To help you navigate these options, we spoke with dietitians who identified healthier fast-food choices at popular chains like Subway, Panera, and Wendy’s. These insights can help you make better decisions and find meals that support your health goals even when you’re on the go.

Tips for Ordering Healthy Fast Food

When you’re on the hunt for healthier fast food, check the menu for items that are lower in calories, fat, and sodium. For more tips, we talked with Mary Sabat MS, RDN, LD about ordering healthier choices at your favorite fast-food chains, and here is her advice for making the best decision for your nutrition goals:

• Choose grilled over fried: Opt for grilled or baked items instead of fried ones to reduce unhealthy fats and calories.
• Go for whole grains: To increase fiber intake, select whole grain buns, wraps, or bread when available.
• Load up on veggies: When you can, add extra vegetables to your sandwich, burger, or salad for added nutrients and fiber.
• Watch your portion sizes: Order smaller portions or choose items from the kids’ menu to avoid overeating.
• Skip the sugary drinks: Choose water, unsweetened tea, or sparkling water instead of soda or other sugary beverages.
• Customize your order when you can: Ask for sauces and dressings on the side to control how much you use or choose healthier options like mustard or vinaigrette.
• Avoid extras: Skip high-calorie extras like cheese, bacon, and creamy sauces. Instead, opt for healthier add-ons like avocado.
• Opt for bowls, wraps, or salads: These options typically contain more fiber, protein, and vegetables, and fewer refined carbohydrates and added sugars.

Not every order is doomed to weigh you down with unhealthful ingredients, and more and more restaurant chains are getting hip to the fact that many consumers actually want to eat right. So, here are 25 of the best healthy fast-food orders around. Read on, then check out 86 Unhealthiest Fast Foods on the Planet.

Wendy’s Grilled Chicken Ranch Wrap

The Wendy’s menu is packed full of calorie-dense burgers and sides, but hidden in there are a handful of healthier, lighter options, such as the Wendy’s Grilled Chicken Ranch Wrap. “Grilled chicken is a lean protein source, and the use of a whole-grain wrap adds fiber while reducing refined carbohydrates,” says Sabat.

 10 Healthiest Wendy’s Orders

Subway 6-inch Oven Roasted Turkey Sub

According to Sabat, the Subway 6-inch Oven Roasted Turkey Sub is a quick and easy choice when you want something on the lighter side.

“It provides lean protein from the turkey and can be customized with a variety of fresh vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers,” she says. “Opting for whole-grain bread adds fiber, and choosing toppings like avocado can provide healthy fats. By avoiding high-calorie add-ons like extra cheese and creamy sauces and instead opting for mustard or a light vinaigrette, you can keep the sub nutritious and balanced.”

 9 Healthiest Subway Sandwiches To Order

Taco Bell Chicken Cantina Bowl

Taco Bell has a few different healthy options to go for, but one of the most filling and nutrient-rich is their Taco Bell Chicken Cantina Bowl.

“This can be a healthy choice because it provides a balanced mix of macronutrients and essential vitamins, and the slow-roasted chicken offers lean protein, while the seasoned rice and black beans contribute to fiber and complex carbohydrates, supporting sustained energy,” says Sabat. “Fresh vegetables like lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, and pico de gallo supply vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Healthy fats are included through guacamole, and the dish is enhanced with a moderate amount of cheddar cheese and reduced-fat sour cream, which helps keep the calorie count in check.” She notes, “Overall, it’s a nutrient-dense option with a good mix of protein, fiber, and healthy fats.”

 9 Healthiest Dishes to Order at Taco Bell

Burger King Royal Crispy Wrap

Burger King’s menu is full of calorie-heavy burgers, fries, and sandwiches, so the Royal Crispy Wrap is the perfect choice for a healthier and lighter item.

“With 310 calories and 15 grams of protein, this wrap offers a satisfying meal without excessive calories, it contains 4 grams of fiber, contributing to digestive health, and its 3 grams of saturated fat and 0 grams of trans fat make it a better option for heart health compared to other fast-food items,” says Sabat. “The inclusion of juicy tomato and crisp lettuce adds vitamins and minerals, while the spicy Buffalo glaze and creamy Buffalo sauce enhance flavor without significantly increasing sugar content.”

