Eating On A Road Trip!

HELLO there! HAPPY Friday!! YEAAAAA :D
How was your week?! I hope you had a FITastic and productive one! Are you ready for the weekend?! BRING IT ON!!

For many of us, summer means taking a vacation, right?! I generally don't like road trips but since I still have a few kids at home, it's usually less expensive to drive to our destination! My kids are older so we don't have as many potty stops but they always want to stop and eat when they see fast food signs...lol! I don't like to recommend fast food, but if your like my family, at least 1 stop is going to be fast food :D 
Today's post is about eating on a road trip! The following are food suggestions and strategies so those road calories don't pile up!!

The Best Fast Food Finds...

McDONALD'S
- If you want to stick to your diet: Order the 4 piece Chicken McNuggets and a side of apple slices. Amazingly, the chicken nuggets are the lowest calorie protein pick on the menu, with just 190 for 4, and contain less sodium then a plain burger, as well as half the carbs. The side order of apple slices adds a mere 15 calories, and it provides a serving of produce and can healthfully satisfy a craving for something sweet.
- If you just don't want to go off the rails: Order a Premium Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich. The sandwich alone will cost you 510 calories, but look at it this way: It's not breaded or fried, and the 40 grams of protein will leave you full enough to skip the fries.

TACO BELL
- If you want to stick to your diet: Order a couple of Fresco Chicken Soft Tacos. 2 of these tacos pack fewer calories then 1 Chicken Fresco Burrito Supreme, plus an extra gram of protein, but you'll feel like you're eating a lot. And each taco has only 1 gram of saturated fat.
- If you just don't want to go off the rails: Order a Steak Cantina Power Bowl. At 500 calories, this bowl has 250 fewer calories then the Steak Fiesta Taco Salad but is still super satisfying. The 8 grams of fiber and 29 grams of protein mean you won't be famished a hour later.

CARL'S JR.
- If you want to stick to your diet: Order a Low Carb Charbroiled Chicken Club, minus the mayo and bacon. Skipping those fixings drops the calorie count to 260. And its lettuce wrapper in place of a bun ups the veggie quotient.
- If you just don't want to go off the rails: Order a Guacamole Turkey Burger. At 480 calories, this sandwich is relatively light, with no trans fat. Bonus: Avocado-filled guac adds heart healthy "good" fat. 

Strategies To Fix Road Trip Food Mistakes...

- Do you rely on options you see from the highway?
Go off the beaten path. Instead of being drawn in by the big arrows, exit the highway and head to a nearby supermarket. You'll likely find a salad bar and prepared-food counters with grilled chicken and veggie sides. 

- Do you commit a driving while eating?
Pull into a rest stop parking area. You're more likely to slow down, taste your food and stop when you're full. In fact, research shows that noshing while distracted leads to overeating. 1 study found that even listening to music caused people to consume more. We're especially prone to overdoing it when we're stuck in 1 place (the car) and bored.

- Do you go for the sad green salad?
Choose light but still filling foods. Sure, it makes sense to watch calories while you're en route, but limiting yourself to salads isn't the solution. It leaves you with lingering hunger and sets you up for a binge later. Instead, balance out your order so you feel satisfied but not stuffed. If you want fries, say, then make the rest of your meal healthier by getting your burger wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun.

- Do you drive through the night to arrive faster? 
Get a room. Driving when you should be snoozing throws off your circadian rhythm, resulting in a metabolic slowdown. A University of Colorado Boulder study found that night shift workers burn fewer calories during a 24-hour period then those on a normal schedule. This effect can lead to weight gain even if you don't eat more (which you'll probably do, though, since you're trying to stay alert at 3 a.m.).

Are you heading on a road trip this weekend...or during the summer?! If so, maybe these tips will come in handy :D
Have a FABULOUS weekend!
SEE YOU on Monday!!