FITNESS FACT: It would take 146 minutes of walking to burn off one serving of wings at Buffalo Wild Wings.

Having to live on your own and away from home-cooked meals can be tough, especially with the vast options of restaurants on campus. Here are some of the best and worst choices you can make at some of the popular places around ISU.

Noodles & Company

Just the name of this restaurant makes me cringe and think of carbohydrate overload; the majority of the menu items are not a good choice if you are watching what you eat.

I know this is a popular place to eat, but did you know that the regular portion of Wisconsin Mac & Cheese has 1,030 calories and 122g of carbohydrates? It would take over 100 minutes of jogging to burn off that one bowl.

On their website, they do give options if you are watching fat, calories, sodium and gluten intake. This is something that should be utilized to open up your eyes to just what exactly you’re putting in your body. If you plan on pigging out here, prepare yourself for a long food coma and a lot of jogging.

Chipotle

This is one of my personal favorites. When I go here, I know that I can get something healthy and stay full for a few hours.

Although Chipotle is known for their over-stuffed burritos, it may lead to an over-stuffed waistline — one burrito packs a punch at around 1,200 calories.

I always opt for a salad without rice, beans, cheese and sour cream. I add peppers and onions, salsa, meat and use the guacamole (packed with healthy fat!) as the dressing. I leave feeling satisfied, knowing I saved myself some bad calories and a bloated stomach.

McAlister’s Deli

With a big and tempting menu, this is one of the most popular places to grab a bite to eat on campus. There are a lot of diet-destructing choices you can make with this menu, but there are also a handful of healthy choices and modifications you can also make.

Here’s some bad news: the McAlister’s Club has 1,010 calories, while the Spud Max packs 728 calories. You would need to go on a bike ride for an hour and a half just to burn off the potato! Now the good news: the McAlister’s Chef Salad only has 254 calories (just watch how much dressing you use) and the New Yorker has only half the calories of the Club at 490.

They also have an option to build your own sandwich so you can make it how you want. Their website has all the nutrition information you need, so check it out before you decide to eat half your daily calories in one sitting.

Einstein Bros. Bagels

Bad choices: The Chicken Ceaser Wrap has 770 calories, proving not all wraps are healthy. A blueberry bagel has 300 calories, plain cream cheese has 120 and the yummy Caramel Macchiato has a disappointing 300 calories. This is a 720 calorie breakfast disaster.

Choose their Bagel Thin Sandwiches, which are all under 380 calories, and a fruit cup for 60 calories. Cut your coffee calories in half and go for a medium iced latte or a medium cappuccino.

Knowing that there are still plenty of healthy options available helps keep me on track with my eating when I need to grab a quick bite on campus. Although it may take an extra five minutes to check out the nutrition information, it’s worth it when my jeans aren’t too tight and the Freshman 15 never happened.

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