• Bagels are very dense in empty-calorie concentrated carbohydrates. Take it easy on them.
• Have the counter person scoop out the extra doughy bread within the bagel.  That's a great way to reduce the concentrated "junk" calories while still enjoying the taste.
• The best choices in bagels are the ones without added chocolate chips or nuts or other junk.  Go for a plain whole wheat or rye.
• The more fiber the better.  A whole grain choice will always beat a bagel made with nutritionally empty white flour.
• Always ask for your spreads on the side – bagel places usually give you a thick slab of cream cheese between your bagel.  Get a low fat or fat free spread. 
• Watch the jelly or fruit spreads.  They are made with some fruit, but most have tons of extra sugar.
• Stay away from mayo-heavy tuna salad or egg salad.  Just because something has the word “salad” in it does not mean it’s good for you.

BARBEQUE  

• Barbeque sauce can be high in fat if it’s made with oil.  Also, it’s usually loaded with sugar.  Get it on the side, so that you can control the amount you use.
• Learn to recognize which cuts of meat are fattier than the others.  Barbeque ribs have more fat than many other cuts.  A pork tenderloin is a much better choice.  Or, when in doubt, always go for the white meat chicken.  You’ll be doing even better if you remove the chicken skin, which contains most of the fat.
• When ordering, look for meats that are grilled, broiled, rotisserie, or baked.
• Get a tossed salad with dressing on the side instead of fried potatoes, cole slaw, or potato salad.
• If no salad is available, pick a plain (not stuffed) baked potato as your side dish, no butter or sour cream.  Instead, use barbeque sauce, salsa, ketchup, or a fat free dressing.

BEVERAGES  

• It is very easy to cut lots of calories from your diet by eliminating soda.  A 12 ounce can of regular soda has 150 calories, all of it sugar (about twelve teaspoonfuls' worth).  Do you really want that in your system? 
• “Fruit drinks” are basically just as bad as soda.  Though the taste started off from a fruit of some kind (allegedly), it it typically so processed and so pumped full of sugar and artificial coloring that it might as well have “Cola” written over it.  If you crave fruit flavor, eat some whole fruit.  Or, stick with 100% fruit juices, and then dilute them with 50% water.  You will save calories, carbs, and money with this tip. And clean water is very refreshing and healthful.
• Unsweetened teas can be a dieter’s best friend.  It will satisfy any caffeine urge, without the damage done by sodas.  Black and green teas also have many health benefits.
• Whenever you see sweetened teas, or sports drinks, just think soda.  They are fundamentally the same.  Too much sugar!
• Don’t be afraid to try a different kind of milk.  For those that are lactose intolerant, or simply want to curb dairy intake in your diet (an excellent idea) there are calcium fortified soy, almond, and rice milks that work well in cereal, for cooking, or just for enjoying once in a while!
• Coffee in and of itself is not bad, from a nutritional standpoint.  Just stay away from cream and sugar.  If you must sweeten your cup, try honey, or a sugar substitute such as Sweet and Low, or Splenda, or Stevia leaf extract.
• Instead of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s day, try bouillon, or a cup of hot tea with a few drops fo Stevia extract added.

BREAKFAST  

• Avoid butter and margarine.  These added fats will do nothing but harm your health and derail your weight loss goals.
• It's a good idea to balance your carbs and protein, but don’t use this as an excuse for loading up on fatty sausage and bacon.  Eggs are wonderful food!  If you need a protein source besides eggs, try ham or Canadian bacon.  They are much better choices than bacon and sausage.
• Fresh fruit with your eggs is a good idea.
• Minimize the empty-calorie, carb-heavy “filler foods”, like pancakes, French toast and waffles.

BUFFET  

• When you first scope out the table, load up on fresh vegetables, skip the fattening dips and cheese.  Cooked veggies can be a great choice too, but avoid the ones that are obviously fried (anything breaded or overly crispy) or the ones that are sitting forlornly in a tin tray filled with oil or smothered in cream sauce.
• While loading up on veggies, decide what your protein serving will be.  Chicken, fish, ham, shrimp, lean roast beef, are all fine choices.  Grilled, broiled, or baked are the ones you want.
• Many buffets offer salads swimming in mayonnaise, such as tuna, egg, or macaroni salad.  Stay away.
• Most buffets offer fresh seasonal fruit as part of their dessert temptations.  If you want to splurge on something, try a scoop of pudding or whipped topping with your fruit. (At least those things have a lot of air in them.) Portion control is just as important at a buffet as anywhere else.  Don’t forget yourself and begin eating like you're in an all-you-can-eat contest. (We should know about that... you should see our holiday parties!)

CHICKEN  

• Chicken is an invaluable source of protein, not to mention that it’s delicious.  How the chicken is prepared is key to making your meal either healthful or regrettable.  Avoid the fried chicken.  It has double the fat and calories of its baked cousins.  Look for rotisserie chicken, baked, broiled, or grilled. If you must eat the fried chicken, make sure to get rid of the skin and/or deep-fried coating/breading. That stuff is downright toxic.
• Remove all skin that you see.  Chicken skin is where most of the dietary fat is located, and you can get rid of it with one tug.
• Skip the gravy – it’s usually made with fatty chicken drippings, and nutritionally empty white four.
• When ordering a chicken sandwich, always tell the server no mayo or cheese.  Mayo and cheese simply make a great meal a high fat nightmare.  Also, try eating the sandwich with only one piece of bread (folded over, perhaps) or half the bun.  In chicken restaurants, you often get the option of ordering a quarter or a half chicken.  Go for the smaller portion, or order large, but put half away in a box immediately, for later use.
• Side dishes can undo a healthy meal.  Good ideas for side dishes include steamed vegetables, a few pieces of roasted potato, half a baked potato with salsa, a side salad, cucumber salad in vinegar, or a bit of brown rice.  Try to eat more protein than carbs. Avoid added fats like butter and cream.
• Just because something is called salad, does not always mean that it is good for you.  The typical Caesar salad is very high in fat, due to all the cheese used to prepare it.  A grilled chicken salad will be a much better option.  Get dressing on the side and use intelligently.

