If you live on Long Island and you’re trying to eat better, fast food might feel like the enemy. But the truth is, you can still make progress while eating out — as long as you know what to order. Whether you’re running errands in East Meadow, stuck at work in Massapequa, or shuttling kids in Oyster Bay, these 10 fast food picks will help you stay on track without blowing your calories or macros.
And yes — you can eat fast food and still lose weight, especially when it’s paired with a consistent strength training routine. More on that below.
How We Chose These Meals (and What You Should Look For When Eating Out)
When it comes to eating out, most people fall into one of two traps: they either give up and eat whatever they want (“I’ll just start over Monday”), or they panic and try to eat the lowest calorie thing on the menu — usually a sad salad with no protein that leaves them starving an hour later. Neither approach works long-term, especially if you’re over 40 and trying to reshape your body, not just drop a few pounds of water weight.
That’s why the meals we chose for this list aren’t just “low calorie.” Each one follows the same AB Fitness nutritional strategy we use with our clients every day: adequate protein, reasonable carbs, and minimal “hidden fats” like dressings, oils, or sauces that can spike calories without adding fullness.
Every option here is under 500 calories and contains at least 20 grams of protein — because protein is key. It helps preserve muscle, especially as you lose fat. And muscle is what gives your body shape, protects your joints, and keeps your metabolism humming.
We also avoided meals that require too much custom tweaking or that come from obscure chains. These are all easy to find on Long Island — in East Meadow, Massapequa, Oyster Bay, and every town in between. Most can be found at drive-thrus, highway stops, or near shopping centers — because we know our clients are busy. You need meals you can grab between meetings, before a school event, or while running errands.
When you’re eating out and trying to make smart choices, here’s what to look for:
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Grilled proteins over fried or breaded
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Skip the cheese, mayo, and creamy dressings unless it fits your macros
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Ask for sauces on the side — even “healthy” ones can add 150+ calories
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Stick to water or zero-calorie drinks
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Avoid “healthy” traps like wraps or smoothies — they often have more sugar than a milkshake
Another pro tip: don’t be afraid to customize. Restaurants are used to it. Asking for “no cheese,” “dressing on the side,” or “double veggies instead of rice” can instantly turn a mediocre meal into a fat-loss-friendly option — without sacrificing flavor.
The bottom line? You don’t have to be perfect. You just need a strategy. And these meals give you a solid starting point — especially when paired with a strength-based training plan like we run at AB Fitness. We teach clients how to eat like this naturally so they never feel like they’re “on a diet” again.
Ready to finally make progress without giving up your lifestyle? Keep reading, and don’t miss the call to action below to learn how we help busy Long Islanders just like you get stronger, leaner, and more confident — one smart decision at a time.
1. Grilled Chicken Sandwich – Chick-fil-A
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Calories: 380
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Protein: 28g
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Carbs: 44g
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Fat: 11g
Skip the fries and sauces, and you’ve got a solid high-protein, lower-calorie option that works on the go.
2. 6” Turkey Breast Sandwich on Wheat – Subway
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Calories: 280
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Protein: 18g
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Carbs: 46g
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Fat: 4g
Load it with veggies, skip the mayo, and you’ll have a meal under 300 calories that actually fills you up.
3. Egg White Grill – Chick-fil-A (Breakfast)
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Calories: 290
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Protein: 27g
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Carbs: 30g
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Fat: 7g
A great early-morning protein boost for anyone commuting or on the move.
4. Grilled Chicken Bowl – Chipotle (No Rice, Extra Veggies)
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Calories: 470
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Protein: 40g
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Carbs: 26g
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Fat: 21g
Chipotle can be a macro bomb or a solid high-protein meal — it’s all in how you build it.
5. Power Bowl – Taco Bell (No Sour Cream or Cheese)
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Calories: 420
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Protein: 26g
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Carbs: 49g
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Fat: 13g
Customizable and balanced. Keep it simple and you’ve got a great meal.
6. Grilled Chicken Wrap – Wendy’s
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Calories: 300
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Protein: 20g
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Carbs: 26g
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Fat: 14g
Easy to eat in the car, high in protein, and surprisingly filling.
