Book Review #51 - Eat This Not That: Thousands of Simple Food Swaps That Can Save You 10, 20, 30 Pounds-or More!

During my junior year of college, the new Cougareat opened and I found myself buying a plate of Chicken Alfredo several times a week. I have never liked marinara sauce with its chunky tomatoes and enjoyed the option of a creamy, white sauce that tasted so much better. I honestly never thought about what ingredients might make it taste so good.

Then, somebody (I can't remember who) told me that a serving of alfredo sauce was equal to eating thirteen pieces of bacon. While I have never verified that piece of life-changing information, I have never again been able to eat Alfredo sauce with the same abandon. Then carb awareness came along followed by Jay's Celiac diagnosis and pasta dishes, in general, has been in my "not worth it" column ever since.

I was hoping reading this book would turn a bunch of my favorite guilty pleasures into mental alfredo sauce. Gross me out-of-love, you know? Sadly, it didn't. The foods I knew were bad were still bad and the foods they suggested replacing the bad foods with were the menu items I skip over. Forget the picture on the title that has a Big Mac and the words "Foods that can save you 10,20,30 pounds or more!" Totally misleading. Most of the foods swaps are for items that don't hang out in the same neighbor hood as its fatty evil cousin. If you really want to lose weight, you should probably try to nix that eating out all the time habit. Besides, I don't go to Chili's for their wilty vegetables and canned black beans. If that's all I can have, then I'll go with guilt or not go at all.

Moreover, other than the fast food chains, we don't have any of the restaurants showcased in the book where I live. I think it would make a handy reference guide for someone in a city or suburb of a city whose lifestyle includes a lot of eating out. Otherwise, this book can easily be replaced by using common sense and moderation.