CHINESE  

In general, foods prepared in the Asian manner are simpler and lower in junk food. One reason is that Asian cooking calls for cornstarch to thicken sauces instead of nutritionally empty white flour. Still, there's lots to be careful about.

• Soups can be a great way to begin a meal, but watch out for creamy soups.  Your best choices would be egg drop soup or hot and sour.  If you like wonton, some restaurants offer war wonton soup, which is basically the same thing as regular wonton soup, with healthful seafood in it as well.
• Practically all Chinese restaurants offer steaming as a cooking option to frying.  Take advantage of it, when you can.
• Chinese food is great for getting large doses of vegetables.  The Chinese diet depends on such veggies as cabbage, bok choy, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, and loads of other fiber-rich, real foods.  Filling up on veggies will mean you have less room for something you probably shouldn’t be eating (like those deep-fried, sugar-coated, little breaded pieces—you know what we mean!).
• Overdoing the white rice can undo your good intentions.  When given a choice between brown and white rice, go for brown – it is a bit more nutritious, higher in fiber, and less empty-carb-rich.  One hint – when ordering a curry, or something liquidy that is usually served over rice, try using a spoon and eating it as stew instead. 
• Seafood is full of wonderful Omega 3 essential fatty acids, so try a whole, steamed fish.  Get sauces on the side, or try spicing it up with hot mustard or soy sauce.
• Stir fried foods can be reasonable choices, but it is up to you to make sure of it.  Do not hesitate to ask your server to tell the chef to prepare your meal with little to no oil.  You're paying for the food, and you have the right to have your meal prepared in a way that will not jeopardize your health.  It's not too much to ask, and it’s one of the biggest favors you can do for yourself.
• If possible, skip dessert.  However, if you must go for something sweet, choose pineapple or other fresh fruit.  Stay away from the sticky sugary rice blobs.

CONVENIENCE STORES  

• Breakfast – Yes, there IS a way to eat a healthful breakfast from a convenience store.  You just have to be a bit innovative, and look past the pre-made breakfast burritos and sausages-on-a-stick that are vying for your attention.  Most convenience stores carry yogurt.  Try for low fat or fat free, but any kind is better than a breakfast "sandwich" on a (greasy) croissant.  Also, find the fruit!  Most stores carry apples, oranges, and bananas.  With your fruit, you may want to enjoy some cottage cheese.  A wonderful food that is packed with protein and good nutrition would be a hard boiled egg.  Go for two or three of these as opposed to a fried egg and sausage sandwich!  Regarding beverages: though you may not be able to dilute it with water, juice is a better option than starting your day with an enormous fountain soda, or some huge coffee drink that is more sugar and whipped cream than coffee.  Keep your coffee simple, don’t add the same ingredients that you would expect to find in some elaborate dessert item.
• Lunch – Pre-made sandwiches are acceptable, as long as they are lean chicken or turkey, or lean roast beef.  Throw out the package of mayo or butter that is sometimes included.  Use ketchup, mustard, or a fat free dressing as your condiment.  Another idea: most stores carry microwave-ready soups and stews, which will do for a quick bite.  Round out your meal with some fresh fruit.  Nuts (a healthful natural food) are a good choice (in reasonable quantities).  Look for nuts with no added oil.  Remember, just because you temporarily find yourself in the environment with lots of bad eating choices, you will not be there forever.  Eat as much as will quell your hunger, and try to get back to the BioSlim method as quickly as you can.  Small changes really do add up to big successes in the long run!

DELI  

• Delis can be your best friend, because they will prepare your food exactly as you specify. Go for thinly sliced whole grain or rye bread, as opposed to white bread. Avoid added fats like oil and mayo and fatty cheeses. Mustard, salsa or vinegar are your best friends on a sandwich. Also acceptable are ketchup and barbeque sauce in reasonable quantities. And load up on fiber-rich veggies. You'll live longer!
• Don’t be afraid to save half of your sandwich, or share it with a friend. Another empty-carb-cutting tip is to remove one of the slices of bread, and eat it as an open faced sandwich.
• Stick with meats from recognizable sources. You can easily recognize turkey and chicken breast, and lean roast beef. Stay away from the overly processed meats that have dubious origins, such as salami, bologna, cappicola, and pepperoni.
• Just because something is called “salad”, don’t assume that it’s good for you. Stay away from the mayonnaise-laden macaroni, tuna, or potato salad. A good side dish would be cucumber, health, tabouli, or pasta salads, made with vinegar-based or non-fat dressings.
• Try a deli pickle as a side dish. They are almost zero-calorie and have no fat.
• Many delis offer a soup of the day. If it is not cream based, enjoy! Round out your meal with a piece of fresh fruit.