by Lucinda Davis

Created on: June 08, 2009   Last Updated: June 12, 2009

It's difficult to go anywhere these days without being besieged by fast food restaurants or their advertisements. When you get that urge to eat out, or it just can't be avoided, there are ways to eat healthier when you have no other choice but fast food. First and foremost you need to have the mind-set that you will eat healthy. Let's face it, you aren't going to order a salad over a burger unless you take control.

If you are looking for a list of top ten healthiest fast food restaurants you can visit http://living.health.com/2009/02/19/americas-healthi est-fast-food-restaurants/ . However, in my part of the United States we don't have Panera Bread, Jason's Deli, Au Bon Pain, Noodles and Company, Corner Bakery Cafe, Chipolte, Atlanta Bread, Einstein Bros Bagels or Taco Del Mar. In fact, I've never even heard of any of these places!

However McDonalds is number eight on their list so, I'll focus on them and the other most common fast food restaurants in the United States. By focusing on ways to eat healthier at the most common fast food restaurants, this will be helpful to more people than just focusing on the healthiest fast food restaurant chains. If a chain such as Panera Bread is not available to me, then how can I consider it healthiest fast food when in my community it does not exist.

So you are with a group of friends and they decide to eat at McDonalds. McDonalds is taking great strides in improving their menu options, but you need to know what is healthy.

If you just have to have that burger then opt for the regular hamburger. With only 250 calories and 9 grams of fat you'll be getting the safest choice. If you choose to add cheese you are only adding 50 calories but beware! You are also adding a whopping 5 grams of fat. Avoid the other burgers altogether! Some of the items that sound healthy, like the Filet O Fish or the McChicken, carry more calories and fat than just a plain burger.

Another choice at McDonald's could be the Honey mustard wrap grilled with 260 calories and 9 grams of fat. Some of the better choices would be the salads, but check McDonald's nutrition chart. You'll find some with over 400 calories and 20 grams of fat. Best salad choices at McDonald's are the Premium Caesar Salad without chicken for only 90 calories and 4 grams of fat, or the Premium Southwest Salad without chicken for only 140 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. Careful now; that doesn't include the dressing!

Clearly, McDonald's safest breakfast choice is the English

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