2 Fresco Chicken Soft Tacos from Taco Bell

Be prepared for all the clean eaters to tell you that you will die/are cheating/aren't doing it right if you even think of Taco Bell.


No one can tell you how to work this thing except for you.

Calories:300
Total fat:7g
Cholesterol:50mg
Sodium:920mg
Carbs 36g
Protein:22g

I really don't know much about nutrition...how bad is this meal? Should I just get one?

if you are pressed for time and have to go drive thru taco belll (and we all do sometimes!) this is actually a great choice. These made the "eat this, not that!" book, 2012 edition. They were on the "eat this" side btw, lol. The sodium may be a little high, but fat and calorie wise, these are your best choices from taco bell

Good example of healthy options at fast food joints! I also go for the Fresco!!!

I think its better than nuggets from mc devils (200 cal) of deep fried crap. I would say go for it (as a treat) but not everyday

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-plans/fastfood-diet-plan-0407_3

So.....the burning of calories through exercise, do I "earn" extra mgs of sodium like I do with carbs, protein, calories, and fat? Like if I do go over the recommended calorie intake, can I burn it off?

No, your daily allotment of sodium stays the same (usually 2500mg) per day, regardless of how many extra calories you earn. This is because sodium does attribute to the calorie total. Calories are made from fat, carbs, and protein only, so when you earn more calories, only those three things are impacted.

I eat Fresca menu alot, because its tasty, low fat, low calorie. I don't feel guilt that its a lot of sodium. Why? because I am a REAL person with a busy life, and it's a better choice than a million other things I could be ordering at a fast food restaurant. This is a journey to become a better, healthier me, I am not perfect and I love that about myself!

Personally I think the sodium is a little high, but that is probably the case for anywhere that you eat out. MFP recommends 2500mg per day. Anywho, I would say that its not terrible, although I would not eat it a lot (which you probably already know).

That's what I get when we go to Taco Bell..compared to a lot of other things I'd rather have from there, it's the healthiest option for me.

Their hard shells are lower in sodium and if I'm not mistaken also lower on carbs.

So.....the burning of calories through exercise, do I "earn" extra mgs of sodium like I do with carbs, protein, calories, and fat? Like if I do go over the recommended calorie intake, can I burn it off?

No, your daily allotment of sodium stays the same (usually 2500mg) per day, regardless of how many extra calories you earn. This is because sodium does attribute to the calorie total. Calories are made from fat, carbs, and protein only, so when you earn more calories, only those three things are impacted.

What if you sweat it out? I go to Bikram yoga so I take in extra salt

I don't have any knowledge about this, but this is what I read (so take it with a grain of salt-though lots of people seems to trust this website)...

Sodium Needs and Sweating
Most people do not need to ingest extra salt to replace sodium lost through sweat. The 1.5 g a day adequate intake for sodium is sufficient to meet the needs for sweat losses in adults ages 18 to 50 who follow a balanced diet and get recommended levels of physical activity, according to the Institute of Medicine. However, individuals with excessive sweating due to intense levels of physical activity or exercise in humid climates may require more than the AI. Daily sodium intake should not exceed the upper limit of 2.3 g a day, however.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/498324-do-i-need-extra-salt-when-i-sweat-a-lot/#ixzz22JIP6e00

Another site I was looking at classified "intense levels of physical activity" as those who are ultra-endurance athletes in training and competition, so I'm thinking that you probably don't need extra due to hot yoga, but I'd consult your doctor to know for sure.

Their hard shells are lower in sodium and if I'm not mistaken also lower on carbs.

And lower in calories. Also tastier, in my opinion.

It's not a bad meal, especially for 300 calories. You could probably add something else (side salad) to it to make it more filling. The only thing with most fast food snacks is, even with low calories, they usually don't have enough fiber or protein to keep you full for long, but it's always good to know what you can grab on the go if you have to that will help you with your calorie/macro goals

I like Eat This, Not That! from Men's Health and have used it a LOT, I used to eat out for lunch all the time... not nearly as nutritious or filling as making your own, but fast times call for smart measures...

Good example of healthy options at fast food joints! I also go for the Fresco!!!

My thoughts exactly!

300 calories is fine for a meal, IMO.

Keep in mind that you can have a "real" chicken soft taco for only 20 calories more each. While the fresco menu sounds great in theory, it really only saves you the cheese calories on things like tacos. I'd rather have the cheese!