When it comes to the New Year’s resolutions, losing weight and exercising top the list. Unfortunately for the vast majority of people, those resolutions are history within the first 30 days.

Such a dismal success rate doesn’t inspire hope. However, all is not lost. If you really want to lose weight, David Zinczenko, editor-in-chief of Men’s Health magazine and author of the New York Times best-sellers “The Abs Diet” and “The Abs Diet for Women,” has written a new book to help.

“Eat This Not That” is a glossy full-color picture book of what to eat and what not to eat at your favorite fast food and sit-down restaurants. Zinczenko also includes suggestions for what to eat at holiday celebrations and special occasions, as well as what to buy at the grocery store.

For example, at Dairy Queen you’re better off eating a small chocolate sundae than a small Chocolate Chip Cookie Blizzard. Your savings is 440 calories and 21 grams of fat. At Domino’s two slices of ham and pineapple crunchy thin crust pizza is a better choice that two slices of classic hand-tossed pizza with pepperoni. Your savings is 210 calories and six grams of fat.

When it comes to beer, your best bets are Michelob Ultra at 94 calories and Beck’s Premium Light at 64 calories. The worst picks are Sam Adams Cream Stout at 190 calories and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale at 200 calories.

This book makes it clear that losing weight is about making better choices. It doesn’t mean you have to give up all of your favorite foods — just some of them.

To read the entire story, see today's print edition of the Hutchinson Leader (Tuesday, Jan. 29)

(Kay Johnson is a staff writer at the Hutchinson Leader. She can be reached at johnson@hutchinsonleader.com).