 The Best & Worst Menu Items at Burger King

Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Chick-fil-A is famous for its chicken sandwiches—original and grilled. Good fast-food grilled chicken is harder to find these days, but Chick-fil-A is one of the experts. For a healthier sandwich option, try their Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

“Chicken is lean protein, and opting for whole-grain bread and minimal toppings keeps the sandwich relatively low in calories and saturated fat,” says Sabat. “It comes in at 390 calories and 12 grams of fat.”

Arby’s Classic Roast Beef

We don’t love a few things about this sandwich, like the small amount of fiber and 0.5 grams of trans fat. However, compared to other menu items at Arby’s and other fast-food sandwiches in general, the Classic Roast Beef Sandwich is pretty decent for your health. You’re only getting 5 grams of saturated fat, which is pretty low compared to other red meat fast-food sandwiches. It also provides 38 grams of protein and only 360 calories, making it a filling but light sandwich to keep you going.

 The Best & Worst Menu Items at Arby’s

Panera Tuna Salad Sandwich

Panera’s menu is extensive, and it has its fair share of both healthy and not-so-healthy items. One of our favorite healthy fast-food sandwiches is the Panera Tuna Salad Sandwich, which provides healthy fats, fiber, and protein, all for only 550 calories. Our only qualm is the heavy sodium count of 1,060 milligrams, so we recommend trying something else if you’re specifically watching your sodium intake.

Chipotle Balanced Macros Bowl

Chipotle doesn’t list the full nutrition information for its Balanced Macro Lifestyle Bowl, so we don’t know exact numbers for things like sodium, saturated fat, or fiber. But when you learn what this bowl is made of, you’ll see why it’s on the list for healthy fast-food orders.

“The Balanced Macro Bowl at Chipotle is an excellent healthy option when craving a Mexican dish, as this bowl consists of rice, chicken, black beans, fajita vegetables, fresh salsa, guacamole, and extra romaine lettuce,” says Lisa Young, PhD, RDN. “This bowl consists of all the macronutrients, as well as other vitamins and minerals, and the chicken and black beans are great sources of protein. The black beans also contribute to the fiber content of the meal, and the guacamole gives the meal heart-healthy fats.”

Taco Bell Fresco Soft Tacos

You can personalize quite a bit about the soft tacos at Taco Bell. If you choose a Fresco Style Soft Taco—which adds diced tomatoes—you can add some veggies to your order and limit your calories to just 180 per taco with only four grams of saturated fat.

“Choosing Fresco-Style substitutes high-calorie ingredients like cheese and sour cream with a flavorful pico de gallo, reducing overall calorie and fat content,” Says Sabat. “These changes make for a better choice when going to Taco Bell.”

10 Fast-Food Burgers with Over 1,000 Calories

KFC Kentucky Grilled Chicken

You may have a hard time imagining anything besides fried chicken from KFC, but their grilled options are just as flavorful and satisfying. Save the fried chicken for special occasions when you really crave that crispy outer layer, but if you’re craving juicy chicken, the grilled varieties will fulfill those needs.

“Kentucky Grilled Chicken is a healthier alternative to fried chicken because of its lower fat content,” says Sabat. “For 210 calories and only seven grams of fat, this is the healthiest option on the menu.”

Subway Grilled Chicken No Bready Bowl

You can certainly find a handful of healthy sub and wrap options at Subway, but if you’re more in the mood for a bowl, their No Bready Bowls are a great healthy fast-food choice.

“With only 200 calories and four grams of fat, you can load up the Grilled Chicken No Bready Bowl with vegetables for a satisfying high-fiber, high-protein, and low-carbohydrate choice,” says Sabat.

Panera Bread Greek Salad

When you’re craving a hot cup of coffee with your lunch, Panera is the perfect fast-food choice—especially if you’re also trying to stick to some healthier options. Sabat suggests the Greek Salad from Panera if it’s a flavorful and light salad you’re in the mood for.

“It’s a healthy choice because it includes a variety of vegetables and healthy fats from olives and feta cheese,” Sabat says. “Plus, it’s a lighter option, just 410 calories, compared to some of the calorie-heavy sandwiches and pastries on the menu.”

In-N-Out Burger Protein Style Burger

The exact nutrition information is not known.

Have you tried the “Not So Secret Menu” at In-N-Out yet? It feels like a secret menu because it includes items that aren’t on their regular list, but these options are also completely open to the public eye and featured on their website. One of the healthier burger styles on the “Not So Secret Menu” is the Protein Style Burger, “which removes the refined carbohydrates from the bun and replaces it with lettuce, reducing overall calorie intake,” says Sabat.

