eat This Instead!
Sonic Burger with Mustard
540 calories
25 g fat (9 g saturated fat)
730 mg sodium

WORST CRISPY CHICKEN SANDWICH
Hardee’s Big Chicken Fillet Sandwich
800 calories
37 g fat (6 g saturated fat)
1890 mg sodium

A general rule: Avoid sandwiches with words like “big” and “monster” in the name. Hardee’s Monster Thickburger is another example—it comes in at 1,420 calories, 108 grams of fat, and more saturated fat than you want in 2 days.

Eat This Instead!
Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich
415 calories
5 g fat (1 g saturated fat)
1175 mg sodium

WORST ROAST BEEF SANDWICH
Arby’s Roast Beef and Swiss Market Fresh Sandwich
810 calories
42 g fat (13 g saturated fat)
1780 mg sodium

The unwholesome trinity of mayo, Italian sub sauce, and processed Swiss cheese make this sandwich the clear loser in the battle of the beef. The Super Roast Beef replaces mayo with a low-cal spicy pepper sauce and totals 370 fewer calories.

Eat This Instead!
Super Roast Beef
440 calories
19 g fat (7 g saturated fat)
1061 mg sodium

WORST DRIVE-THRU KIDS MEAL
Burger King Kids Double Cheeseburger and Kids Fries with Small Coke
950 calories
42 g fat (17 g saturated fat, 4.5 g trans fats)
1,410 mg sodium

BK’s dubious double burger earns the distinction of being the fattiest meal for an on-the-go kid, with nearly a day’s worth of saturated fat for the average 8-year-old.

Eat This Instead!
4-piece Chicken Tenders with Strawberry-Flavored Applesauce and unlimited water
280 calories
11 g fat (3 g saturated fat)
440 mg sodium

WORST CHICKEN STRIPS
Dairy Queen 6-Piece Chicken Strip Basket
1,270 calories
67 g fat (11 g saturated fat)
2,910 mg sodium

These strips deliver more grams of fat than four DQ Homestyle Burgers, and nearly 300 more calories than a Large Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard.

Eat This Instead!
Grilled Chicken Salad with Fat-Free Italian Dressing
280 calories
11 g fat (5 g saturated)
1,550 mg sodium

WORST DRIVE-THRU BREAKFAST SANDWICH
Jack in the Box Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit
740 calories
55 g fat (17 g saturated fat)
1430 mg sodium

Skip biscuits at all costs. This one contains nearly a full day’s worth of saturated fat (check out the 12 worst breakfast foods in the supermarket for other must-have tips on starting your morning right–rather than with a rude awakening!). Instead try the Bacon Breakfast Jack–16 grams of protein makes it a surprisingly good way to start your day.

Eat This Instead!
Bacon Breakfast Jack
300 calories
14 g fat (5 g saturated fat)
730 mg sodium

WORST SIDE
Arby’s Large Mozzarella Sticks
849 calories
56 g fat (26 g saturated fat)
2730 mg sodium

Anything with as much saturated fat as a Triple Whopper should not be called a side. If it’s cheese you crave, order the French Dip ‘N Swiss or Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwich instead to save more than 500 calories.

Eat This Instead!
Martha’s Vineyard Salad with Light Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
389 calories
14 g fat (5 g saturated)
923 mg sodium

WORST POTATO SIDE
Jack in the Box Bacon Cheddar Potato Wedges
720 calories
48 g fat (15 g saturated fat, 12 g trans fats)
1,360 mg sodium
48 g carbohydrates

You probably don’t need us to tell you that bacon, cheese, and fried potatoes are not a healthful trio. What’s worse, though, is that Jack in the Box cooks in trans-fatty vegetable shortening, which has been linked to heart disease. It’s no secret that French fries can ruin an otherwise sensible meal, but these things take destruction to another level entirely.

Eat This Instead!
Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (3)
240 calories
12 g fat (5 g saturated fat, 2 g trans fats)
420 mg sodium

WORST SALAD
Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
800 calories
60 g fat (12 g saturated fat)
1745 mg sodium

With 17 more grams of fat than Taco Bell’s Fiesta Taco Salad, this is the worst salad from any drive-thru. The dressing alone sets you back 42.5 grams of fat.

