Lose Weight on Fast Food (Really!)

You’d love to drop some pounds, but it’s tough to find time to breathe during the holidays, never mind prepare calorie-conscious meals. That’s why we’ve created a 1,500-calorie-a-day plan that lets you shed 10 pounds in five weeks, eating packaged meals, salad bar offerings—and even fast food.

Our grab-and-go diet is based on research showing that eating convenience foods can actually help you lose weight. The benefit: Built-in calorie and portion control. “Most people are not that good at judging what constitutes a portion,” says LeaAnn Carson, RD, MS. “With frozen entrees, the choice of how much to eat is already made for you.” That’s probably why in an eight-week study that Carson coauthored at the University of Illinois, women who ate two frozen entrees daily lost four pounds more—a total of 12.3 pounds—than women who cooked their own meals.