Book Of The Day: The Diet Detective's Calorie Bargain Bible The Diet Detective's Calorie Bargain Bible. Or, how I discovered that one French fry is a better calorie bargain than a Pringle. By Christine Bucher
The Diet Detective Calorie Bible©
Losing weight is simple: Eat fewer calories.
Tried that, with no luck, eh? Well, you are not alone. It can be tough to figure out which of your food choices has fewer calories-sometimes it defies normal logic. Take the fry vs. Pringle example: You're looking at 10 calories for the chip and only 5 for the fry. (A good deal if you can stop at one. Or two.)
The Diet Detective's Calorie Bargain Bible ($13) begins by laying out some basics for you. It might be stuff you already know, but author Charles Stuart Platkin's tone is direct and no-nonsense, so you're forcefully reminded.
Then he moves into broad categories, such as eating out, buying groceries, eating at home, and holiday eating. Platkin's fundamental idea is that your daily calories allotment is like money: You have a finite amount and therefore must make wise choices as you "spend." The healthy choices aren't added to your unhealthy ones; they are meant to replace them.
The "Eating Out" section has some grisly moments. In his list of "things to avoid," Platkin notes that Ruby Tuesday's Colossal Burger has 1,943 calories. Well, sure: It's Colossal, and it's a burger. But, the Fresh Chicken and Broccoli Pasta sounds pretty healthy, right? It's fresh, it's chicken and broccoli enjoys a solid reputation. But this thing has 2,061 calories. That's the calories the average person should eat for an entire day.
It's also helpful that Platkin gives specifics: You can match what's on the menu precisely to the info in book, which is small enough to carry along with you (if you carry a purse, backpack, diaper bag or whatever). It's easy to look up specifics, or just get quick guidance. With its lists of calories, fat and carbohydrates, the book makes for a fascinating, educational train wreck. It reminds me of the times in high school when the administration would park a mangled car on the lawn so everyone could see what happens when we drink and drive. Maybe it was just a low-cost scare tactic, but damn if it didn't work. So does this book.
Info: DietDetective.com; Or, SimonSays.com -- Bicycling.com
Charles Stuart Platkin, J.D., M.P.H., is one of the country's leading public health advocates, whose syndicated nutrition and fitness column,"The Diet Detective," appears in more than 165 daily newspapers across the country. He is also the founder of DietDetective.com, an online health and fitness network. Platkin is the author of
Breaking the Pattern, Breaking the Fat Pattern, and
Lighten Up.
