Is fast food really THAT bad?
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Start tracking your sodium intake.
Average healthy intake per day is around 2500mg. If you have any issues with high blood pressure this drops to 1500 mg or less.
I bet that your McD's meal hit close to your whole day's allotment.
thanks for this. i added my sodium intake to MFP. the filet fish meal i had at McD calculated 950 in sodium HOWEVER, when i did get my fries they had tons and tons of salt on them (i hate when they do do that) which i'm sure that would have put it over the top when adding my other meals for the day on them.
i also went over my diary and checked the other meals i had which i thought were ok to eat, my banquet pot pies and chinese food and the sodium on these were through the roof. 1250-1580 which put me way over my sodium limit. geez.0 -
thanks for all the responses guys. i learned quite a bit here0
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Isn't there something to be said for keeping your caloric intake consistent throughout the day while still maintaining the total amount, too? I mean, over 700 calories seems like a ton for just one meal.0
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We all know it's not healthy - poor quality meats, high in sugar, sodium, fats. So you are not going to get great nutrition from the calories you eat there. But you have the info you need to make the decision - do you want to choose to use some calories on a less nutritious food because you like the taste of it? The MFP community can't give you permission - only you have the power to do that.0
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Isn't there something to be said for keeping your caloric intake consistent throughout the day while still maintaining the total amount, too? I mean, over 700 calories seems like a ton for just one meal.
based on MFP, my calorie intake minimum is 1200 but i can usually only eat about 2 meals a day, i struggle to eat a 3rd because i'm not hungry, so i always end up falling under it. i exercise, fast walk for a mile twice a day so that in turn just gives me more calories that i have to burn that i can't really meet because again, i'm not hungry enough to eat again in the evenings. maybe its something i have to work towards but i just dont have the appetite enough to eat 3 meals a day. i've never been able to. even as a kid i only ate lunch and dinner because the times i tried to eat a breakfast, it just made me nauseous.
i am not sure if u can see it but i set my profile up for public and you can see that everyday i haven't been able to meet my calorie intake goal :ohwell:0 -
Isn't there something to be said for keeping your caloric intake consistent throughout the day while still maintaining the total amount, too? I mean, over 700 calories seems like a ton for just one meal.
I typically eat about 800-1000 for dinner most nights. After exercise, my total daily calorie goal is around 2000.0 -
Depends on what your fitness and health goals are.
For me I try to stick to humanely raised locally produced (small family farm) meat as much as possible. We consider ourselves ethical carnivores in my house.
For that very reason alone fast food does not often *fit* into the above. I will say that Chipotle is doing an excellent job (compared to other companies) in supporting small family farms. 0 -
i also went over my diary and checked the other meals i had which i thought were ok to eat, my banquet pot pies and chinese food and the sodium on these were through the roof. 1250-1580 which put me way over my sodium limit. geez.
As for meals that are frozen check out Amy's Organics or Evol. Amy's in particular is rated a B+ or A- on most of their meals. It is one of the true organic companies out there (not owned by a large corporation) and they offer low sodium choices. I eat them several times per week for work lunches. 0 -
Isn't there something to be said for keeping your caloric intake consistent throughout the day while still maintaining the total amount, too? I mean, over 700 calories seems like a ton for just one meal.
On a simple day, yes. But when you've been working out and your calorie goal seems to have shot through the roof, then no. 700 can be a reasonable amount for a meal. That's a WHOLE lot of nutritional goodness (or non nutritional...) that one could fit in there.
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I'm not about to tell you that you can't ever have it, you've had plenty of advice here. But for me, I used to be a frequent fast-food eater and I rarely eat it now, 70 pounds lost.
1) It doesn't taste as good anymore, all I can taste is the salt. McDonald's filet o'fish used to be a favorite.
2) I feel like crap afterwards. I do Zumba multiple times a week. If I had fast food that day, I can feel it in my workout, I have less energy and can't move as quickly. You can't tell me that's a coincidence.
3) I'm afraid (for me), that I'll get back into habits that were impossibly hard to break the first time, I can't go back there again.