Panda Express String Bean Chicken Breast

One of the benefits of eating at Panda Express is being able to customize your experience. You can choose a base of either low mein, white rice, brown rice, or steamed vegetables, then choose from a list of deliciously savory protein toppings. One of their popular flavor choices, the String Bean Chicken Breast, is also one of the healthier choices on their menu.

“This dish is a better choice because it features lean chicken breast and steamed vegetables, minimizing the use of high-calorie sauces,” says Sabat.

Read on to learn how Ozempic’s effects on your body can help you make informed decisions about its use and what to do while taking the drug. And for more, don’t miss How Do Ozempic, Wegovy & Mounjaro Compare for Weight Loss?

Ozempic is an injectable, non-insulin prescription medication primarily used to manage type 2 diabetes. It contains semaglutide, a compound that mimics a hormone in your body responsible for regulating blood sugar levels. According to 2023 research, Ozempic lowers blood sugar by stimulating insulin production from the pancreas and reducing the release of glucagon, another hormone involved in glucose regulation.

Beyond blood sugar control, Ozempic is noted for its potential to aid in weight loss. Many users report a decreased appetite and slower gastric emptying, which leads to feeling fuller longer and eating less. A 2022 study in JAMA found that patients who were overweight or obese who took Ozempic experienced an average body fat reduction of nearly 11% over six months.

Addressing the broader appeal and usage of Ozempic, Moody notes, “Ozempic can be life-saving for those who struggle to exercise or control hunger due to weight issues. However, it’s also become popular among the wealthy who can afford to buy the drugs to lose weight for more aesthetic purposes.”

Ozempic has several immediate and long-term effects on the body, varying from beneficial to potentially concerning. Here’s a detailed look at these impacts, according to Moody.

• Changes in appetite and fatigue: Some immediate effects of Ozempic are changes in appetite and fatigue.
• Changes in appearance: It’s common for users to take on a slightly gaunt appearance if weight loss is sudden and significant.
• Long-term effects: There’s limited evidence on the long-term effects of Ozempic as the drug’s use for weight loss is still relatively new, but some scientists suggest that persistent gastrointestinal distress and heart issues are possible.
• Rebound weight gain: Moody cautions against long-term use of the drug for weight loss, as discontinuing use will cause your normal appetite to come back, which can result in rebound weight gain.
• Cardiovascular benefits: Some studies suggest long-term use of Ozempic may lower the risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes, in people with type 2 diabetes. These extended benefits highlight Ozempic’s potential role in boosting overall health and reducing your risk of long-term diabetes-related complications.

Potential drawbacks of taking Ozempic.

While Ozempic is praised for its diabetes management and weight loss benefits, it also has potential drawbacks. Here are some of the most common and serious side effects to be aware of.

• Gastrointestinal issues: According to a 2022 study in Frontiers in Public Health, typical side effects of semaglutide include gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
• Constipation: The National Institutes of Health also cites constipation as one of the most common Ozempic side effects.

These symptoms are usually more pronounced when you first start the medication and tend to diminish over time as your body adjusts. However, they can be uncomfortable and may require dietary adjustments or other interventions to manage effectively.

• Serious side effects: In addition to gastrointestinal symptoms, Moody cautions there are more serious but less common side effects to consider, stating, “More serious side effects of Ozempic use are pancreatitis, thyroid cancer, and gallbladder disease.”
• Increased risk of pancreatitis: A 2023 study found that patients with diabetes taking semaglutide had a 74% higher risk of acute pancreatitis.

That’s why discussing these risks with your healthcare provider is essential to ensure the benefits of taking Ozempic outweigh the potential drawbacks for your specific health situation.

 How To Effectively Build Muscle As You Age

Tips for changing your lifestyle when taking Ozempic.

While Ozempic can be effective for weight loss, adopting healthy lifestyle habits is crucial to maintain long-term health and boost longevity. Here are some tips for making healthy lifestyle changes when taking Ozempic, courtesy of Moody:

• Manage your appetite: Ozempic mainly impacts appetite but doesn’t teach users how to change their lifestyle to maintain weight and health.
• Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet: Those taking Ozempic can still have a poor diet, putting their health at risk, as weight is just one piece of your overall health puzzle.
• Exercise regularly: Consistent exercise, especially weight training, is recommended as rapid weight loss from Ozempic use can result in muscle loss.
• Build and maintain muscle mass: Maintaining a good amount of muscle mass is correlated with better health and weight loss, not just appearance.
• Sustain healthy habits: It’s essential to consider how to sustain healthy habits and lifestyle changes to maintain weight loss once the goal is met, rather than relying indefinitely on the drug.

