Fast-food shakedown: shake shack

[EG News]

WITH A FAMOUS ANGUS BEEF BURGER AND SOME OF THE BEST MILK SHAKES AROUND, THIS FAST-FOOD SPOT CAN BUST
YOUR MACROS IF YOU AREN’T CAREFUL​

Born from a hot dog cart in New York City in 2001, Shake Shack now has more than 100 locations around the country. The original, brick-and-mortar spot took over from the cart in 2004 and soon boasted long lines that often kept people waiting for more than an hour for their shake and burger fix.

The initial draws were the juicy 100% Angus beef burgers, all-natural and cage-free chicken, and Vienna beef hot dogs free from added hormones and antibiotics, plus the eponymous hand-spun milk shakes, frosty floats, and dense frozen custards that cooled down many a New Yorker during the hot city summers. Though if you aren’t on your cheat day, it’s better to avoid those high-calorie frozen fat bombs, as they start out at more than 600 calories and top off at almost 900 calories per serving.

We suggest looking to the lighter side of things, such as the chicken dog and regular hamburger (double up for an extra protein boost), but steering clear of the fried chicken sandwich, which, though delicious, packs in more than 30 grams of fat, and that’s without the herb mayo. The chain also offers fairly nutritious and tasty breakfast options like the Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich, at only 300 calories and 13 grams of fat, but unfortunately those are currently offered only at a few locations. Veggies and salads aren’t readily available, though Shake Shack does have a portobello mushroom burger, but it hits 30 grams of fat thanks to the cheddar cheese.

PRE-WORKOUT PICK

Look for foods with protein for sustained energy and some carbohydrates to fuel muscle. Stay away from fatty and calorie-heavy foods.

FLAT-TOP CHICKEN DOG

• Chicken
• Apple
• Sage sausage
• Potato bun

Calories: 320 | Protein: 20g | Carbs: 32g | Fat: 11g

POST-WORKOUT PICK

After an intense workout you need to build your glycogen stores back up with carbs and lean protein to jump-start muscle-tissue repair and the building of new proteins.

DOUBLE HAMBURGER

• 2 Angus beef patties
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Pickle
• Onion
• Potato bun

Calories: 633 | Protein: 42g | Carbs: 28g | Fat: 38g

FAST-FOOD FATTENERS

Sometimes items that appear harmless can be stealthy fat and calorie bombs, like this:

SHAKE STACK

• 1 Angus beef patty
• Cheese
• Portobello mushroom cap
• Muenster cheese
• cheddar cheese
• Lettuce
• Tomato
• Shack Sauce (mayo, ketchup, yellow mustard, pickle, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper)
• Potato bun

Calories: 795 | Protein: 40g | Carbs: 40g | Fat: 53g

FLEX

Continue reading...