Subway Diet Information

The Subway diet is unique in that it is the only major diet based on a fast-food company. As a result of the diet, the company has built a reputation as a healthier alternative to burgers, fries and pizza.

History

• Subway restaurants were started by Dr. Peter Buck and Fred DeLuca in 1965 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, as a way to finance DeLuca's college education. By 1974, they owned 16 restaurants throughout the state and began franchising. Today the company is the world's third largest fast-food company with 30,000 locations in 90 countries.

Diet

• The Subway diet was created by Jared Fogle, a former University of Indiana student who reportedly lost nearly 250 lbs. in one year by replacing two meals a day with a Subway sandwich. According to the company's website, Fogle's diet consisted of coffee for breakfast; a 6-inch turkey sub with lots of vegetables but no mayonnaise or cheese, baked potato chips and a diet soft drink for lunch; and a foot-long veggie sub for dinner.

  In one year he went from 425 lbs. to 190 lbs. He maintains his weight loss by continuing to walk frequently and limiting fats and alcoholic beverages. He serves as a company spokesman and makes frequent appearances to discuss healthy diets.

Subway's Menu

• Today the company offers seven sandwiches billed as "Jared's favorites." These include turkey breast, turkey breast and black forest ham, oven roasted chicken breast, sweet onion chicken teriyaki, black forest ham, the Subway club and veggie delite. There is also a 6-inch roast beef sandwich. Each of these is listed as having 6 grams of fat or less. The company also offers other sandwiches that contain more fat and calories. Each customer can specify which ingredients are used in each sandwich at the time of order.

Exercise

• While Fogle's diet is notable for its loyalty to Subway products, he also walked a mile each day to get his meals.

Consideration

• The company's website does not list a specific diet to follow. It does list the following disclaimer: "Individuals lost weight by exercising and eating a balanced, reduced-calorie diet that included Subway sandwiches with 6 grams of fat or less. Their results are not typical. Your loss if any will vary. Consult your physician before beginning any weight-loss program."

  There is detailed nutritional information for each product on the company website and in the stores. The company also offers soups and wrap sandwiches (instead of a conventional submarine roll).

Tip

• It should be noted that while the Subway diet can be nutritious, it can also be comparatively expensive. A 6-inch turkey sub costs a little over $4 and a foot-long sub costs a little more than $6. An alternative is to use the same ingredients to make similar sandwiches at home.