What has giving up fast food done for you?

AnvilHead

the best advice i have is to learn everything you can about what goes into fast food and how it affects your body. totally grossed me out and turned me off the stuff.

Want a peer-reviewed scientific study that details exactly how it affects your body instead of a bunch of fear-mongering and broscience? Here you go:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/hormonal-responses-to-a-fast-food-meal-compared-with-nutritionally-comparable-meals-of-different-composition-research-review.html

Here's the commentary from the reviewer at the end:

This study basically backs up what I’ve been saying for years: a single fast food meal, within the context of a calorie controlled diet, is not death on a plate. It won’t destroy your diet and it won’t make you immediately turn into a big fat pile of blubber. And, frankly, this can be predicted on basic physiology (in terms of nutrient digestion) alone. It’s just nice to see it verified in a controlled setting.

It’s not uncommon for the physique obsessed to literally become social pariahs, afraid to eat out because eating out is somehow defined as ‘unclean’ (never mind that a grilled chicken breast eaten out is fundamentally no different than a grilled chicken breast cooked at home) and fast food is, of course, the death of any diet. This is in addition to the fact that apparently eating fast food makes you morally inferior as well. Well, that’s what bodybuilders and other orthorexics will tell you anyhow.

Except that it’s clearly not. Given caloric control, the body’s response to a given set of nutrients, with the exception of blood lipids would appear to be more determined by the total caloric and macro content of that meal more than the source of the food.

In terms of the hormonal response, clean vs. unclean just doesn’t matter, it’s all about calories and macros.

Which is what I’ve been saying all along.

CoachReddy - I would suggest you read this.

While you're at it, read this:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/excluding-the-middle.html

It may help you see the fallacy of your binary thinking.

For everybody else, here's a small snippet from that article regarding "clean" eating:

The idea of eating ‘clean’ is one that runs rampant in the physique sports. Simply stated, ‘eating clean’ means eating only unprocessed foods in the diet. Well, except when it’s inconvenient, it’s always amusing watching rabid clean freaks rationalize foods that don’t fit their definition (Crystal Light comes to mind) while eliminating foods (such as dairy) which clearly do fit their definition. And when you get into arguments with clean freaks and suggest that it’s not required to eat clean 100% of the time, you will often get a response to the effect of “I guess I could go binge on junk food and McDonald’s and pizza at every meal, sure.”

I’d note that clean freaks often include a ‘cheat day’ where they go out of their way to eat the most junk humanly possible, often to the point of making themselves sick. As well, many fall into the trap whereby if even a gram of an ‘unclean’ food passes their lips, they have ruined their diet and must go binge on everything they can get their hands on. They need to read A Guide to Flexible Dieting.

In the clean freak’s mind, there are two binary options: you either eat clean 100% or you’re eating nothing but junk food at every meal every day. The idea that you might ‘eat clean’ (whatever those words mean to you) 80-90% of the time and include selective ‘unclean foods’ (whatever that means to you) the other 10-20% of the time is simply an inconceivable one to many.

They are excluding the middle: it’s clean 100% of the time (except when it’s not) or junk food 100% of the time, you can’t do anything in the middle. Even though you clearly can. And most do, and more probably should.

kaylacyr123

Eating fast food was extremely convenient for me, I am a college student and work at Wendys part time. I discovered a love for wendys I would eat it every day ( not the salads ). It was easy, quick and cheap for me since I got a 50% discount making a burger around 89 cents. I didn't know how to cook and I still don't really. When I took 2 weeks off work I started trying to eat better, I never thought i'd spend less trying to eat wholefood and attempting cooking but I did! So that is something it's done for me, I feel better and my bowel movements are more regular. I am not extremely educated on food, what is healthy what is not and losing weight in general. I am solely speaking from personal experience, the reason I now choose to not eat is at all except maybe occasionally subway is because I am not very good at using self control yet and don't trust myself quite yet. Maybe when I feel I am able to eat a smaller portion of fast food and not get a huge amount and eat it until I feel sick I will. For now I feel as though I have more energy and I spend less money on food

CoachReddy

I think your main problem is that you are advocating total abstinance forever, and refusing to accept that the odd fast food meal is not going to hurt anyone.

tell me where i said that. that's impossible, and silly. you shouldn't deprive yourself of things you enjoy. I'm just saying that to fool yourself into thinking it's AS HEALTHY as the alternative is silly.

taso42

I used to eat only whole organic foods. I worked out. I was obese.