Take a look at our list of the worst salads in America and see how this one compares.

Eat This Instead!
Chick-fil-A Southwest Chargrilled Salad with Fat-Free Honey Mustard Dressing
360 calories
8 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat)
1170 mg sodium

WORST DESSERT
Dairy Queen Large Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard
990 calories
39 g fat (24 g saturated fat)
114 g sugars

This creation combines ice cream, strawberry syrup, and hunks of cheesecake for a high-fat dairy dessert. If you’re set on a Blizzard, go bananas. A small Banana Split Blizzard has 7 fewer fat grams than the small Oreo, Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter Cup, or Strawberry Cheesequake flavors. Or stray from the Blizzard and satisfy your sweet tooth with a small chocolate sundae instead to save major calories and fat.

Eat This Instead!
Small Chocolate Sundae
280 calories
7 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat)
42 g sugars

WORST FISH SANDWICH
Burger King BIG FISH Sandwich with Tartar Sauce
640 calories
32 g fat (5 g saturated fat)
1540 mg sodium

Fish is only healthy when it’s not breaded and fried in partially hydrogenated oil. Here, the fry treatment translates into a bunch of unhealthy fat and 108 grams of carbohydrates.

Eat This Instead!
Whopper Jr. without mayo and Garden Salad
365 calories
12 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat)
1230 mg sodium

WORST CHEESEBURGER
Hardee’s Monster Thickburger
1,420 calories
108 g fat (43 g saturated fat)
2,770 mg sodium
230 mg cholesterol

This burger is called “Monster” for a reason. It’s got the caloric equivalent of almost six McDonald’s hamburgers, the saturated fat equivalent of 43 strips of Oscar Mayer bacon, and the sodium equivalent of 84 saltine crackers. You’ll almost satisfy your entire day’s worth of calories in one sitting, so opt for the significantly less monstrous Low-Carb Thickburger, instead, and save 1,000 calories that you can allocate to more deserving and nutritious fare.

Eat This Instead!
Low Carb Thickburger
420 calories
32 g fat (12 g saturated fat)
1.010 mg sodium

WORST “HEALTHY” FOOD
Arby’s Roast Turkey and Swiss Market Fresh Sandwich
708 calories
29 g fat (8 g saturated fat)
1,676 mg sodium

Avoid any sandwich made on honey wheat bread: Two slices contain a staggering 361 calories and 68 grams of carbs. Cut those in half by sticking to a sesame bun.

Eat This Instead!
Chicken Cordon Blue Sandwich (grilled)
488 calories
18 g fat (4 g saturated fat)
1,560 mg sodium

WORST GRILLED CHICKEN
Jack in the Box Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta
690 calories
28 g fat (9 g saturated fat)
1850 mg sodium

Unlike many other fast food restaurants that have made the shift away from trans fats, Jack in the Box’s menu has a number of items with more than 5 grams of the stuff—and some with up to 13 grams of it! There’s no”safe” level of trans fats, but the recommendation is that you don’t eat more than 2 grams of the heart-harming junk per day. Add fries to this sandwich, and you’ll take in three and a half times your daily limit.

Eat This Instead!
Chicken Fajita Pita
300 calories
9 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat)
1090 mg sodium

THE WORST DRIVE-THRU MEAL IN AMERICA
Carl’s Jr. Double Six Dollar Burger
with Medium Natural cut Fries and 32 oz Coke
2,618 Calories
144 g fat (51.5 g saturated fat)
2892 mg sodium

Of all the gut-growing, heart-stopping, life-threatening burgers in the fast food world, there is none whose damage to your general well-being is as catastrophic as this. Consider these heart-stopping comparisons: This meal has the caloric equivalent of 13 Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Donuts; the saturated fat equivalent of 52 strips of bacon; and the salt equivalent of seven and a half large orders of McDonald’s French fries!

Eat This Instead!
Famous Star with Side Salad with Low Fat Balsamic Dressing and 32 oz Iced Tea
685 calories
38 g fat (10.5 g saturated fat)
1520 mg sodium

If you enjoyed this article, play this interactive Eat This, Not That! game to see which food is healthier for you and improve your nutrition knowledge. (The answers will shock you!) Also, learn what 100 calories look like—it’ll help you achieve your weight-loss goals going forward.

