The Fast-food Makeover Diet

Fast-food offers low-cost, convenient and quick meals when you are on-the-go. The occasional stop at your favorite fast-food restaurant may increase your calorie intake for the day but does not necessarily cause extreme harm. However, more people are eating fast-food frequently throughout the week, which can hinder your efforts at maintaining a healthy diet. It may be unrealistic to completely avoid fast-food but it is quite realistic to choose healthier meals, which are readily offered in some fast-food restaurants.

Choose Chicken

The crux of many fast-food chains is the variety of beef burgers you can get in your meal. The cut of beef, cooking method and accompaniments on your burger can induce a rapid increase in your daily consumption of fat, calories and sodium, all in one sandwich. Opt for the lower-fat alternative of the grilled chicken sandwich. Ask for light or no mayonnaise, skip the cheese and when available choose the wheat bun. The grilled chicken sandwich alternative contains 350 to 420 calories, verses the burger with 460 to 770 calories.

Skip The Fries

French fries, onion rings, fried tortilla chips with cheese and the like are tasty sides offered at many fast-food places, but the small portions of fries or onion rings can yield 230 to 310 calories while the large portions have 490 to 540 calories per serving. Tortilla chips, or nachos vary from 280 to 980 calories, depending on the toppings and portion size. Replace these high calorie and high sodium sides with a small side salad, a fruit bowl or apple slices, baked potato, corn or rice. The healthier alternatives yield 20 to 270 calories per serving.

Eat Salad As The Entree

Several servings of vegetables per day are important in your diet and fortunately most fast-food restaurants offer savory salad portions. Make salad your meal and choose varieties without meat or add grilled chicken instead of fried. Opt for lower-calorie dressings like vinaigrette and avoid adding croutons, bacon bits and extra cheese to the salad. A salad without added meat has 90 to 140 calories and a salad with grilled chicken yields 190 to 230 calories verses the fried chicken topping with 390 to 450 calories. If you choose a taco salad at fast-food places avoid eating the crispy shell to save 300 to 400 calories.

Drink Water

Save 300 to 800 calories in your meal by choosing a tall cup of water instead of soda, shakes, smoothies and full-fat lattes. The larger the beverage the more calories you consume; therefore, if you must have a soda, shake or smoothie choose the small portion, which yields 130 to 370 calories per serving.

Additional Healthier Alternatives

You may prefer a burger now and then or a fried fish sandwich; if this is the case you can eat half of the item and save the rest for later to reduce your calories. Some places offer deli sandwiches with turkey, ham, roast beef or chicken. Choose the small portion with a whole grain bun or wrap, such as wheat or rye. If you frequent buffet style fast-food restaurants choose a variety of vegetables and when possible skip the cheese, sour cream or guacamole.