5 Fast Food Orders Personal Trainers Eat to Stay Lean

Personal trainer Kelsey Holgate says these fast-food choices and tweaks can help you stay lean without skipping convenience.

Fast food can be criticized for being unhealthy, but some fitness professionals still build it into their routines—so long as they choose smarter items and make specific swaps. Lifetime Savage Personal training leader and nutrition coach Kelsey Holgate outlined five fast food orders she recommends for people aiming to eat in a healthier way.

Holgate’s guidance is centered on selecting items with better nutritional tradeoffs and avoiding add-ons that can increase calories, fat, and sodium. Here are the orders she said she and other trainers commonly choose.

Chick-fil-A Grilled Nuggets

Instead of Chick-fil-A’s breaded nuggets, Holgate recommends ordering the grilled option. She said the grilled nuggets have protein without breading and advised skipping the dipping sauce.

“Grilled is the best option when it comes to nuggets because they just have protein and no breading. Skip the dipping sauce though,” says Holgate.

Iced Coffee

Holgate said coffee drinks and lattes can become calorie-heavy, but she described an approach she uses to reduce added sugar while keeping flavor.

“I use unsweetened almond milk with light syrup, add a packet of stevia and bring my own protein powder to mix in,” Holgate says of her hack.

Salads

For fast-food meals, Holgate said salads can be a regular choice. Her recommendations focus on how to order the salad and how to manage add-ons like dressing and cheese.

“Ask for dressing on the side, grilled protein option, and choose cheese or nuts on the side, or choose one or the other,” she says.

Egg Muffin or Omelet

When it comes to breakfast at fast-food restaurants, Holgate recommended choosing an egg-based item and making modifications to reduce fat and sodium. She specifically advised swapping egg whites for whole eggs, adding vegetables, and avoiding bacon or sausage.

“Ask for egg whites versus eggs. Add more veggies. Skip the bacon or sausage because of higher fat and sodium levels,” she says.

Change Your Hamburger

If someone wants a burger, Holgate said it helps to customize ingredients. She recommended switching the protein, adjusting the breading components, and choosing toppings that add flavor without relying on cheese.

“Make it friendlier by making grilled chicken or a bison burger with lettuce or 1/2 bun. Skip the cheese, but add tomato, mustard and pickles,” she says.

Holgate also said a person can omit the bun entirely, as part of the customization approach.

For readers looking to keep fast food in their routine, Holgate’s overall strategy is consistent across the list: choose grilled or protein-forward options, manage or limit higher-calorie add-ons, and request modifications that fit a leaner plan.

By Ali Musa
Wellness Desk – Health & Nutrition Monitoring.