Goodbye, Burger Combo! I'll miss you!

Shea100
Shea100 Posts: 16
in Food and Nutrition
As a life-long hamburger addict, it was common for me to have 4 or 5 burgers a week for lunch.
Yesterday, I was hungry and had a Backyard Burger Combo coupon for $5 that set my old cravings in motion.

As a mew MFP member, I chose not to Super Size the drink or fries. I accepted the regular sizes and chose the
Bacon and Cheddar Burger combo. It was so delicious! It felt so good to eat some hearty protein.

Then I plugged it into my Food Journal. I was SHOCKED!
I had consumed a whopping 1625 calories! For LUNCH!
My entire calorie goal for the day is 1200...and I had gone over by 425...in ONE meal!

Not only was the burger 850 calories - but the small order of fries was 640! Does that shock anyone else?
The drink topped off the meal with an additional 135 calories. Not so bad, but the sugar was way out of bounds, of course.

I MUST throw away those coupons of temptation!
They are evil little distractions that cost me so much more than the few cents they save!

Compared to the Baby Shower and July 4th barbecue I attended, I think I'd rather enjoy a variety of foods with many different flavors and textures. Somehow, a simple burger and fries just wasn't worth the cost to my Healthy Adventure.

So, I LOVE you, Burger Combo! -- But you just don't fit into my Healthy Adventure. Good bye, old friend!

NOTE: A loaded BYB picnic burger with NO CHEESE has only 388 calories. It will be my pacifier when I just gotta have one!

Replies

  • RisaLynch26
    RisaLynch26 Posts: 3
    Learn to make great homemade burgers. We just made some turkey burgers and they were actually quite good :) The good thing about MFP is that it will show you how outrageous it is to eat out at those restaurants.

    PS: love your picture. Is that you with a tiger? they are my favorite animals and I'm jealous of that picture :)
  • simplemamato3
    simplemamato3 Posts: 20 Member
    Good for you!! I have cut way back on fast food. If I do eat it I order a kids meal or off value menus to keep portions under control. Honestly it actually satisfies my craving and fills me up. I gave in to emotional eating about a week ago and got a large combo meal and felt just terrible (physically) after eating it.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It's not shocking at all....and it's not just burgers. In general, most restaurant food, regardless of whether it's fast food or not clocks in pretty high. Restaurants have large portions (even if you don't super size) and cook with a ton of oil/butter, etc.

    I grill up my own tasty burgers these days...they're way better than anything I can get out and I'm in full control.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    I've started doing Chicken sliders (in fact that's what I had for dinner, lol) in stead of hamburgers. I split my bun between the 2 patties that make up the 1 serving. Cheese, Mayo and Ketchup (I just can't have veggies on my burgers, it weirds me out for some reason). 355 Calories for 2 Chicken Sliders. And they taste fantastic.

    I too sometimes miss those combo meals, but then I think of all the calories I'm saving for other yummy foods and I know I can stay away from it. On Sundays I still go to Wendy's, as I work on the weekends, but instead of getting those humongous combo meals, I get a junior bacon cheeseburger and a value sized fry. It's like $2.19 and I'm satisfied. Moderation was definitely the key for me. I work those 2 items into my calories for the day and haven't gone over yet!

    Good luck!
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  • RonnieLodge
    RonnieLodge Posts: 665 Member

    Then I plugged it into my Food Journal. I was SHOCKED!
    I had consumed a whopping 1625 calories! For LUNCH!
    My entire calorie goal for the day is 1200...and I had gone over by 425...in ONE meal!

    Not only was the burger 850 calories - but the small order of fries was 640! Does that shock anyone else?
    The drink topped off the meal with an additional 135 calories. Not so bad, but the sugar was way out of bounds, of course.

    Haha, I was shocked the first time I read the nutrional content of chai lattes from Starbucks - over 600cals IN A DRINK!

    Good news is that after a while you don't miss it. Although I have a friend who LOOOOVES McDonald's breakfast.

    I can't figure it out.

