Wish I knew what it is about mountain biking and hiking that makes me want to put a fat hamburger in my belly immediately after.

Here’s the thing (and I’m not ashamed to admit this): I love hamburgers. But I go biking and/or hiking nearly every weekend and if I indulged in my burgerlove weekly, well, the phrase “hot mess” comes to mind. Here’s how to Paleo hack a burger joint… I originally learned this trick from watching Joe Petrusky place an order at a diner. I’m glad I paid attention ’cause now burger joints have become a Top 5 candidate for places-to-eat-out-without-wrecking-my-waist-size when I’m in a pinch. Oh, the IRONY.

(I’m working with Smashburger but this works for any restaurant offering burgers.) If the burger joint allows you to create your own burger, that’s the best route. Otherwise, you can do a paleo hack by ordering a burger and then stripping it – “Off with your sauce!”

1. Order the burger that comes with 2 patties (or, not. Stick with one patty if you want.)
2. Strip the burger: Specify no bun, no cheese, no sauce.
3. Build the burger back up: Ask for extra fixings like lettuce and tomatoes.
4. Make it classy: Ask for a fried egg on top (This is hard to pull off at fast casual places but sit-down restaurants have no problem adding this.)
5. Add bacon (if that’s your thing!)
6. Don’t forget the (good) fat: Ask for a side of avocado. (Some places will have this, others won’t.)

Final cost at a fast casual restaurant is typically $6-$9
Final cost at sit-down waiter-staffed restaurant is typically the cost of the burger plus two bucks for the egg and avocado. $9-$13

And THAT’S IT. Yeah, it’s a mouthful to spell out to whomever is taking my order but I somehow manage to leave guilt-free not bloated.