If you’re like me, you know what it’s like to meal prep and get bored. Sometimes, all you crave is a friggin BURGER! I’ve had my fair share of trials and tribulations when it comes to being lazy and not wanting to meal prep. So, how do you stay on track when you haven’t prepared your lunch for the work day?
A friend of mine once said, LOOONG before I even began my journey – “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” (thanks JRey!) So I’m telling you there’s a way to plan even NOT planning! If that makes sense.
Eating from a fast food joint is definitely not high on my list of things I like to admit are faulty within my desires… especially because even suggesting it makes me feel like a hypocrite. BUT! There are some things out there on those menus that you can “get away with” every once in a while without hindering all the progress you’ve made.
AGAIN I disclaim this with both “once in a while” and “desperate to eat” … This is not the lazy persons’ “get out of my diet” diet. If there’s anyone who understands the difficulty of being late AND hungry at the same time, it’s me. There was a time where a couple friends of mine used to joke that running late was my cardio – they weren’t entirely wrong; I would say five minutes, and then be out the door in ten.
That sometimes led me to running out the door and forgetting my lunch on the kitchen counter. I have definitely struggled when it comes to figuring out what to eat while on the go. So where do you go? Weight Watchers and every trainer I’ve ever worked under advise to bring snacks with you while you’re out and about, but sometimes that just isn’t possible, depending on when and where and the duration of time you’ll be there.
How do you prep and eat healthy with all the fast food chains conveniently located around your office/job?
There’s a list I read over the weekend that made me think about all of the spots that offer somewhat okay alternatives to eat while out and on the go.
BREAKFAST
*Starbuck’s Spinach and Feta Breakfast Wrap
Calories: 290; Total Fat: 10g; Carbohydrates: 33g; Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g; Protein: 19g
McDonalds Fruit & Yogurt Parfait
Calories: 150; Total Fat: 2g; Carbohydrates: 30g; Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 23g; Protein: 4g
LUNCH / DINNER
Subway’s 6” Oven Roasted Chicken Sub
Options - Wheat bread with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, & green peppers. (I add avocado, btw)
Calories: 320; Total Fat: 5g; Carbohydrates: 45g; Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 23g
Wendy’s Asian Chicken Salad (Large salad with 1 packet of dressing)
Calories: 335; Total Fat: 11g; Sodium: 775mg; Carbohydrates: 26g; Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 12g; Protein: 35g
*Quiznos’ Small Tuna Sub (Just ask to hold the cheese – my suggestion)
Calories: 410; Total Fat: 14g; Carbohydrates: 44g; Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 27g
*Nutrition Note: Many fast foods, even the healthier options, contain a lot of sodium. These meals provide more than 35% (805 mg) of the daily recommendation for sodium. Try to select lower-sodium foods at other meals & snacks throughout the day to balance it out.
My friend gave me her tips and tricks from the last two years on her weight loss journey. I met her back in February of 2014, and I was just in the swing of my best activity level. It’s great to see what works for every individual and to see the journey. She said in her piece:
“I try to move at least 30 minutes a day with my target heart rate in mind. The best thing for me is to limit preservatives and attempt to eat 1-ingredient foods, including a protein source at each meal.
I’ve calculated how many calories my body needs to lose 1-2 lb a week – a healthy rate for any body’s metabolism suggested by most experts. I enjoy one cheat meal a week, to allow myself to indulge. IT WORKS!
Yet, as is life, things come up and ‘real life’ comes in to play. There are Parties, Pizza, Fries, Booze, and FUN! But, the biggest key is to stay disciplined and focused and refuse the temptations for your long run weight loss goal. Bummer! The work pays off in the end.”
As shown in my five ‘on the go’ last minute meals, it’s possible to watch what you put in your fuel tank, BUT it’s the moderation and the resistance to certain temptations that keeps you in check and on track.
