The default setting for most people when they reach the fast-food counter is to order a burger, fries, soda, and maybe dessert. But did you realize that more than half of the calories in a regular fast-food meal can actually come from the “sides”?

For example, if you order a Big Mac, Medium Fries, Medium Coke, and a Hot Fudge Sundae, your calorie total will be 1450. But if you just have the burger, you knock out almost 900 calories, taking it down to 550. Even if you still have the sides, but choose better options such as a side salad, some water, and apple dippers for dessert, you can still keep your grand total to around 600 calories.

If you do have salad, watch out for salad dressing - it takes the cake (or should that be the lettuce?) for the slyest side around. A seemingly harmless 2 oz. packet of ranch dressing can add 170 calories and 15g of fat to an otherwise calorie-safe salad. 

Portion size can make a huge difference to the impact of fast food on your waistline. CalorieKing.com dietitian Boris Kazakov recommends always choosing the smallest serving size. “You can always order more food when you’ve finished if you are genuinely still hungry,” he says. Compare these portion sizes:

McDonald's Combos: Cheeseburger, Fries & Coke