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I carry a specific lunch each day, a decent sized salad, and a rice dish that does not vary, exept I change the type of bean. I make 4 servings of brown rice, eat some for dinner, and the rest measure out with 1 can of beans, like pinto, red, cannanelli or black beans along with salt free corn. I like things spicy so sometimes will cut up a jalapeno or add cayenne pepper, but add no salt. Dr. McDougall talks about eating a wide variety of foods but prefers people keep it simple and repetative.

So, my schedule is Oatmeal for breakfast, each day. If I am on a time crunch, I will put it in a small container and eat it later, but I make an effort to eat breakfast, including getting up earlier to do it. I carry the rice dish, salad and an apple for snack if I get hungry, and honestly, I normally don't.

If I do eat out I try to go to a place that serves plain ole baked potatoes. You have to watch that because most major chains don't. Nowadays, it's a whipped, cheese/butter/sour cream mixture. Watch out, some will put oil on even plain potatoes to make the salt stick. I have gone to Luby's and while their veggies are bacon/butter soaked, I have gotten the potatoes and gotten side of salsa or pico and been very satisfied.

I also like mexican food. I get a salad with no cheese, black beans with no cheese and corn tortillas. The corn tortillas can be eaten even on the Maximum Weight Loss (mwl) version of the McDougall program. Flour tortillas can have lard or other unacceptable items, so stay away from them. I also will get a Veggie Delite salad at subway sometimes, but it isn't as filling.

Now, keep in mind, I used to eat out lunch every day. Many times breakfast, too, and tried to be healthy about it, but let's face it -- fast food and healthy eating just don't go together. I read an article just today about the "healthiest" fast foods. One listed was chicken McNuggets from McDonalds. The sodium amount was very high and so was the fat. The healthiest from unhealthy is still unhealthy.

Don't drink your meals. We get a lot of satisfaction from chewing and it's part of a healthy digestive system. Those shakes and smoothies can hide a heck of a lot of calories too.

Macaroni Grill:

Order the whole wheat penne pasta with pomodoro sauce, and ask that they leave out the oil. Order a salad with no dressing and either bring your own oil free dressing or use plain lemon or vinegar--or nothing.

Most steak houses will serve you a baked potato without toppings, and serving of vegetables without butter or oil and/or a big salad.

Most Mexican restaurants will make you a veggie burrito. Most don't have brown rice, though. Be sure to decline the cheese, sour cream and guacamole, and ask how they cook their beans. They can also make you a salad with lots of veggies and beans.

Any good vegetarian restaurant should be able to make you some kind of dish without oil or dairy.

You can get oatmeal and fruit for breakfast at many restaurants. One that comes to mind is Mimi's.

At Starbucks you can order oatmeal. It's instant, but not bad in a pinch if you let it sit long enough to really "cook". And they will give you a little soy milk for it if you ask. They also usually have some kind of fruit cup you can buy as well.

When all else fails, go to a grocery store and buy some fruit and veggies you can eat raw. Some grocery stores have microwaves you can use so you could bake a potato or sweet potato. No utensils required--just wrap in a napkin.

The "Wendy's Mini" -- you can get a pretty nutritious meal out of their side salad (no dressing) and baked potatoes (no "butter" or sour cream).

About burritos -- flour tortillas are actually very high in fat. If you haven't seen an ingredient list for the tortilla, skip it and eat the beans and rice. At Chipotle, you can get a "burrito bowl" -- rice, black beans, salsa, and romaine lettuce. That's my go-to dinner when I'm out somewhere and haven't brought anything from home. I ask for extra lettuce.

At P.F. Chang you can get a "Buddha's Feast" that is steamed veggies, tofu, and brown rice. Make sure you ask for steamed, not stir fried.

A lot of Chinese and pan-Asian restaurants have sushi. I have found that 4 or 5 vegetable rolls make a good dinner. Ask them to use brown rice if possible.