By Valerie Banner, Nubella News

Losing one pound a week may not sound daunting, especially when you consider that the average woman weighs 164 pounds and the average man weighs 191 pounds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  But as anyone who’s tried a diet and given up a month later knows, it’s harder than it seems.

There’s no one food that can magically transform an overweight body into an ideal figure. Eating plans that consist solely of grapefruit aren’t realistic or effective, nor are plans that promote eating only cabbage soup or special “weight-loss cookies.”

But there are foods that are beneficial to eat on the journey to a slimmer body.

Just because you're engaging in healthy eating doesn't mean you must skip restaurants, cursed by some health experts as notorious dens of gargantuan portions of calorie-laden foods and beverages.

But here's the skinny: 10 tips from the National Restaurant Association to try when dining out: