*The title of this post was taken from the Eagles song of the same name*

It would be quite a  world if we all had access to local, organic, free-range, all natural, humanely raised and practical foods. Thankfully, as the demand for these items has gone up, the cost of them has generally come down.

However, that isn’t exactly the world we live in. Sometimes we have to succumb to convenience. And sometimes, convenience leads us to the drive -thru of those establishments who carry anything but local, organic, free-range, all natural, humanely raised foods. Hell, at least they’re practical (one out of six ain’t bad!)

If I’m being honest (and I try my very best to be), sometimes it just comes down to budget and in many ways, the convenient can be the most cost effective…just not always.

So, this is my attempt at helping you survive the fast food lane. I asked the members of our client-only closed community on Facebook to help me tally up their favorite fast food establishments. I’ll be tallying up the breakfast and lunch/dinner options that will help you reach your weight loss goals, regardless of whether you are male or female.

There are a few things to note before you dive into this. Due to the nature of fast food, these generally won’t be the best ratios for a proper macronutrient balance. So, if you are focusing on optimizing body composition or if you’re training for endurance events, this is probably not the menu for you. Also, note that the sodium counts will be higher than what the average individual needs. It would serve you best to keep your water intake high any time you eat fast food or even at your run of the mill restaurant. In addition, fast food is terribly low in fiber. You might want to consider a fiber supplement to continue to eliminate waste as needed.

I’ll also be working within some general ranges. For women, somewhere between 1200-1500 calories. For men, somewhere between 1500-1800 calories. If you are not certain where you fall within the range, start on the high end and assess your weight loss progress. If you are not losing, you can make gradual drops of 100 or so calories to see the changes you’re looking for.

I should also note that this is not by any means meant to replace healthier options if you have access to them. I personally would not spend much time with fast food. However, if you’re travelling, short on time, or just didn’t plan your day appropriately. These options could really help you stay on track. Please also be aware, there are no french fries mentioned in this list. This will simply be for entrees. I made every effort to keep every choice roughly 500 calories (maybe less, maybe more.) I also made every effort to keep protein at least 20g per meal.

Some menu options may be seasonal or temporary depending on the establishment.

BREAKFAST

Taco Bell

Breakfast Quesadilla-Bacon (510 cals, 26g protein)

Breakfast Quesadilla-Sausage (500 cals, 24g protein)

Breakfast Quesadilla-Steak (500 cals, 29g protein)

Cheesy Burrito-Bacon (490 cals, 23g protein)

Cheesy Burrito-Steak (480 cals, 26g protein)

Chick-Fil-A

Egg White Grill (300 calories, 25g protein)

Breakfast Burrito (450 calories, 30g protein)

Chicken, Egg & Cheese Bagel (480 cals, 27g protein)

Wendy’s

Artisan Egg Sandwich (360 cals, 20g protein)

Mornin’ Melt Panini (520 cals, 31g protein)

Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit (510 cals, 21g protein)

McDonald’s

Sausage McMuffin With Egg (470 cals, 21g protein)

Steak, Egg & Cheese Biscuit (530 cals, 25g protein)

Burger King

King Croissan’wich With Ham & Sausage (530 cals, 23g protein)

LUNCH/DINNER

Taco Bell

Burrito Supreme-Chicken (380 cals, 20g protein)

Shredded Chicken Mini Quesadilla (Order 2 for 360 cals, 24g protein)

Fresco Soft Taco-Shredded Chicken (Order 3 for 420 cals, 30g protein)

Fresco Soft Taco-Steak (Order 3 for 420 cals, 30g protein)

Power Menu Bowl-Chicken (480 cals, 28g protein)

Power Menu Bowl-Steak (490 cals, 27g protein)

Power Menu Burrito-Chicken (450 cals, 26g protein)

Power Menu Burrito-Steak (460 cals, 25g protein)

Cheesy Gordita Crunch (500 cals, 20g protein)

Cool Ranch Doritos Cheesy Gordita Crunch (500 cals, 20g protein)

Fiery Doritos Cheesy Gordita Crunch (490 cals, 20g protein)

Meximelt (Order 2 for 500 cals, 28g protein)

Nacho Cheese Doritos Cheesy Gordita Crunch (500 cals, 20g protein)

Quesadilla-Chicken (510 cals, 27g protein)

Quesadilla-Steak (510 cals, 27g protein)

Chick-Fil-A

Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich (440 cals, 28g protein)

Chick-Fil-A Deluxe Chicken Sandwich (500 cals, 31g protein)

Spicy Sandwich (450 cals, 29g protein)

Chick-Fil-A Nuggets (260 cals, 28g protein)

Chick-n-Strips (350 cals, 28g protein)

Grilled Chicken Sandwich (310 cals, 29g protein)

Grilled Nuggets (Order 2 for 280 cals, 50g protein)

Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich (430 cals, 37g protein)

Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap (350 cals, 37g protein)

Chicken Salad Sandwich (500 cals, 27g protein)

Wendy’s

Double Stack Cheeseburger (390 cals, 25g protein)

Jr. Hamburger (Order 2 for 480 cals, 28g protein)

Grilled Asiago Ranch Chicken Club (520 cals, 42g protein)

Homestyle Chicken Sandwich (520 cals, 30g protein)

Spicy Chicken Sandwich (510 cals, 30g protein)

Grilled Chicken Sandwich (360 cals, 35g protein)

Crispy Chicken BLT (440 cals, 20g protein)

Grilled Chicken Wrap (270 cals, 20g protein)

10-Piece Chicken Nuggets (450 cals, 24g protein)

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad Half Size (310 cals, 21g protein)

Power Mediterranean Chicken Salad (450 cals, 40g protein)

Spicy Caesar Chicken Salad, Half Size (410 cals, 23g protein)

Chili-Large (250 cals, 23g protein)

McDonald’s

Mac Jr. (460 cals, 21g protein)

Hamburger (Order 2 for 500 cals, 26g protein)

Double Cheeseburger (430 cals, 25g protein)

McDouble (380 cals, 23g protein)

10-Piece Chicken McNuggets (440 cals, 24g protein)

Artisan Grilled Chicken Sandwich (380 cals, 37g protein)

Bacon Ranch Salad & Buttermilk Crispy Chicken (490 cals, 33g protein)

Bacon Ranch Grilled Chicken Salad (320 cals, 42g protein)

Southwest Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Salad (520 cals, 28g protein)

Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad (350 cals, 37g protein)

Burger King

Whopper without mayo (470 cals, 26g protein)

Hamburger (Order 2 for 440 cals, 22g protein)

Double Cheeseburger (350 cals, 20g protein)

Bacon Double Cheeseburger (370 cals, 21g protein)

TenderGrill Chicken Sandwich (420 cals, 32g protein)

FlameGrilled Chicken Burger (480 cals, 22g protein)

Original Chicken Sandwich without mayo (450 cals, 28g protein)

10-Piece Chicken Nuggets (430 cals, 20g protein)

BK Veggie Burger (390 cals, 22g protein)