Fast Food Bashing

Bonita_Lynne_58

I eat less fast food. But I still find ways to work it into my day. Just not without considering how I'm going to have to alter what I eat the rest of the day to make it work for me. All things in moderation! If I deny myself the things I want all the time I will wind up going way overboard.

Silverkittycat

People are free to eat whatever they want, but I'll never understand how anyone with any conscience could support a corporation like McDonald's. If you want a burger, there are many places to get one that aren't involved in the level of exploitation and gross misuse of resources that McDonald's is.

sigh.. I'm bad. :frown:

HMonsterX

IMO calling what they serve at McD 'cheeseburgers' is a stretch of the imagination. Health aspects aside, most fast food just tastes bad. Really bad. And McD tastes worse than most. It barely even tastes like food. I just don't see why anyone would want to waste calories on that crap. I know why people waste calories on alcohol.

Ever thought that YOUR taste isn't the same as other peoples, or do you assume that we all taste things the same as you?

McDonald's doesn't taste bad. It tastes very nice. Tastes a lot better than most other "healthy" foods. Why would anyone want to eat awful tasting stuff like peanut butter, avocados, tofu, etc? And as for alcohol, christ, that's the worst of the lot! Total waste of money and calories.

See how tastes differ? Try opening your mind to what others may feel, rather than trying to force your own close minded views on others.

rockerbabyy

Ever thought that YOUR taste isn't the same as other peoples, or do you assume that we all taste things the same as you?

McDonald's doesn't taste bad. It tastes very nice. Tastes a lot better than most other "healthy" foods. Why would anyone want to eat awful tasting stuff like peanut butter, avocados, tofu, etc? And as for alcohol, christ, that's the worst of the lot! Total waste of money and calories.

See how tastes differ? Try opening your mind to what others may feel, rather than trying to force your own close minded views on others.

<3<3

HonkyTonks

What's up with the legions of people on these sites that so despise Fast Food like McDonalds? Did you all just figure out that it was bad for you? I knew that when I was at my heaviest. I just didn't care. I also like how they have to try and convince themselves and everyone else that it doesn't taste good. Really? Is that how they became a successful business, with bad tasting food? Sounds like people are in denial to me.

I love the Mc Donalds cheese burger, always have, always will. I know it's bad for me, that's why I don't have them as often as I used to, and I make sure I don't eat a bunch at one sitting. Moderation. But it always cracks me up that the weight loss warriors on here who so decry a cheese burger with 300 calories in it are silent on things like alcohol. If only cheeseburgers gave us a buzz!

I don't really like McDonald's because it's bland and I hate the sauce they use. I always find the meat is pretty tasteless, and the cheese plastic. If I am going to eat a burger, it will be a nice home made one. I don't care about the calories or fat, I'll put tasty tender meat on it with cheese and plenty of sauce. I am definitely not in denial. I don't mind HJ's (Hungry Jacks or Burger King) but McDonald's is just not my thing.

chevy88grl

If you like it, that's great. More power to you. Moderation is key here.

I personally do not like the way it tastes - at all. People's tastes change (just like I can't stand the taste of white bread anymore!) and McDonald's just happens to be something that I no longer care to eat. Why on earth would I use up my calories on something I don't like? I don't care what anyone else does, but for me? I'd rather choose something else.

Sugs94

I have drunk so many Iced Hazelnut Coffees from McDonalds...I actually was able to coach a new kid working at the store on how to make it!!!! I am drinking them less...but still get at least 1 a week. Also love the nuggets...yum!!!!!!!!!

HMonsterX

I agree. Everyone's tastes are different, and none of them are "wrong".

I recently discovered how good white bread tastes with butter on! Just an example of everyone being different. I just don't like it when people say that things are terrible, as if it's a fact, and they totally don't realise that one man's junk is another man's treat.

Amberetta82

Oh sweet sweet Taco Hell... I love fast food but it is horrible for you. I learned that after my first pregnancy. My kids' father would bring me whatever I wanted and I gained almost 60lbs!!! 3yrs later with my second pregnancy and I watched that documentary Supersize Me... I was disgusted after that. I didn't eat fast food at all through that whole pregnancy and gained 25lbs (also didn't eat it due to the fact that I had developed pregnancy induced hypertension). Now, we go every once in a while.