7. Side Salad + Double Cheeseburger (No Bun) – McDonald’s
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Calories: 380
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Protein: 22g
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Carbs: 9g
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Fat: 28g
Ditching the bun makes this a solid low-carb lunch you can eat anywhere.
8. Veggie Delite Salad with Chicken – Subway
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Calories: 200
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Protein: 20g
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Carbs: 10g
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Fat: 8g
Low in calories and carbs, and high in volume. Add light dressing and you’re good.
9. Arby’s Roast Turkey Classic Sandwich (No Mayo)
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Calories: 310
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Protein: 25g
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Carbs: 35g
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Fat: 9g
Turkey is underrated at fast food chains — this one’s a winner.
10. Starbucks Protein Box with Eggs and Fruit
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Calories: 470
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Protein: 23g
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Carbs: 40g
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Fat: 20g
More of a snack box, but it’s a good grab-and-go with whole ingredients.
Why Nutrition and Strength Training Are the Ultimate Combo (Especially Over 40)
If you’re over 40 and trying to lose weight, feel better, or just get back to feeling like yourself again — there’s one truth you need to understand: nutrition and strength training are the one-two punch that changes everything.
Most people focus on one or the other. They either try to diet their way thin — eating less and less, hoping the scale moves — or they start working out, but with no real structure or plan. Maybe they do cardio, some classes, a few YouTube workouts… but after a few weeks, they don’t feel any different. That’s because nutrition without strength is weak, and strength without nutrition is incomplete. You need both to see real, lasting results.
Let’s start with nutrition. At AB Fitness Personal Training, we teach our clients that food isn’t something to fear — it’s a tool to fuel your goals. You don’t need to give up carbs, do keto, or starve yourself. But you do need a plan that matches your goals. That means focusing on protein to build and preserve muscle, carbs for energy, and just enough fat to support hormone health. It also means learning how to eat for real life — at work, with your family, on the go. That’s why we even included the fast food options in this article — because you’re not going to meal prep every single day, and you don’t have to in order to see progress.
Now, pair that with smart strength training — and everything changes. After 40, your body naturally loses muscle mass each year. That muscle is what keeps your metabolism high, supports your joints, gives your body shape, and helps you burn more calories even when you’re not working out. Without strength training, it becomes harder and harder to keep fat off, stay energized, and feel strong in your body.
But not just any strength training will do. You don’t need to lift for hours, follow a bodybuilding split, or do anything extreme. In fact, at AB Fitness, our clients only train 2–3 times per week for 30 minutes. Each session is personalized to their body, their injuries, and their lifestyle. That’s the difference between working out and training with a purpose.
When your food fuels your workouts — and your workouts reshape your body — you stop spinning your wheels. You stop obsessing over the scale. You stop falling off track every time life gets busy.
You gain strength, energy, and control. You finally feel like yourself again — or maybe even better than you did 10 years ago.
That’s why the combination of nutrition + strength training is the foundation of every transformation we create at AB Fitness. Because it’s not about burning calories. It’s about building a body and lifestyle that you’re proud of — for good.
Why AB Fitness Is the Solution You’ve Been Missing
At AB Fitness Personal Training, we help Long Island adults transform their bodies with short, effective 30-minute sessions, done 2–3x per week. No long cardio. No guessing. Just smart training, expert coaching, and a program built around your body and lifestyle.
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Our certified coaches have helped thousands of Long Islanders lose fat, gain strength, and feel more confident.
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We work around injuries, health issues, and busy schedules.
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And we give you the nutrition tools and support to succeed — including how to eat out without falling off track.
If you’re tired of starting over, jumping from diet to diet, and never feeling in control…
📞 Call or text us now at 516-303-9157
or
👉 Book your free 40–60 minute tour
We have 3 Long Island locations to serve you:
📍 Massapequa – 4150C Merrick Road, Massapequa, NY 11758
📍 East Meadow – 514A East Meadow Ave, East Meadow, NY 11554
📍 Oyster Bay – 5 Shore Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
You don’t have to be perfect to get results. You just need the right system and real support. Let’s do this together.