What has giving up fast food done for you?

Blood pressure and heart rate are much, much healthier. I've dropped a lot body fat and converted it to muscle. Even though I've only lost a little weight, I've gone from a size 12 to a size 4.

I've replaced fast food with items like veggies and hummus dip, hard boiled eggs, protein smoothies, fresh fruit and greek yogurt, salads of all kinds, home made soups, and lean meats.

You need to plan ahead a little, but the time involved in boiling a dozen eggs is negligible. It takes about the same amount of time to get into your car, drive to the restaurant, sit in line, get your food and drive home. A dozen eggs is usually less that $2. And you didn't have to use any extra gas or time away from home.

I still have fast food from time to time. But for me it is a special treat, maybe 3-4 times a year. Mostly, I have to go for the elite fast food places, now. Your standard Mall Food Court Fare just tastes terrible to me now. Five Guys, Burgerville (local to Portland made with organic ingredients and grass fed beef), Starbucks, Chipotle, Mucho Gusto and other "nicer" fast food places are where I visit.

McDonald's, Subway, Burger King, Carl's Jr, Taco Bell etc. all just taste terrible to me. I can't get most of it past my nose.

I still love McFurries and McDonald's fries, but that is about all I'll eat from them.

Haven't gave it up. And after 40 years of eating it, I'm sure I would have some health issue come up if it was as bad as some here are touting.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I'm mostly on your side of this argument, but not because of your n=1 results. As I'm sure you already know, the issues with diet are not as simple as, "it worked for me, so it must be true." Otherwise, the 98 year old guy who I saw daily with a new pint of whiskey and a handful of cigars would lead me to believe that there are no health risks with alcohol consumption and tobacco smoke...and my friend's exercise fanatic, vegetarian aunt who died at 37 would keep me from ever running or eating a vegetable.

Hi! I haven't had fast food in over a year. I can honestly say I don't miss it. I replaced it with another "fast food" - fruits and veggies. I always have an apple, carrot sticks, packet of almonds, etc. with me at the office and in the car. I also try to prep and cook food on Sunday for most of the week - grilled chicken, chop up veggies for salads, etc.
I have a lot more energy eating healthy foods - I don't miss soda or fast food/junk food. I feel better, my skin looks better. We all make personal choices - these are some that really work for me...
Best of luck to you!

Well, this thread got really non-elite in a hurry.

I have about a dozen pages to read if I'm going to get completely caught up. In case I don't make it through all of them, could someone who has been here for the duration post a quick synopsis of this thread? Or at least a snapshot of where we currently are, what open questions remain, etc.?

As the kids say, kthxbai.

OP: What has giving up fast food done for you
Some people: Made me feel better, controlled binges, etc
Some other people: I didn't give up fast food I eat it as part of a healthy diet
Poster A: To be elite you have to cut out fast food.
Some poeple (including me): thats not true plenty of elite athletes eat fast food, including dave tate and michael phelps.
Poster A: Dave tate is uggo and Michael phelps exercises a lot, so they can eat fast food. Other people have to eat clean to be elite
Me: Yeah, the exercise bit is why they're elite (exit thread for a while)
Poster B, C,D,E: Science doesn't support that you have to eat totally clean, a meal here and there as part of a balanced diet is fine
Poster A: But what if instead of the meal here and there wouldn't they be even healthier if they ate all clean?
Posters B-E: No
Poster A: But saturated fat is bad, some misquoted pieces of studies
Posters B-E: no it isn't
Poster A: You're gonna die young if you eat too much sodium
Poster B: No.
Then I lost track for a while.
Some names were called.
Some vegans got pissed.
Now we're here.

This is genius.

The only thing I have gotten out of this thread is that I do not ever want to be "elite."

I concur with The Luminous One, this is pure genius. There should be a way to insert this directly after the original post so people can know what to expect if they continue.

Bean, can you do this for season two of Revenge, because I've totally given up on try to figure out wtf is going on there.

Emily is pissed, really pissed.
Her mom came back from the dead and was unable to recognize that some random girl was pretending to be her own child, whilst the actual daughter was also there.
That's about when it jumped the tracks of me being able suspend disbelief for entertainment and had to give up.

Oh wait, Daniel is supposed to be a believable option as next in line to run a billion dollar company with a board of trustees.
Someone pushed the pregnant chick off a second floor balcony but everyone came out ok.
Nathan isn't gay anymore.
Emily is a ninja, and has a ninja partner.
Victoria is Hispanic. (not related to the plot but was a shocker when she won an ALMA award)
And the British chick used to be a hooker.
That's pretty much all I know. But the mom thing was the straw that overflowed the cup.

I just couldn't let this go without an atta girl-epic post congrats.

Also, I'm sad that the thread went back to the testosterone fight.

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.

Are you implying that you're elite?

nope. read the thread. (or don't. it sucks)

Pardon me for sounding creepy, but you have a great abs! What a difference!

lol thanks. :blushing:

only took 6 months!

I concur with The Luminous One, this is pure genius. There should be a way to insert this directly after the original post so people can know what to expect if they continue.

Bean, can you do this for season two of Revenge, because I've totally given up on try to figure out wtf is going on there.

Emily is pissed, really pissed.
Her mom came back from the dead and was unable to recognize that some random girl was pretending to be her own child, whilst the actual daughter was also there.
That's about when it jumped the tracks of me being able suspend disbelief for entertainment and had to give up.

