The Fast Food Option

Wednesday, October 24, 2007.

By Nutrition Team

You’re not happy with your body and you know you want to lose weight. You know that you will be healthier and happier if you lose the extra pounds that have been stopping you buying a new swim suit!

But your life is busy and you can’t even contemplate the idea of the deprivation that comes with “going on a diet!” You eat out a couple of times a week. Your kids want you to take them to McDonald’s at the weekend. You like a take-away on a Friday night, going for coffee on Saturday afternoon and enjoying brunch on a Sunday.

What you want is the best of both worlds – you want to eat fast food and still lose weight!

So chew on this. You can eat fast food and still lose weight. While no one would recommend that you to eat fast food for every meal, every day, a once-in-a-while pit stop can remain part of your healthy diet... if you make the right choices.

The key to a life-long healthy diet is to know how to make healthy choices wherever you are… and then make those choices! It’s all very well knowing that you should hold the mayo or down-size but you have to follow through and DO IT!

So, what are the best choices through those Golden Arches? What’s prêt a porter at Prêt a Manger? Do you have to chicken out at KFC? Here are the best fast food choices around:

KFC
Option 1 Chicken fillet, without skin or breading (140 cals and 3g fat) with Corn on the Cob (150 cals and 1.5g fat): 290 calories and 4.5g fat
Option 2 Chicken Fillet Burger: 220 cals and 9g fat
Option 3 Zinger burger: 240 cals and 10.5g fat

McDonalds
Option 1 Tuna, Chicken or Feta Pasta Salad: 240-270 cals and 6-10g fat
Option 2 Hamburger (250 cals and 8g fat) with Fruit Bag (43 cals and 0.1g fat): 293 calories and 8.1g fat
Option 3 Fish finger or 4 Chicken Nuggets (around 165 cals and 7-10g fat) with a regular orange juice (97 cals and 0 fat):259 calories and up to 10g fat.

Burger King
Option 1 Chicken Whopper ‘Lite’: 290 cals and 7.5g fat
Option 2 Thousand Island or Caesar Salad: 250-270 calories but hold the dressing! The fat content is 25 or 21g respectively!
Option 3 Hamburger (290 cals and 11g fat) with orange juice (90 cals and no fat): 380 cals and 11g fat.

Pizza Hut
Option 1 The Edge, The Works: 110 cals and 6g fat per square
Option 2 The Edge, Veggie Lover: 70 cals and 3g fat per square
Option 3 Thin and Crispy with Ham: 170 cals and 7g of fat per slice.

Pizza Express
Sloppy Giuseppe, ½ Pizza: 310 cals and 5.4g fat .

Domino’s Pizza
Option 1 Cheese and Tomato 9.5”: 126 cals and 3g fat per slice
Option 2 Tandoori Hot 9.5”: 138 cals and 3.5g fat per slice
Option 3 Veg-a-Roma, 9.5”: 139 cals and 3.8g fat .

Pret a Manger
Sandwich
Option 1 Smoked Salmon: 370 cals and 14g fat
Option 2 Kids Ham Sandwich: 370 cals and 16g fat
Option 3 Spicy Aubergine and Soft Cheese: 319 cals and 7g fat.

Wraps and Baguettes
Option 1 Chicken Salad Wrap: 285 cals and 9g fat
Option 2 Egg and Tomato Breakfast baguette: 280 cals and 12g fat
Option 3 Salmon and Egg Baguette: 350 cals and 16g fat.