The retrospective: 'I can't believe I used to eat that'

pasturepilot

Looking at a whole day of what I used to eat:

Breakfast at McDonalds, on the drive to the airport: Two sausage biscuits and a medium coke: 1,080 calories.

Lunch on Concourse C in Atlanta Airport: Wendy's. Baconator double (Hey that's reasonable, it's not a triple, I'd think back then.) Fries and a big sweet tea. 1,550 calories.

Dinner at some godforsaken hotel in the middle of nowhere. It's raining. I ain't gonna get out and walk in that. Call Papa John's. Eat half the pizza and some soda or a beer or two. 1700 Calories.

Then I'd eat the remaining pizza for breakfast! No wonder I was 265 pounds and climbing when I finally woke up.

newcs

I did this a while back and was pretty grossed out. I got deathly ill when I was 14 and ended up severely underweight (about 85lbs and 5'2") so I ate junk for a few years before it caught up with me. I also worked at McDonald's for a little while and got everything half off...manager told me I could have my grill food for free if I made it. I think he thought I was too girly to take him up on it.

I used to get a super sized number 2 meal which came with 2 double cheeseburgers, supersize fries and a supersize soda (sprite). As if that weren't bad enough, I'd tack on an M&M mcflurry. Here's the stats but keep in mind it was probably more...their fries have bumped down a size (what is now a small used to be the kids meal size) and the site only went up to large on the fries and drink

Calories 2340
From fat 840
Total fat 93g (143%)
Saturated fat 39g (197%)
Trans fat 4g
Cholesterol 210mg (70%)
Sodium 2850mg (119%)
Total carbs 311g (104%)
Dietary fiber 12g (47%)
Sugars 187g
Protein 70g
Vitamin A 35%
Vitamin C 20%
Calcium 100%
Iron 50%

I still eat fast food but as far as the huge burger chains, I usually stick to Wendy's since it actually looks like food. I get a junior cheeseburger, value ($1) fries and if I have spare calories I'll get a value size chocolate frosty. 580 calories for the burger and fries, 880 with the frosty. It's still something I can only afford to do rarely (calorie wise) but it is tempting to get dinner instantly for $3.

KyleB65

Okay, so a regular day for me used to include:

Note every day was like this but there were enough that this can be considered as regular/normal

Breakfast:
1 x-large coffee - 2 cream , 2 sugar
2x McMuffins & 2x Hash browns (Note: Some days I would go to Tim Hortons and get basically their version of the same thing)

Lunch:
Amirs Shish-Taouk plate (chicken, potatoes & salad) with a can of coke.
or
1/2 BBQ chicken plate with fries & sauce
or
Smoked Meat plate - sandwich, fries, slaw & coke

After work snack (before supper)
1 litre coke +/-
1/2 - full bag of chips
little tube of cream cheese dip

Supper
Big Mac trio - super sized

Squidgeypaws007

There were a few favourites - this one stands out:

2 x chigaco town pizzas
2 x boxes of microwave chips
loads of tommy k
and to finish a tub of Ben and Jerrys
(and sometimes a box of jaffa cakes - which I always reassured myself were low fat).

With the BandJerrys it clocks in at......2448.....ouch.

daddymoofle

I still eat at the dreaded McDonald's - just not nearly as often. I set my own damn calorie goal on here, lower than what it told me to - and I exercise and eat healthy enough to stay under it. So far, seems to be working.

Dieting is all about what you do with it.

suemar74

You know those big party-sized bags of frozen chicken wings? I would bake the whole bag, and snarf the whole thing down by myself...smothered in Sweet Baby Ray's.

With a salad.

But no carb-loaded side dish, because I didn't want to be a glutton :huh:


Of course, I was home alone because I couldn't let anyone see me eat that.

Rage4lightning

Back in my poor college days, my most regular meal was two double cheeseburgers and a large fry from McDonald's.

Calories 1120
Calories from Fat 510
Cholesterol 160mg (53%)
Protein 53g
Sodium 2400mg (100%)
Vitamin A 1000IU (20%)
Total Fat 57g (87%)
Total Carbs 98g (33%)
Vitamin C 7mg (10%)
Saturated Fat 23g (116%)
Dietary Fiber 7g (27%)
Calcium 560mg (60%)
Trans Fat 3g
Sugars 15g
Iron 7.5mg (45%)

I'd usually go home and add at least one can of Dr. Pepper to the mix too. Blech.

FrauHausMaus

Bojangles 4 piece supremes combo, Bo sized (no biscuit- I don't like them)

4 Supremes (fried breast tenderloins), large fry, 32 oz Mt Dew, two cups of honey mustard sauce- 1270 calories, 56 grams of fat.

Every single day on my way to work- and I have a desk job, so I'd eat all that and sit in a chair for 5 hours.

I won't pretend I don't eat fast food or say that I'll never eat it again, but I'm doing my best to hold myself accountable and make better choices.

YoungDoc2B

At Mcdonald's, everytime I went (4-5 times a month) I'd get:

2 McDoubles plain
3 Chocolate Chip cookies (every once in a while)
1 Large sweet Tea

This all totals up to: 1530 cals, 61g fat, 28g saturated fat, 2.5g trans fat, 160mg cholesterol, 1720mg sodium, 193g carbs, 124g sugar, and 51g protein.

