Calorie Counts

by Chrysa Smith

I’ve done Weight Watchers http://www.weightwatchers.com/.

I understand the calories in/calories burned concept.

But now, it’s a whole new game as calorie counts are added to restaurant menus. A game that could make restaurant dining a way to lose weight and for restaurants to lose high caloric business. Check this out:

My husband and I recently had lunch at Ted’s Montana Grill http://www.tedsmontanagrill.com/. Next to the menu offerings were their calorie counts. Holy Cow! I wanted that burger and fries, but after working the numbers, if I faced reality, I wouldn’t be able to eat for at least another 18-24 hours. So, we both opted for better odds and split two appetizers instead.

Now, this could be great news for the general dining public. And Ted is a trooper to be among the first restaurant chains I’ve seen to make diners be honest with themselves. If you’re a thinking person, you will make smarter choices that your heart and hips will love. And I suppose, if you manage well, you could play with your meal choices, saving up the calories to blow on one big burger with onion rings. It turns everyone into a weight watcher, and that’s probably a good thing for self care. It might mean the reinvention of menu items however, because like a blood pressure reading or cholesterol count, having great big numbers is just not going to be a good thing long-term, because health, habit and calories all count.

Will you eat healthier? Will you eat every meal out, since calorie count will now be done for you? Finish your donut and let us know.

Gastronomic Grumblings—reviews about food and the people who grow, sell, cook, serve and eat it—-through Bucks County, the Greater Philadelphia Area and beyond.

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About the Author: Mary Fran Bontempo

MARY FRAN BONTEMPO is a speaker, author and humorist who teaches audiences to control their most powerful influence: Self-Talk. Author of The Woman’s Book of Dirty Words, and Not Ready for Granny Panties, Mary Fran proves small changes in self-talk yield big life changes, allowing individuals to redefine their lives both professionally and personally in a rapidly changing world. A Huffington Post and Thrive Global contributor, and regular columnist for Women’s Voices Magazine and Best Kept Self, Mary Fran inspires and motivates readers and listeners to tame the self-talk beast, leading them to personal and professional renewal and success. After thirty years’ experience as owner of a full-service recruiting firm, and finding herself in the middle of a perfect life storm—turning 50, a crashing economy, and most devastating, a son with serious addiction issues—Mary Fran created the blog, Not Ready for Granny Panties, authoring two books in the series and developing a life-affirming brand full of practical wisdom and wit. A frequent media guest and speaker, audiences delight in her empowering and entertaining message.