1. The Worst Food in America of 2009

Baskin Robbins Large Heath Bar Shake
2,310 calories
108 g fat (64 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fats)
266 g sugars

Let's look at America's Worst Food in numbers:

73: The number of ingredients that go into this milkshake.
66: The number of teaspoons of sugar this drink contains.
11: The number of Heath Bars you would have to eat to equal the number of calories found in one Baskin Robbins Large Heath Bar Shake.
12: The average number of minutes it takes to consume this drink.
240: The number of minutes you'd need to spend on a treadmill, running at a moderate pace, to burn it off. 

Eat This Instead! (and ask for two spoons)
2-Scoop Hot fudge Sundae
Chocolate and Vanilla
530 calories
29 g fat (19 g saturated fat)
52 g sugars

2. Worst Pasta of 2009

Romano’s Macaroni Grill Spaghetti and Meatballs with Meat Sauce
2,430 calories
128 g fat
207 g carbs
5,290 mg sodium
       
With three times your recommended daily intake of saturated fat and two days’ worth of salt, these ain’t your mama’s meatballs (at least we hope not). This dish debuted on last year’s list, but there’s no other pasta that delivers this bad of a blow.

Eat This Instead!
Simple Salmon
590 calories
40 g fat (6 g saturated fat)
1,390 mg sodium

3. Worst Starter of 2009

Uno Chicago Grill Pizza Skins (full order)
2,400 calories
155 g fat (50 g saturated)
3,600 mg sodium
 
This appetizer is like eating a Large Domino’s Hand-Tossed Sausage Pizza! Would you ever think of saying to a waiter: “Why don’t you start us off with a large meat pizza?” If you’re ordering for a party of more than 5 it might be OK, but for smaller groups, it's tilting toward gluttony gone wild. Order the Thai Vegetable Pot Stickers instead—the only item carrying fewer than 800 calories.
   
Eat This Instead!
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
390 calories
21 g fat (3 g saturated)
960 mg sodium

4. Worst Pizza of 2009

Uno Chicago Grill Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza
2,310 calories
162 g fat
123 g carbohydrates
4,470 mg sodium

A horrific 228 percent of your daily allowance of fat and 167 percent of your daily sodium intake.

Eat This Instead!
Cheese and Tomato Flatbread Pizza (individual)
and a House Side Salad
with Fat-Free Vinaigrette
755 calories
30 g fat (17 g saturated fat)
1,815 mg sodium

5. Worst Ribs of 2009

Outback Steakhouse Baby Back Ribs (full rack)
2,260 calories
(no other nutritional information available)

Let’s be honest: Ribs are rarely served alone on a plate. When you add a sweet potato and Outback’s Classic Wedge salad, this meal is a 3,340-calorie blowout. 

Eat This Instead!
Prime Minister’s Prime Rib with Fresh Veggies and Sweet Potato
730 calories
39 g fat
65 g carbohydrates

6. Worst Chicken Entrée of 2009

Romano’s Macaroni Grill Primo Chicken Parmesan
2,220 calories
148 g fat (53 g saturated fat)
4,440 mg sodium
126 g carbohydrates
       
“Primo” refers to something that’s the greatest of its kind. Sure, if the ranking is based on the ability to deliver unnecessary calories and fat—this glorified chicken breast is great at that.

Eat This Instead!
Pollo Magro
330 calories
5 g fat (1 g saturated fat)
770 mg sodium

7. Worst Sandwich of 2009

Quizno’s Tuna Melt (large)
2,090 calories
175 g fat (31 g saturated fat, 2.5 g trans fats)
2,190 mg sodium

This sandwich puts tuna’s healthy reputation on the line. A large homemade sandwich would likely provide one-fourth of the calories.
       
