Fast food: always a no?

nibbpe15

For as long as I can remember fast food has been my weakness. How much is too much? Or is any amount too much?????? McDonald's, Taco Bell...ect

CombatGirl93

When I go to anywhere like that now (mostly McDonalds as we don't have a Taco Bell in the UK *cry*) I set a compromise with myself and buy a happy meal. 539 calories, 7g sat fat etc buuuuut it's enough to fill me up and it doesn't make me feel bad at all. It's just when they serve the cheese bites and the mozzarella sticks...well that's a different story

arditarose

Not always a no, but maybe not always a yes? That's my only answer. That stuff doesn't fill me up for the calorie count, and I can have a burger with good meat and bread and cheese at a lovely restaurant instead.

Ready2Rock206

Depends on how many calories you have available, what your goals are and what you order. Not always a no. Not always a yes.

marcelo_templario

No exactly, sometimes a crunchy wrap might come good for your goals, as it contains several types of nutrients, the quantity is key, check this out: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/

maroonmango211

I always ask myself 'is the juice worth the squeeze?" As in, are the calories and lack of nutrients worth the taste. Most of the time, my answer is no.... I'd be better off making a burger at home or piling some cheese, beef and veg on some chips and baking my own nachos or putting in the effort to make my own al fredo pasta ( my super weakness when it comes to eating out). I usually try to think about it from a taste standpoint instead of just calories or 'clean' eating. It's helped me more than once avoid eating something easy and fast to pick up and instead finding time to make something myself.

That being said some times there just isnt time in the day or energy left so a fast food meal once in a while isn't going to derail any goals as long as it fits in your calories and macros (for the most part at least) and is more of a treat than an every day thing.

d_thomas02

Do the research for all the chains you could find yourself in and preplan 'safe' choices for each one.

hchoi25

Personally, I'm a firm believer in food made from my kitchen. I prefer things to be kept natural and in portion. But we all have those days when we either crave junk food or just don't have time to cook (If that is your reason, try food prepping!). I would go for the healthier alternatives on the menu (salad with no dressing, panera bread, soup, nothing fried and preferably not grilled, minimal dressing or sauces, loaded in lean protein like chicken). Go for the simple stuff or things where you can see it being made right in front of you, such as chipotle.

Rabidrunner

If we're on the road I know I can grab 3 Chick-Fil-A strips and a pack of the buffalo dipping sauce plus an iced teas for about 370 cals. It's not the best but it's ok in a pinch when there's nothing else.

williams969

I am unashamed to say I love fast food. I just make reasonable choices. Example, I had an Egg McMuffin and a small coffee today, and passed on the hash brown and orange juice. Earlier this week I had a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger instead of the Baconator at Wendy's, no fries/chips.

It doesn't keep me super full for long, but neither do the heavier versions. But, I stay within goal while still getting to eat at places I enjoy several times a week.

jennifer_417

If you like it, find a way to fit it into your daily calorie allotment. Is it a good idea to eat it constantly? Probably not. But the best thing about counting calories is that you don't have to give up any of the foods you love.

themadteapot

The thing that got me today was the calorie versus fill up! I have been eating a lot of fast food in the last couple months because of my boyfriends work schedule, laziness, and etc. I find that a lot of the time I don't feel full and if I do it doesn't last.. And almost anything on the menu that I want exceeds my daily caloric intake.

I know I'm still gonna eat it now and again.. But i seriously don't understand how it is SO high calorie! I could totally make a yummy burger at home for a lot more money but way less calories.

robertw486

Most fast food is just that. Fast. Not very tasty, not very nutritious, and not much time to get.

I can eat way better burgers and tacos at home, and they are much more nutritious as well. And when you make them yourself, you have to option to spread that nutrition to where you want it, rather than working around it or ordering what fits when you pull up at the drive through.

LKArgh

nibbpe15 wrote: »

For as long as I can remember fast food has been my weakness. How much is too much? Or is any amount too much?????? McDonald's, Taco Bell...ect

Too much in what way? You can lose weight eating only fast food, if this is the question. Health-wise, it depends on what type of fast food, how often and what you consider healthy. For me, most fast food is not worth it, basically because I hate both the smell and the taste, plus it does not really fit my definition of healthy. I eat the occasional pizza, because pizza is something I do like, but not daily.

