Chipotle, Panera or McDonald’s?

Chipotle and Panera are popular quick-service restaurants for many athletes. Their menus offer several items that fit well into a sports diet and are a step in the healthier direction than, let’s say, a burger & fries meal. But the “killer” with even Panera and Chipotle is the portion size.

If you are an athlete who eats three meals a day, you can appropriately fuel your body with 1,000 calories of a Chipotle burrito for lunch; it fits into your day’s 3,000 to 4.000- calorie food budget. But if you are a sedentary desk worker or petite fitness exerciser who might need only 2,000 to 2,400 calories a day, be cautious. You might want to split that burrito and enjoy half for lunch and the other half for dinner.

Hungry athletes who want to eat well commonly cannot afford to fill their tummies with the healthiest options because those items tend to be lower in fat, hence lower in calories. One solution is to plan ahead. If you know you will be eating on the road, pack into your gym bag or backpack some supplemental calories to fill out the meal: trail mix, fresh or dried fruit, Fig Newtons, pretzels, an energy bar or two.

The following chart identifies some popular fast food lunches, their calories, and some pointers on fitting them into your food plan. While a male athlete may require 1,000 calories for a lunch, an active female may need only 700. Your body is your best calorie counter, so be sure to stop eating when you feel content; no need to finish the whole meal. Just save the rest for later in the day. Don’t let it go “to waist”!