Is fast food really THAT bad?

CharliesAngel1

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.

healthtenderfoot

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.

LorinaLynn

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.

Srsly??? no nutritional benefits whatsoever???? You gotta be kidding!

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.

AncyNancy561

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 lol

RiannonC

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!

kaseysospacey

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.

mfoulkebrown

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.

queendeej

I agree with most of the other replies...all things in moderation.

Dauntlessness

Watch the documentaries: Food Inc. and Corn. You'll change your mind about McDonalds.

HeavyLiftGirl

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!

marieautumn

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.

Srsly??? no nutritional benefits whatsoever???? You gotta be kidding!

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.

sorry but i respectfully disagree. French fries have very little protein, and its not worth the potassium for the high amount of sodium you would have to consume. Not to mention peanut oil isn’t necessarily a good source of natural fat. And to me soda is wasted calories. I’d rather eat those couple of hundred extra calories, not to mention it makes your stomach so bloated. I’m not saying one should never eat fast food, but we shouldn’t trick ourselves into thinking fast food is real food. It’s pretty much a step above eating plastic with all the junk they put into it.

dianediaz

Regarding some of the discussions about craving fast food or fries or whatever, keep in mind the only reason that you crave it is because you've conditioned your body to need it. Look, I'm totally addicted to coffee. I'll confess that I could quit drinking coffee if I really wanted to and the only reason I "need" it or "crave" it is because I've taught my body to need it. The same thing happens with fast food and sugar, etc. If you eat it even on a somewhat regular basis you will want it, crave it even. But if you stop eating it for awhile and begin to eat more healthy and natural options you'll find that the cravings go away and you actually feel a little icky even thinking about eating it. I eat fast food maybe twice a year (usually after a half Ironman race or half marathon) and I never crave fast food. I live within a 2 minute walk of McDonalds. Never crave it. Never want it. Never need it. Ever. Because I've conditioned my body to not want it. It really is true. If you don't believe me, try a little experiment. Cut out fast food, or soda, or whatever you junk food of choice is for 3 or 4 weeks and replace it with healthy options and see if the cravings go away.

The honest truth is that nobody needs to eat fast food. There are so many healthier options available that you don't need to eat that crap. It will kill you. It is bad for you. But, if you don't believe that it's okay. It's all about choice. Eat what you choose, see how you feel. Guarantee you the better more healthy options will make you feel and be in better health.

gotpaper

It just amazes me how many calories you can use up when you go to a fast food place. Well, today I treated myself to onion rings, but I kinda got a stomach ache. But that won't stop me from eating in moderation on occassion.

maremare312

If you can work it in to your meal plan once in a while and not go over, that's great! But if it triggers a crazy binge (me) it's better to stay away.

becki1815

Check out the Weight Watchers and 550 menu at Applebees. The sodium content is through the roof.

Devlyn_P

Home cooked = You know whats really the ingredients.

Fast Food = Hodge podge of mystery ingredients. (ie. pink slime, wood pulp, etc).

debussyschild

Well, I think the question is how bad can it GET? The answer: really bad. For your health, that is. A treat at Mickey D's every once in a while won't hurt anyone. But... It really depends on what your fitness and health goals are as to whether you ever let that into your body again, lol. For some, in moderation will do just fine. For others, like myself, not only will it not help me meet my goals, but I don't have a taste for it anymore. What you put into your body will make a difference in how you look and feel. There are some who have the mentality "as long as I stay under my calorie goal..." going on, and that's their choice. I'm not judging, but personally, I'd much rather put something healthy (and delicious!) into my body than something that really isn't providing me with much nutrition. Just my two cents :drinker:

AZKristi

I don't think that fast food/restaurant food is significantly worse than packaged food from a store. They all contain lots of ingredients and things you would never include when preparing fresh whole foods at home.

Preparing your own food is perhaps the single best thing you can do for yourself. But, I still eat fast food more often than I should because it is convenient and doesn't taste too bad.

tsh0ck

Check out the Weight Watchers and 550 menu at Applebees. The sodium content is through the roof.

For most of the populace, sodium doesn't really matter at all.

AsellusReborn

OP have you ever seen Super Size Me?

It's a must.

And not to disgree with the perils of eating the way he did, but his real problem was that he went WAY over on calories. That wasn't because it was fast food, it was because it was supersized fast food. If you could stuff yourself with 4000 calories of clean food (or however many he ended up eating, because it was way above maintenance) you would gain weight too.


Everything in moderation. Denial usually means cheating and binging eventually - allowing yourself a treat now and then is healthy. Don't make it a habit, and try to fit it in your macros when you do it - but it's not going to kill you or make you gain 10lbs of fat. (It might make you retain some water weight from sodium, but that's transient.)