Fast food restaurants can be dangerous, especially to those who are following a strict weight loss plan. Meals tend to be large portions of calories and fat. And because fast foods don't generally have much fiber, we can feel hungry later in the day and end up eating more.

If you are eating in a hurry, avoid the deals that are of the "super size" variety.

Also keep in mind that fast food tends to be high in sodium, which can wreck havoc on sodium restricted diets.

A Quick Course on Eating Fast

The good news is, you can find meals that contain 15 grams of fat or less if you are conscious when making your selection.

Using menu offerings from some of the most popular fast food chains, the items highlighted below are your safest bets for when you are doing the drive-thru.

Subway

Visit Subway and try the Veggie Delite which has just 230 calories, and 3 grams of fat.

The Turkey Breast sandwich has 280 calories, and 4.5 grams of fat.

The Roast Beef sandwich measures in with 290 calories and just 5 grams of fat.

These values are for the six-inch Subway sandwiches. Enjoy them with a juice, water, or diet soda and skip the chips, and you'll enjoy a fairly nutritious meal without throwing your diet plan out the window.

Jack-in-the-Box

At Jack-in-the Box you can enjoy a Southwest Pita with 260 calories and 4.5 grams of fat, one Taco which has 160 calories, but 8 grams of fat, or even a Hamburger which has 310 calories and 14 grams of fat.

The key is to avoid the tasty fatty french fries, which are high in calories and saturated fats.

Carl's Jr

If you crave Carl's Jr, pick up a Hamburger which has 284 calories and 9 grams of fat.

The Charbroiled BBQ Chicken Sandwich has 367 calories with just 4 grams of fat, or go for the Charbroiled Sirloin Steak Sandwich with 417 calories and 14 grams of fat.

Watch your condiments, avoiding mayonnaise. Mustard is a low cal flavor enhancer for just about any sandwich.

KFC

At Kentucky Fried Chicken you can safely enjoy a Tender Roasted Sandwich for 260 calories and just 5 grams of fat, or a skinless chicken breast which has 140 calories and 3 grams of fat.

KFC offers an assortment of side dishes that can be difficult to resist. The best options are mashed potatoes minus the gravy, 110 calories and 4 grams of fat, or the corn on the cob which has 150 calories and 3 grams of fat.

Mickey D's

And if the Golden Arches, McDonald's, is your stop over, try the regular Hamburger which has 260 calories and 9 grams of fat. Other choices include a regular Cheeseburger which has 310 calories and 12 grams of fat, or go for the low fat Fruit'n Yogurt Parfait which offers just 2 grams of fat and 160 calories.

Our Little Disclaimer

Certainly it's best to avoid the fast food dining while you're working on weight loss, however with all the commitments on our time, it's possible you will find yourself face to face with the drive-thru speaker eventually.

If you must go with fast food, enjoy your food choices and make sure it's just an occasional thing, not a habit. Research shows that folks who eat fast food more than twice a week are prone to gain an average of 10 pounds more than those who visit fast food restaurants less than once a week.