This stage of life isn’t about slowing down. It’s about working out smarter, not harder. By making a few key adjustments, you can continue to crush your fitness goals and feel amazing while doing it. This guide is your new fitness playbook for your 40s and beyond, promising a future of increased overall fitness and instilling a sense of drive and motivation.

In this article, I’ll dive into the specifics of how your body changes after 40, how to adapt your workouts accordingly, and how to create a well-balanced routine that keeps you at the top of your game.

How your body changes after 40:

As you enter your 40s, your body undergoes several changes that can affect your fitness routine.

Metabolism tends to slow down with age, making it easier to gain weight and more challenging to lose it. Muscle mass starts to decrease, leading to a reduction in strength and endurance. Additionally, joint health can become a concern, with cartilage wearing down and a higher likelihood of experiencing stiffness or discomfort.

Hormonal shifts, particularly in women, can also play a significant role. Decreased estrogen and testosterone levels can impact muscle mass, bone density, and energy levels. Recovery times may lengthen, making it essential to listen to your body and avoid overtraining.

Understanding these changes is the first step in tailoring a workout plan that aligns with your body’s evolving needs.

Here’s how to change your workouts after 40:

As you age, your body requires a different approach to exercise to maintain strength, flexibility, and overall health. Here’s how you can tailor your workouts after 40 to ensure you address critical areas of concern and optimize your fitness journey.

1. Increase strength training.

Building and maintaining muscle mass is crucial as you age. Incorporate weight lifting, resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises into your routine at least two to three times a week. Focus on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses that engage multiple muscle groups.

10 Total-Body Strength Exercises That Are Crucial After 40

2. Prioritize mobility work.

Flexibility and mobility can decline with age, so it’s crucial to include exercises that keep your joints moving freely. Incorporate dynamic stretches, yoga, or Pilates to improve the range of motion and prevent stiffness.

3. Perform balance exercises.

Balance decreases over time, increasing the risk of falls and injuries. Incorporate balance training into your routine with single-leg stands, stability ball exercises, and balance board drills. These moves can enhance proprioception and coordination.

The #1 Strength Workout to Reshape Your Body After 40

4. Engage in cardio with care.

While cardiovascular exercise remains important, high-impact activities must be moderated to protect your joints, depending on your fitness level and past training history. The last thing you want is a nagging injury keeping you from accomplishing your fitness goals. Low-impact alternatives like swimming, cycling, or brisk walking can keep your heart healthy without added strain, especially for those newer to the workout scene.

New Year’s Day has come and gone. If you made a New Year’s resolution or two, you’re in good company. Studies show 141 million Americans do so annually. Chances are, things have been going pretty well so far, but trouble may be on the horizon. A Forbes survey found that the average resolution lasts only four months and only 9 percent of people made their resolve last all year.

Year after year, the most popular resolutions deal with improving health. Physicians at Atrium Health Navicent advise that eating healthy, increasing exercise and quitting smoking are all popular resolutions, and that sticking with them can reap life-long rewards.

“All of us can benefit from good health. The start of a new year offers the chance for a clean slate and a fresh start,” said Millie Smith, a registered dietitian at Atrium Health Navicent.

Here are some tips from Atrium Health Navicent experts about how to keep your New Year’s resolutions:

Eating healthy

When changing your diet, it’s all about having a plan. Meal planning, snack planning and planning for when you are bored, hurried or tired are key. Also, know your limits for foods that can trigger overeating — such as sweets, chips or alcohol. Late night eating, eating on the run or skipping meals and then overeating at the next meal are all pitfalls that can be avoided by meal planning.

Start with small changes in your food. For example, take fast food out of your diet most of the time, and then progress to keeping fast food at a minimum, if at all. Use the same strategy for sweets and sugary drinks. Daily increase your water intake until you reach 64 ounces a day or more.

