Look what fast food & ice cream have done to my cholesterol

Onesnap

<snip>
The main driver behind demonizing "junk" food is the additives that are added that drive you to want more of said food. <snip>

If one thinks they have to live on mainly salads, steamed vegetables and baked meats, or one simply doesn't know how or doesn't like to cook, I can see the draw of the convenience. But taste? I'm just not sure I believe it.

No way fast food tastes better than a home prepared meal by a good cook.

I'm really enjoying the book 'Cooked' by Michael Pollan. It's not preachy and has made me crave things like Whole Hog BBQ, homemade soup and stews, and a really nice sour dough bread.

bcattoes

<snip>
The main driver behind demonizing "junk" food is the additives that are added that drive you to want more of said food. <snip>

If one thinks they have to live on mainly salads, steamed vegetables and baked meats, or one simply doesn't know how or doesn't like to cook, I can see the draw of the convenience. But taste? I'm just not sure I believe it.

No way fast food tastes better than a home prepared meal by a good cook.

This is how your post sounds.

I didn't tell anyone what to like.

Onesnap

I didn't tell anyone what to like.

Yep, they did not. I will say though that when you take time to cook at home it's cheaper than takeout and often more fun. And yes, Olive Garden, Chili's, Applebees...it's all still takeout. No one is actually "cooking" at Applebees. They even microwave their pasta for goodness' sake.

If fast food works for you and makes you happy, go for it. I prefer to get takeout or eat dinner out at a small family owned restaurant. I'm not going to pay a lot of money for some dude to microwave my food.

bpotts44

John, congrats on the sustained weight loss and clean bill of health. Was reading recently that as people eat in caloric excess and convert glucose from carb intake into saturated fat that it is the main cause of blood lipids being out of line which is what is causing massive heart disease.

"people eat in caloric excess and convert glucose from carb intake into saturated fat "??

Your body breaks carbs into glucose and then when you are in glucose excess the liver converts it through lipogenesis to fatty acids and then they are esterified with glycerol into triglycerides where they are put into your blood to be deposited around your body in adipose tissue. So to dispose of excess carbs your liver has to basically do a bunch of work and then flood your blood with fat which besides despositing in your adipose tissue cakes up in your arteries. By limiting calories you stop this process.

silvergurl518

*bravo, bravo indeed*

jonnythan

<snip>
The main driver behind demonizing "junk" food is the additives that are added that drive you to want more of said food. <snip>

If one thinks they have to live on mainly salads, steamed vegetables and baked meats, or one simply doesn't know how or doesn't like to cook, I can see the draw of the convenience. But taste? I'm just not sure I believe it.

No way fast food tastes better than a home prepared meal by a good cook.

This is how your post sounds.

I didn't tell anyone what to like.

Well, you did make a comment about how much people could reasonably like the taste of fast food items.

I'm from New Orleans. I've spent big money in NYC on food. I've literally enjoyed some of the best dining experiences and food the world has to offer. A lot of that food has been absolutely outstanding.

But, still, one of my favorite foods in the world is the lowly crunchy taco supreme. And ramen? Love it. The $1.10 Totino's Party Pizzas are up there too. I wouldn't choose a beefy crunch burrito over the duck breast at Commander's or a medium-rare filet at Ruth's Chris, but I would probably choose it over anything you could make.

_noob_

People take this stuff way too seriously. Point is try to eat heatlhy (but not to the point that you stress out about it), but don't sweat eating the "unhealthy" foods you like in moderation.

jwdieter

People take this stuff way too seriously. Point is try to eat heatlhy (but not to the point that you stress out about it), but don't sweat eating the "unhealthy" foods you like in moderation.

It's a valid point. The problem comes with presentation. The reality here is a strictly-regulated caloric intake, plus high level of activity and exercise. What John here is doing is a very solid approach to weight loss. It's a long way from eating wtf he wants to - which is why he's 100+ lbs lighter.

bcattoes

I didn't tell anyone what to like.

