America's Worst Lunches?And What You Should Eat Instead

[Barefootsies]

If you're like two-thirds of working Americans, you pick up lunch from a fast-food joint or restaurant at least once a week. Sure, it's not as healthy as packing your own celery sticks, but eating out every once in a while can't hurt, right?

Not so fast: There might be trouble in the drive-through lane.

Not only could the window worker pile an entire day's worth of calories through your car window, but you might also be sapping your energy and productivity: Carb overloads lead to energy spikes and crashes, and studies have shown that the bigger your waistline, the lower your cognitive functioning and the more sick days you take. Kind of ironic, considering "convenience" is the most common reason people give for buying lunch during the workday. In this economy, it's hardly convenient to snore through the 2 o'clock meeting, or miss a few crucial days when the boss is looking for you.

A healthy lunch can help you maximize your afternoon performance, but if you're in a hurry to grab and go, you might not take the time to sort through the menu hits and misses. Let the Eat This, Not That! folks be your efficiency experts: DON'T order the items we warn you about, below. Opt instead for less outrageous alternatives (also below), and reap the benefits at bonus time.

QUIZNO'S

Large Prime Rib Cheesesteak Sub

1,490 calories
92 g fat (22.5 g saturated, 2 g trans)
2,620 mg sodium
Fat equivalent: Like eating four Dunkin Donuts cheese danishes!

It's hard enough to make the argument for one cheese Danish, but four? And we're just talking fat, here?with more than 800 calories of the stuff in just one sandwich. You're also be filling up with more than a day's worth of sodium and saturated fat. While this is one of the worst items you could choose, the rest of the Quizno's menu has hazards, as well. But if your co-workers insist on eating there, order this instead:

Small Turkey Ranch and Swiss Sub

410 calories
17 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
1,230 mg sodium
CHILI'S

Crispy Sweet Chile Glazed Chicken Crispers
1,930 calories
112 g fat (17 g saturated)
4,190 mg sodium
Calorie equivalent: Like eating an entire medium Pizza Hut 12" pepperoni pizza!

If you have the time for a sit-down meal, you have the time to think this through. Chicken Crispers are fun, but account for almost a whole day's worth of calories and almost two days' worth of sodium. Your smarter choice is to eat this instead:

Classic Chicken Fajitas

370 calories
11 g fat (1.5 saturated)
2,000 mg sodium
And another hint for a healthy sit-down lunch: forgo the appetizers. Chili's Texas Cheese Fries with Jalapeno Ranch Dressing made the top of our list when we rounded up the worst appetizers money can buy. Check out the other appetizer land-mines here. You'll be shocked.

ARBY'S

Roast Turkey Ranch and Bacon Sandwich


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817 calories
37 g fat (11 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)
2,146 mg sodium
Calorie equivalent: Like eating 23 Thin Mints (one whole sleeve)!

Just because you could prepare it at home doesn't mean it?s good for you when you order it away from home?the Roast Turkey Ranch and Bacon Sandwich packs nearly half of your daily allowance of calories and almost an entire day?s dose of sodium. Doesn't leave much room for anything else, does it?

Eat this instead:

Sourdough Roast Beef Melt

351 calories
14 g fat (4 g saturated)
1,048 mg of sodium
DAIRY QUEEN

Chicken Strip Basket with Country Gravy (6 piece)

1,640 calories
74 g fat (12 g saturated, 1 g trans)
3,690 mg sodium
Sodium equivalent: Like eating 11 large orders of McDonald's French fries!

Talk about a value meal: One Chicken Strip Basket gives you almost two days' payload of sodium! If thinking about it doesn't elevate your blood pressure, eating it might. Don't become a statistic.

Eat this instead:

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

560 calories
28 g fat (3.5 g saturated)
980 mg sodium

CONTINUED: Panera, Chipotle and more

http://health.msn.com/nutrition/arti...4410&GT1=31036

[tony286]

thats cool and I cant believe how high the calorie counts are. shit

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by tony404

thats cool and I cant believe how high the calorie counts are. shit

Amen toe dat shit.

Some of those are high enough to make Sly go into a Red Sanford heart holding chest grab...

[Rick Diculous]

Those calory counts are amazing . Really makes you think

[cherrylula]

damn now I'm hungry.

[cykoe6]

Fuck I really want to get that Quiznos Large Prime Rib Cheesesteak Sub now!

[BetChips]

Wow thats crazy, I thought quiznos would be better than that.

[Ozarkz]

Originally Posted by BetChips

Wow thats crazy, I thought quiznos would be better than that.

prime rib cheese steak? no matter where you buy that it's going to have calories and fat.

just get the veggie or turkey subs.

[Yngwie]

shit! Looks like just yesterday in one sitting I ate stuff from arby's which had a total of over 6000mg sodium, over 3000 calories and I topped it off with a LARGE chocolate milkshake. Of course, in the last 3 days I've probably consumed over 10 000mg of sodium, 10 000 calories and loads of fat (Arby's quiznos, A&W and Mac Donalds). Suprised that I'm not dead with the shit that I eat all the time. Oh and I'm NOT fat.. I'm 6 feet tall and weigh about 160lbs.

[PornMD]

Chili's to me is like right up there with McDonalds on how fucking fat nasty their shit tastes...McDonalds now and then I can tolerate but probably will never eat at a Chili's again. The cal count on that shit didn't surprise me at all.

[Calico Jack]

Mmm...I'll have one of each thanks!

[Reak AGV]

Large Prime Rib Cheesesteak Sub

1,490 calories
92 g fat (22.5 g saturated, 2 g trans)
2,620 mg sodium
Fat equivalent: Like eating four Dunkin Donuts cheese danishes!

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Sounds damn tasty man, I need this for breakfast

[Sausage]

Never forget my first time in the US and my first breakfast. I have honestly never seen so much food in my life .. it was bloody wasteful, yet the place was full of Americans who had no problem gulping down what would probably have fed 2 of us for breakfast with leftovers.

The same at most of the places we had dinner, and we actually started ordering 1 dish for the 2 of us, not only that but everything was so rich, so fatty and so sweet, no wonder you guys have health problems.

[sexandcash]

ya I read that article yesterday on MSN...it's pretty disgusting. If I eat "fast food" I get a roasted chicken sub full of vegetables and a little bit of cheese on whole wheat at subway.

It's pretty guilt free. These things are a heart attack waiting to happen.
I eat the occasional ice cream or fry order from McDonalds but that is it. This stuff is filth....and you feel like shit after you eat all this garbage. Your body feels so much better when you treat it right and eat right.

[Sarah_Jayne]

General rule...anything advertised as 'crisp' or 'crispy' and isn't lettuce is not going to he healthy.

[D Ghost]

Great article thanks

[John-ACWM]

And now we are more careful about the meals
now really,that was interesting

[minddust]

I sell short and painful heart attack between two slices of bread.

[Deesnuts]

you spent some time on that, you must really care about the gfy community

[Horny Dude]

I used to stop over at Rubio's for lunch, thought it was better then most cause it was fish. But dam, those fish tacos are high in calories. Just buy one of those calorie count books, will amaze you how bad fast food really is.

[SpicyM]

I have to eat a lot of calories.. too bad I cant buy "Chicken Strip Basket with Country Gravy"
in my country.. looks good

[Penthouse Tony]

Never realized how bad Chipotle is.

[SykkBoy]

I actually bought the book "Eat This, Not That" and wow, did it open my eyes.

I've lost 25 pounds so far on South Beach and am now doing calorie counts, using that book as a rule of thumb. It's amazing the shit i used to gulp down on a daily basis.