“Fast food” doesn’t really come to mind when you think “healthy” and “weight loss,” but sometimes you just don’t have a choice. The good news is that there’s almost always something you can find that’s high Protein and low calorie. The bad news is that sometimes that’s not what you order, especially if you get flustered. It’s easy to think you’re ordering well only to realize that Caesar salad you ordered had over 1,000 calories.

In general, I usually look for a side salad with some sort of light dressing, and see if there’s some way I can get grilled chicken either as part of a sandwich or on its own. Some places have fruit or carrots now, too, so I’m usually pretty confident when ordering.

I like Subway salads, either with cheese or grilled chicken breast, and with one of their light dressings. McDonald’s is always a pleasant surprise because they have such a bad reputation but have a lot of good options, from egg white McMuffins to salads and apple slices to grilled chicken choices. Taco Bell Power Bowls can be good, too, as long as you skip the chips and sour cream.

So, just to help each other out, what are some of your fast food faves? What do you get at the major chains like McDonald’s and Taco Bell? Where do you head when you’re at the mall food court with your friends or family? What’s on your menu on travel days when your only food sources are the airport restaurants and convenience stores?

filet o fish, minus the bun, I love tarter sauce so I occasionally eat a little of it.

Popeyes blackened chicken

I like the Wendy's half size apple pecan chicken salad. I only use about half the dressing.

Moe's Southwest Grill and Chipotle salads have been very good to me. So have most places whose sandwiches have a high meat to bun ratio that can justify just scrapping the bun entirely. Examples are Arby's max roast beef and Hardee's regular steakburger. I buy those and just throw them on some arugula.

That said, I have really used the sleeve as the opportunity to break away from those things and explore things I never would have thought to explore before. I consider this the beginning of me and food, rather than the end.

My favorite fast food is a stir fry place called One Fresh. They give you so much food that a bowl will easily last me 3 meals now if I have a normal person portion. It would last me all week once I'm post-op. I normally get quinoa now, but I would likely spend a little more and get it without a starch (veggies and protein only).

I try to keep fast food to a minimum but if the situation calls for it.....

Subway salads - usually veggie with chipotle dressing

Tacos (Taco Bell, Taco Mayo, Taco Bueno) - minus the shell

Refried Beans (Taco Bell, Taco Mayo, Taco Bueno) - w/ cheese, red sauce and onions

pizza (Usually Mazzios) - just the toppings. Mazzio's has good salads.

Boneless chicken wings

KFC grilled chicken

Side of eggs and/or bacon (Braums has good bacon, Grandy's has good eggs.)

Arbys - Just the roast beef w/ some horsey sauce

Burgers (Burger King, Whataburger, Braums, and only occasionally McDonald's) -minus the bun

when I'm on the road or need a quick lunch, I'll look for a Panera Bread if there's one around. Their turkey chili is fabulous (I get the cup size - not the bowl size). I've also gotten their 1/2 size Thai chicken salad and their cup of black bean Soup.

Egg Mcmuffin with extra egg. Usually eat 1/2 of the bread, but sometimes all of it.

Arby's sandwiches without bread. Usually turkey club but sometimes a reuben.

Subway: tuna salad and cheese in a cup with toppings (tomato, pickles, etc)

Wendy's chilli

Sonic bacon egg and cheese toaster (no bread)

Lee's grilled chicken breast and green Beans.

Taco Bell - chicken or steak power burrito, refried beans and taco, or similar

Panda Express - small beef broccoli, no rice

Panera - I got black bean soup and a half Greek salad the other day. Ate the soup and some of the salad (mostly the toppings).

My NUT said you can have a small chili with cheese on it from Wendy's. I can't finish a small so I always have left overs for the next day.

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Edited March 28, 201610 yr by madeline121

I actually had my 1st FF meal since mt sleeve today; a 1/4 pounder/cheese plus all the goop they dump on it. I was able to eat most of the meat but ill not be going back soon. Should of had a grilled chicken sans bread...and goop.

Like others I do Wendy's chili and chick fil a grilled nuggets. I just discovered chick fil a's wrap though. So good. I eat half and save the rest for later. It's not too bad nutritionally granted I'm trying to maintain now.

I like Wendy's grilled chicken wrap (260 cals, 19g protein) even though it's a flour tortilla - I'll still eat it. I also like Wendy's chili. A large chili is two meals for me and I'll usually add a little bit of shredded mexican-style cheese and sour cream on top.

I do the Wendy's chili occasionally too. Honestly if I'm on the road I find most gas stations have packaged nuts/cheese strings and prefer to grab these items instead until I get home. If a gas station has a decent protein shake I may get that instead of a fast food meal, but have learned to read the labels carefully as some of those protein shakes are worse that the fast food options!

The large cheesecake slice from the cheese Cake Factory... nah, just kidding. I can't believe I ever ate that monster amount of calories, fat, and sugar. I also used to eat a double cheese Whopper and a large shake, how bad for the heart and soul that was!

The single serving of refried Beans from Taco Bell works for me, is about the right volume. The grilled chicken sandwich from Sonic or Chick-fila, only eating a few nibbles of the bun -- funny how just a small bite of the bun is enough, but don't need the carbs, ask for extra lettuce. After a year, still can't eat beef in any form, but my MD says that is normal until 18 months out. For some reason, I can't stomach (love that term) anything from Subway anymore.. but used to eat their small salads with a dash of oil and vinegar, now everything from there tastes old and rancid. My tastes have changed.

When I am traveling, I take some chopped dried fruit (home dried from my orchard) and nuts (walnuts) with me in a little zip lock bag, throw a small apple in my briefcase, a little sugar free hard candy to get me through an airport snack emergency, and a few dark chocolate Hersey's kisses in a bag. Funny about those dark chocolate Hersey's kisses. The act of unwrapping them is just enough work that I never eat more than two, whereas if they were free of foil, I might eat a handful. For the first day of traveling, a few sliced carrots works great, or any chewy vege like celery.

Fazoli's- side of meatballs with cheese and mushrooms. For a feast, I add a side of Lee's green beans. It takes two stops, but it tastes great.