Atkins Diet Fast Food Options

Sticking to the Atkins Diet is difficult enough in your own kitchen, let alone when you are forced to eat a meal while out and about. Restaurants, especially fast food restaurants, are notorious for tempting you with myriad satisfying, but ultimately unhealthy, meal choices. Fortunately, eating out and Atkins are not entirely incompatible. With some work on your part, you can still enjoy a meal on the go.

Grilled Chicken

• Most fast food places offer a grilled chicken sandwich, and for those on the Atkins Diet, this choice should be your No. 1 "go-to" food, as grilled chicken is probably the healthiest thing on the menu. The only real caveat is that to keep your carb count low, you will have to eat your meal without the bun, so remember to ask for a plastic knife and fork at the window.

Burgers

• If you are tired of eating grilled chicken, you can resort to having a burger every once in awhile. Some fast food chains (like Burger King) are now offering "bunless" low-carb options for all of their primary burgers. But even if "bunless" is not an option, just get a knife and fork at the window and dispose of those tempting carbs yourself. The only real problem with getting a fast-food burger is that the saturated fat content is often high due to use of fattier beef, so keep that in mind if you are concerned with your cholesterol.

Salads

• Many fast food places are now offering premium salads. Depending on what phase of Atkins you are currently in, you might have to discard the tomatoes or cheese, but overall these are fairly "Atkins-friendly" items. Salad dressing is your No. 1 enemy here, so avoid temptation, and eat your salad sans dressing to keep your meal as compliant as possible.

Wraps

• Certain sandwich chains (such as Quiznos) also offer low-carb sandwiches and "wraps." While these can certainly fit into phases two, three, or four of the Atkins plan, you would do well to steer clear during phase one, as consumption of one of these seemingly-innocent sandwiches with "just" 10 net grams of carbs can eviscerate half of your daily carb allowance with one blow. And if you are having trouble keeping your daily carbs under 20, imagine how much more difficult it will be to eat over half your meals for the day with half that amount to spare. Thus, think twice before ordering a "low-carb" wrap if you are in the induction phase of the Atkins plan.

Considerations

• Eating out on a low-carb plan like Atkins is often more a test of will power than a test of feasibility. If you are willing to make the sacrifice, there is almost always something on the menu that can fit your low-carb goal. To decrease the risk of inadvertent failure, always check the nutritional guide before ordering something new, and always decline anything that might tempt you into cheating on your diet. Thus, wherever possible, say no to fries, buns and anything else that could mentally push you over the brink.