Now my lifestyle is different- I eat a lot less organic, I eat more dairy, more "fast foods," more "processed foods" and I work out. My body fat percentage is 20.

Correlation does not equal causation.

Everyone with a brain agrees that a big mac and fries isn't as "healthy" as a plate of steamed veggies with some sort of lean meat. But the point Taso is making is that you can be healthy and eat fast food too. Not SOLELY fast food. I would even assume he means not PRIMARILY fast food.

I don't eat McDonald's ever. I think of Burger King as a public restroom and no more. But if I'm out on am adventure, I will swing by a Taco Bell now and again and it's not the end of the world. I happen to think a lot of fast food is bad for you. I also think soda and aspartame are bad for you. I occasionally indulge in all of the above.

Absolutely agree with all of this. However, Taso eats fast food every day according to him. Also they were having fun trolling me, and for some reason I was indulging. :P

I said I eat fast food "fairly regularly", not every day. Lately I have been having a sausage Egg McMuffin nearly every morning. What of it?

CoachReddy

Let me lay out my views once and for all so we can quit misrepresenting "what I think"

1) you can lose weight and eat fast food
2) one fast food meal doesn't matter, won't kill you, and generally has close to zero effect on your body
3) one healthy meal won't make you thin, and generally has close to zero effect on your body
4) either one of the above actions, repeated over time, has an exponential effect on your body
5) it's important to do more of 3 than 2
6) the more heavily you lean on 3, and the less you rely on 2, the healthier you will be in the LONG RUN (not today, tomorrow, next week or next year - i'm talking 20 years from now)
7) if you want low body fat, a six pack, and extreme athletic ability while also keeping blood pressure and cholesterol low, cutting out fast food CAN enhance your ability to do that. I'm not saying it's a more enjoyable lifestyle, and I'm not saying everyone should do it.

taso42

1) check
2) check
3) check
4) False. Why do you think it's exponential? It's like your comment last night that it's like "compounding interest". No, it isn't.
5) check
6) No. here you go again. Trying to pass off your belief as truth. Go back and re-read the link AnvilHead posted.
7) Fast food will simply not prevent one from achieving low body fat, a six pack, and extreme athletic ability while also keeping blood pressure and cholesterol low,

You more or less have the facts straight, but you are desperately holding on to fairy tales.

MoreBean13

Let me lay out my views once and for all so we can quit misrepresenting "what I think"

1) you can lose weight and eat fast food
2) one fast food meal doesn't matter, won't kill you, and generally has close to zero effect on your body
3) one healthy meal won't make you thin, and generally has close to zero effect on your body
4) either one of the above actions, repeated over time, has an exponential effect on your body
5) it's important to do more of 3 than 2
6) the more heavily you lean on 3, and the less you rely on 2, the healthier you will be in the LONG RUN (not today, tomorrow, next week or next year - i'm talking 20 years from now)
7) if you want low body fat, a six pack, and extreme athletic ability while also keeping blood pressure and cholesterol low, cutting out fast food CAN enhance your ability to do that. I'm not saying it's a more enjoyable lifestyle, and I'm not saying everyone should do it.

I think you meant to say compounding. Exponential doesn't make sense in this context. 0^x=0 and 0.YY^x=smaller than 0.YY if x is a whole (positive) number.

Disagree on compounding, too. For that to be true, your body would have to not have a way of excreting food byproducts, when, it does. It's called metabolism.
(Caveat- trans fat is another story. There might be compounding ill effects of trans fats over time.)

