Chapter 2: Salads

Of course we all believe that there isn’t anything as healthy as a salad! In part, that’s true. But sometimes those things we add to our salads to make them more, well, “interesting” actually work against our best weight-loss intentions. Ever have a salad that was higher in calories than a cheeseburger? I bet you have.

You won’t now. Once you start paying attention to how high things are in calories, you may opt to go without them on fast days. Even some of the healthiest foods. For example, avocados are among the best food for you. Rich in “good” fats and filled with nutrients, these luscious, creamy gems are loaded with calories—about 365 in a medium-sized avocado. For a low-calorie salad, you’re actually better off adding three to four ounces of lean chicken breast or lean steak (about 200 calories each) than a whole avocado. Go easy. Same holds for chickpeas. A cup of “naked” chickpeas has an amazing 286 calories! So yes, foods like these are filling and tasty, just use sparingly.

Dressing is also a killer when it comes to calories that count—but don’t have to. While I have sampled and included some delicious low-cal dressings in this chapter, remember that a little bit goes a long way. Take an old trick from Weight Watchers and keep your dressing on the side instead of pouring it all over your salad. When you take a bite of food on your fork, lightly dip into the dressing. You’ll be eating considerably less that way. (And if for some reason you can’t finish your salad, it will keep much longer without dressing.)