I find myself doing it all the time…I get lazy and instead of going home and making something to eat, I opt for the easier choice – drive-thru restaurants. I hate fast food; yet, for some reason, I find myself indulging it – it is cheap and easy.  Even though fast food restaurants are often marked as “unhealthy,” it is still possible to go healthy even when in a hurry.

Health.com recently posted a recommended list of the healthiest fast food restaurants; surprisingly, among that list was McDonald’s! However, keep in mind that just because McDonald’s is on this list, it doesn’t mean that all of the choices available on the menu are healthy; they just offer healthy selections for their consumers. The key is selective ordering when deciding to go with fast food for your meal of choice.

So, if you are trying to lose weight even when you’re on the go, here are some tips to follow when wanting to choose a healthier option at fast food joints:

*Pay attention to the descriptions on the menu: If it says deep fried, crispy, creamy, pan-fried, etc., it is more than likely high in fat and calories. Instead, look for items that contain leaner meats, such as fish and chicken, and stay away from cream sauces, like Alf redo.

*Skip the dressing: Leaving out cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, and other spreads can reduce a lot of fat from your meal. Go light or don’t have it on your food at all.

*Avoid eating on the run: The purpose of fast food is to get something on the go, but when you do have time to eat, take your time – chew your food thoroughly, you’re more likely to get full faster and eat less.

*Don’t add more salt: Most fast food choices are already high in sodium and salt, so do yourself a favor and don’t add more. Try to get the least salty options as possible.

*Find alternatives: If you are getting a meal that comes with fries and they offer other choices, replace the French fries with a healthier alternative. McDonald’s has a wide selection of replacements for fries on their menu, such as apples with low-fat caramel dip. Other restaurant may let you replace the fries with a salad (be sure to avoid creamy dressing).

*Check the nutritional information: Before going out to fast food restaurants it would be smart to look up the nutritional information online for some of the places you eat at most often. You can keep a mental note of the choices that are low in sodium, fat, calories, etc.

In most cases, you know what is fattening and what is not; the key is to think healthy. We all know that if it is dripping in grease, it is very likely to be infused in fat and loaded on calories. Keep in mind that most fast food meals are around 1,000 calories each (that takes up almost your entire caloric intake for the day!), so if the meal is a large portion, you can always eat half and save the rest for another meal, or you can share with a friend.

There are healthy choices available at fast food restaurants, look for them!

Photo Credit: The Book of Threes and Wisebread