WOW! fast food healthy ? no so much. My favorite's nutrition breakdown

So this week with some other peeps here I have commited to get back to basics. I am eating 1000 to about 1200 a day now and I wondered what I was getting before.   So curiously I used my daily plate to see what my new favorite fast food evening splurge used to 'cost' me.  I would get 3 taco bell supreme beef chalupas and eat 2.5 over about 4 hours.  Dear Lord, no wonder!

Food Item	Servings	Cals	Fat	Cholest	Sodium	Carbs	Sugars	Fiber	Protein
Taco Bell Beef Chalupa Supreme	2.50	950	58g	100mg	1,550mg	75g	10g	8g	35g	x

so that would leave 50 calories????  geez, what an eye opener!

Interesting that you should post this, just last night I went to the Jason's Deli website to look at my favorite sandwich's nutritional info.  Jason's is "healthy" right?  NOT.  I always get the Club Royale-854 calories per sandwich, not including the potato chips and pickle it comes with plus the "free" low fat frozen yogurt I always get for dessert.  Luckily, now I only eat 1/2 of a sandwich and bring the other 1/2 home. 

However in contrast, my DD always gets a baked potato which weighs in at a whopping 2300 calories AND she always adds EXTRA butter and cheese.  I swear this is why I hardly ever eat out anymore.

Oh yeah.. baked potato from Rudys STUFFED with brisket cheese butter and sour cream and then I add MORE butter!!!  Might ahve to look that up!

I don't want to know what I would eat the few times I did go out.  We have an italian restaurant here that has the BEST calzones, I'd only eat a small amount of the shrimp and spinach one but can only imagine the calorie and carb count. 

And to think Becky the times we do decide to "splurge" and look for what we "ASSume" to be the most healthiest available it isn't healthy by any stretch of imagination.

Really, none of us should go to fast food restaurants.  There really isn't anything there that would make it an acceptable every day, once a week kinda thing even.

Now going out to eat at good restaurants that serve veggies and meat would be better options.  Even if we can't eat it all, we can bring it home or share with others.

very true Dana,

I looked at a few more things.  How incredibly sad. We got fat for a reason and we better stay aware or we will be getting that way again.

eating out is definitely NOT the way to control what you eat since you don't know for sure what's in it.  It is unavoidable at times, so we sure better make the best choice.  Occasionally it is okay to eat something unhealthy, but no over and over again several days a week.  That's what got us to OH in the first place.  Most of us have seen what going back to our old eating habits does to us! 

Great idea Becky...we'll have to keep it up and post something everyday that we DID or SHOULDN'T eat and see how much we'll save by not eating it!

Karla

The other day I looked up what a whopper with cheese would be on daily plate cause I was curious. 800 cals, 48g fat, 52g carbs, and 33g protein.



Now, the funny thing is, I actually was reminded how far I had come. For a veeeery long time I would sneak food, Burger King value meals especially, and then go home to eat dinner so I wouldn't be found out that I was binge eating in private. Sheesh. We're talking an additional what - 1200 calories for one snack pre-op? Ugh. Now I get bent out of shape if I get 2000 a day. I seriously need to get a grip.

Funny that you bring this up - I travel for work a lot and have been forced to eat out which has led me to look closely at nutritional information....

You'd be amazed at how many places won't post or tell you what's in their food.  For example - Applebee's will not disclose nutritional data.  Had a long email chat with some of their representatives and as a result, refuse to eat there.

On the other hand, go look up Chili's nutritional information and you might be surprised...  Some of the things you think would be bad, are actually good and some that you'd think are good, are actually bad.  For example - check out the Quesadilla Explosion salad - what an eye opener....   And, on the flip side, look up their chicken enchilada soup :)

As for 'good' places - there are very few...  But, I would say that you can make good choices at any restuarant.  The hard part is choosing.

A few thoughts...

Subway is always a good choice and consequently gets a lot of my business when traveling.  Have to pick the sandwich apart, but do love their food.
Red Lobster is not bad - but I have to watch the entrees and look for grilled things and ask for no butter (hidden calories).  Even here, you can load up on calories if not careful.
In general:  I try to eat fish when traveling because it's lower in calories with lots of veggies.  Recently, I started hitting a Wal-Mart or other grocery store when I get into town and pick up banana's or other fruit so at least my snacking is good.  Funny thing - I find that I have a hard time eating enough calories when I travel now, go figure!

Red Lobster? Does that include cheddar bay biscuits?   LMAO    joking

Lisa,

Thank you for adding this. I really do hope we can continue some type of post like this so we can remain prepared and aware.

Karla had mentioned something like a "Eat this instead of THIS' kind of thing.  I hope we will have contributors, no matter who it is.

I know you mentioned fish.. I know my downfall if I order fish is having it fried!  I am not a fish person and that's how I want it.  I need to just try something grilled and toss out the FILET of FAT, I mean fish!  LOL.  That was about the only thing I would eat at McD's.