This is a BAD salad!

Famous last words:  “All I had was a salad.”  Aw, man if I had a buck for every time I heard that one!  “Salad” has practically come to mean anything with lettuce – or mayonnaise.  I’ve been working with some clients who have been struggling to lose weight.  When they tell me they had a salad for lunch, an image of a salad that I would eat comes to mind.  And then that little birdie speaks to me “Ask what was on the salad!”…  “What was on the salad?” I ask.  Then, the problem is clear; they’re loading their salads up with salad killers (ingredients that make a salad unhealthy and even fattening).

Here is some calorie information about some popular salads.  Remember, if you are looking to lose weight, you might be looking at a daily calorie count of 1200 – 1500 calories, sometimes less.  Now, there are LOTS of variables in determining how many calories one needs: age, gender, activity level – to name a few.  So don’t go thinking this is gospel; it’s information to help you to make educated decisions.  Are you ready?  Ok, buckle up!

Keep in mind that a Double Cheeseburger has 440 calories

McDonalds: Premium Southwest Salad with Crispy Chicken – 450 calories
Burger King: Tendercrisp Garden Salad – 410 calories
Wendy’s: BLT Cobb Salad – 450 calories, Baja Salad – 540 calories, Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad – 570 calories

BAD SALAD!

Here is a list of Salad Killers:
• Fried Chicken – bad fats and salt
• Cold Cuts – bad fats, salt, and cancer-causing nitrites/nitrates
• Dressing – high in calories, salt, chemicals, and sometimes even high-fructose corn syrup see: http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-salad-dressings-ic0401
• Cheese – high in calories and salt, difficult to digest
• “Craisins” – there are 25 grams of added sugar per serving
• Bacon bits (real) – high in bad fats, salt, and nitrites/nitrates
• Bacon bits (fake) – bad fats, salt, artificial colors and flavors
• Croutons – empty calories, often have artificial flavors
• Canned fruit – found in many salad bars, soaking in corn syrup
• Tortilla Strips or Wonton Strips – empty calories, bad fats, salt, artificial colors
• Pickles & Green Olives or Kalamata Olives – high in salt, make you retain water
• Any salad that has more animal products than plant products!

Now We Can Make a Killer Salad!

So what’s good to put on your salad?  Here’s a list of items that make some killer salads!  (The good kind)
• Spinach & mixed greens (avoid iceberg lettuce)
• Beans – high in fiber and protein
• Hard-Boiled Egg – not more than one total
• Slivered Almonds
• Peas
• Red Cabbage
• Black Olives – just a few
• Fresh Peppers (not from a jar)
• Garlic &/or Onions
• Cauliflower &/or Broccoli
• Avocado – great source of healthy fats!
• Carrots – not too many (high in sugar)
• Oil & Vinegar – drizzle only (Olive oil has about 100 calories per tablespoon)
• Celery – helps you to lose water weight from bloating
• Salmon – 4 ounces or less
• Eat Nature’s Rainbow – choose a wide variety of colored veggies!

What about this one?

Cheers to you for making the effort to eat healthy!  Be sure to build a killer salad and keep the salad killers off your plate.  Not only will you be avoiding a bunch of empty calories, unnecessary salt, and artificial ingredients, but you will be giving your body the nutrients it needs to build a healthier, leaner you!  Bon appétit!

Want to learn more about healthy eating for life?  Consider enrolling in my “Eat Like a Horse” Holistic Nutrition Subscription program.  26 Weeks of information to help you to make healthy food choices for the rest of your life!  Find details at www.EatLikeaHorse.net

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