I have just come back from a wonderful month long holiday in the USA. Whilst overseas I was committed to maintaining my powerlifting training, as well as eating well. Many of you will know that going on a holiday generally means your normal routine gets thrown out the window. Suddenly you don’t have a kitchen or fridge, or you’re constantly eating on the run, which can mean a healthy diet can suffer.

On my trip there were many days where I had to eat lunch on the run, or had to grab a quick bite to eat from a fast food outlet. Generally I would cringe at the thought of having to eat at a fast food outlet, however I discovered some great healthy options on my travels. I’d like to share with you my top four fast food outlets that I found myself at in the USA.

1. Maoz

By far, Maoz was my favourite fast food outlet. I loved this place! Maoz originated in Amsterdam and offers a delicious self serve vegetarian salad bar and pita bread sandwiches. The great thing about this place is that you can get a warm pita and fill it with whatever salad ingredients they have on offer that day. Offerings included chick peas, olives, tabouleh, roast beetroot and warm veggies. You can even top up your pita with seconds if you like. A pita sandwich cost me about $4 and was tasty, filling and most important, healthy!

2. Chipotle Mexican Grill

Other then my home made burritos and enchiladas, I haven’t experienced much Mexican food in the past. However, after coming across Chipotle I am keen to experience more! I had Chipotle a number of times throughout my holiday, and each time I had a ‘burrito bowl’ (a salad bowl of fillings which you would generally have in a burrito). I chose to have a grilled chicken bowl, which came with rice, black beans, lettuce and salsa. A burrito bowl cost me approximately $9 and each time I had it, it was filling and delicious.

A cautionary note however, is that if you order a burrito, they are HUGE! So as not to overeat, it’s best to stick with just a few ingredients and don’t go for the extras like avocado, cheese and sour cream. Also remember that if you are full, you don’t have to eat the whole thing! It can be easy to overeat in the USA, due to their meal sizes, so make a conscious effort to stop eating when you are full – not stuffed!

3. Potbelly Sandwich Shop

Potbelly is a sandwich chain that also offers salad and soups. There are healthy options at Potbelly such as the grilled chicken sandwich (which I had), turkey sandwich and vegetarian sandwich, as well as the salads. To make my lunch as healthy as it could be, I always decided to forgo the cheese and just stuck with the salad ingredients. A sandwich cost approximately $5.

4. Subway

Obviously we have Subway here in Australia, however I have to say it was a good place to go to grab a quick sandwich. Subway can definitely be healthy, if you choose the right ingredients (so no salami or meatballs!) I generally had a honey oat sub with tuna or grilled chicken with all salad ingredients. Subway was cheaper then Potbelly, with a foot long sub costing approximately $7 which I shared with my husband.

What healthy fast food have you come across on your travels? Comment below to share your fast food tips.

Tags: cholesterol, chronic disease, fat loss, fats, lifestyle, review, tips, weight loss