5 Fast-Food Meals That Are High in Protein and Less Than 600 Calories

When you are trying to lose weight and you end up at a fast food restaurant, you will have to decide what to do.

These establishments offer a lot of calories. McDonald's Big Mac meals can cost up to 1,300 calories. Damn! If you have a daily calorie target of 2,400, then a single meal will contain more than half that amount.

Avoiding fast food restaurants is the typical advice given to people who want to lose weight. With some planning, good decision making, and thinking ahead, you can achieve this most of the time.

Not 100% of the time. Life can throw a wrench into your plans.

You're on a trip with friends and they decide to stop for lunch at Carl's Jr.

After the soccer game, your child's team may decide to have dinner at Chick-fil - A.

You may be rushing to get to work or another appointment and want to grab something quick at a drive through.

What should I do?

What if I said you didn't have choose between convenience or your fitness goals. You can have fast food and still lose weight.

If you are trying to lose weight, choose foods with fewer calories and more protein to build muscle.

Most fast-food outlets now have options that fit this criteria. You can choose meals from all major fast-food chains that contain 30+ grams protein, which is an ideal minimum for a meal. They also only have 600 calories.

We have listed below some meals you can order at five popular fast food restaurants that will meet these criteria. You can lower the number of calories, but it is difficult to reduce sodium. These will be salt bombs. They're not good for every day eating, but will do when you're in a hurry.

This guide will help you navigate fast-food menus to stay on track and achieve your goals.

Follow these guidelines to keep your fast-food meals lower in calories

Here are some guidelines that you can follow to reduce the calories in your fast food meals regardless of where you eat.

You can use apps to track your food intake, such as MyFtinessPal. The app is my go-to when I am at fast food restaurants. Choose grilled meats over fried ones. Select lean proteins. You can still enjoy beef burgers, but other protein sources such as turkey or chicken breast have less calories. Ask for more protein. By adding extra protein (like extra meat), you can increase your satiety and keep calories low. Skip the fries. Fruit or salad is a better choice for a side. Skip the sauces, dressings and condiments that are high in fat. Instead, ask for lower-calorie alternatives. Load up on vegetables. Satiety is partly based on volume. Foods that are high in calories will not fill you up, and you'll feel hungry. Add low-calorie vegetables to your meals, such as extra lettuce, tomatoes and onions, in order to increase the volume and nutrition.

Don't fear a high-calorie, no-holds barred fast-food treat every once in a while. On occasion, I enjoy a double-cheeseburger. You can adjust your macros, and calories according to that and eat less for the rest of the time. You can either chalk it up as an anomalous indulgence and continue your diet the following day. It's not necessary to eat well 100% of the time in order to lose weight or stay healthy.

Fast-food Meals With More Than 30 Grams Of Protein That Are 600 Calories Or Less

McDonald's

McDonald's can be a difficult place to find a low-calorie meal with a lot of protein. In the United States they used to have grilled chicken and salads, but in 2020 they removed them.

If you pair a McDouble with an order of fries, you can get a meal with a little over 500 calories and 30 grams protein.