Salad Bar Causing a Weight Loss Stall?

The other day I saw a woman (early 30s) with a newborn & toddler. She was with a group of friends and chatting about trying to lose the baby weight. Her weight loss idea was to get a "loaded salad" because it‘s low in calories.

Take a look at what she added. Might you make the same choices?

4 cups mixed salad greens -- cal: 38 carb: 7
3 cucumber slices -- cal: 4 carb: 1
2 bell pepper rings -- cal: 4 carb: 1
3 raw onion rings -- cal: 7 carb: 2
3 cherry tomatoes -- cal: 9 carb: 2
2 boiled egg "quarters" -- cal: 39 carb: 0
2 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese -- cal: 49 carb: 1
4 tbsp ranch dressing -- cal: 290 carb: 4 (2 ladles)

Salad: calories: 440 carb: 18 grams protein: 11 grams fat: 38 grams

Might you guess your “low carb” salad at 4-5 carbs -- not the actual 18? Would you probably also guess your “diet” salad at about 200 calories -- not the actual 440? Her husband also made a salad and added more items (man, it was a huge salad!)

For a visual reminder 1/4 cup is half of a tiny jello cup:

1/4 cup cottage cheese -- calories: 54 carb: 1
1/4 cup kidney beans -- calories: 54 carb: 10
1/4 cup potato salad -- calories: 65 carb: 9
1/4 cup shredded beets -- calories: 15 carb: 4
3 broccoli florets -- calories: 11 carbs: 2
1 tablespoon bacon bits -- calories: 33 carbs: 2
6 croutons -- calories: 7 carb: 1

What if they each added 6-piece chicken wings as a “light“ snack:

Wings + Ranch Dressing (typical 2 oz plastic container)
calories: 731 carb: 4 grams protein: 37 grams fat: 31 grams

Salad + Wings + Dressing
calories: 1171 carb: 22 grams protein: 48 grams fat: 69 grams

Salad + Extras + Wings
calories: 1408 carb: 51 grams protein: 72 grams fat: 77 grams

Don’t fall into the Salad Bar Danger Zone! Be smart about dressing calories and plan ahead. Bring packets of your own low calorie low carb brand (Walden Farms 0 calorie honey mustard) or ask the restaurant to offer a type that fits your Kimkins weight loss diet guidelines.

Know what you're choosing or you're setting up for an unintentioned weight loss stall.