Good point for the way you feel during Zumba. I personally agree that is a good gauge!0 -
preservatives, sodium, trans fats, artificial flavourings, aspartame... does this cancer/diabetes/obesity cocktail sound healthy?
this garbage does not have any nutritional value AND it does not belong into ur body.
and if u buy this, you should feed it to ur enemy, not to urself!!! love ur body and treat it like it is sacred!0 -
Also, check out The Weight of the Nation (you can watch it for free online) or Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution (very inspiring)0
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Are we seriously still discussing whether fast food is bad or not?
YES, OF COURSE IT IS BAD!
Sheesh.
Can you eat some now and then without dying or wrecking your health? Yes, of course. But YES, it still is BAD.i realize that fast food isnt entirely healthy, but its not intended to be eaten on a daily basis either. my weakness is mcdonald's fries sadly. the other day i had a fish sandwich, med fries and med diet dr pepper from there which added up to 760 calories, 87 carbs, 37 fat and 20 in protein.
i was still able to remain within my daily goals in MFP. so should i stop eating there even if it doesnt put me over my daily limits? does it do some other unhealthy things that MFP just doesnt keep track of?0 -
Are we seriously still discussing whether fast food is bad or not?
YES, OF COURSE IT IS BAD!
Sheesh.
Can you eat some now and then without dying or wrecking your health? Yes, of course. But YES, it still is BAD.
It helps to learn exactly why it is bad (and why there are some chains out there that actually do a good job). But yes, we did not become an obese nation by nomnomnom healthy fast food.0 -
I agree with the other comments here-- yeah, it's bad, but you don't HAVE to stop eating it as long as you don't go over.
HOWEVER, I have found that the less you eat fast food and replace with healthier stuff the more you'll crave healthier food. I've had fast food a few times since I began and eating it I don't feel great. Not that it makes me sick... I just feel... "blah".
I don't think it's just me.
Good luck!
Yeah, me too. I was a die-hard fast food junkie previously. Like I would eat fast food at least once a day every day. About 9 weeks ago I gave up fast food, got serious about using MFP and joined a gym. I have replaced the fast food with healthy food and I have lost 32 lbs. now in 9 weeks! I did let myself eat fast food once while on vacation and I was sick for 2 days from it!
Even though you may meet calorie goals while eating fast food, to me it is just not worth it anymore. It is full of grease and salt. I do allow a splurge every so often of some little something I want but I would highly reccommend that you don't keep fast food as a constant occurance. Best of luck in your journey!0 -
Srsly??? no nutritional benefits whatsoever???? You gotta be kidding!you may be within your caloric goal but fast food doesn’t offer any nutritional benefits, so i wouldn’t recommend making it a habit. maybe once a week is a fair amount? When I eat fast food I order a kids meal and water. Soda is wasted calories (to me at least) since you don’t really taste what you’re drinking when eating. And smaller portions = less calories.
actually i'm not. what benefits do french fries and DR pepper offer?0 -
Fast food is okay in moderation. Moderation meaning once every two to three weeks.0
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The only unhealthy food is one eaten in excess. Fit your calories. Meet your macros. Enjoy life.0
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If you stayed within your limits and its a treat not a daily occurence then I say go for it.
This is a lifestyle change not a diet and if you cut out everything you once enjoyed, you will NEVER stick to it...
Enjoy your life.0 -
When I do get fast foo (its not that often) I get a kids meal, smaller portion and gives me the taste I'm after. I do like the grilled nuggets that ChickFilA now has very yummy!!! Grilled nugget kids meal w/fries & water, its not too bad. I'll just hit the gym a lil harder & longer But I'm also in maintenance at this point. I've had my gallbladder out recently so I cant do too much greasy/fatty stuff..... its just not worth how it makes me feel! 0
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Maybe I am a conspiracy theorist... but I believe that there are fast food labs out there that put a lot more thought and study into the fast food menu (and ingredients) than we could imagine.
I used to eat it all the time, I rarely do now, I don't trust it and I do not trust large corporations for the most part..
IMO McDonalds is one of the most powerful forces in the world when it comes to peoples poor health. I don't think you get that way by trying to take care of peoples health first.
Just my opinion of course but from a business perspective I don't see how it can't be questionable.
I do stop by every now and then for one of their ice cream cones or coffee so I am not all anti fast food.
I agree. It's just awful what they put in the "food", how they treat the animals that are used to make the "food", etc, etc. The increase of fast food joints in our country, I do believe, is a large part of why disease is on the rise. I've watched so many food documentaries, "The Beautiful Truth", was probably my favorite . The documentaries really opened my eyes.