Sarauk2sf

Let me lay out my views once and for all so we can quit misrepresenting "what I think"

1) you can lose weight and eat fast food
2) one fast food meal doesn't matter, won't kill you, and generally has close to zero effect on your body
3) one healthy meal won't make you thin, and generally has close to zero effect on your body
4) either one of the above actions, repeated over time, has an exponential effect on your body
5) it's important to do more of 3 than 2
6) the more heavily you lean on 3, and the less you rely on 2, the healthier you will be in the LONG RUN (not today, tomorrow, next week or next year - i'm talking 20 years from now)
7) if you want low body fat, a six pack, and extreme athletic ability while also keeping blood pressure and cholesterol low, cutting out fast food CAN enhance your ability to do that. I'm not saying it's a more enjoyable lifestyle, and I'm not saying everyone should do it.

Bit of a backpedal from your very first quote:

This. You can get "healthy" eating fast food. But if you want to be elite, you have to cut it out. It's a personal choice.

No-one is misrepresenting you except you.

jayche

So long story short: you can eat fast food, just don't eat it for every meal and fit it into your macros.

Reading this thread while eating Arby's Cheddar n Cheese Classic.

ki4yxo

LOL..

I still eat fast food once in a while. Usually it's Wendy's
small chili, with a plain baked potato, or Subway with
Swiss. (ask for no cheese, bring it home and add my own Swiss)
Still 800mg+ of sodium, but I'll work it in to my sodium goal..

Once in a while isn't going to change anything. I started out
weighing around 185, goal was 160. I weighed myself the
other day and I was down to 146. I went to McDonalds, and
got a Big Mac, and a Mushroom Swiss snack wrap thinking
it wold bump me up a little. (happy to weigh 150) It's hard trying
to maintain, and not lose weight!!!

BTW, I can count on one hand the amount of times I ate at
McDonalds last year. When I do, I aint eating a McSalad.

CoachReddy

4) False. Why do you think it's exponential? It's like your comment last night that it's like "compounding interest". No, it isn't.
6) No. here you go again. Trying to pass off your belief as truth. Go back and re-read the link AnvilHead posted.
7) Fast food will simply not prevent one from achieving low body fat, a six pack, and extreme athletic ability while also keeping blood pressure and cholesterol low,

Fast food contains what? Fats and enriched, refined carbs, right?

Fats: "Cutting back on saturated fat can be good for health if people replace saturated fat with good fats, especially, polyunsaturated fats. (16,25) Eating good fats in place of saturated fat lowers the “bad” LDL cholesterol, and it improves the ratio of total cholesterol to “good” HDL cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart disease. Eating good fats in place of saturated fat can also help prevent insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. (26)"

Refined Carbs: "Over time, eating lots of “fast carbs” can raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes as much as—or more than—eating too much saturated fat. (16-18) That’s why it’s important to replace foods high in bad fats with foods high in good fats—not with refined carbohydrates."

So how much should you eat?

"The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends getting less than 10 percent of calories each day from saturated fat. (27) The American Heart Association goes even further, recommending limiting saturated fat to no more than 7 percent of calories. (28)"


This is Harvard folks, not just anecdotes anymore: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats-full-story/

MoreBean13

4) False. Why do you think it's exponential? It's like your comment last night that it's like "compounding interest". No, it isn't.
6) No. here you go again. Trying to pass off your belief as truth. Go back and re-read the link AnvilHead posted.
7) Fast food will simply not prevent one from achieving low body fat, a six pack, and extreme athletic ability while also keeping blood pressure and cholesterol low,

Fast food contains what? Fats and enriched, refined carbs, right?

Fats: "Cutting back on saturated fat can be good for health if people replace saturated fat with good fats, especially, polyunsaturated fats. (16,25) Eating good fats in place of saturated fat lowers the “bad” LDL cholesterol, and it improves the ratio of total cholesterol to “good” HDL cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart disease. Eating good fats in place of saturated fat can also help prevent insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. (26)"

Refined Carbs: "Over time, eating lots of “fast carbs” can raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes as much as—or more than—eating too much saturated fat. (16-18) That’s why it’s important to replace foods high in bad fats with foods high in good fats—not with refined carbohydrates."