    To her is it super yummy, to me it is rubbery & greasy and not something I want in my mouth.
  • IAteBethDitto
    IAteBethDitto Posts: 98 Member
    That does shock me. The McDonald's burger (quarter pounder with cheese) and medium fries I had for my lunch today came to 820 calories.

    Was your lunch a really big portion? How on earth do they get so many calories into one meal?
  • seblagg
    seblagg Posts: 42


    Haha, I was shocked the first time I read the nutrional content of chai lattes from Starbucks - over 600cals IN A DRINK!


    Where are you getting your nutritional information? Even the Venti size Chai Tea Latte with Whole Milk is only 340 calories... (source: Starbucks website.) I regularly drink a tall made with nf milk, and it's in the 160 cal range.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Was this like...the hugest burger and largest small fry ever? Cause I can do a baconator (970) and fry (220) for about 400 cals less that that, assuming I get mayo (which I never do).

    Like. Wow.

    Also now I want a baconator. Or OHHH that pretzel burger. Heck yeah.
  • DRTChic
    DRTChic Posts: 40 Member
    My husband works nights, so a lot of times it was easier for me to run through a drive thru on the way home than trying to cook and clean up once I got home. I have been doing MFP for 4 weeks now, and stopped the drive thru. I have lost 11lbs and the swelling in my ankles has gone down. Not only do they have lots of calories, but sodium too. Clean eating from now on!
  • vettech14
    vettech14 Posts: 28
    Not shocking at all. I miss them also, but my favorite was Five guys Burgers.. I have found that I just stay away from the places or if I go, I get the smallest burger they have and put grilled onions and grilled mushrooms on it and leave the rest off and I skip the fries. I am not a soda drinker so that was never a problem with me. Two alternatives I have found to regular burgers is either I make my own turkey burgers or I will even make tuna burgers now which I think are my favorite. You can always add stuff to them to make them taste the way you want. And if you really want bacon, switch to turkey bacon, it's not so bad, it's all I eat if I really want it. :) good luck
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    Not shocking at all. I miss them also, but my favorite was Five guys Burgers.. I have found that I just stay away from the places or if I go, I get the smallest burger they have and put grilled onions and grilled mushrooms on it and leave the rest off and I skip the fries. I am not a soda drinker so that was never a problem with me. Two alternatives I have found to regular burgers is either I make my own turkey burgers or I will even make tuna burgers now which I think are my favorite. You can always add stuff to them to make them taste the way you want. And if you really want bacon, switch to turkey bacon, it's not so bad, it's all I eat if I really want it. :) good luck

    In terms of calories and healthiness, there is no reason to eat turkey burgers and heavens NO to the turkey bacon, it is just as processed as hot dogs.
  • SidsMom80
    SidsMom80 Posts: 97 Member


    Haha, I was shocked the first time I read the nutrional content of chai lattes from Starbucks - over 600cals IN A DRINK!


    Where are you getting your nutritional information? Even the Venti size Chai Tea Latte with Whole Milk is only 340 calories... (source: Starbucks website.) I regularly drink a tall made with nf milk, and it's in the 160 cal range.

    a venti caramel ribbon frappuccino has 680 calories per their site. Frappuccinos are a diet KILLER, however a grande mocha frappuccino light only has 130 cal. I work my starbucks into my calorie allotment. :drinker:
  • lyndausvi
    lyndausvi Posts: 156 Member
    I had a cheeseburger Happy Meal with water on Sunday. 420 calories plus a Despicable Me2 toy.
  • CookNLift
    CookNLift Posts: 3,660 Member
    a good burger doesn't need to be huge, and the bread doesn't have to be the major component. I love making kobe beef sliders open faced, that top any burger I've had at a restaurant.

