Always Be Prepared...

Ok, so I'm not a boy scout (although I actually was a girl scout), but the motto holds true for a lot of things in life, especially dieting! Unexpected things happen all the time, so in my opinion, you need to know your options to have back-up plans at the ready when it comes to food.

For example, last night some unexpected delays occurred and on the way home I stopped to get fast food. Gasp! Ok, we can pick our jaws up. It is ok! To live in the real world it is inevitable that you will eat out or have to get something quick for dinner because it is late and you don't have x, y, z at your home. The key, I think, is being prepared and knowing what and where you can eat and still stay on track. Especially around holidays people may not be cooking every night because you may be running around finishing last minute holiday preparations.

I went to Chik-Fil-a, which I think has great tasting food and they have many diet options. My old order would have been a regular chicken sandwich (11 points or 440 calories)and a large fry (14 points or 520 calories). Wow! That meant I was eating 960 calories just for dinner. So not worth it! Instead, yesterday I ordered a chargrilled chicken sandwich for a total of 7 points (or 290 calories) so really that isn't too bad for fast food! Here are some other low point options at Chick-fil-a:

• 8 count nuggets= 7 points (260 calories)


• Chargrilled Chicken & fruit salad= 6 points (220 calories)


• Chargrilled chicken garden salad= 5 points (180 calories)


• Southwest chargrilled chicken salad= 6 points (250 calories)

* the salad totals don't include dressing.

In addition, you can always get a fruit cup as a side to have a more filling meal for 0 points. It is very possible to do fast food on a diet. You just need to know your options beforehand and have a plan of what you will get so you aren't tempted going in and getting a large fries or something you would regret later. It is like going to a grocery store hungry, just don't do it! You bring your list to the store, plan out what you will eat at a fast food place before going.

Here are a few other options and these and other restaurants can be found in the Weight Watchers Restaurant Guide:

McDonalds:

• Regular cheeseburger= 8 points (300 calories)


• Regular hamburger= 7 points (250 calories)


• Grilled honey mustard snack wrap= 6 points (250 calories)


• Grilled ranch snack wrap= 7 points (270 calories)


• 4 pice chicken nuggets= 5 points (190 calories)

Burger King:

• 6 piece chicken fries= 7 points (250 calories)

*I actually found not that many healthy options at Burger King. I try to looks for 8 points or less, maybe I will have to do more research for them.

KFC:

• Grilled chicken breast (all without skin)= 5 points or 150 calories, grilled drumstick= 2 points, grilled thigh= 4 points, grilled wing= 2 points


• Kids popcorn chicken= 7 points (260 calories)


• Honey bbq sandwich= 8 points (320 calories)


• KFC snacker with crispy strip= 8 points, 7 points without sauce


• KFC snacker, honey bbq= 5 points

Boston Market:

• 1/4 white rotisserie chicken= 8 points, without skin= 5 points (210 calories)


• Beef brisket regular serving= 6 points


• Rotisserie chicken salad= 4 points (160 calories)


• BBQ chicken slider sandwich= 6 points


• Meatloaf slider sandwich= 7 points

All of these places may have more, I'm not an expert, but think of places you like to go and look up the calories or point values and it will be eye opening to see what you ate before and then you can plan for what is ok to eat should you need to grab something on the run. Of course, if you can avoid fast food then you probably should. But hey, we aren't perfect. At least when we find ourselves in those situations we can at least make educated decisions to find a good alternative that will leave us satisfied and still on track.

Do you have a go to food while you are on the go?