Anonymous wrote:Not practical at lunch, but air popped pop corn has virtually no calories (unless you add butter/salt/etc.), takes a minute to make and costs about $1/jar, so it's great to have an air popper in the office kitchen.

Actually, you don't need an air popper. Just a regular microwave and a brown paper bag. Pour plain kernals in, fold the top a few times to keep shut, microwave until popped (usually takes just a little less time than the "popcorn" setting IME.

Pour some salt or other topping and shake the bag and take it with you to eat.

I love a chipotle burrito. Chicken or meat. Loaded up with everything. Before I start eating, I cut in in half and put half away for the next day's lunch.

For those who suggest skipping the cheese and sour cream, that leaves you with mostly calories from carbs. Limiting fat calories is not the answer. If you are limiting something, limit the carbohydrate calories, since those tend to spike blood sugar and make us hungrier later.

You can't eat it in your car, but my favorite fast food is pho.

For eating in the car, I'd do a sandwich from a Subway. Have them scoop out the center of the bread (they do this on request), and get either turkey or ham + veggies. I get turkey on wheat with L, T, cucumber, onion and green pepper plus red wine vinegar. About 250 calories, depending on how much of the bread is scooped out.

Similarly, Potbelly has skinny subs and will do any sandwich with the bread cut thinner than usual. I get a thin-cut Mediterranean on wheat without the feta, add chicken, with lettuce, tomato and onion. It's about 375 calories with a good amount of protein and fiber.

If you can sit and eat, the burrito bowls and salads from Chipotle, and a few salads from Panera, are good options. At Chipotle I get a burrito bowl with half the normal amount of rice, chicken, fajita veggies, pico, corn salsa and lettuce. About 450 calories. At Panera, try one of the new Power salads, all around or under 400 cals I think. I like the one with spinach, hummus and chicken.

Believe it or not, Taco Bell is also not a terrible option calorie-wise if you need a drive-through. The Fresco tacos (soft and crispy, chicken or beef) are 150 calories each. The chicken soft taco has the highest amount of protein I think.

I spent 16 months eating 1200-1500 calories/day, so really learned what I could eat on the go when needed that would be filling, reasonably healthy for fast food, and not put me over my calorie limit!

Most fast food drive thrus have salads - I don't know if they still do it, but McD's used to have a sesame chicken salad that was decent tasting and not bad health wise. The dressing came on the side so you could moderate that yourself.

Alternatively, Subway, burrito bowls at Chipotle, getting a grilled chicken sandwich - eat open faced with half the bun removed - and side salad. Wendy's has a more varied menu of side dishes than most. You can get a baked potato and a small serving of chili and a salad. Pretty much all the fast food joints now have apple slices that you can sub for fries.

Not practical at lunch, but air popped pop corn has virtually no calories (unless you add butter/salt/etc.), takes a minute to make and costs about $1/jar, so it's great to have an air popper in the office kitchen.