Also, sign up for the Eat This, Not That! premium website, where you’ll find more great stories like this, plus A-Z nutrition facts and information for all your favorite restaurants and supermarket items. It’s like having your own personal nutritionist on call, 24/7! And make sure to sign up for the FREE Eat This, Not That! newsletters for helpful weight loss tips and tricks delivered straight to your inbox twice a week.

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Are you watching what you eat and looking to lose weight even faster? Try the Belly-Off Diet and join the club that’s lost 2 million pounds and counting!More nutrition, health, and fitness secrets from Men’s Health: Subscribe today with this special offer and save 50% off the cover price.

Buy the book! Special price on Yahoo! Shopping.

Y.esterday, I, too, ran my first 5K.  I did it 37 minutes.  It was a run/walk, I expected to walk it.  I ran the first 2 miles, something I have never done.  I have only ran constantly for a mile, in HIGH SCHOOL!!  I did the first two miles running.  For the 3rd mile, I walked for a minute, ran for 2, walked for a minute, ran for 2 and ran the last 1/2 mile.  I am stunned.  I have a hard time running due to my bust size - the girls bounce too much…but I still did it yesterday, only with a mild concussion (lol).

Ok, I am trying this internet dating thing.  I have met some really nice guys who are friends.   On my profile, I have nothing but current pictures of me, as I don’t believe in misleading anyone.  This one guy was IM me, telling me how pretty I was and how much he liked me (he makes the unibomber look like a keeper).  He asked if I could send him some pics to his email.  I sent him the same ones I had posted on my profile.  He emails me this morning stating he is only interested in women who are slender and athletic and toned.  Granted, I am not “slender” but I am physically fit.  I work out 7 days a week, 2-3 hours a day, my biceps are bigger than his.  I am stunned someone was actually rude enough to call me fat.  OMG!!!!  It is official, I am so pissed off because of what this guy said, I am going to work harder to get the rest of my weight off. 

BTW, I used to weigh almost 300 pounds…

Ok, I have been following the plan, but the scale is creeping upwards.  I am constipated and bloated, so I decided to do a detox plan of drinking fruit juice and one protien smoothie for 24 hours.  I figured this would be a good way to clean out the excess, however I am exhausted and I know it’s because I haven’t eaten any food.

I bought the book, “You Are What You Eat” by Gillian McKeith at Wal-Mart on Saturday.  She has a Doctorate in nutrition and has a show on BBC America teaching extremely obese people the importance of eating right.  This book is extremely helpful and motivating. 

I hope everyone is doing well and sticks to the plan.

Hello All!

It’s been raining all day but I am in a great mood with a lot of energy.  I have worked out quite a bit today.  I went to an Admirals (our minor league hockey team) game on Friday night with a friend.  I had a great time and didn’t eat a thing there although I did have a Mikes Cranberry Lemonade.  I was proud of myself as I love the big soft pretzels and popcorn!!!!  Generally, there isn’t a tub of popcorn I can resist. 

Thank you for all of your support.  It helps a lot.  I wish everyone the strength and sucess you deserve!

I love whole foods.  I had lunch there and had my fill of brown rice with the portebella mushrooms and veggies.  It was good but I have had enough rice to last me a long while.  I think it’s funny they have the salad bar right by the wine and beer.  Maybe I should start drinking noon - lol.  I walked for 2 hours today. I am going to weigh myself tomorrow to see where I am at.   I hope everyone has a great evening.  I am off to eat my dinner and watch RAW!

Darci

I am finding a new focus by doing this!  Thank you to all who left such positive feedback yesterday. Last night I went out to dinner and did really well - a spinach salad with no dressing and a veggie sandwich (no cheese - yuk!) and fresh fruit.  My only cheat was a glass of Merlot.   TTYL!

I am glad I joined this site.   I know the skills to get the weight off but I need to start holding me accountable.  I haven’t been journaling my calories and have watched the scale creep up.  It’s time to make the scale go in the downward direction.  I am a boredom eater which needs to stop.

I am looking forward to meeting all of you!

Darci