Alarm bells should ring for anyone trying to watch nutrition when the words “Chocolate Trouble Tower Cake” appear on the menu.

Each selection in the 2010 X-Treme Eating Awards contest is a caloric nightmare.

Do read about each one of these amazing calorie-laden offerings. It is hard to understand that one plate can have thousands—not hundreds but thousands—of calories.

President Obama may not be heading over to Five Guys for a burger any time soon since Mrs. Obama has taken on childhood obesity. Five Guys racks up numbers that make the other big chain look better. Who knew that was possible?

Below, you can read about one winner. It easily could deceive even thoughtful eaters. It is the lamb entree at Outback’s.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest

Mary Had a Lotta Lamb

“A rack of tasty New Zealand lamb (cooked to order) with a rich Cabernet wine sauce,” says Outback’s menu. “Served with garlic mashed potatoes and fresh seasonal veggies.”

“That sounds downright sensible…until you look at the numbers. The lamb sans sides has 1,300 calories and 60 grams of saturated fat. Some of it comes from the butter in the wine sauce. The rest comes from the rack, which is equal to about eight lamb chops. Still sound sensible?

:Butter’s everywhere at Outback. It’s in the veggies (or they wouldn’t have 7 grams of sat fat) and it’s in the garlic mashed potatoes (13 grams). Salt shakers must be everywhere too. The lamb packs nearly a day’s worth of sodium (1,340 mg), and the mashed potatoes don’t have all that much less (1,060 mg).

“The total damage from the lamb-plus-sides: 1,820 calories, 80 grams of sat fat, and 2,600 mg of sodium. If you’re on a diet, consider Outback’s 16 oz. Prime Rib instead. With the same sides, it’s a steal at “only” 1,580 calories, 57 grams of sat fat, and 2,240 mg of sodium.”

Source: Center for Science in the Public Interest, May 25, 2010, X-Treme Eating Awards 2010