Well, you did make a comment about how much people could reasonably like the taste of fast food items.

I'm from New Orleans. I've spent big money in NYC on food. I've literally enjoyed some of the best dining experiences and food the world has to offer. A lot of that food has been absolutely outstanding.

But, still, one of my favorite foods in the world is the lowly crunchy taco supreme. And ramen? Love it. The $1.10 Totino's Party Pizzas are up there too. I wouldn't choose a beefy crunch burrito over the duck breast at Commander's or a medium-rare filet at Ruth's Chris, but I would probably choose it over anything you could make.

And I still believe that's only because you haven't had my cooking.

Duck breast at Commander's?? Is that something to do with Duck Dynasty?

jonnythan

People take this stuff way too seriously. Point is try to eat heatlhy (but not to the point that you stress out about it), but don't sweat eating the "unhealthy" foods you like in moderation.

It's a valid point. The problem comes with presentation. The reality here is a strictly-regulated caloric intake, plus high level of activity and exercise. What John here is doing is a very solid approach to weight loss. It's a long way from eating wtf he wants to - which is why he's 100+ lbs lighter.

You just make this stuff up as you go along, don't you? Did you even read my post?

1) I'm not 100+ lbs lighter. If I were, it would mean I was currently under 110 lbs. That doesn't seem to be the case.

2) Right from my post: "I lift weights, I find fun ways to be active outside [I never 'do cardio' and I hate running], and I hit appropriate macro goals. That's all there is to it."

jonnythan

I didn't tell anyone what to like.

Well, you did make a comment about how much people could reasonably like the taste of fast food items.

I'm from New Orleans. I've spent big money in NYC on food. I've literally enjoyed some of the best dining experiences and food the world has to offer. A lot of that food has been absolutely outstanding.

But, still, one of my favorite foods in the world is the lowly crunchy taco supreme. And ramen? Love it. The $1.10 Totino's Party Pizzas are up there too. I wouldn't choose a beefy crunch burrito over the duck breast at Commander's or a medium-rare filet at Ruth's Chris, but I would probably choose it over anything you could make.

And I still believe that's only because you haven't had my cooking.

Duck breast at Commander's?? Is that something to do with Duck Dynasty?

No, it's one of the premier dishes at Commander's Palace, a 130+ year old New Orleans landmark restaurant which is regarded as one of the best in the world.

lisamarie1780

I'm all for eating food you enjoy but I wouldn't choose fast food as my main source of nutrients.

I don't think the OP has stated or is intending to recommend people get their MAIN source of nutrients from fast food..just that he hasn't eliminated them from his diet.

OP is getting leaner and healthier while enjoying food and eating a varied diet, this is winning.

Ah ok. I must have misunderstood the post

bcattoes

People take this stuff way too seriously. Point is try to eat heatlhy (but not to the point that you stress out about it), but don't sweat eating the "unhealthy" foods you like in moderation.

It's a valid point. The problem comes with presentation. The reality here is a strictly-regulated caloric intake, plus high level of activity and exercise. What John here is doing is a very solid approach to weight loss. It's a long way from eating wtf he wants to - which is why he's 100+ lbs lighter.

Why do you assume he's not eating what he wants?

I won't speak for anyone else but I get that "I eat what I want" sometimes when I turn food down. And yeah, maybe I do want to eat whatever it is. But what I want more is to stay within my plan and maintain a healthy weight. Maybe I do want another piece of cake, but it's not what I want most. If it was, I'd eat it.

_noob_

No, it's one of the premier dishes at Commander's Palace, a 130+ year old New Orleans landmark restaurant which is regarded as one of the best in the world.

stop it, justifying the best food location on earth is just ascinine. It's a wonder anybody makes it outta New Orleans on anything but a motorized cart.

And Duck Dynasty is located in West Monroe LA, where there's a little less backwater, less french, a touch more redneck, and still awesome food.

jonnythan

People take this stuff way too seriously. Point is try to eat heatlhy (but not to the point that you stress out about it), but don't sweat eating the "unhealthy" foods you like in moderation.