Funny story... I was on a fast food boycott and my oldest son who was 4 or 5 at the time was asking about dinner. He said "Mommy, can we go to McDonalds?" and I said to him "No, we can't. We aren't eating fast food.". He got this funny thoughtful look on his face and then said "Well, if we can't eat fast food, can we eat slow food?". Oh I was dying laughing after that one!

chevy88grl

IMO calling what they serve at McD 'cheeseburgers' is a stretch of the imagination. Health aspects aside, most fast food just tastes bad. Really bad. And McD tastes worse than most. It barely even tastes like food. I just don't see why anyone would want to waste calories on that crap. I know why people waste calories on alcohol.

Ever thought that YOUR taste isn't the same as other peoples, or do you assume that we all taste things the same as you?

McDonald's doesn't taste bad. It tastes very nice. Tastes a lot better than most other "healthy" foods. Why would anyone want to eat awful tasting stuff like peanut butter, avocados, tofu, etc? And as for alcohol, christ, that's the worst of the lot! Total waste of money and calories.

See how tastes differ? Try opening your mind to what others may feel, rather than trying to force your own close minded views on others.

But aren't other people in this thread who say it is delicious and that people are in denial about how great it is trying to push their opinion down our throat too?

If someone doesn't enjoy it, fine. Don't accuse them of lying or being in denial.

If someone does enjoy it, to each their own.

I personally think fast food tastes nasty, always upsets my stomach when I eat it and frankly the food isn't worth the calories I'm going to give up to eat it. Am I in denial? No. Did fast food make me fat? I highly doubt it was JUST fast food that contributed to it. It was simple over-indulging of EVERYTHING. Not just one thing. I say if you want to eat fast food - go for it. But, please spare me the "You're lying when you say you don't like it" speech.

Pebble321

I am happy to out myself at a "fast food basher" - and it is for a number of reasons:
1. Many fast food corporations have a terrible record of exploiting workers, resources, farmers etc. As do many other companies (some chocolate manucturers are amongst the worst!)
2. Most of the food is high in calories and low in nutrients. And their "healthy" options are a pretty mixed bag in my opinion.
3. I don't like the way they market so agressively, though I have to say they are VERY good at it.
4. I'm not a big fan of most of their food, I don't think it tastes good - with the exception of McD's hotcakes and KFC Wicked wings, though I used to eat them only occasionally. I know other people like it, that's OK, I don't have a problem with that, or with anything in moderation.

Personally, I didn't get fat from eating fast food from drive through "restaurants". I got fat from eating too much of my healthy home cooking plus too many snacks (chocolate, cake, biscuits, dip etc), drinking too much good red wine and from not having good self control when it comes to portions. Oh, and for not exercising consistently.

I don't think most people have only just worked out that the food is bad for you, I suspect its really related to the "evangelical" streak in us, when we find what we consider the answer, we want to share it with everyone else.
And I think the "bashing" is for a number of reasons, and it's part of the journey of learning about healtheir eating and finding strategies to stay healthy over time.

For the record, I'm also not a fan of "meal replacement" bars/shakes, protein powders, prepackaged meals or "lose weight quick" products.... so I happily bash other things too!

bigislandgrrl

I guess through this process Ive learned that I no longer like Fast food. Never once will I tell you its because the taste. Its because Ive learned that I can satiate myself alot easier by consuming less calorie laden food in exchange for better choices and MORE of them. Enjoy your tiny cheeseburger. Ill make turkey meatloaf at home, with a pile of mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts and feel A LOT more satisfied with calories left over for a skinny cow ~ and less likely to later binge. I dont deny myself guilty pleasures however, NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS SKINNY FEELS!

coyoteo

...you had me at cheeseburgers and alcohol.....

dodger7977

Eating an entire box of Oreos will get you there just as fast. Most people know what they are eating is bad for them, but make the choice to eat it anyway. Each of us has our reasons for why we ate what we did and in the quantity that we did. For me, I normally enjoyed the taste of fast food, and more often than not it made me sick. That didn't stop me from eating it though. I don't blame the restaurants for making me fat. All they did was serve me the food I wanted.

Since starting this change in lifestyle, I have omitted many of the foods I used to enjoy in abundance or reduced their intake. What has changed most for me is that I don't drink my calories anymore and I cannot handle the salt in fast food French fries. They are wayy too salty now, but it was one of the things I enjoyed the most about them before. In that respect my tastes have changed, but every once in a while ill eat it because I am feeling nostalgic.

