Does your family have one favorite place that everyone likes to go to for celebration meals? Mine does. For us, that go-to restaurant is Olive Garden.

There are a lot of not so diet-friendly choices at the Garden, but that doesn't mean eating there is cause for dietary disaster!

The first pick on my list used to be Garlic Herb Chicken, but at nearly 1,000 calories, it's a no-go these days. Then I learned a simple smart switch: If I order Venetian Apricot Chicken instead, I'll save a whopping 580 calories!

Once you understand that equation, you're ready to set your weight-loss goals and make a plan for reaching them. Remember, you don't have to do it alone. Talk to your doctor, family and friends for support.

Causes of Weight Loss

To establish the causes of weight loss in HIV seropositive individuals. METHODS: Of 581 seropositive patients attending outpatients between June 1990 and June 1991 who had 4 separate weights recorded,

165 were randomly reviewed for potential causes of weight loss. RESULTS: 4 major groups of causes of weight loss were identified in the 48 patients who had lost more than 2kg in weight, confirmed on 2 separate occasions.

Drug related included voluntary cessation of therapy or drug reactions. Psycho-social included a major

bad breath, psychiatric disorder (6) or marked change in social circumstances.

Symptoms of Weight Loss

1. commonly known as dieter's breath

2. feeling hungry

3. hunger pains growling tummy

4. loose, baggy skin after achieving substantial weight loss

5. irritable or cranky

6. potty woes, chiefly constipation (Hello Fiber!)

7. wolfing down food too quickly at meal time rather than taking time to enjoy

8. sore muscles from new activity plan

9. continuous thoughts about weight loss

Weight loss late in the course of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease is common and often multifactor.

Increased energy expenditure in response to opportunistic disease, as well as to HIV infection itself, can lead to protein calorie malnutrition similar to that observed in starvation.

Weight loss of as little as 5 percent in patients with HIV infection is associated with an increased risk of disease progression.

Loss of body cell mass carries a particularly poor prognosis, and aggressive measures should be taken to stop such depletion. Patients exhibiting unexpected weight loss should be carefully examined to exclude decreased food intake, malabsorption, occult infection or neoplasm as the etiology of the weight loss.

Home Remedies for Weight Loss

1. The easiest and effective remedy to fight obesity would be to have 10 grams of honey, along with a glass of warm water. Consume this in the morning, on an empty stomach. If found effective, the dose can be increased with time.

2. You can also mix juice of half a lime and one teaspoon of fresh honey in a glass of lukewarm water. Have this early in the morning, followed by every few hours intake.

3. Consuming 10-12 fully grown curry leaves every morning, for 3 months, is found beneficial in dealing with the problem of obesity.

4. Have one or two tomatoes, on an empty stomach, every morning. This has been found to be effective in curing obesity.

5. In a glass of boiling water, add ginger and lemon slices. Steep for sometime and strain the water. Have this decoction when warm. Not only would it treat obesity, it would also control overeating tendency.

6. In a cup of water, add 3 tsp limejuice, ¼ tsp powdered black pepper and 1 tsp honey. Have this concoction regularly, once a day, for 3 months.

7. Soak a handful of jujube or Indian plum leaves overnight. Strain the water in the morning and consume on an empty stomach. It will prove beneficial in curing obesity.