So how much should you eat?

"The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends getting less than 10 percent of calories each day from saturated fat. (27) The American Heart Association goes even further, recommending limiting saturated fat to no more than 7 percent of calories. (28)"


This is Harvard folks, not just anecdotes anymore: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats-full-story/

Ohhhh. You have a problem with saturated fat.
That explains a lot.
I'm out, abandon thread, lost cause.

jack3Dav3

2) one fast food meal doesn't matter, won't kill you, and generally has close to zero effect on your body
3) one healthy meal won't make you thin, and generally has close to zero effect on your body
4) either one of the above actions, repeated over time, has an exponential effect on your body
5) it's important to do more of 3 than 2

What is the exponential effect of "close to zero"?

If I repeatedly eat fast food I can become myself to the nth degree? I don't believe this earth can handle that much awesome

DavPul

6) the more heavily you lean on 3, and the less you rely on 2, the healthier you will be in the LONG RUN (not today, tomorrow, next week or next year - i'm talking 20 years from now)

I always love the religiousity of statements like this. I have no facts, no proof, every blood test, body scan, weigh in, measure and eye test prove me wrong, but one day, ONE DAY, you're gonna pay.

I always envision posters shaking their fist at the sky when they say stuff like that.

CoachReddy

Let me lay out my views once and for all so we can quit misrepresenting "what I think"

1) you can lose weight and eat fast food
2) one fast food meal doesn't matter, won't kill you, and generally has close to zero effect on your body
3) one healthy meal won't make you thin, and generally has close to zero effect on your body
4) either one of the above actions, repeated over time, has an exponential effect on your body
5) it's important to do more of 3 than 2
6) the more heavily you lean on 3, and the less you rely on 2, the healthier you will be in the LONG RUN (not today, tomorrow, next week or next year - i'm talking 20 years from now)
7) if you want low body fat, a six pack, and extreme athletic ability while also keeping blood pressure and cholesterol low, cutting out fast food CAN enhance your ability to do that. I'm not saying it's a more enjoyable lifestyle, and I'm not saying everyone should do it.

Bit of a backpedal from your very first quote:

This. You can get "healthy" eating fast food. But if you want to be elite, you have to cut it out. It's a personal choice.

No-one is misrepresenting you except you.

I'm allowed to backpedal.

You can get "healthy" eating fast food. But if you want to be elite, cutting down on fast food can help substantially.

happy?

CoachReddy

4) False. Why do you think it's exponential? It's like your comment last night that it's like "compounding interest". No, it isn't.
6) No. here you go again. Trying to pass off your belief as truth. Go back and re-read the link AnvilHead posted.
7) Fast food will simply not prevent one from achieving low body fat, a six pack, and extreme athletic ability while also keeping blood pressure and cholesterol low,

Fast food contains what? Fats and enriched, refined carbs, right?

Fats: "Cutting back on saturated fat can be good for health if people replace saturated fat with good fats, especially, polyunsaturated fats. (16,25) Eating good fats in place of saturated fat lowers the “bad” LDL cholesterol, and it improves the ratio of total cholesterol to “good” HDL cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart disease. Eating good fats in place of saturated fat can also help prevent insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. (26)"

Refined Carbs: "Over time, eating lots of “fast carbs” can raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes as much as—or more than—eating too much saturated fat. (16-18) That’s why it’s important to replace foods high in bad fats with foods high in good fats—not with refined carbohydrates."

So how much should you eat?

