As I read all the great recipe submissions I feel a twinge of guilt because cooking isn’t my strongest area. I do not enjoy cooking, which is quite ironic since I thoroughly enjoy eating (lol). My idea of a great recipe is telling them what to add at Subway or dumping the granola on my Fruit and Yogurt Parfait! Just to venture a wild guess there may be others out there like me. Maybe you do like to cook but are on the go and need to know how to eat healthier on the run. So my recipe submission is more words of advice on letting someone else make it, than what to do in your kitchen!
Tip #1: Knowledge is POWER! How many times have we heard this? It not only applies to your career but your food choices as well. Some things in the world of fast food or dining out can be very deceiving. You need to arm yourself ahead of time and it will make your life less complicated when it comes to making smart choices. Most eateries these days have their nutrition information online so just make sure to use Google to look up your favorites. We can be creatures of habit, so if you have a few choice staples look them up and know what they are costing you calorie and fat intake-wise.
Let me give you an easy example. When I first started my lifestyle change I thought I was doing so fabulous because I would get a Caesar Side Salad at Wendy’s in the drive thru. I just could not figure out why the scale refused to budge. Turns out my seemingly healthy choice was packing 260 calories, 19 grams of fat, and 14 grams of carbs!! So not only was I still starving after I ate it, I was still not making a healthy choice!
This brings us to important tip #2 — the word salad does not equal healthy. Look up the info on your favorite salad so you know if it is causing you more harm than good because you may need to switch it! When eating at a restaurant, an easy choice for salad would be a side salad that is comprised of mainly veggies. If salsa is available it’s a smart option for a dressing. You can also find serving size pouches of fat-free dressings at a grocery store to keep in your purse. Just be aware of hidden sugars and calories. Read the label beyond the 0 fat part. Salsa also comes in to-go containers making it an easy salad topping as well.
Tip #3 is to indulge now and then. If you have a favorite, depriving yourself forever will only make you bitter and lead to binge eating. I allow myself an occasional Chik-Fil-A sandwich on a whole wheat bun with nothing but pickles. By the time you figure in the protein from the chicken and the fact that I passed on the fries, the enjoyment of the sandwich and the break from the everyday routine are well worth the extra workout time.
Tip #4 is a big one. Don’t skip breakfast! I know, I know, you are busy, you are in a hurry, etc. Get some healthy bars you can grab, Sara Lee makes a bread that is only 45 calories for two slices so you could have toast. Get the most out of your meals by eating breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper. Try to have dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime. If that is not possible eat very light — like a yogurt! McDonald’s actually has a Fruit and Yogurt Parfait that is not bad at all.
Last but not least, tip #5: water is your friend in health. Drink lots of it. A “green” way to go about it is to keep a large jug in your trunk that you refill at home. In my area most gas stations will let you have free ice for your personal water bottle if it is a reasonable size (mine is 24 oz.) and you bring it in to fill instead of using their cups. This cuts down on plastic water bottles and Styrofoam or plastic cups so it’s a win-win.
To close my “recipe” advice I will leave you with some of my fast and easy favorites:
McDonalds Fruit and Yogurt Parfait — 160 cal; 2g fat; 31 carbs; 1g fiber
Burger King Apple Fries (no dip) — 25 cal; 0g fat; 6g carbs; 1g fiber
Burger King Side Salad (no dressing) — 10 cal; 0g fat; 2 carbs; 1g fiber
Taco Bell Fresco Menu — these would be an indulgence that is not as bad as other things! All under 9g of fat.
Applebee’s has an AWESOME weight watcher section in their menu!
Now that you have a little more knowledge, I hope you feel you have the power to eat more healthy on the run! If you have good fast good or eating out suggestions, share them with us in the Feedback section.
— Holly
Print | posted on Friday, September 19, 2008 9:13 AM