Eat This Instead!
Small Honey Bourbon Chicken on Wheat Bread
310 calories
4 g fat (1 g saturated fat)
920 mg sodium

8. Worst Burger of 2009

Chili’s Smokehouse Bacon Triple-The-Cheese Big Mouth Burger with Jalapeno Ranch Dressing
2,040 calories
150 g fat (53 g saturated)
110 g protein
4,900 mg sodium
 
You know this burger's in trouble when it takes more than 20 syllables just to identify it. If you think the name’s a mouthful, just wait until the burger hits the table. You’ll be face to face with two-and-a-half day’s worth of fat—a full third of which is saturated. To do that much damage with roasted sirloin, you’d have to eat about eight 6-ounce steaks. It’s nearly three days’ worth of saturated fat.

Eat This Instead!
Old Timer Burger on a Whole Wheat Bun
420 calories
27 g fat (10 g saturated fat)
670 mg sodium

9. Worst Mexican Entrée of 2009

Chili’s Buffalo Chicken Fajitas with The Works (Ranch Dressing, Guacamole, Sour Cream, Cheese, and Pico de Gallo + 4 tortillas)
1,730 calories
117 g fat (31 g saturated fat)
5,690 mg sodium

Here are a few offenders to choke on: fried chicken, Buffalo sauce, blue cheese, ranch dressing, and sour cream. All make this the sodium equivalent of single-handedly downing three and a half baskets of Chili's bottomless tostada chips or eating 3 ½ pounds of salted peanuts. Add rice and beans, and you've just ordered 3 days' worth of sodium and an entire day of calories.

Eat This Instead!
Chicken Fajita Pita
450 calories
17 g fat (3 g saturated fat)
1,750 mg sodium

10. Worst Chinese Entrée of 2009

P.F. Chang’s Tam’s Noodles
1, 678 calories
93 g fat (17 g saturated fat)

You’d have to eat 42 Krispy Kreme Glazed Doughnut Holes to match the fat content in these noodles.

Eat This Instead!
Ginger Chicken and Broccoli
660 calories
26 g fat (3.5 g saturated fat)
45 g carbohydrates

11. Worst Surf and Turf of 2009

T.G.I. Friday’s NY Strip & Shrimp
1,660 calories
(no other nutritional information available)

Diversity on your plate is usually a good thing, but not with this entrée. It has more calories than three Big Macs. Add variety with healthy sides like a house salad or Friday’s broccoli instead.

Eat This Instead!
Half Rack of Ribs
500 calories
18 g fat
650 mg sodium

12. Worst Dessert of 2009

Romano’s Macaroni Grill Dessert Ravioli
1,630 calories
74 g fat
33 g saturated fat
1150 mg sodium
223 g carbohydrates

Would you eat a Quarter Pounder for dessert? How about four? That’s how many it takes to match to calorie-load of this decadent dish.  It’s the quickest way to ruin what may have been a sensible dinner.

Eat This Instead!
Italian Sorbetto with Biscotti
330 calories
4 g fat
0 g saturated fat
80 mg sodium
71 g carbohydrates

13. Worst Fish Entrée of 2009

Outback Steakhouse Atlantic Salmon (9 oz)
1,640 calories
(no other nutritional information available)

Salmon is normally a healthier alternative to loaded burgers and creamy pastas, but this dish—with as many calories as 35 Chicken McNuggets—isn’t one of those substitutes.
       
Eat This Instead!
Half an Order of Shrimp on the Barbie with Bread
330 calories
21 g fat
32 g carbohydrates

14. Worst Breakfast of 2009

Bob Evans Stacked and Stuffed Caramel Banana Pecan Hotcakes
1,543 calories
77 g fat (26 g saturated; 9 g trans)
2,259 mg sodium
198 g carbs
109 g sugars

It’s not a good sign when it takes you nearly five seconds to spit out the name of your breakfast. This bad boy packs in more than 75 percent of your calories for the day, along with more sugar and fat than nine glazed Dunkin’ Donuts, and nearly as much sodium as five Bloody Marys. That’s why it’s back on our list of the 20 Worst Foods in America again this year.
 
