Don't Make Mistakes Eating on the Run

When you eat on the run, don’t let your body run to fat! Even though fast food companies are much more concerned about their bottom line than your spreading bottom, you can still eat fast and eat healthy if you follow a few simple rules on what not to eat.

Don’t make these mistakes:

• Value meals. Value meals give you a financial incentive to overeat. Be more concerned about the size of your waist than the size of your wallet, and pick and choose the healthiest items on the menu.

• Signature menu items. A Burger King Triple Whopper Sandwich with Cheese is a scale-bursting 1230 calories with a whopping 82 grams of fat. (Now you know why they really call it Whopper!) A large order of fries adds another 600 calories and 33 grams of fat. Burger King’s Original Whopper Jr. without mayo has only 260 calories and 10 grams of fat.

• Fried and breaded items. These include french fries, chicken nuggets, and onion rings. All are loaded with calories and fat. Instead of fries, choose a baked potato topped with veggies.

• High calorie add-ons such as salad dressings, sour cream, cheese, special sauces, etc. Sometimes avoiding condiments will be the difference between a good choice and an artery-clogging, heart-attack-on-a-plastic-tray one. Each slice of cheese adds about a hundred calories and several grams of fat.

• 32-ounce drinks. Big soft drinks contain a big 310 calories. Choose water or low-fat milk instead. (Slurp it noisily through a straw if it makes you feel better.)

For a healthy, satisfying meal on the run, always think smaller, grilled, and green. And whenever possible, go low-fat and whole wheat. Use these additional tips to eat fast and healthy:

• Order the smallest burger. Sometimes you’ve just gotta have a burger. A Wendy’s Jr. weighs in at only 230 calories with 8 grams of fat, and a McDonald’s hamburger has 265 calories and contains 10 grams of fat.

• Opt for whole wheat and veggies. A Subway 6” roast beef sub on whole wheat bread with veggies and no sauce is only 290 calories and 5 grams of fat.

• Order grilled chicken or fish in sandwiches, and grilled chicken on salads. McDonald’s Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad only has 220 calories and 7 grams of fat without dressing.

• Skip sauces and dressings or order low-fat versions. Replace Newman’s Own Ranch dressing at 170 calories and 15 grams of fat with Newman’s Own Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette at 40 calories and 3 grams of fat.

• Think green. If ordering a burger, replace french fries with a green salad. Skip the dressing or choose low-fat. Wendy’s Caesar Side Salad with no croutons and no dressing only has 70 calories and 4 grams of fat. Subway’s Veggie De-lite sub contains only 230 calories and 3 grams of fat.