The Fast Food Diet Planner

Fast food doesn't have to be unhealthy. There are many very good choices to be found - from Chic-fil-A to McDonalds. The trick is knowing what the leanest choices on the menu are - and to beware of adding extra sauces to the entrees.

In addition, restaurants are required to provide you with the nutritional value of the foods you are eating, and most have a handy pocket-nutrition guide that will assist you with your meal planning when dining out.

Although the following may not be the leanest of the pack, they're calorie-wise choices. Keep in mind that we all need a little fat in the diet to oil the old machine - particularly our skin and nails.

Breakfast Meal Planner: We'll drop into Jack In The Box for a Breakfast Jack: 300 calories, 12 grams of fat.

Lunch Meal Planner: Mc Donald's has some snazzy salads that taste yum-yum. Opt for the dressings that are lightest in calorie and fat and forego the crackers. These salads average about 400 calories. Enjoy a diet drink with your order and for dessert - a cone. Only 150 calories - what a deal!

Dinner Meal Planner: It's very hard to beat a healthy Subway sandwich. Most contain under 300 calories - and the Veggie offering is not only tasty, it's ultra light in calories and fat.

We'll order 1 Roast Beef - 6" on wheat bread with all the veggie fixins plus a thin line of light Mayo. Add 1 bag of Baked Lays to the order and a diet drink.

Keep in mind that the above Fast food Diet Planner is a mere pattern. To ensure optimum nutrition, you need to incorporate fruit, veggies and dairy into your daily diet. It still helps to have a pattern, to plan!