Eat This Instead!
3 Scrambled Egg Beaters with 2 slices of bacon and fresh fruit
314 calories
19.5 g fat (5 g saturated)
700 mg sodium
21 g carbs
18 g sugars

15. Worst Salad of 2009

T.G.I. Fridays Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad
1,360 calories
Fat: unknown (The company refuses to disclose the nutritional content of the food they’re serving you.)
Sodium: unknown
   
Turns out Friday’s monster salads aren’t much better than their burgers. Six out of the seven we analyzed topped out with more than 900 calories, which means that lunchtime can be the start of something big—namely, your belly.

Eat This Instead!
Cobb Salad
590 calories
Fat: unknown (The company refuses to disclose the nutritional content of the food they’re serving you.)
Sodium: unknown

16. Worst Fast-Food Chicken Meal of 2009

Dairy Queen 6-Piece Chicken Strip Basket
1,270 calories
67 g fat (11 g saturated fat)
2,910 mg sodium

The strips deliver more grams of fat than four DQ Homestyle Burgers, and nearly 300 more calories than a Large Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard.

Eat This Instead!
Grilled Chicken Salad
with Fat-Free Italian Dressing
280 calories
11 g fat (5 g saturated)
1,550 mg sodium

17. Worst Kids' Meal of 2009

Chili’s Pepper Pals Country-Fried Chicken Crispers with Ranch Dressing and Homestyle Fries
1,110 calories
82 g fat (15 g saturated)
1,980 mg sodium
56 g carbohydrates

Most kids, if given the choice, would live on chicken fingers for the duration of their adolescent lives. If those chicken fingers happened to come from Chili’s, it might be a pretty short life. A moderately active 8-year-old boy should eat around 1,600 calories a day. This single meal plows through 75 percent of that allotment. So unless he plans to eat carrots and celery sticks for the rest of the day (and we know he doesn’t), find a healthier chicken alternative.

Eat This Instead!
Pepper Pals Grilled Chicken Platter with Cinnamon Apples
350 calories
11 g fat (3 g saturated)
870 mg sodium
38 g carbohydrates

18. Worst "Healthy" Sandwich of 2009

Blimpie Veggie Supreme (12”)
1,106 calories
56 g fat (33 g saturated fat)
2,831 mg sodium
96 g carbohydrates

Sure, a Veggie Supreme sandwich sounds healthy, but this foot-long comes with three different kinds of cheese, and it’s drenched in oil.

Eat This Instead!
Grilled Chicken Sub (6” regular) and Seafood Salad
456 calories
10 g fat (2 g saturated fat)
1,260 mg sodium

19. Worst Supermarket Meal of 2009

Marie Callender’s Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pot Pie
1,060 calories
64 g fat (24 g saturated fat)
1,440 mg sodium

Marie Callender’s perpetrates the ultimate sleight of hand here: the nutrition information says this medium-size entrée has two servings, but honestly, when have you ever split a potpie? Lard-strewn pastry tops and cream-based fillings are the lowest common denominators of the nutritionally nefarious potpie, and this one, with an ingredient list that reads like an O-Chem final, beats out dozens of horrendous iterations to earn this special place on our list.

Eat This Instead!
Marie Callender’s Oven Baked Chicken (369 g)
320 calories
12 g fat (3 g saturated)
990 mg sodium

20. Worst Breakfast Sandwich of 2009

Hardee’s Monster Biscuit
710 calories
51 g fat (17 g saturated)
2,250 mg sodium
37 g carbohydrates
 
When they say “Monster,” they mean it. This 700-calorie behemoth should be enough to scare anyone: It contains nearly a full day’s worth of sodium and saturated fat. Instead, try the Sunrise Croissant with Bacon. It’s not exactly diet-friendly, but if you’re stuck at Hardee’s, it’s a way to escape without too much damage.
 
Eat This Instead!
Hardee’s Sunrise Croissant with Bacon
450 calories
29 g fat (12 g saturated)
900 mg sodium
28 g carbs

GOOD HEALTH IS THE GREATEST GIFT WE ARE GIVEN IN LIFE. ONE THAT WE SHOULD REMAIN MINDFUL OF EVERY DAY, ONE THAT WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL FOR AND ONE WE SHOULD NEVER, EVER... TAKE FOR GRANTED!

The Fitness Underground-Los Angeles
http://www.thefitnessunderground.com

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