Fast Food Dining - Are There Healthy Choices?


So we are trying to lose weight. Most of us start out casually. Trying to watch what we eat but not to the point of calorie counting (for the most part) or fasting. Just trying to maintain or lose a little without having to completely change our lives. So through the week we pick yogurt or oatmeal over a sausage egg and cheese mcgrittle. We decide it isn't too dorky to pack our lunch and take a chicken sandwich with a fruit cup instead of that whopper with cheese and fries.
But it gets old telling our co-workers and friends that we can't eat with them because of our desire to eat healthier. This can spiral into friends feeling rejected or co-workers avoiding you because you're not sociable. Not your intention at all so what do you do?
We think the best solution is to quit your job, move to a deserted island and live off of coconuts for the rest of your days. This weight loss program has a 100% success rate. For those that survive the natives of course. What? OK this might not be the "best" solution but it is one. Another is to find a happy medium. One that you, and those around you, can live with and you still are able to shed some pounds along the way. So one of many alternatives is to go eat with those that wish to spend time with you. Just do it smart. Don't pick what to eat with your taste buds but with your brain. I know it sucks, but to get one you have to give up the other. Not all the healthy stuff tastes bad. Just not as good sometimes as the loaded bacon cheddar deluxe or the Hershey's chocolate pie.
So what are the "healthy" choices from the leading fast food "restaurants" - let's start with some basic guidelines then move to specific restaurants.
  • Avoid fried foods - When you add heat to something you cause a chemical change. Frying food not only changes the properties of the food but it also fries out all of the good stuff. When you fry the food in oil or lard you're filling it with an insoluble grease (saturated fat and trans fat that can be found in grease, butter, oil, lard) which cannot be broken down through digestion and are instead stored in cells throughout your body like in your gut, on your thighs or around your heart.

Which is worse? French fries or onion rings?
French fries: 360 cals, 20g fat
Onion rings: 300 cals, 15g fat
  • Pick Grilled Items - Grilling the food kills any bacteria that the Food had and doesn't add any unhealthy bits along the way.

  • Which Sauces - A lot of condiments are bad for you and add calories, but some are good.

Ketchup - Bad - most contain high fructose corn syrup Which have high levels of reactive carbonyls which are linked with cell and tissue damage that leads to diabetes. 15 calories and 0 grams fat per serving
Mustard - Good - has digestive, laxative, antiseptic, and circulative stimulant properties. 0 calories and 0 grams fat per serving
Mayonnaise - Neutral - Composed of vegetable oils mostly unsaturated ("good") fat. In moderation, mayonnaise is fine to eat. 100 calories and 11 grams of fat per serving.
  • No Desert - Unless you consider a fruit cup desert then go for it.

  • Drink water - An average soda has 300 cals and a small milkshake is 420. That is a meal in itself. Water has no calories. So if you take the square root of pie squared and multiply that times two you can see how 0 is better than 300 or 420.
Here is a list of some of the available items from some popular fast food restaurants. If a restaurant isn't listed here just use the guidelines above and use portion control.
McDonalds -
  • Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad - 220 cal
  • McDonald's Chicken McNuggets with Sweet 'N Sour Sauce - 220 cal
  • McDonald's Hamburger - 260 cal
  • McDonald's Egg McMuffin - 300 cal
Wendy's -
  • Mandarin Chicken Salad or Spring Mix Salad - 170 cal
  • The Classic Single - 210 cal
  • Chicken BLT salad - 330 cal
  • Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich - 360 cal
Subway -
  • 6" Ham (Black Forest, without cheese) 290 cal
  • 6" Roast Beef 310 cal
  • 6" Oven Roasted Chicken 320 cal
  • 6" Subway Club® 320 cal
Burger King -
  • Whopper Jr. 290 cal
  • Tendergrill Chicken Filet salad 300 cal
  • Four-piece Crown-shaped chicken tenders 180 cal
  • Ham Omelet Sandwich 290 cal
Taco Bell -
  • Fresco/regular Style Chicken Ranchero Taco 170 cal
  • Crunchy Tacos (2) Fresco Style 300 cal
  • Chicken Fiesta Burrito 330 cal
  • Express Taco Salad 500 cal
KFC -
  • Roasted Caesar Salad without Dressing 190 cal
  • Grilled Chicken Breast 180 cal
  • Original Recipe Chicken Breast without skin 140 cal
  • Tender Roast® Sandwich 300 cal
Pizza Hut -
  • 2 slices 12" Fit n' Delicious 300 cal
  • 1 slice 12" Mia cheese or all pepperoni 200 cal
  • 1 slice 12" Medium Thin 'N Crispy® Pizza 190 cal
  • 1 slice 12" Medium Hand-Tossed Style supreme 260 cal
Long John Silvers -
  • Grilled Pacific Salmon 150 cal
  • Shrimp Scampi 200 cal
  • Baked Cod 120 cal
  • Grilled Tilapia 110 cal
Quiznos -
  • Honey Bourbon Chicken Sub (small) 310 cal
  • The Traditional Sub w/ reduced fat Ranch (small) 360 cal
  • Turkey Ranch & Swiss Sub w/ reduced fat Ranch (small) 340 cal
  • Tuscan Turkey on Rosemary Parmesan Sub (small) 440 cal
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