GsKiki

Everything in moderation!
I eat fast food sometimes but I take smaller portion, and I do a bit more of some exercise that day.
You just have to be aware that fast food is filled with fat, so make sure to work it in your food schedule, and as I said moderation is the key.
How much is too much is up to you. I personally eat fast food maybe twice a month, because I simply don't need more. I would suggest not going over once per week tho, but it's up to you.

malibu927

I've lost 35 pounds and I eat fast food once a week

Pawsforme

Teacher loses 60 pounds eating McDonald's for breakfast, lunch and dinner

PiSquared

Like so many have said, so long as you're expending more calories than you are taking in, it doesn't matter where the calories come from.

With that said, one thing food logging has done for me is to make me super aware of where I'm spending my limited calories. If I'm going to waste calories on something, it had better taste good. For example, my husband and I went on "date" this weekend to have lunch and catch a matinee of the new Star Wars movie. I had a blue cheese and bacon burger, french fries, and a beer, and let me tell you, it was all totally worth it!

If you love fast food, and you have enough calories in your plan to allow it, then I don't see why you shouldn't indulge in it every now and again.

nickynoneck83

A grilled chicken sandwhich tell them to hold the mayo & ask for mustard get a small fry or salad with a water.

rileysowner

In as of itself fast food does not make you fat. As with all documentaries including those that would say the opposite like Super-size Me, a documentary like Fat Heads not to mention the Texas teacher who lost 60 pounds eating nothing but McDonalds http://abc13.com/health/teacher-loses-60-pounds-while-eating-nothing-but-mcdonalds/705916/ make it clear that the issue has less to do with fast food, and far more to do with eating too many calories total. The biggest issue with fast foods is the lack of veggie options. Veggies are nutrient rich, and lacking them in your diet at all could bring issues long term. Personally, as long as: 1) You fit it into your calorie goal 2) You perhaps can even fit it into your Macro (Carb, Protein, Fat) goal 3) It does not result in your losing control and trigger overeating, fast food as part of what you eat is just fine.

Lounmoun

It depends on your goals and if you are meeting your nutritional needs. I don't think nutritionally it would be great to eat fast food for every single meal because they tend to lack a variety of vegetable or fruit options.

I do have fast food once a week or once a month and have lost weight. It is always a planned meal. I look up nutrition information and plan/log my order before I even leave the house. It fits my calorie goal.
I don't get a triple bacon cheeseburger with large fry and a shake because I choose to eat more than once a day. I might get a regular hamburger with a side salad with a vinaigrette dressing and an unsweetened iced tea and that comfortably fits my calorie goal.

Watch things like cheese, condiments, bacon, dressings that can pile on extra calories. Be careful of portion sizes. Planning and pre-logging are helpful in knowing what/how much you can get. Fast food places have their menu and nutritional information online. Look up the places you go to and think about what choices fit your goals best that day.

Spliner1969

Lounmoun wrote: »

Watch things like cheese, condiments, bacon, dressings that can pile on extra calories. Be careful of portion sizes. Planning and pre-logging are helpful in knowing what/how much you can get. Fast food places have their menu and nutritional information online. Look up the places you go to and think about what choices fit your goals best that day.

^^This^^

I try to stay away from fast food on a normal basis, but sometimes on a weekend when I've done extra work I'll go for a Hardees meal or Carl's Jr., or Arby's. I order without mayo, skip the fries, take it home and eat a healthy side with the burger. It's still a ton of calories but I plan for it all day and make sure I stay within my macros. You'll find a lot of big burgers like that (1/3 lb etc.) have up to a quarter of their calories/fat in the bun or the mayo they slap on the thing. Best thing though is make your own copycat version and use healthy ingredients. We love having a Fast Food copycat night and we look for ways to make it healthier.

Need2Exerc1se

It's almost always a no for me because there is very little fast food I find palatable. I only eat it if I'm traveling or something and don't have time for decent food.

But if you like it you can fit it in your diet. It doesn't have magic fat producing properties. The plus side of fast food is you can usually find calorie counts online, which makes working it into a calorie counting diet pretty easy.