Oh wait, Daniel is supposed to be a believable option as next in line to run a billion dollar company with a board of trustees.
Someone pushed the pregnant chick off a second floor balcony but everyone came out ok.
Nathan isn't gay anymore.
Emily is a ninja, and has a ninja partner.
Victoria is Hispanic. (not related to the plot but was a shocker when she won an ALMA award)
And the British chick used to be a hooker.
That's pretty much all I know. But the mom thing was the straw that overflowed the cup.

Thanks again! Sounds like I made the correct decision to check out on that show. It was actually fun for about 2/3's of the first season. I suspect it's one of those shows where nobody thought it would get it's back half option picked up and the writers had to scramble to come up with plot. Kind of like the first season of 24.

Well ringsize8 you certainly got an abundance of replies. I usually get 1 or none at all :P

then what's the point of posting your picture?

what's the title of the thread?

that's what giving up fast food, along with exercise, did for me.

lmaooooo we all know why he posted his picture...

Dont be a wussy if you think youre elite yell it out fugg what anyone thinks why try and hide and deny now.

haha honestly i don't think i'm elite - i think i'm on my way, and that dropping fast food has really helped with that goal. however this whole line of conversation was addressed in like... the first 3 pages of this monstrosity. lol

I think I've been fast food free for the last 5 years. I like real food and I love to cook it from scratch.

Well, this thread got really non-elite in a hurry.

I have about a dozen pages to read if I'm going to get completely caught up. In case I don't make it through all of them, could someone who has been here for the duration post a quick synopsis of this thread? Or at least a snapshot of where we currently are, what open questions remain, etc.?

As the kids say, kthxbai.

OP: What has giving up fast food done for you
Some people: Made me feel better, controlled binges, etc
Some other people: I didn't give up fast food I eat it as part of a healthy diet
Poster A: To be elite you have to cut out fast food.
Some poeple (including me): thats not true plenty of elite athletes eat fast food, including dave tate and michael phelps.
Poster A: Dave tate is uggo and Michael phelps exercises a lot, so they can eat fast food. Other people have to eat clean to be elite
Me: Yeah, the exercise bit is why they're elite (exit thread for a while)
Poster B, C,D,E: Science doesn't support that you have to eat totally clean, a meal here and there as part of a balanced diet is fine
Poster A: But what if instead of the meal here and there wouldn't they be even healthier if they ate all clean?
Posters B-E: No
Poster A: But saturated fat is bad, some misquoted pieces of studies
Posters B-E: no it isn't
Poster A: You're gonna die young if you eat too much sodium
Poster B: No.
Then I lost track for a while.
Some names were called.
Some vegans got pissed.
Now we're here.

This is genius.

The only thing I have gotten out of this thread is that I do not ever want to be "elite."

I concur with The Luminous One, this is pure genius. There should be a way to insert this directly after the original post so people can know what to expect if they continue.

Bean, can you do this for season two of Revenge, because I've totally given up on try to figure out wtf is going on there.

Emily is pissed, really pissed.
Her mom came back from the dead and was unable to recognize that some random girl was pretending to be her own child, whilst the actual daughter was also there.
That's about when it jumped the tracks of me being able suspend disbelief for entertainment and had to give up.

Oh wait, Daniel is supposed to be a believable option as next in line to run a billion dollar company with a board of trustees.
Someone pushed the pregnant chick off a second floor balcony but everyone came out ok.
Nathan isn't gay anymore.
Emily is a ninja, and has a ninja partner.
Victoria is Hispanic. (not related to the plot but was a shocker when she won an ALMA award)
And the British chick used to be a hooker.
That's pretty much all I know. But the mom thing was the straw that overflowed the cup.

I just couldn't let this go without an atta girl-epic post congrats.

Also, I'm sad that the thread went back to the testosterone fight.

so the treating people like **** part was fine - but the let's have a legitimate discussion part isn't. got it.

I just think it's silly that you always have to have the last word. And by you, I mean all of us.

good for you! honestly! that's fantastic.

doesn't mean i have to follow the same rules.

Thanks, I am just making a point weight loss is about calories. Of course I am not at your body fat level. There are guys who look better and worse than you do and don't follow your protocol.

You have to understand someone coming from severe obesity. Completely cutting out foods from your diet will more than likely lead to failure. You have to make small changes over time. You can't do a 180 with your diet, won't last. This is a big reason why a lot of people fail, they try to do too much too soon.

i actually completely agree with you on all of those points.

weight loss IS all about calories, and doing a 180 IS incredibly hard. I'm a huge proponent of a 90/10 diet, where every day you can eat the kinds of foods you love, but in moderation. If your 3 main meals are healthy you can get rough around the edges with your snacks. It's about something people can maintain and feel good doing. the best diet is a diet you can stick to. you can get good results by eating bad food. my only initial point was that for the results to keep getting better and keep improving, and avoid plateau, you have to keep getting more meticulous about your diet. again - not a hard and fast rule if we're talking about athletes at the highest level who expend massive amounts of calories every day.

I rarely eat fast food any longer, but I hope it will turn into never. I only do it when I am on the run, which is not often.

I just couldn't let this go without an atta girl-epic post congrats.

Also, I'm sad that the thread went back to the testosterone fight.

I'm offended. Why is it a testosterone fight? Coach has his views, I have mine, we're laying them out intelligently and disagreeing. Coach is even references articles written by Harvard professors. Yeah, we are getting some cheap shots in, but that makes it interesting. I wouldn't want to read 19 pages of links to Ivy League studies without a bit of levity thrown in.

If I called every disagreement between two women a cat fight, would that be cool?