Just how healthy IS Subway?

So, I've been working out 5 days a week and doing my best to maintain a 1,000-1,200 calorie deficit (which, for me at 6'0" 245 lbs, means I'm supposed to eat right around 2,000 calories). When I'm finished working out probably 2-3, sometimes 4 days a week I go to Subway afterward and get a 12" subway club or Italian BMT on wheat with light mayo, mustard, lettuce, bell peppers, etc etc.

If I'm not mistaken, those 12" sandwiches have like 8-900 calories, right? My problem I suppose is that I don't religiously track my calories here because I simply don't have the time. Sometimes I'll do a quick calculation at the end of the day to see where I'm at, but on these workout days I really don't even care. I scarf those subs down.

So do you think maybe I should split up the sandwiches between lunch and dinner (6" for each, respectively) and maybe have a salad/fruit with them instead of making one meal out of it?

I'm just worried that footlong subs have way too many calories. Maybe I'm insane.

Thanks for the input, guys!

I think,  there is nothing wrong with the salad, obviously.
Its the bread and toppings you need to watch.
The advertise it to be healthy, without *item* added.

They can't be terrible for you, aslong as you don't live off them.

But I'm no expert.

Splitting it and adding fruit sounds like a good idea.  

Judging by what the Subway website says, a 12" Italian would run about 900 cal and a 12" Club is around 640.

Personally, I'd split that up between two meals and throw in some fruit as a snack between the meals or split it up and have a cup of soup or a little salad with each half.

The 900 cal is a lot for one meal for me, the 640 is too but it depends on how many calories you eat per day and how much activity you're doing.

Ummmm so if you're worried that the subs have too many calories, then I'd say yes, too many for one meal. 

Subway is a good in a pinch, but you should try to do better for a post-workout meal.

I was confused because I got the turkey sub salad and use the "spray" dressing and entered it and it got a C+ grade.  Let's see lettuce, turkey, lowfat cheese,assorted veggies---why would this get a C+?  Does anyone know?

The sodium content in Subway is quite high, which is the reason it gets a lower grade.

I eat Subway in a pinch (it's my go to a lot of times when I'm traveling for work), but several times a week sounds a bit excessive.  I've also found that if I eat a really big meal at the same time every day, my stomach wants that every time.  So, I personally would break it up.  Just be careful about keeping the high-calorie condiments off it, and skip the cheese.  A little mayo and "low cal" cheese can add up quickly!  Adding lots of veggies to the sandwich will make it healthier, too.

But you could really get a better post-workout meal.  What kind of workout are you doing these 5 days?  It's really important to get enough protein withing about 30 minutes post, so I would throw a protein shake in there.  If you add some ice to it, it'll slow you down, too.  Plus, they are bulky in your stomach, so you feel pretty full quickly.  Then I'd get a clean meal of maybe some chicken, brown rice, and veg.  That meal is really easy to put together.  You can keep boxes of salad greens in the fridge, and steam a big pot of rice to last several days.  For the chicken, you can either grill up a bunch of chicken breasts and keep them in the fridge, or throw one on a panini press or Foreman grill, or sometimes I'll pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery and just take the skin off of it.  I also like to have a little snack before I work out like a banana or a graham cracker/peanut butter sandwich.  That helps my muscles not hurt so much afterward (potassium from the banana) and keeps the Tasmanian devil post-workout hunger at bay.  And make sure you are hydrating!  A lot of people confuse dehydration for post-workout hunger.

i'd say to split up the subs and if you want cheese and mayo, put your own low-fat/low-calorie versions on, to save calories and fat. also, add some fruit and/or milk too.

i'm going to subway for dinner, but only because we're travelling. (: it IS good, unless you have sodium issues.

I wouldn't worry about the club as much as the BMT, a 12" has 16 grams of saturated fat.  The mayo doesn't help either, 50 cal and 2 saturated fat for 1 T (which they put 2 T on a 6", so probably would be like 4 T on a 12"...unless you tell them to go light on it, 200 calories and 8 more grams of saturated fat).

i think, at the risk of sounding like some cheap infomercial, the "health"iness of subway is all about the choices. they do have some fattening, not so good for you things, (they gotta stay in business, right? plus, some people's lifestyles can handle 'em), but they also have a lot of good/better for you choices that a lot of other chain restaurants don't have.
 

basically, i think subway can be very healthy, or just as bad for you as the mcdonalds or burgerkinger. just depends on what you get/can handle

I might eat Subway today but I know what I'm gonna order...the Veggie Delite.  I dont feel like eating a meat based sandwhich ....but i'm not sure if i'm going yet or not hopefully i will cuz i havent had Subway in a while

 I WANT SUBWAY! LOL! 

http://subway.com/subwayroot/MenuNutrition/Nu trition/pdf/NutritionValues.pdf

There's the link to their printable nutrition guide.

