If you find yourself in line at a take-out window or fast-food counter more often than you find yourself in the kitchen, you could be one of the millions who eat most meals on the run. Although it is not the ideal way to eat healthfully, you can eat fast food and maintain or lose weight. Success comes down to eating fewer calories than you are using up, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state. Fast food is often high in calories, so the trick to eating fast food and losing weight is making wise choices and limiting how much you eat.
Step 1
Eat less of everything. Skip the combination meals and order only one item. Combo meals add calories you do not need. If you must have fries, consider splitting them with a friend. Leave two or three bites of the food that you ordered. Over time, those uneaten calories add up.
Step 2
Avoid the extras. Order your burger without mayonnaise or sauce, skip the dipping sauce for nuggets and use no more than half of the salad dressing provided. Skip the cheese, bacon or bacon bits, or eat only half of what is provided. The key is to moderate rather than eliminate foods, according to the American Dietetic Association.
Step 3
Choose food wisely. Pick the least fatty, most nutritious preparation of the food, such as grilled chicken instead of fried chicken. Choose whole-wheat buns, whole-wheat pasta or brown rice. Pick salmon over white fish. Choose vegetables instead of fries for a side dish.
Step 4
Drink water or milk instead of sugary soda or fruit juice. This way, you can control your calories, and you get the health benefits afforded by water or milk.
Step 5
Exercise to burn more calories, which will help balance fast-food indulgences. You need at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise most days of the week, the American Dietetic Association recommends.
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