If you are trying to eat healthy to lose weight, one of the first things to remove from your diet is all fast food. The majority of the menu is unhealthy, and yet it is tempting enough that it can be difficult to opt for the few healthy items available. Because of this, it is often best to completely avoid these types of restaurants while trying to lose weight. However, there are some occasions when a fast food restaurant is the order of the day – due to lack of funds or time for a healthier option or for any other reason. But visiting a fast food restaurant on occasion doesn’t have to be detrimental to your weight loss efforts. Read on to learn a few tips for eating fast food without ruining your diet plan completely.
Order at least one healthy item – Of course it is best to order only healthy foods from fast food restaurants, but there may be that one food item at a certain restaurant that you simply can’t say no to. If you are a french fry lover, get a small order and pair it with a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a burger. Or if you can’t resist a hamburger, pair it with a small salad or a cup of fruit (most fast food chains now offer these).
Think small – since the key to losing weight is often eating in moderation, simply order smaller servings of those foods you can’t resist at a fast food restaurant. The best way to keep yourself from getting a larger size is to only allow yourself to order from the value menu or order a kid’s meal. These will both have much smaller serving sizes, allowing you to indulge a little and stay on track to lose weight.
Drink water – By ordering water, you save yourself the unnecessary calories of a soda. Not only that, but by choosing water instead of a diet soda you will be contributing to your daily water intake (a bonus is that water is often free at fast food restaurants, saving you money).
Limit the extras – Have to have that burger? Skip the cheese. Craving chicken nuggets? eat them without sauce, which can provide many extra calories. Even skipping condiments on burgers and sandwiches can save upwards of 100 calories.
Visit your least favorite restaurant – If you have to dine at a fast food restaurant with others, opt for one in which you don’t care for the food. If you don’t like most of their regular menu items, you are more likely to browse the healthy menu and potentially order something that can help keep you on track for weight loss. It may also lead you to order something very small just to hold you over until you can get home and eat a healthy food item.
Thanks for reading our blog! Visit us today at ThinSlim Foods to stock up on great low carb, low calorie snacks! Keep them in your car for whenever hunger strikes to avoid the temptation of a quick stop at a fast food restaurant!