What a 2,000 Calorie Meal Looks Like at Your Favorite Food Chains

Fast food restaurants have been making it a point to offer smaller sized meal portions as a way to improve on America's ever growing obesity problem. However, they are missing the real issue: there are still single items on the menu that can account for almost or all of your daily caloric values. Depending on your age, height, activity level, and gender, your daily caloric intake can range anywhere from about 1,800 calories to 2,500 calories. How fun would it be to know if you ate all of that in one meal alone? I know what you are thinking: "Well, I just won't eat the whole thing." Studies have shown that people are more likely to finish what’s on their plate than to stop eating. Why? It’s called “the completion compulsion." Think about it for a moment. You have ordered your meal to be eaten and you see what's sitting on your plate that needs to be eaten, right? It is going to be really hard to not eat what is sitting right in front of you, tempting your taste buds not to waste one ounce of it. A recent article posted by the New York Times reveals just how 2,000 calories can look at America's favorite food chains. Cheesecake Factory: The Louisiana Chicken Pasta clocks in at 2,370 calories Sonic: The chain's Peanut Butter Caramel Pie Shake contains 2,090 calories CHIPOTLE Carnitas burrito (945), chips and guacamole (770), Coke (276).   OLIVE GARDEN Salad (150), breadstick (140), Tour of Italy sampler (1,500), quartino of wine (230). IHOP Classic Skillet, with sausage (1,880); orange juice (110). BURGER KING Double Whopper with cheese (1,070), onion rings (410), vanilla milkshake (550).

MCDONALD’S Crispy Chicken sandwich with bacon (750), fries (340), Coke (200), McFlurry with Oreos (690).

WENDY’S Baconator Cheeseburger (940), Potato with bacon and cheese (520), Caesar salad (250), Coke (320).

SUBWAY Cold-cut combo (375), chips (230), chicken noodle soup with oyster crackers (155), cookie (220), Buffalo-chicken salad (360), Coke (200), egg-and-cheese flatbread (370), juice (100)

STARBUCKS Java Chip Frappucino (460), latte (190), orange mango smoothie (270), grilled cheese (580), popcorn (125), sausage croissant (410).

PIZZA HUT Meat Lover’s Stuffed Crust pizza (880), baked wings with blue cheese (340), Mountain Dew (440), two cookies (360).

An AT HOME meal. Yogurt with fruit and nuts (210), toast and jam (85), coffee (2), beef stir-fry and farro (400), diet soda (0), pretzels (220), pear (100), chicken and arugula (490), brussels sprouts and squash (55), water (0), wine (120), cookies (200)

Another AT HOME meal: Butternut squash hash with fried egg (175), turkey chili (410), tortilla chips (120), water (0), coffee (2), chicken wings (280), berries with yogurt (130), orecchiette with chicken sausage and broccoli rabe (435), beer (155), ice cream with poached pear (370)

As you probably guessed, eating at home is your best and healthiest bet. You can control your portions, your calories, and most of all-your willpower.

Article  produced by Darcy Eveleigh, Troy Griggs at the New York Times

Images produced by TONY CENICOLA

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