With 30-Day McDonald’s Diet, Drexel Dietitian Shares how to Eat Healthy at Fast Food Restaurants

As a Drexel masters graduate I loved seeing this article that highlighted one of my advisors and her 30 day McDonalds challenge. This article highlights so many things that I try to educate my clients on. As much as we would love to meal prep every Sunday for hours it's hard to do that some weeks! We need to be flexible and be educated on making healthy choices. I constantly tell my clients that life events are going to happen but if we have the tools to make the best decisions, we can continue to reach our nutrition related goals regardless of any obstacles that try to get in our way. Fast food isn't going anywhere and sometimes it just makes our lives easier. So how can we incorporate on the go foods and meet our goals?

"Nyree Dardarian, a licensed dietitian and director of the Center for Nutrition and Performance at Drexel University, decided to prove a point to her students: You can eat healthy at a fast-food restaurant even if you do it for 30 days in a row.  She had her blood drawn and measurements taken before and after her experiment. In that month her blood ranges such as her cholesterol remained within the normal ranges and her weight only went up about a pound. She made healthy choices when she went to McDonalds she never had a double cheeseburger or super-sized items." Below are some of the tips from the article on eating on the go from the article!

• Look at the calories they are posted at the restaurants and online — and stay within daily USDA guidelines.
• Don't go for the extra value or biggie meal. Order a la carte.
• Just order a sandwich and water. Avoid sugary sodas and fruit drinks.
• Skip the fries and opt for the side salad. Burger King's garden side is 60 calories (get the fat-free dressin) vs. 380 for fries).
• Order single burger patties, not doubles.
• Let kids order the children's meal, but seek out such options as apple slices and milk over fries and soda.
• Choose a hamburger over chicken nuggets, which are breaded and deep fried. Look for grilled chicken sandwiches. At Wendy's, for instance, you'll save 140 calories that way.
• Let kids order a salad or the hotcakes from the all-day breakfast option.

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