Eating healthy every day is sometimes unattainable. When life is really busy, it seems a drive thru is the only option, but if you know what to order to not break the calorie bank, you can eat quite healthy. St. John Healthy Lifestyles stopped by with healthy tips for dining out.
Eating protein at breakfast is highly beneficial:• Increase satiety (full feeling)
• Increase your ability for weight control
• Provide increased strength and energy for physical exercise
• Increase and improve your concentration
Breakfast tips:• Choose English muffin with no meats (egg and cheese) vs. biscuit, croissant or bagel
• Choose oatmeals that are low in sugar and carbs, like Starbucks perfect oatmeal: 140 kcal, 25 g carbs, 5 g protein, 2.5 g fat
• Fruit Parfaits:
o
Mcdonalds: 128 kcal, 24 carbs, 18 g sugar, 1.8 g fat, 3.7 g protein
o
Subway: 160 kcal, 2 g fat, 6 g pro, 30 g carbs, 24 g sugar
Lunch and dinner tips:
• Choose grilled option vs. fried; add a healthy side like side salad or fruit cup!
o Good example: Chick-Fil-A grilled chicken sandwich w/ fruit cup vs. burger and fries
• Pasta restaurant: soup and salad better choice vs. large, calorie-laden pasta dishes
• 550 calories or less menus are great options;
o Follow myPlate suggestion of 1/2 vegetables, ¼ meat, ¼ starch
• Ask for to-go box when food arrives
• Avoid complementary chips/rolls –packed with salt, fat, calories
Breakfast On-The-Go Ideas:
McDonalds: Egg McMuffin and coffee with splash of skim milk: 325 calories
Sonic: Jr. breakfast burrito and coffee with splash of skim milk: 365 calories
Dunkin Donuts: Egg and cheese on English muffin and caramel small coffee: 330 calories
Chick-fil-A: Yogurt parfait with granola and coffee with splash of skim milk: 325 calories
Starbucks: • Spinach, feta and egg white wrap and skinny latte: 400 calories (instead of the latte, try their brewed coffee and add your skim milk, it will save you 100 calories or go for some hot tea!)
• Any of Starbucks parfaits are 300 calories, add on your brewed coffee with a dash of milk and its about 325 calories!
• Turkey bacon and white cheddar classic breakfast sandwich = 350 calories
Lunch/dinner on-the-go ideas:
Sonic:• Grilled chicken wrap and apple slices: 425 calories
• Grilled chicken sandwich with apple slices: 435 calories
• 3 chicken strips with bbq and apple slices: 360 calories
• Jr. burger and small fries: 510 calories
• Jr. deluxe cheeseburger and apple slices: 455 calories
McDonalds:• Premium bacon ranch salad with grilled chicken (without dressing): 230 calories
• Jr. cheeseburger with side salad: 320 calories
• Honey mustard snack wrap with side salad: 270 calories;
Chick-Fil-A: • Char grilled chicken salad (without dressing): 180 calories
• Char grilled chicken sandwich with fruit cup (medium): 360 calories (very well balanced with the fruit!)
Qdoba (if you portion out your sour cream, guacamole and cheese, you will have more flexibility with your calories)
• Naked burrito with chicken, beans, lettuce, salsa, pico, sour cream and cheese: 455 calories
• Naked burrito with beans, lettuce, salsa, pico, sour cream, guacamole, and cheese: 505 calories
Wendy’s:• Small chili and side caesar salad: 460 calories (not sure if this includes dressing)
• Garden side salad and grilled chicken go wrap: 460 calories
On the Border (after looking at the menu you will be much better off ordering from the kids menu or ala carte, most meals are in the 1000 calorie range or higher!):
• 1 oz chips (140 calories), cup of chicken tortilla soup = 440 calories
• Kids enchiladas: 310 calories with side rice = 590 calories
• Crispy chicken taco: 260 calories with side Mexican rice = 540 calories
www.stjohnhealthclub.com
