You’ve probably heard of Jared Fogle, the guy who lost more than 200 pounds by only eating at Subway. His amazing story captured the attention of people all around the world. Here it is in a nutshell.It all started in March of 1998 when Jared was a college student. His weight had skyrocketed to 425 pounds. Jared made the decision to change his life.He knew the weight would come off with the help of a healthy, low-fat diet. There was a Subway restaurant located near his apartment. His plan was brilliant in its simplicity. Everyday he ate the same thing:* Breakfast – coffee* Lunch – “I ate the 6-inch turkey, tons of vegetables, including hot peppers and a bit of spicy mustard.” He left off the mayonnaise and cheese and had a bag of Baked Lays potato chips and a diet soft drink* Dinner – foot-long veggie sub – again no mayonnaise or cheeseThrough the “Subway diet,” Jared shed the extra weight and got down to a lean 190 pounds (the guy is 6’2″). He became a spokesman for Subway, sharing his story and inspiring millions of people.Subway became synonymous with healthy eating.Ever look at a Subway napkin? It lists seven of their sandwiches that have 6 grams of fat or less. And the napkin also lists the fat content of its competition like the Big Mac and the Whopper, burgers with 31 and 40 grams of fat, respectively.Subway is much healthier, right? Yes – and no.Read the small print. The seven sandwiches with 6 grams of fat or less are calculated with only the bread, veggies and meat. So, if you take your sandwich with cheese, mayonnaise and oil (and really, other than Jared, who doesn’t?), you need to recalculate the numbers.Here’s an example, using a 6-inch roasted chicken breast sandwich.
| Food Item | Fat | Calories | |
| 6″ sandwich (bread, veggies and meat) | 6 | 342 |
| Cheddar Cheese (2 slices) | 5 | 60 |
| 1 TBS mayonnaise | 12 | 110 |
| 1 TBS oil | 15 | 135 |
| Totals: | 38g Fat††† | 647 Calories |
Let’s not forget the tempting side items.
| Food Item | Fat | Calories |
| wild rice with chicken soup | 11 | 210 |
| 1oz Bag of SunChips | 6 | 140 |
| chocolate chip cookie | 10 | 210 |
| Totals: | 27g Fat††† | 560 Calories |
And just like that, your healthy Subway sandwich has grown into a meal with fat and calorie totals that rival a Big Mac meal.I know you probably don’t get all of the extras when you visit Subway, but that isn’t the point.The point is that there is danger in classifying any restaurant as “healthy.”The truth is you can gain weight eating anywhere, just like you can lose weight eating anywhere. It all comes down to maintaining a balanced diet with a reasonable calorie and fat intake.Jared lost weight by drastically cutting calories and fat from his diet and by starting an exercise program. You can do this, too, at Subway or any other restaurant. But eating at Subway does not mean that you will walk out leaner and healthier.It all comes down to choices.Everyday, you make choices that directly affect your weight and your health. Should you get mayonnaise on your sandwich? What harm will one cookie do? Will skipping your workout today really make a difference?You get to decide.At some point, we all reach a breaking point. For Jared, it was hitting 425 pounds. For you, it may be when you have to buy the next size up or when you find your body riddled with aches and pains or when you’re shocked by the number on the scale.Sooner or later, you will decide you are worth it. You will decide your health is important. You will decide you deserve to look great. And you will do what it takes to achieve amazing results.
Chocolate DependencyMany of us are simply hooked on chocolate. Rather than getting your chocolate fix through a piece of double fudge brownie, try a nutritious glass of low- fat chocolate soy milk instead. You still get to enjoy your favorite flavor while cutting out calories and fat.
RECIPE OF THE MONTHGuiltless French Toast with RicottaEgg whites and nonfat milk take the guilt out of this breakfast favorite. You will be so surprised by the great taste that the fat and sugar of traditional French toast will not be missed. Enjoy it with sliced strawberries or any seasonal fruit. Servings: twoHere’s what you need…* 4 egg whites* 2/3 cup nonfat milk* 2 slices whole wheat bread* 1/2 cup nonfat ricotta cheese* 1 pinch salt* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon* Sliced Strawberries (optional)* Thoroughly mix the egg whites, milk, salt and cinnamon. Soak bread in the egg white mixture.* Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Cook the bread until each side is set and the bread is light brown. Place French toast on a plate, top with ricotta and garnish with sliced strawberries and cinnamon.Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals 182 calories, 1.5g fat, 23g carbohydrate, and 18g proteinDavid Corder NSCA-CPTwww.perfectfitwc.com