If you look, you'll see that one 6" wheat bread has 200 calories ... and I'm figuring a 12" has about 400 calories.  So a lot of your calories are coming from the bread alone.  If you got your sandwich on a wrap instead of sub bread, the wrap only has 70 calories and would be an easy way to keep your calories lower.  Bread info is on the bottom of the 3rd page, btw.  That link also shows the cals for individual ingredients, like light mayo which I think was 50 calories based on a serving for a 6" sub.

um, since when does the wrap only have 70 calories?

i was under the impression it had 190?

edit: you're looking in the serving size column, bombshelle15. the 2nd column is the calories column. so the wrap has 190. i wish the wrap was only 70, bah humbug. 

^ most of the calories do come from the bread, but the wrap isn't much better. it's only ten calories less, you were looking at the serving size (70g).

my suggestion is taking the sub home (whatever size you get) and just switch out their bread for you own low cal bread. or just use the filling for a salad or something

what's the point of going out to eat when you have to drive all the way home and change the bread and add your own fat-free cheese and dressings?

people go to subway and other such places when they either don't want to prepare their own meals, don't have time to prepare their own meals or are travelling or something.

so, you're all basically saying i should keep 8 ounces of fat-free cheese, a bottle of lower calorie ranch dressing and some low-cal bread in my purse at all times? haha.

lol dang, ok ok now that i re-read it, swapping out the bread would be a little tiresome. (eventhough i used to do that back in the day when i went to mcdonalds and was only mildly-health-aware)

i guess if you can handle a 900 calorie meal, then that's fine. otherwise, maybe go for a footlong 6 g of fat sub? or maybe tone down the portions?

or just get the salads.

You guys are incredibly helpful, thanks. I think I've decided to cut Subway out and find some smaller, healthier alternatives.

The big plus about Subway is that it's right here on campus and I'm so swamped for time that 5 minutes in line at Subway for something that tasty is appealing.

Grazie bellas!

i dont think you have to cut out subway all together. it can be quite healthy (excluding the sodium). their health fit meals are really good. they have 6 different sandwiches with 6 grams of fat or less, and you can get apples of low fat yogurt with it. just make sure you only get a 6" sub, and no mayo. the honey mustard is my favorite, and it just happens to be fat free :) and unless you cant live with out it, i say cut out the cheese.

When I don't want to count calories or log them, I just narrow down my food choices to things I know.  It means I don't get a lot of variety, but I don't have to worry about keeping up with things either.

When I am in this mode, Subway is a mainstay for me. 

I'd say for you... that not all subs are created equal.  I think the BMT is one of the worst choices if you are trying to cut down on calories and fat.  The 12" BMT has 900 calories and 42 fat grams.  Compare that to the 12" Turkey and Ham with 580 calories and 10 grams fat or the Club with 640 calories and 12 grams fat.

If you just have to have the BMT, definitely split it between meals.
 

basically all the calories are coming from the bread. I am on a food exchange program right now, trying to gain some weight back. I got a fast food bok with all the exchanges listed in it (like starch, meat, fat, etc.)"
I am a 17 year old female, 5 1.5" and i need 6 meat choices just to maintain right now.
Guess how much a 6 inch turkey sandwhich gives me? ONE MEAT EXCHANGE. that is ridiculouse! a subway club is 2 meat exchanges.. so when i go i order DOUBLE MEAT. haha im very petite and i am ordering double meat, its actually pertty funny.
So, even though you are trying to lose weight, you are huge compared to me.  I would suggest maybe getting a 6 inch and doubling the meat (from the 6grams of fat subs) .. thats just my opinion, unless u just wanna get full off of bread not protein,.

i went to subway tonight - had a 6 inch roast beef on honey oat bread (extra fiber, plus they were out of plain whole wheat) with tomatoes, pickles and black olives for 330 calories. i was satisfied.

don't cut subway from your diet. cutting something out completely just makes you crave it more, plus, everything in moderation is the key to life.

don't eat subway several times a week, maybe just once a week. it could even be your cheat meal - therefore you COULD get the bread, mayo, cheese and whatever else you wanted.