This stuff doesn't even sound the least bit appetizing to me, these days. How times have changed....

sheila569

In Jersey we have something called Disco Fries sold at pretty much every Diner. GIANT plate of fries with mozzerella cheese and brown or turkey gravy. I had the nerve to eat this with a vanilla milkshake to wash it down. Have no idea what the calorie/fat count was but lets just say probably more that 3 days of calories for me now. Never, ever again!

xshortiex

Oh god, I don't even want to think about this.
But during the summers that I didn't have a job, I'd lounge around my house and one of my favorite "snacks" was a plain bagel smothered in mayo and mustard with a couple of slices of cheese (each different) in the middle. Gross. I weighed like 122 lbs back then (which is a lot for my 5'1", apple-shaped figure).. I weighed myself this morning and am at 102 lbs. Super proud of myself.

porffor

For me it was half a cheesecake, Never saw the point in keeping any for the next day! (oops)

for example
Asda lemon cheesecake - half
920 cals
20g fat
98 carbs


this was not unusual - nor ward half a cake and custard or whatever.. My food portions have decreased dramatically and I no longer get 'starving' half an hour later either. something to do with sugar rushes I'm sure.

no going back!

ChristyRunStarr

My most regular meal would have been chicken parm from Olive Garden (I Love italian food) I'd eat about half of it and save the second half for lunch the next day-I'm so glad looking at it that I didn't have the whole thing though!

Chicken Parmigiana (dinner portion) -for the full meal, not half
calories 1090
fat 49
sodium 3380

bread sticks (I'd have 2 so totals for both:)
calories 280
fat 4
sodium 740

Since everyone else is doing McDonald's here is what I'd get there too:
calories 990
fat 40
sodium 1140
and that's a small fry, apple pie, medium coke and mcchicken sandwich.

Ugh, my stomach hurts just thinking about it!

MessyLittlePanda

I was worst for alcohol. I would easily drink 3 hard ciders a night - around 220 cals per bottle, so I was drinking almost 700 cals per day without any food on top. I might have one every 2-3 days now. I also switched to lighter wine or wine and soda when I go out - better for waistline and liver.

Food wise, I was terrible for eating a lot of cheese. Like, hacking bits off the block whilst cooking dinner (whilst inevitably drinking alcohol as well). I would always sit with my BF and eat chocolate after dinner as well. I have both now, but I use lower fat cheeses and limit how much chocolate I have. Measure out the portion and stick the bar/bag back in the fridge. And it's clearly treat food, not everyday food.

amymichelle1226

Once or twice a week I used to go to Dunkin donuts and get a medium Coffee Coolatta and two donuts. 1260 calories. Unbelievable. That was for breakfast.

porffor

I still eat at the dreaded McDonald's - just not nearly as often. I set my own damn calorie goal on here, lower than what it told me to - and I exercise and eat healthy enough to stay under it. So far, seems to be working.

Dieting is all about what you do with it.

I got to McD's occasionally still. About once every couple of months.
I have a veggie wrap with choc milkshake and fries.. but as you say.. it's all about what you do with it.. it is a 'treat' in that I love choc milkshake and that is the ONLY time I have one... and the wrap is better than I used to eat.. also leave half the bread. I no longer eat TWO apple pies anymore (can't remember the last time I had one to be honest) but I don't feel ashamed, I am not there as often, and certainly my kids don't ask to go anymore either.

Diet.. is not a word I use now, my lifestyle has change - I eat what I want.. but in moderation and knowing I must EARN it in burning it if it's naughty. lol

kluvit

Sample Day:
Breakfast Platter = 800
Lunch Enchilada Dinner w/ Chips & Salsa = 1800
Dinner Steak, Baked Potato w/ Extra Sour Cream, Ceasar Salad = 1500
Ice Cream & Cake = 500
Approx 4600
Must have been getting way more "incidental" exercise than I thought not to have weighed much, much more than I did.
Now even at maintenance that's almost 3 days worth of food!

jcstanton

A large order of Singapore Rice Noodles and a whole order of Crab Rangoon from my favorite Chinese restaurant.

or

An entire medium veggie pizza from Papa John's or Dominoes.

or

An entire box of instant Mac and Cheese.

There's more, but I won't list it all. This wasn't an every day occurance, but at least once a week I'd binge on one of these things. I ate out alot, too. It's disgusting and embarrassing. I remember doing it, but it's like I don't know that person anymore. It's hard for me to imagine eating that much now.

Elen_Sia

In a past life, I made this for my Sunday breakfast every week:

3 thick pancakes made with 1 cup Bisquick's original pancake mix
¼ cup Maple Grove Farms' Dark Amber maple syrup
2 slices thick-cut hickory smoked bacon, pan fried
Cheese omelet made with 2 eggs, ¼ cup shredded Kraft cheddar cheese and ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
10 oz cup of hot Milo (it's a chocolate drink) made with 3 tbsp Milo powder and 1½ tbsp sweetened condensed milk

After typing all that, I got lazy finding nutrition labels from item 3 onwards. But I know that entire breakfast has gotta carry at least 1,200 calories. :laugh:

amandaxh

Thinking about Mcdonalds sort of disgusts me when I truly think about it (or even exam it for too long before eating), but I still eat it actually. In the past I'd probably get a dinner of:

Double Cheeseburger or Fish Filet with a Large Fry and Diet Coke. Maybe a 3 pack of cookies as well. For breakfast, I love their Bacon, Egg & cheese bagels. This was rare though and not something I did regularly, but if I did end up going with friends or my mom or something (for some reason I never really craved it on my own), then that is what I'd get.

Now when I eat at McDonalds, for breakfast I have a canadian bacon, egg and cheese mcmuffin which is only 360 calories compared to the previous bagel I would have had for 560 calories. For lunch or dinner I'll have a McChicken sandwich for 360 with a small fry or skip the fries totally.

I am happy for those folks who can eat completely clean, non fast food and totally disregard any premade stuff. Its a nice aspiration I have for most of the time, but real life creeps up sometimes. In those cases, I want to be informed to make the smartest choice I can.