Posted on: Thursday, April 5, 2007
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GENERAL FIT TIPS
Say no to mayo, tartar sauce, creamy dressings and extra cheese. Use mustard, ketchup, salt, pepper or vinegar as fat-free ways to season your food. In salads, watch the nuts, croutons and other add-ons. Chicken and fish can be good choices — but ONLY if they are grilled or broiled. Instead of cheese, opt for lettuce, tomato and onion. Removing just one slice of cheese can save you about 100 calories. Order a salad or a broth-based soup to enjoy before your main meal. Either one will help to fill you up for few calories. Go to the Net. Almost every fast-food restaurant has nutrition information online. Watch the weight. Check the serving size and look at the grams to compare the weight with that of other foods you normally eat. If you get more for less, that's a Calorie Bargain.
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We blame fast food for many of our fat woes, and while much of it is high in calories, fat, carbs and sodium, there are a few healthier selections. Here are "better" choices you can make.
MCDONALD'S
Premium grilled chicken classic sandwich (without mayonnaise): 370 calories, 4.5 g fat, 50 g carbs, 32 g protein;
Bacon ranch salad with grilled chicken (before dressing): 260 calories, 9 g fat, 12 g carbs, 33 g protein;
Caesar salad with grilled chicken (before dressing): 220 calories, 6 g fat, 12 g carbs, 30 g protein.
Fit tip: Always choose grilled over crispy chicken, and hold the mayo. Newman's Own Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette is the best dressing at 40 calories for 2 ounces, while Newman's Own Ranch dressing has a whopping 170 calories and Newman's Own Creamy Caesar dressing has 190.
BURGER KING
Tendergrill chicken sandwich (without sauce): 400 calories, 7 g fat, 49 g carbs, 36 g protein. With the sauce it's 450 calories, 10 g fat, 53 g carbs, 37 g protein. If you get the Tendergrill without any bread or sauce, just plain chicken, it's only 150 calories.
BK Veggie Burger (without mayonnaise): 340 calories, 8 g fat, 46 g carbs, 23 g protein. (Add another 80 calories if you want the mayo.)
Angus Steak Burger — low-carb — without the bun, mayo or sauce: 270 calories, 18 g fat, 3 g carbs, 24 g protein.
Fit tip: Anything low-carb that comes without mayo, ketchup or a bun will save you a bundle of calories. For a list of carb counts, see www .bk.com. Even a Whopper with just the patty, pickles, onions, tomatoes, lettuce and ketchup is only 255 calories.
WENDY'S
Ultimate chicken grill sandwich: 370 calories, 8 g fat, 44 g carbs, 33 g protein
Two quarter-pound classic singles without buns and nothing on them except ketchup: 430 calories, 28 g fat, 4 g carbs, 38 g protein
Mandarin chicken salad with almonds (no noodles) and fat-free French dressing instead of sesame dressing: 380 calories, 13 g fat, 41 g carbs, 28 g protein. Get the salad without almonds and save another 130 calories.
Fit tip: Get two Ultimate Chicken Grill Fillets without bread for a total of only 260 calories. If you add ketchup, it's another 15. Eight slices (about 6 ounces) of roasted turkey breast are only 160 calories.
SUBWAY
6-inch Veggie Delite Sandwich: 230 calories, 3 g fat, 44 g carbs, 9 g protein
6-inch Turkey Breast Sandwich: 280 calories, 4.5 g fat, 46 g carbs, 18 g protein
Minestrone Soup (10-ounce bowl): 80 calories, 1 g fat, 15 g carbs, 4 g protein.
Fit tip: Order your sandwich without mayo or special sauces. Opt for vinegar or mustard instead. If you want a bag of chips, choose Baked Lays. And if you're really hungry, ask for a double-meat six-inch sub: roast beef (360 calories), turkey (330 calories) or ham (350 calories). The soups are also low in calories. Subway has a great program called FreshFit: Pick a sandwich with fewer than 6 grams of fat and get a choice of baked chips, apple slices or raisins and, for a beverage, 1 percent milk, water or diet soda.
TACO BELL
Two fresco-style Ranchero chicken soft tacos: 340 calories, 8 g fat, 44 g carbs, 24 g protein
Fresco burrito supreme (chicken): 350 calories, 8 g fat, 50 g carbs, 19 g protein
Fresco style grilled steak soft taco with fresco style Mexican rice: 320 calories, 9 g fat, 47 g carbs, 13 g protein.
Fit tip: Order everything "Fresco style" — with salsa and without cheese or sauce. The "Fresco style" burrito supremes and Enchiritos are pretty good. The regular Gordita and Chalupa are not too high in calories either, but are smaller.
JACK IN THE BOX
Asian chicken salad (no wonton strips) with almonds and low-fat balsamic dressing: 290 calories, 12 g fat, 25 g carbs, 19 g protein
Chicken fajita pita with salsa: 305 calories, 10 g fat, 32 g carbs, 23 g protein
Chicken sandwich (without mayo-onion sauce), a side salad (hold the croutons) and low-fat balsamic dressing: 410 calories, 16 g fat, 48 g carbs, 18 g protein.
Fit tip: The plain hamburger is 300 calories, which is not bad, but the specialty burgers can be more than 1,000.
KFC
Tender roast sandwich (without sauce): 300 calories, 4.5 g fat, 28 g carbs, 37 g protein
Roasted Caesar salad (without dressing or croutons): 220 calories, 8 g fat, 6 g carbs, 30 g protein
Roasted BLT salad (without dressing): 200 calories, 6 g fat, 8 g carbs, 29 g protein.
Fit tip: If you take the skin and breading off the original recipe chicken breast, you'll save 190 calories and 13.5g fat! And if you want a side, choose green beans (50 calories) or a large corn on the cob (150 calories). For salad dressing, use the Hidden Valley Original Ranch Fat Free Dressing — it's only 35 calories — or the Hidden Valley Golden Italian Light Dressing, which is 45 calories.
Charles Stuart Platkin is a nutrition and public-health advocate, and author of "Breaking the FAT Pattern" (Plume, 2006). Sign up for the free Diet Detective newsletter at www.dietdetective.com.
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