"The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends getting less than 10 percent of calories each day from saturated fat. (27) The American Heart Association goes even further, recommending limiting saturated fat to no more than 7 percent of calories. (28)"


This is Harvard folks, not just anecdotes anymore: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats-full-story/

Ohhhh. You have a problem with saturated fat.
That explains a lot.
I'm out, abandon thread, lost cause.

i eat coconut oil and avocado every day. no problem with saturated fats. just saying that there are GOOD saturated fats and bad. Read the article before you dismiss.

Crankstr

6) the more heavily you lean on 3, and the less you rely on 2, the healthier you will be in the LONG RUN (not today, tomorrow, next week or next year - i'm talking 20 years from now)

I always love the religiousity of statements like this. I have no facts, no proof, every blood test, body scan, weigh in, measure and eye test prove me wrong, but one day, ONE DAY, you're gonna pay.

I always envision posters shaking their fist at the sky when they say stuff like that.

why did i eat those fries? whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?

Sarauk2sf

4) False. Why do you think it's exponential? It's like your comment last night that it's like "compounding interest". No, it isn't.
6) No. here you go again. Trying to pass off your belief as truth. Go back and re-read the link AnvilHead posted.
7) Fast food will simply not prevent one from achieving low body fat, a six pack, and extreme athletic ability while also keeping blood pressure and cholesterol low,

Fast food contains what? Fats and enriched, refined carbs, right?

Fats: "Cutting back on saturated fat can be good for health if people replace saturated fat with good fats, especially, polyunsaturated fats. (16,25) Eating good fats in place of saturated fat lowers the “bad” LDL cholesterol, and it improves the ratio of total cholesterol to “good” HDL cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart disease. Eating good fats in place of saturated fat can also help prevent insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. (26)"

Refined Carbs: "Over time, eating lots of “fast carbs” can raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes as much as—or more than—eating too much saturated fat. (16-18) That’s why it’s important to replace foods high in bad fats with foods high in good fats—not with refined carbohydrates."

So how much should you eat?

"The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends getting less than 10 percent of calories each day from saturated fat. (27) The American Heart Association goes even further, recommending limiting saturated fat to no more than 7 percent of calories. (28)"


This is Harvard folks, not just anecdotes anymore: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats-full-story/

This is out of context.

For example, stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid. So it must be bad, right? Wrong.

Sarauk2sf

4) False. Why do you think it's exponential? It's like your comment last night that it's like "compounding interest". No, it isn't.
6) No. here you go again. Trying to pass off your belief as truth. Go back and re-read the link AnvilHead posted.
7) Fast food will simply not prevent one from achieving low body fat, a six pack, and extreme athletic ability while also keeping blood pressure and cholesterol low,

Fast food contains what? Fats and enriched, refined carbs, right?

Fats: "Cutting back on saturated fat can be good for health if people replace saturated fat with good fats, especially, polyunsaturated fats. (16,25) Eating good fats in place of saturated fat lowers the “bad” LDL cholesterol, and it improves the ratio of total cholesterol to “good” HDL cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart disease. Eating good fats in place of saturated fat can also help prevent insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. (26)"

Refined Carbs: "Over time, eating lots of “fast carbs” can raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes as much as—or more than—eating too much saturated fat. (16-18) That’s why it’s important to replace foods high in bad fats with foods high in good fats—not with refined carbohydrates."

So how much should you eat?

"The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends getting less than 10 percent of calories each day from saturated fat. (27) The American Heart Association goes even further, recommending limiting saturated fat to no more than 7 percent of calories. (28)"


This is Harvard folks, not just anecdotes anymore: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats-full-story/

Ohhhh. You have a problem with saturated fat.
That explains a lot.
I'm out, abandon thread, lost cause.

i eat coconut oil and avocado every day. no problem with saturated fats. just saying that there are GOOD saturated fats and bad. Read the article before you dismiss.

But your text would indicate otherwise. If you do not agree with the text in your post - why did you post it?

taso42

You could have bowed out and saved face at any time. Yet you keep going. I guess you can say your credibility and reputation are sinking exponentially, like compounding interest. (no, not really, but I wanted to misuse those terms just to mock you).