Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2009

Photo by Julio Shiiki

Popular wisdom has it that convenience stores are the last place to go for lunch if you’re watching your waistline. But could you actually lose weight on a conbini diet? Spa! magazine asked some nutritionists (and, bizarrely, a bodybuilder) for advice…

Know your hidden carb bombs
That seemingly innocuous potato salad is actually laden with calories, while a McDonald’s hamburger isn’t as unhealthy as you might think

All onigiri aren’t created equal
The calorie content of foods like onigiri and nikuman varies wildly depending on which one you pick. For the former, choose ume or konbu over tuna mayo; for the latter, pizza-man

Fried food isn’t always bad
Fellas can get away with eating some fried food at lunchtime, but pick carefully: a skewer of karaage packs far fewer calories than a corn dog

Eat in the right order
You’ll feel full quicker if you do. Start off with some hot liquid—tea or a low-calorie soup—followed by vegetables or salad. Move on to some meat or fish, then finish with an onigiri or sushi roll