Five fast food breakfasts that won't pack on the pounds

No one ever means for it to happen, but it does. Once again, you're late for work, and breakfast was the last thing on your mind as you left the house. If you're trying to lose weight, you know you shouldn't have fast food, but you also know the gas station would be worse. Who wants a stale bear claw and a Slim Jim for breakfast?

If the drive-through is your only chance of having any breakfast at all (and that's the only breakfast fast food is superior to: no breakfast), don't use it as an excuse to blow your whole diet. While it's hard to eat right at a chain burger joint, it's not completely impossible.

Here are your best bets for a breakfast on the run that won't slow down your progress.

Sonic: You might not realize it, but Sonic has fresh fruit. They may well be the only fast food place in town that does, but you can find fresh bananas right there on the dollar menu. Whatever you do, though, avoid the breakfast burritos, a fat bomb of almost 500 calories. Sonic serves all their menu items all day, so ask for a chicken wrap (hold the ranch) and you'll cut the calories by more than 150.

Dunkin' Donuts: In what may be one of the greatest instances of restaurant irony, Dunkin' Donuts has become one of the best spots for a healthy breakfast on the run, and they deserve credit for adding smart choices to their menu. Be careful, though. The bagels may seem like a good choice, but they pack more calories than even the donuts, mostly because they are gargantuan. Instead, choose an English muffin and a skin milk latte, or one of the new egg white flatbread sandwiches made with turkey sausage.

Chick-Fil-A: The chicken biscuits may be tempting, but they'll set your diet back light years. Opt for a sunflower bagel, which is a reasonable size for a fast food bagel, and only has 220 calories. That's half the count of most large bagels, and it actually has whole grains. Ask for margarine to top it, and add a fruit cup on the side.

McDonald's: While McDonald's has at least made a slight attempt at carrying some healthier menu items, they have yet to extend that courtesy to their breakfast line. Your least fattening option is the EggMcMuffin , which only has 300 calories, but quite a bit of fat. Hold the meat, the cheese, or both, and you'll cut it considerably. It might seem sparse, so order a skim milk or a juice to make it a little more satisfying.

Burger King: Any place that has something called "cheesey tots" on its breakfast menu is not a friend to your diet. The ham omelet sandwich is the lesser of many evils, with 290 calories and 12 grams of fat. The ham is sliced rather than folded into the omelet, so you can have it your way by leaving it off. An order of apple fries (25 calories) will at least give you a fiber boost.

No matter which chain ends up taking your order in the morning, there are a few things you can always do to make your breakfast a better one.

• Make up for the lack of fruit by ordering orange juice.
• If there is no option that isn't packed with fat, order plain toast or a plain biscuit and add margarine and/or jam. Round it out with juice or skim milk --or both.
• Cheese and meat add the most fat. Stick with plain egg for breakfast sandwiches. Most places will let you hold the meat.
• Nix the condiments. If the breakfast comes with mayo, ranch dressing, or full fat cream cheese, just say "No." Ask for a pack of salsa if you need some zest.
• Ask if they'll add lettuce and tomato. Some places won't break it out until lunchtime, but if they'll agree to it, you get extra fiber as well as a more visually appealing breakfast.

 Of course, it's best if you can avoid a fast food breakfast altogether. Stash fruit, bars, or packets of oatmeal in your desk for emergencies. Grab something at home --anything: a slice of whole wheat bread and a spoonful of peanut butter, a piece of cheese and some rice cakes, or a piece of leftover cold chicken breast. It's still considerably better than fast food.

Use the tips above as a last resort, and be sure and compensate by eating healthfully the rest of the day. And, of course, extra exercise won't hurt either.

Do you know of an easy-to-grab breakfast that won't expand the waistline? Share your comments. As always, you can email your story ideas, recipes to share, and feedback to ekellywrites@gmail.com.