On Wednesday,I joined hundreds of others running to Chick-fil-A, sat in a long drive-thru line and fulfilled their lifelong dream of eating delicious chicken sandwiches and waffle fries in Columbia. I don't know about you, but I had to run to satisfy the part of my brain that made me ask that :Whow I wasted my lunch on such greasy, greasy food?
Although fast food restaurants are cheap, fast and delicious, they don't help when trying to be healthy. Did you know that these waffle fries contain almost as many calories as the chicken sandwich itself? The next time you choose the drive-thru over your own kitchen, here are some options that will leave you feeling a little guilty at the end of the night.
1. Kipfilet-A
The popular choice:Ofclassic Chic-fil-A chicken sandwichclocks in at 440 calories and 18 grams of fat. Add a medium amount of waffle fries to make it a meal, and you've consumed 840 calories and 39 grams of fat.
Work with it:It takeswalk a mile to burn 100 calories, so you'll have to log 4.5 miles to work from that chicken sandwich. Double the distance if you had the meal.
Try this instead:The Grilled Chicken Sandwich - it contains only 320 calories and 5 grams of fat. Replace the waffle fries with a salad with 80 calories and 4.5 grams of fat.
2. McDonald's
The popular choice:A Big Mac has 540 calories and 28 grams of fat. Surprisingly, the medium fries contain only 340 calories and 16 grams of fat (but watch out for the 190 milligrams of sodium).
Work with it:Add an extra mile of running and opt for a Big Mac instead of a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich. Grab a meal and you'll have a brisk nine miles to walk.
Try this instead:Grilled artisanal chicken is more expensive than a Big Mac, but better for you in the long run at 360 calories and 6 grams of fat. If chicken doesn't do it for you, try the fish fillet; it has 390 calories and 19 grams of fat. You can also replace the fries with a 15-calorie salad.
3. Burger King
The popular choice:To eatthe famous Whopper at Burger King, and you inhale a whopping 650 calories and 37 grams of fat. Add a medium portion of fries for a total of 1,060 calories (that's half your suggested daily serving!) a 55 gram vet.
Work with it:I hope you're a distance runner because you're going to run the full 10 miles if you eat the Whopper meal. The sandwich alone will make you walk 6.5 miles.
Try this instead:BK Vegetarian Burger. It may not be as tasty, but it has half the calories at 390 calories and 9 grams of fat. Would you rather have a burger? Choose their Bacon Cheeseburger Deluxe with 290 calories and 14 grams of fat.
4. Wendy's
The popular choice:Wendy's has an edge when it comes to ice cream (I'm talking about the Frostys, of course!), but not when it comes to healthy burgers.The famous Baconatorburgerhas 960 calories and 62 grams of fat.
Work with it:Eating just the Baconator will run you as far as eating the Burger King Whopper meal.
Try this instead:DeJr. Bacon cheese burger. You still get the tasty bacon with less than half the calories at 380 calories and 23 grams of fat. If you prefer chicken, try the Ultimate Chicken Grill with only 380 calories and 8 grams of fat.
5. Sonic
The popular choice:I always thinkSonic Cheeseburger is healthybecause it has tomato and lettuce in it, but I'm wrong; that's 720 calories with 48 grams of fat. Add medium fries to a meal and you have 1,100 calories and 61 grams of fat.
Work with it:You'll probably have to run to Sonic when you get the meal because it'll take 11 miles to work from that cheeseburger and fries. But don't worry, it's only seven miles if you just eat the burger.
Try this instead:Still in the mood for a burger? Try Jr. Burger with 340 calories and 17 grams of fat. If you want to mix things up, order an All-American Dog with just 380 calories and 18 grams of fat.
6. Steak 'n Shake
The popular choice:Feel like itOriginal Double 'n Cheeseburgerof Steak 'n Shake? It will cost you 440 calories and 25 grams of fat. Their medium fries are almost as unhealthy as the burger itself: 440 calories and 21 grams of fat.
Work with it:You pay the same price as eating the Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich by running 4.5 miles to work from this burger.
Try this instead:Single Steakburger has 280 calories and 11 grams of fat. Next time, try having the baked beans as a side dish instead of fries, as they contain only 290 calories and 1 gram of fat.
Grilled chicken sandwich or Jr. The Bacon Cheeseburger may not be as tasty or satisfying as the Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich or the Wendy's Baconator, but it will definitely save you calories in the long run. Let us know in the comments below what your favorite healthy options are at these fast food chains.