It's a valid point. The problem comes with presentation. The reality here is a strictly-regulated caloric intake, plus high level of activity and exercise. What John here is doing is a very solid approach to weight loss. It's a long way from eating wtf he wants to - which is why he's 100+ lbs lighter.

Why do you assume he's not eating what he wants?

I won't speak for anyone else but I get that "I eat what I want" sometimes when I turn food down. And yeah, maybe I do want to eat whatever it is. But what I want more is to stay within my plan and maintain a healthy weight. Maybe I do want another piece of cake, but it's not what I want most. If it was, I'd eat it.

The same place he's getting that I lost 100+ pounds and have cut down on my ice cream intake: his imagination.

That actually says a lot about his posts, I think. He simply imagines things and then speaks as if they were true.

jwdieter

You just make this stuff up as you go along, don't you? Did you even read my post?

1) I'm not 100+ lbs lighter. If I were, it would mean I was currently under 110 lbs. That doesn't seem to be the case.

2) Right from my post: "I lift weights, I find fun ways to be active outside [I never 'do cardio' and I hate running], and I hit appropriate macro goals. That's all there is to it."

Sorry, guess my memory was off. Thought your ticker used to say 100+.

As I said, it's presentation. Look at your title compared to the rest of the success stories. Your posts always indicate you eat "a lot" of various items that are generally condemned. But your idea of "a lot" is about half or less of what people are getting fat doing. You are eating some of various food items, and always in moderation.

I appreciate your approach and success - looking at your diary indicates disciplined eating. And there's a good message about basic caloric deficit that sometimes appears (does in the OP here, doesn't in many posts). Shrugs.

Bry_Fitness70

My opposition to regularly eating at places like Taco Bell and McDonalds goes beyond just cholestrol concerns– most of fast food is prepared using the cheapest ingredients possible, handled by ambivalent kids making minimum wage that don’t care about food quality, cleanliness, or freshness. It’s great that you are able to control your cholesterol eating like that, but is the taste & convenience really worth shoveling that garbage into your body?

Onesnap

Sorry, guess my memory was off. Thought your ticker used to say 100+.

As I said, it's presentation. Look at your title compared to the rest of the success stories. Your posts always indicate you eat "a lot" of various items that are generally condemned. But your idea of "a lot" is about half or less of what people are getting fat doing. You are eating some of various food items, and always in moderation.

I appreciate your approach and success - looking at your diary indicates disciplined eating. And there's a good message about basic caloric deficit that sometimes appears (does in the OP here, doesn't in many posts). Shrugs.

Really good points.

Plus, as I stated earlier not all of us would have such healthy read-outs in the annual medical tests if we ate fast food every single week.

jonnythan

My opposition to regularly eating at places like Taco Bell and McDonalds goes beyond just cholestrol concerns– most of fast food is prepared using the cheapest ingredients possible, handled by ambivalent kids making minimum wage that don’t care about food quality, cleanliness, or freshness. It’s great that you are able to control your cholesterol eating like that, but is the taste & convenience really worth shoveling that garbage into your body?

Fast food restaurants, as a whole, have a stellar track record on safety. That's simply not an issue. The level of standardization and control of the food chain from farm to counter is astonishing. From personal observation as well as talking to the people I know who have worked foodservice, cleanliness at most fast food joints is at least as good, if not significantly better, than locally-owned restaurants where you can't see the kitchen and profits are razor-thin.

And you can call it "garbage" but that doesn't make it so. I'm not really sure how you define "garbage" though. I look at food in terms of nutrients, not some emotional judgment based on the label or sign.

jonnythan

not all of us would have such healthy read-outs in the annual medical tests if we ate fast food every single week.

Absolute nonsensical bull. I'd love to know what you think they put in a chicken sandwich at McD's or a crunchy taco at Taco Bell that would wreck anything on your lipid profile or CMP.