What Does A Doctor Order At A Fast Food Restaurant?

Going on a diet, or at least watching your calories, doesn't necessarily mean you have to stay away from fast food restaurants. It all depends on what you order when you go to one.

And let's face it, in a busy life it's sometimes hard to avoid fast food. Often, you don't have the time to plan, prepare and consume three low-calorie, nutritious meals a day.

“The average American consumes close to 50 percent of his or her meals outside of the home and fast-food restaurants are abundant,” said Dr. Jessica Bartfield, an internist who specializes in nutrition and weight management at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, part of Loyola University Health System. “By following a few rules, you can keep any fast food meal in calorie check.”

Closet fast food fan

It turns out Bartfield might not be typical of others in her profession. She admits to liking fast food restaurants. By looking over her shoulder, and watching what she orders, dieters might get some solid tips on eating out and not packing on the pounds.

Bartfield says she likes sandwich shops that allow customers to load up on vegetable toppings, which adds nutritional value, and also pass on higher-calorie ingredients like cheese and dressings.

“I am also a fan of fast-food places that offer soup or even chili as soup can be a terrific option, particularly ones loaded with veggies, lean meats and beans,” she said. “Be careful to avoid the cream- or cheese-based soups and beware the bread bowl, which can increase the calories by up to 1,000.”

Bartfield listed for us her top five fast food tips:

1. Select grilled rather than fried. A fast-food grilled chicken sandwich has 470 calories and 18 grams of fat while the fried version has 750 calories and 45 grams of fat.
2. Hold off on cheese, mayonnaise and salad dressings unless low-fat options are available. Cheese can add an additional 100 calories or more per serving, as does mayonnaise and, often, you won’t miss the taste when ordering the plainer versions.
3. Order the smallest size available. Go for the single burger rather than the double and for the small fry rather than bonus-size.
4. Skip sugar-sweetened drinks, which are usually absent in nutritional value and don’t make you feel more satisfied. These calories quickly add up leading to excessive calorie consumption, especially at restaurants offering free refills on drinks.
5. Save half of your order for your next meal. You save calories, save time and also save money.