Most fast food isn't really food at all. Like others have said, lack of nutrtion, if you fail to realize how they make it or where it came from.0 -
Of course it's bad for you, but really so is almost anything you can eat or drink if you don't eat it in moderation.
That's really the big thing with fast foods, Moderation.
If you aren't going there everyday for your fix, or even weekly, I really wouldn't worry about it. Just moderate the intake of fast food just as you do with all other foods and junk food.0 -
Srsly??? no nutritional benefits whatsoever???? You gotta be kidding!you may be within your caloric goal but fast food doesn’t offer any nutritional benefits, so i wouldn’t recommend making it a habit. maybe once a week is a fair amount? When I eat fast food I order a kids meal and water. Soda is wasted calories (to me at least) since you don’t really taste what you’re drinking when eating. And smaller portions = less calories.
actually i'm not. what benefits do french fries and DR pepper offer?
French fries have carbs and some protein, and loaded with potassium. Fried in oil, they provide fat, and fat is a dietary necessity. Dr Pepper (and I believe she had diet), just like any fluid, provides hydration. And it tastes damn good. :happy:
Not the best choice for those nutritional benefits, but it certainly still has some.0 -
Its all about portion, so they say, I do kind of beleive that because most people these days eat 4x more than they need to survive.
So...... I eat what i want, when i want, just tiny portions like mcdonalds meal would be a cheeseburger and a small fry and water.
I also think soda is a major waste of calories!!!!! I loved soda--- but im so over it! rather have that fry baby! lol Atleast theres one thing i can buldge on=WATER lol0 -
i realize that fast food isnt entirely healthy, but its not intended to be eaten on a daily basis either. my weakness is mcdonald's fries sadly. the other day i had a fish sandwich, med fries and med diet dr pepper from there which added up to 760 calories, 87 carbs, 37 fat and 20 in protein.
i was still able to remain within my daily goals in MFP. so should i stop eating there even if it doesnt put me over my daily limits? does it do some other unhealthy things that MFP just doesnt keep track of?
To be honest I would stop completely if you can. You're getting trans fats from the fries, trans fats from the fish if it is fried, artificial sweetener from the diet soda, and very little in the way of vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, you get the picture. I see nothing wrong with every once in a while like on your birthday or something but I would be scared to eat at those places as frequently as once a week. You'll save money not eating there too. But do what works for you!0 -
There is little nutritional value, and you need to use your calories to get the most nutrition. That's something I've definitely learned. I feel much better on days where I'm eating a lot of veggies and fruits compared to going out with the family and eating crap. There are some other issues, such as the meat coming from a ton of sources making it a higher risk for foodborne illnesses. Honestly, comparing I think a homemade burger tastes a ton better and you can health-it-up, as I say to my kids lol. Wholewheat bun or sandwich thin, ton of veggies, maybe an avocado slice if you're used to mayo. If you have mcd's once I would be crying over it, but I wouldn't make it part of my plan either.0
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The only unhealthy food is one eaten in excess. Fit your calories. Meet your macros. Enjoy life.
This.
All the talk about how bad fast food is, how it will kill you dead if you even look at a McDonald's sign, is part of the reason it took me so long to get serious about losing weight and being healthier. I was under the mistaken impression that being healthier was an all or nothing thing. I could either eat nothing but salads or I might as well not bother. Then, I learned that a calorie is a calorie and it was up to me how I could spend those calories. I try to make better choices at each meal than I used to, but if I occasionally have a small portion of something less healthy, it's not a big deal.
So, don't listen to the negative nancies telling you that you should never, ever eat fast food. We're all trying to be heathiER, not the healthiEST. If you eat less fast food than you did, call it a victory.
All things in moderation, even moderation.0 -
I agree with most of the other replies...all things in moderation.0
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Watch the documentaries: Food Inc. and Corn. You'll change your mind about McDonalds. 0
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The thing with fast food is to simply make good choices when you go. Sure-- those fries smell good, but there are also apple slice available. I would also choose water as my beverage.
Here is what I usually eat at fast food joints:
Wendys- Plain baked potato and side salad with light basalmic dressing.
McDonalds- Grilled chicken with no bun and apple slices.
Taco Bell- Fresco taco
Arbys- Market Fresh turkey with no mayo sandwich or a salad
HTH!0
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