Bonny132

I don't do much fast food so when it calls my name it is peri peri chicken (grilled chicken) with a side salad and macho peas. Filling, hits the spot and if my allowance allows it, a side of olives. I love Nando's!!

Francl27

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

It's almost always a no for me because there is very little fast food I find palatable. I only eat it if I'm traveling or something and don't have time for decent food.

But if you like it you can fit it in your diet. It doesn't have magic fat producing properties. The plus side of fast food is you can usually find calorie counts online, which makes working it into a calorie counting diet pretty easy.

Same here. I got spoiled by homemade food, lol. Unless it's a gyro or crepes place (and even then. I'm picky about my crepes).

mbaker566

I eat fast food. Sometimes I just get the chicken sandwich, sometimes a salad, and sometimes I have room in my calorie allotment for a full on bacon cheeseburger from Culvers

becalee26

I go through a Wendy's phase every so often. I love their chili and salads.

00EmilyJo00

Everything in moderation.

asyk805

I was trying to figure out what to have for lunch today. Options are very limited in the town I work in so I pulled up the menu's for McDonald's and Subway. Subway will actually allow you to build a sub or salad and it will give you the nutritional value.
So I am getting a double chicken salad with black olives, cucumbers, lettuce, pickle and tomatoes with honey mustard for 290 calories. I brought my own apple I will either eat with it or hold for a snack a lil later.

The_Enginerd

I've lost 65 lbs and maintained my weight loss for over 3 years, and currently have under 10% BF. I meet my protein, fat, and carb, and micronutrient goals without taking any dietary supplements. My sodium intake is high, but that isn't a worry for me because I do not have high blood pressure and I am quite active.

I also eat fast food nearly once a day. Partly because I'm too lazy to do meal prep for lunches, and partly because I like to get out of the office for lunch. I just make smart choices that fit within my nutritional goals. I can be more free in my choices at this point because I have a fairly high calorie goal, but even when I was losing weight, I could fit it in. A Chick-Fil-A meal of a 12 count grilled nuggets with honey mustard sauce and a chicken tortilla soup with unsweet tea comes in around 500 calories and is high in protein, fiber, and quite filling to me.

elite_nal

As long as you're meeting your total daily needs in terms of macronutrient intake (protein, carbohydrates and fats) and micronutrient intake (vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients etc.), then it really doesn't matter which specific foods you consume in order to meet your daily totals.

The plain fact is that your body does not view your nutritional intake in terms of individual food items. It only sees the entire picture as a whole. Therefore, as long as your macro and micronutrient needs are being met, there's no good reason to suspect that consuming one set of foods over another will produce different results.

So-called “junk foods” still contain perfectly usable protein, carbohydrates, fats and even vitamins/minerals. It’s not that eating “junk foods” is bad; it’s that eating too many of them is usually bad.

For example, you cannot possibly say that “cheeseburgers make you fat”. You can only say that “too many cheeseburgers makes you fat”. It’s not the cheeseburger itself that is bad; it’s the excessive quantity.

Within the context of your entire diet, you could argue that the term “junk food” doesn’t even have any practical application when we’re dealing with a small number like 10-20%.

The truth is that bodybuilding nutrition is really just a numbers game.

As part of a diet designed to support muscle growth and overall health, you have specific daily macronutrient and micronutrient needs in order to achieve optimal results. Your goal is to meet those numbers at the end of the day, period.

As long as the total “mixture” of food that you consume throughout that day meets those numbers, it really makes no difference at all what those exact food items are.

I’m sure some of you reading this are shaking your head by now because you think I’m saying that it’s possible to eat nothing but pizza, burgers and ice cream and still maximize your results.

That is definitely not what I’m saying.

You will still get the majority of your food intake from traditional “clean” bodybuilding foods such as chicken breast, rice and vegetables.

Why?

Because the diet still has to meet your macros AND your micros and it is NOT possible to meet those totals by eating large amounts of “junk” food.

It’s not possible to eat pizza and burgers all day without over-shooting your fat totals.

It’s not possible to pig out on ice cream and 7-up and still meet your fiber/vitamin/mineral requirements.

It’s not possible to eat low quality protein all day and still obtain the proper amino acids needed for maximizing protein synthesis.