"I Lost Weight on a Fast-Food Diet"

Days 4-7: "I've Become a Regular"

By the time the weekend arrives, I've become a regular at the fast-food joints around town; the servers even begin to recognize me. But I'm tired of the bloating and the fullness. On Sunday, in between trips to Burger King and Subway, I compile a list of foods I can't wait to eat starting Monday morning: My usual Kashi Good Friends cereal is followed by fruit and "any and all salad greens except for romaine and iceberg," the primary lettuces in fast-food salads.

The next day, I wake up, weigh myself and am surprised to find that I did indeed drop a pound. I'm still bloated -- a week of sodium-packed meals will do that to anybody -- but I'm convinced that fast food itself isn't enough to ruin a diet. If you pick and choose your menu items carefully, you don't have to gain, and you might even lose a few pounds. Now, pass that cereal!