Increasing exercise

When starting an exercise program, it’s important to think S.M.A.R.T. Set goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-based. Write them down to help you visualize them every day. A key to maintaining an exercise program is to find something you enjoy doing, whether that’s at a gym, outside with friends or an at-home program. Another key is to have an accountability partner who can keep you motivated when times get tough. Short-term benefits of increased exercise include more energy, better sleep and more self-confidence. Long-term benefits include improved blood pressure, less anxiety and depression, a decrease in body fat, more muscle and improved cardiovascular fitness. Other health benefits include improved bone density, improved metabolism and better diabetes management.

Quitting smoking

When making the decision to quit smoking, the first step is to set a quit date. Before that date, clean your house and car to get rid of the smells from smoking. For help with accountability, tell the people in your inner circle that you are starting a smoking cessation program. Strategies for quitting include nicotine replacement therapy, avoiding triggers, replacing smoking with an immediate healthy habit such as gum and starting a workout regimen such as walking. Allowing a doctor or counselor to assist you with smoking cessation will increase your chances of success.

There is a lengthy list of long-term health benefits for people who have quit smoking. Within a year, shortness of breath and coughing will decrease and the risk of heart disease becomes half that of a person who is a smoker. Within five years, your risk of heart attack, coronary artery disease and stroke is reduced to that of a nonsmoker; and risk of cancer of the mouth, esophagus, throat and bladder is cut in half. In 10 years, the lung cancer death rate is half that of a smoker’s risk, as is the risk for kidney disease or pancreatic cancer. After 15 years, the risk of heart disease is back to that of a nonsmoker.

For more details about exercise and wellness services available at Atrium Health Navicent Wellness Center, call 478-477- 2300. For help quitting smoking, call Atrium Health Navicent Peyton Anderson Cancer Center at 478-633-2614. To find a doctor, visit www.NavicentHealth.org and click “Find A Doctor.”

About Atrium Health Navicent

Atrium Health Navicent is the leading provider of health care in central and south Georgia and is committed to its mission of elevating health and wellbeing through compassionate care. Atrium Health Navicent is part of Advocate Health, which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, created from the combination of Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health. Atrium Health Navicent provides high-quality, personalized care in 53 specialties at more than 50 facilities throughout the region. As part of the largest, integrated, nonprofit health system in the Southeast, it is also able to tap into some of the nation’s leading medical experts and specialists with Atrium Health, allowing it to provide the best care close to home – including advanced innovations in virtual medicine and care. Throughout its 125-year history in the community, Atrium Health Navicent has remained dedicated to enhancing health and wellness for individuals throughout the region through nationally recognized quality care, community health initiatives and collaborative partnerships. It is also one of the leading teaching hospitals in the region, helping to ensure viability for rural health care for the next generation. For more information, please visit www.NavicentHealth.org.

About Advocate Health

Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the United States – created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois, Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health serves nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs nearly 155,000 team members across 68 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides nearly $6 billion in annual community benefits

Eating curds is very beneficial for health as it helps in the supply of probiotics, which helps in supporting gut health. It is very beneficial for overall health because of its nutritional content and probiotic properties. If the curd is consumed after lunch it helps you to boost your energy and helps to enhance your digestion if it is consumed after lunch, however, you should avoid taking curd after dinner as it can disrupt your sleep and can cause indigestion.

5 Benefits of Eating Curd After Every Meal

From controlling blood sugar to promoting heart health, here are the benefits of consuming curd after your meal.

Supports healthy digestion

Curd is beneficial for health as it is rich in vitamins, protein, and lactobacillus bacteria which helps to enhance your immunity. Due to its probiotic properties, it helps to keep your gut healthy and its active bacteria properties help to fight the disease which is caused due to germs.

Control blood sugar level

Due to live yoghurt curd properties and digestible protein it helps in maintaining blood sugar level. Greek yoghourt is very helpful in maintaining risk of heart disease and also helps to maintain blood sugar level in diabetes.

Helps in weight loss management

Curd is very rich in calcium and helps to reduce cortisol. The consumption of curd reduces production of cortisol as it is a hormone which gets elevated due to an imbalanced lifestyle which helps to accumulate fat in the waistline.

Good for heart health

Adding curd in your daily routine will help to reduce cholesterol levels significantly, and blood pressure, and also help to lower hypertension. As due to reduction of cholesterol levels in the body will help you keep your heart healthy.

Promotes dental health

Curd is a source of calcium and phosphorus which helps to promote strengthening to your teeth enamels and also prevent tooth decay. Adding curd in your daily diet helps to improve oral hygiene and reduces the risk of dental problems.