Many Americans don’t like to cook, nor do they have the time. Yet, weight loss still remains a priority. How can these lifestyles be synonymous? Many fast food places are now giving healthier options or low calorie menus, which may fit into your healthy diet.
Taco Bell has added some healthier options to its menu for those on a weight loss diet.
Taco Bell’s Fresco menu offers seven different low fat items, including tacos and burritos, all under 9 grams of fat. This is a large improvement from their average burrito which has 30 grams of fat. Taco Bell isn’t the only fast food joint jumping on the bandwagon.
Dunkin Donuts now offers low calorie egg white sandwiches. Quizno’s offers a 500-calorie-and-under menu, and Starbucks has their fair share of low calorie sandwiches too. McDonalds launched their “Go Active! Happy Meal for Adults,” complete with pedometer in 2004, but now promotes a healthy lifestyle with options like the grilled chicken sandwich.
Subway has been popular for years with dieters for its many low-fat menu options.
Subway has been marketing to the health conscious for over ten years now. They claim that most of their sandwiches are low calorie, when in reality the fattening condiments they offer can ruin the calorie count with one squirt! Jared Fogle lost almost 250 pounds eating Subway for lunch and dinner, and sticking to the 230-380 Fresh Fit Subs. This marketing campaign has been very successful, but leaves the consumer to fall through the holes of successful weight loss.
Experts have conflicting opinions on the fast food health bandwagon. Some say that it is not the fast food consumption itself that is the evil, but more so the overabundance of calories. They point out that when deciding on fast food, you can chose the good, the bad and the ugly. But their point is that you can choose. Others point out the ridiculous amounts of sodium in fast food. One burrito is over half of the sodium that one should have in a day! This might not be bad on the weight gain front, but can increase ones chances for heart disease and stroke, which can also result from obesity.
So is the fast food diet a good one? If you are not willing to cook, then cutting calories at the drive through window is definitely something to consider. In reference to overall health, definitely choose cooking over eating out in any circumstance.
Written by Amanda Yazbek, Nutritionist at Camp Shane weight loss camp for children.
Tags: health conscious, healthy diet, healthy lifestyle, low fat, low-calorie, obesity, successful weight loss, weight gain, weight loss, weight loss camp for children
Excellent post. I’m wondering what you think about the new things that some people are doing. I have always believed try traditional methods of weight loss. Are you aware of any complications associate with those programs? Thanks for any feedback you may have.
I finally stopped eating fast food. I realized I was spending too much money on this crap. Also I knew back in my mind that this crap is just not good for me. I noticed my protruding belly in the mirror every morning after getting out of the shower. I finally realized that this has to stop. I was never over weight as a kid and I should not be now. Staying fit comes down to will power. Also when one really wants to change themselves they just need to put their minds to it and change will happen. Deciding how to live your life is up to you. Understanding that these huge corporations care less about your health and only about making their pockets fat helps with seeing that buying fast food is a scam. Get what I’m saying? Quit making their pockets large and your belly large.