    but it doesn't mean that going to White Castle and having a few doesn't do the trick either. Cravings in moderation - I used to get a crave case and split it with a friend or two (30 burgers - 10 each person) and now I decide to have 2 or 4 depending on how I am feeling.
  • cupcakes_and_cardio
    cupcakes_and_cardio Posts: 369 Member
    We don't have one of those here NY, but holy *kitten*! McDonald's fries are pretty greasy and salty and their small fry is 230 cals, I can't imagine, what was it? 600 cals you said? Oh boy! But, it happens. Sometimes you don't have the time to look up all the facts...it happened, tomorrow's another day :)
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
    In terms of calories and healthiness, there is no reason to eat turkey burgers and heavens NO to the turkey bacon, it is just as processed as hot dogs.
    [/quote

    You are joking, right? Sure, you can eat ground sirloin for the same effect, but the fat content is much less. Of course, I don't like hamburgers or beef that much --- but curly fries are another thing altogether.
  • PhattiPhat
    PhattiPhat Posts: 349 Member
    I like McDonald's breakfasts.
  • seblagg
    seblagg Posts: 42


    Haha, I was shocked the first time I read the nutrional content of chai lattes from Starbucks - over 600cals IN A DRINK!


    Where are you getting your nutritional information? Even the Venti size Chai Tea Latte with Whole Milk is only 340 calories... (source: Starbucks website.) I regularly drink a tall made with nf milk, and it's in the 160 cal range.

    a venti caramel ribbon frappuccino has 680 calories per their site. Frappuccinos are a diet KILLER, however a grande mocha frappuccino light only has 130 cal. I work my starbucks into my calorie allotment. :drinker:

    I definitely believe that. That's why I stay away from the Fraps, but a latte or chai now and again isn't necessarily bad for you.
  • S0nsh1ne
    S0nsh1ne Posts: 218 Member
    too funny
    I had a cheeseburger Happy Meal with water on Sunday. 420 calories plus a Despicable Me2 toy.
  • S0nsh1ne
    S0nsh1ne Posts: 218 Member
    I love Five Guys but grabbed a small burger at Wendy's the other week and decided it really didn't taste as good as it used to. My husband grilled burgers this week and they were super good. I baked some fries after we argued that I wouldn't eat the ones he was frying. The oven was gonna be heated for mine anyhow but he fried his in canola oil outdoors next to the grill.
  • Joehenny
    Joehenny Posts: 1,222 Member
    Learn to make great homemade burgers. We just made some turkey burgers and they were actually quite good :) The good thing about MFP is that it will show you how outrageous it is to eat out at those restaurants.

    PS: love your picture. Is that you with a tiger? they are my favorite animals and I'm jealous of that picture :)

    THIS. I can make a huge turkey burger with 12 oz of meat and 3 slices of cheese for a fraction of the calories and like not even 12 grams of fat (99% lean turkey is from heaven)
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Pretty much every time I go out and play tennis for a few hours, I end up getting a big hamburger after. Whether it's a Whopper, Five Guys, or a Quarter Pounder, it always hits the spot. I usually get fries with it.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    In for the inevitable food shaming and demonizing.
  • pumpkinspice84
    pumpkinspice84 Posts: 160 Member
    I stay away from fast food places now because of that. We ate at a few place when I was on vacation a month ago. None of it tasted that good to me anymore. We made turkey burgers last week that were amazing!
  • Shea100
    Shea100 Posts: 16
    Thank you! Yes, that's India. She was only 1 year old, and that was the happiest day of my life. I never dreamed I'd get to touch such an amazing creature! I think Turkey Burgers sound like a great idea!

    Best wishes,

    Shea
  • scookiemonster
    scookiemonster Posts: 175 Member
    Eh, don't worry, you won't miss them that much.

    About seven years ago I cut out fast food like McDonald's, Wendy's, etc. I had gained a ton of weight in a short period time from visiting too many drive through windows, and I decided I needed to just quit it cold turkey. I still occasionally eat things like Subway, Chipotle, etc., but no more fast food burgers and fries. Since then, I've tried it once or twice, thinking I'd give myself a treat - turns out it's not much of a treat at all. Greasy, flavorless, tastes like nothing but salt and fat, and gave me a horrible stomach ache. I make a better burger at home (regular beef, but also lamb burgers, turkey burgers, etc). If you don't eat fast food for a while, you lose the taste for it and don't really miss it anymore.

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