Ok, I’m trying to get into shape. I’m cutting out all sweets, fatty foods, fried food, fast food, etc… So my question is quite simple…
…let’s say I’m in town, hungry, and wanting to grab a bite to eat. Just what choice do I have? Are there any foods at any of these fast food joints that would be allowed? Like, the Light Roasted Turkey sandwhich at Arby’s, or how about stuff at Sub-Way?
What exactly can I do in this situation? I know it’s something simple, but I have no clue. So come on, what “fast food” is actually looked at as good for you, if any, and if there isn’t any, just what CAN you do in my situation?
Take fruit with you and maybe a granola bar. That will help for at least one meal a day. I’m soon to be travelling extensively for work and will be facing the problem myself.
I used to travel a lot and I found that it’s all too easy to neglect your diet; rather than spending my subsistence budget in a restaurant, I used to try to shop for fruit, bread, maybe a little bit of cheese, then have a picnic.
As Mangetout says (betraying the inaccuracy of his name) - don’t go into places that serve food ready to eat. Go to a supermarket or deli. Grab a small single piece of bread (a wholemeal roll, say), a piece of fruit (an apple. say), and grab some beans, bean shoots, olives, etc from the salad bar. Or just grab a carrot. A little cup of plain yogurt would be good, too. And a bit of cheese or ham as seasoning.
The pain is, it will probably cost a bit more (in $ and time) than a “fat and refined starch with 32 oz of sugar in water” deal from some fast food dump.
Actually, depending on the area of the country and what you might ordinarily buy at a fast-food joint (the 99 cent special or the $4.99 salad), it might cost less.
Hemlock has the right idea; I used to eat that way when I couldn’t bring my lunch from home. I’d buy a tomato, cucumber, or a handful of bean sprouts to munch on, too, if I were you.
I have been on Atkins for many years so it’s a little different situation. My food choices on the run are usually not a problem ( the actuall foods arn’t important as you are going on a low fat diet) but it but it did take some time to figure everything out.
The 1st thing you must do it determine is the diet a long term lifestile change or a short term loose some weight then go back to your old habits (and most likely gain it back ).
If it is the 2nd then I would not worry too much about it as it does take time and as I pointed out it will most likely fail in the long run anyway.
If you are commited to a lifestile change then you have to find out what components are against you diet. Most likely anything fryed is out and burgers have too much fat. what is left? - most places have a grilled chicken sandwich Also one of my favorites chicken ceaser salid. For drinks you can go with water, diet coke, unsweetened iced tea, selter water (usually free).
Even on a low fat diet, I would personally try to stay away from any sandwiches that are basically a big loaf of bread with a little meat on it.
I’ve found you can eat well at Fast Food. The problem is that the choices are limited, and usually a bit bland. But you can do it.
Subway offers 6-8 sandwiches that are low-cal. Note the small print; the sandwiches they offer must be ordered without cheese and without any special dressings or mayo.
Most other fast food places have salads, grilled chicken sandwiches, or other low-cal options. Remember to order everything without cheese, mayo, and dressing - these things really add up. McDonald’s has a yogurt and fruit parfait that’s quite good, and makes a nice light lunch.
If you do order salad, either go with the light dressing or go with very little of the standard dressing. If you’re like me and don’t like most light dressing, try Newman’s Own Lite Italian. This is the best ‘light’ dressing I could find - it’s almost like the real stuff!
I’ve done the Subway low-fat sandwich option and recommend it. If I’m at a fast food place, I’ll usually order a grilled chicken sandwich, no mayo, and put bbq sauce on it. The real difficult thing for me is to not get fries with it.
If I’m on extended travel, I’ll try to find a hotel room with a fridge in it. This lets me stock up on groceries so I don’t get trapped into going to a fast food place.
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