I have been guilty of reading others diaries and thinking to myself, eating 4 fast food meals in one week won't get you closer to
your goal, especially if you go over on calories each day and don't exercise. But I don't tell them that, because I don't know what is really going on in their lives and me criticizing them probably won't help. They all usually get back on track after a few days and live with the consequences.

As for alcohol, I've discovered Skinny girl cocktails and on the odd occasion I want a drink, they fill the need with fewer calories!

Beckym1205

I personally am grossed out by McDonalds (and yes, I admit they are tasty... I just don't have faith in their "meat product"... but then again, I've recently become vegitarian.) But, when I did ear meat I ate McDonalds probably once or twice a month. I liked carls jr better (I don't care for burgur king) but, in n out was the best. I really want to have animal fries right now... yum... and I'm also wanting the veggie hawaian burgur from Islands... mmmmm....

unsuspectingfish

What's so wrong with not wanting to eat it because you know it's unhealthy? I mean, I get that people probably get frustrated when others on the site condemn them for eating it, but not all of us who dislike it do that. Is it so bad for us to want to eat stuff that is good for us and shun other foods, even if they do taste good? For the record, I still eat "fast food" on the very rare occasion, but in the form of places like Chipotle and Taco Del Mar, and I order the healthiest thing on the menu. Is it so terrible that I only want to put foods I know are healthy in my mouth?

Oh, and, for the record, I don't drink alcohol anymore, either.

Umeboshi

I love McDonalds cheeseburgers. And french fries. And Taco Bell. And junk food in general. And junk food doesn't taste gross just because I've made a lifestyle change. :P It still tastes good. I only have it in moderation though.

I can respect people's choices and personal preferences for food, but seriously the way some people freak out over junk food on here it's like they think it's made of worms.

jskaggs1971

I worked at a McDonalds many moons ago in high school. For about a month. I still hate it.

However, a Carl's Jr. six-dollar burger occasionally calls my name. Most of the time, I can talk myself down to a turkey burger, but not every time.

sharonnna

I just love to hear the truth. The way that you said it was so candid. For me, I have found that I do better to enjoy that treat in moderation. I have noticed that it actually kicks up my metabo with those extra calories by confusing it. I feel good having my treat, and I am more happy when I see some wt. drop in a couple of days. Moderation is the Key.

ninerbuff

"Just as eating "unhealthy" doesn't mean that you will be unhealthy if you are normal weight, are active, and have good genetics." Seriously? Genetics you cannot control, so that shouldn't be thrown in the sentence. Even thin athletic people can have heartaches. If you eat unhealthy, then you have a very good chance of being unhealthy. Not that there is anything wrong with that. If the baby's ugly, then the baby's ugly.

Untrue. A nutrition professor did a clinical study with himself as a guinea pig by eating Twinkies and chips (and made sure he got in the right essential proteins and fiber) and lost weight as well as having his cholesterol and triglycerides improve. Crazy huh?
While you cannot control genetics, people with susceptibility to cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure etc. still have a much greater chance of getting it than someone who isn't susceptible even if that person ate "unhealthily". How do you explain people that smoke, drink, eat bad, etc. yet live to be 90? And so called "healthy" eating individuals who die of heart disease at 60? Genetics does play a part and knowing your family history would indicate whether or not you are susceptible. That's why insurance companies and hospital ask for family history in the first place...to check for susceptibility to disease.

I got very overweight from eating fast food. But I ate it 3 times a day, if I could. After losing weight, I realized the fries at McDonalds weren't the same as when I was 4 with my toy. They changed the oil. They changed the timing. They change everything about the good old fatty fry, because some complained that they had gotten fat off of it. I stopped eating and craving it because I realized the fry I wanted doesn't exist anymore. Now they have fresh hamburgers, instead of the old ones that would sit in the bin for hours-yummy! I'm sorry but I miss the old mcdonald type food!

Good thing they changed the oil. It used to be hydrogenated lard. I remember having to scoop it out of a bucket to fill the fryer when it got low. There was a lot of trans fat in it and trans fat is one of the worst things you could have circulating in your bloodstream.
To me it's still tastes the same, I still eat there at least once a week, but don't get fat because I know how to account for the calories and counter a lot of them with exercise and physical activity.