Healthy Fast Food Tips

New York City conducted a study last year that found 30% of New Yorkers were consuming over 1,000 calories at lunchtime. No wonder obesity and diabetes are on the rise!

In an attempt to fight this growing epidemic, the city of New York (home of my Alma Matter NYU!) now requires that chain restaurants list calorie counts on the menus. The fast food CEOs don’t like this one bit of course and were fighting it in court until recently.

Many diners are now shocked to discover that a Big Mac and fries comes to over 1,000 calories. Add a shake and it can come to over 2,000 which is the entire typical daily allowance recommended for the average person.

If you eat in a lot of fast food or chain restaurants you are probably consuming far more calories than you realize. An easy way to cut down is simply to stop patronizing these sorts of restaurants. But if this “Just Say No” approach isn’t an option, here are 5 things you can do to limit your caloric intake when eating at a fast food joint:

5 Healthy Fast Food Tips

1. Don’t go for the combo. Just order the main portion of your meal and skip the fries.

2. Have water instead of a soft drink. People forget that drinks have calories too. That’s why you must track your liquids when you fill out your food diary.

3. Have a salad instead of a sandwich. Skip all the bread and just have your chicken on a bed of lettuce. Oh, and go easy on the dressing too!

4. Just have a splash of vinegar on your salad instead of one of those sugary prepackaged dressings. It might taste a little weird at first, but you’ll get used to it. This is what I do myself.

5. Be mentally “present” when you eat. As I mention in my book The Weight Loss Hypnosis Solution, as you become more conscious and aware of every bite you will be more satisfied with less food.

The best intentions can be easily obscured by mindlessly eating whatever is on your plate. It’s often the little, overlooked things like soft drinks or dressings that can make the difference between gaining or losing weight.

NOTE: Comments are now closed. Here is what was submitted…

RANJIT GOELA

Excellent tips. You are great person & a great resource. I have met you twice.. both times on Cruises. Keep doing the excellent work while making a respectable living.

PattiNYC

I agree about the being present part the most. One of my main problems is powering through everything I eat and being the first one finished. I am trying to learn to savor every bite instead of wanting more because it’s already gone… 

Divya

i think avoiding fries and cheese in your fast food and having more of veggies is a great way of reducing calories in your fast food.

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