Fast Food and Weight Loss

Fast food is almost never a good choice – but sometimes it’s your only choice. Your best option will always be to meal plan so that you don’t end up needing to grab fast food, but we understand that may not always be possible. If your job often takes you on the road, or you work full time in addition to trying to take care of your family, it can be difficult.

Don’t make assumptions

When you do have to choose fast food, it’s important to still watch your calories and choose as healthy of an option as you can. Most fast food restaurants will have their calorie counts posted online. Always check when you can! Don’t assume that because something seems like the healthy choice that it is.

For example, many people assume that a chicken sandwich is going to be lower in calories than a hamburger, but many of the chicken sandwiches on the list below are much higher in calories than the hamburgers. And even though something like a salad may be a healthier option in terms of vitamins and minerals, that doesn’t mean that it’s low-calorie.

Download the list below to compare some of the most popular fast food items from various chains.

Quick Reference: Fast Food – Nutritional Values in Calories

Sandwiches: Just because it sounds healthier, doesn’t mean it is. Some chicken sandwiches are less calories than burgers, but some are a lot more! Grilled chicken is always a healthier choice than fried chicken.

Sides: With fast food, most sides are going to add empty calories. If fruit is an option, it’s going to be much lower in calories (and healthier) than potatoes, fried foods or baked goods. If you can, skip sides entirely.

Salads: Salads aren’t always the best option, but they can be. Depending on the salad, you could be eating double the calories of a sandwich. Grilled Chicken is always a better option than fried, but choosing low calorie dressing is generally what makes the difference for salads.