Because there are not too many fast food restaurants that offer that many healthy choices on their menus, it seems like we are always stuck eating somewhere fast and unhealthy because we have not planned well enough and ran out of time. So since it is almost inevitable, how do we make the most out of a fast food meal without putting on the pounds?

The great thing is that many fast food restaurant chains are now required to post calorie information on their menu boards. This now makes it much easier for you to make a better decision of what you can and should order when on the run. Something to think about when ordering food is to be aware of the number of calories that are in salad dressings, cheese and sour cream.

Although you may be thinking you are eating healthy while ordering a salad, you actually may not be because of the calories from those small additions. When you order a grilled chicken sandwich, order it without the mayonnaise. Restaurants have become much more conscious of menu alternatives like salads with low calorie or fat free dressings.

If you don not see these items, ask. They are often times available, just not displayed with the unhealthier choices.

A few general guidelines that may be helpful when eating on the go are:

1. Stick to the lighter menu options. Restaurants are offering more healthy choices on their menus. You must find the ones that you should be ordering to maintain a nutritional lifestyle. Healthy fast food eating is dependent on you understanding what is in the fast food items and making the right choice.

2. Understand the portion sizes. Most value sized combo meals are well over 1,000 calories. This is way too many calories for your body to burn through without leaving some to be absorbed as FAT. If they do not offer smaller portion sizes, ask for a takeout bag and eat it another day for another meal. I do this most every time that I eat out, even at the healthier restaurants. It is very important to control how much goes into your body every meal. Just because food may be healthy does not mean you can still eat twice as much as your body needs, you will not be able to absorb it all or burn through it, and that means it has to go somewhere, your fat cells.

3. Order Food To Go. Research has shown that humans are more likely to eat more when they are eating out. So what does that mean? Avoid the situation to where you are likely to overindulge.

Even though it seems impossible, eating fast food in a healthy way is possible. You just need to pay more attention to the healthier options that these restaurants now provide you on their menus. This may be extremely difficult in the beginning because of the habits you have formed, but the payoff to your health is worth it.

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