Fast food?

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Jozzmenia
Jozzmenia Posts: 252 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I asked a similar question before because I didn't think I'd ever be able to resist the Wendy's across the street from my office, but I finally did. I've been staying away from fast food and hadn't been wanting it for a couple of months. I've been doing well, losing around 2 pounds a week (slowly but surely). but I digress... I went on a charter bus and boat trip and didn't have much control over the meals, but planned reasonably well. anyway, the agenda was to stop for breakfas on the way down, and 4 days later dinner on the way back. for some reason I thought that means sit down at a coney island type diner with many options. it really just meant stop at mcdonald's 2 times each way, with only fast food in the vicinity. :s is there anything good at mcdonald's? all their breakfast items seem awful so I skipped the breakfast spot for a clif bar. but for dinner everything looked so unhealthy. even their salads seem to be shriveled old iceberg lettuce. I just opted for a quarter pounder with cheese and no fries. figured it had the calories of a full meal and protein at least. I'm starting to see fast food restaurants as 100% awful. What are some good things to order if you're in that situation and stuck there for a meal?
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Replies

  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
    edited August 2015
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    Firstly, 2lb/week is pretty fast! It's the fastest recommended rate of loss, so hardly slowly but surely!

    Secondly, calories are all that matters for weight loss. So don't worry about having the odd McDonalds or whatever, if you're in your calories you'll still lose weight. A quarter pounder with cheese is 518 calories. So if you had 518 or more left that day, you were fine. Most fast food chains will publish their calories, so just look up their calories if they're not on the menu and choose something that fits.
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
    edited August 2015
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    An Egg McMuffin has only 300 calories. The Fruit & Yogurt Parfaits are 150 each.

    The chicken snack wraps aren't too bad either.

    All of this info is right on the menu in the restaurant. Sounds like you went in there with a preconceived notion about McD's and didn't even try.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    I'm not a big fan of McDonalds, but you can do something like the Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait or the Fruit & Maple oatmeal for breakfast, if you don't like the other stuff. The Big Breakfast is an option. If you don't eat the biscuit and hash-browns, you're looking at 300-350 calories. For lunch, salads are always an option, or you can get a McWrap, which is just a salad that you can hold in your hand. Or do the Baked Apple Pie. It's a little high on carbs, but it it is only 250 calories and it has real fruit in it. But my go to meal at McDonalds is the Cheese Burger. It's only 300 calories.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    edited August 2015
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    I avoid a lot of fast food places like maccas kfc oporto because the quantity to calories ratio isnt great. Like for the same calories as a bigmac meal i could have a massive amount of other food.

    But if i have to eat i have to eat. log it and move on.

  • NJGamerChick
    NJGamerChick Posts: 467 Member
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    I can't really order anything from McDonalds other than coffee, so I can't tell you from there, but I have been known to order bunless burgers at both Wendy's and BK and maybe a side salad to go with. Wendy's small chili and value size fries for dipping is another favorite when in a pinch. When I didn't have to deal with intolerances, I would get the grilled chicken wraps at McD and the parfaits always looked tasty, but I can't tell you if either are still worth eating. I do know my husband loves the chicken wraps at Wendy's though. :D
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I eat McDonalds less than once a year. The same with most of the others. I probably haven't had Burger King in a decade.
    Sure, I could make McDonalds "fit my calories", but it's just not worth it to me to eat that crap.

    In a total pinch I'll have a grilled chicken breast from KFC. Or in a total pinch I'll choke down a Subway sandwich on "whole wheat". If I was trapped with McDonalds, I'd turn a quarter pounder into a steak (I won't eat that "bread"). Otherwise, no thanks.

    Good for you for looking at the quality of what you put in your mouth.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    I had one of their salads, it was actually really decent. A McChicken is reasonable calories, and if it is dinner you can fit a Quarter Pounder or whatever. I agree with the person above that it sounds like you went in with a preconceived notion that it was going to be bad/gross and didn't really go past that. All their nutritional info is available right there.
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
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    McDonald's has the crispy chicken wraps that are a pretty good snack to hold you over until you get home.
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
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    Wow. I'm shocked at how many people can't get anything from McDonald's. Nothing. Not a single thing on the menu can fit into your calorie goals.

    Or is it just that you can't get what you used to get, before you became conscious of your calorie intake, and have therefore decided, "Well, I can't get a Big Mac and supersize fries, so I guess I can't get anything"?

    Maybe really take a look at the nutrition info before you decide that there's NOTHING that you can have.

    I am on 1430 calories a day and I have very little trouble fitting something from most fast food places into my calorie goal. I get fast food once a week and I'm doing just fine.

  • Go4Me2
    Go4Me2 Posts: 34 Member
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    I got the 10 peice chicken nuggets for 480 cal but I had room to spare!! I don't do it very often.
  • jms5137
    jms5137 Posts: 26 Member
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    The egg white delite for breakfast at McDonald's isn't bad
  • NJGamerChick
    NJGamerChick Posts: 467 Member
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    booksandchocolate12 wrote: »
    Wow. I'm shocked at how many people can't get anything from McDonald's. Nothing. Not a single thing on the menu can fit into your calorie goals.

    Or is it just that you can't get what you used to get, before you became conscious of your calorie intake, and have therefore decided, "Well, I can't get a Big Mac and supersize fries, so I guess I can't get anything"?

    Maybe really take a look at the nutrition info before you decide that there's NOTHING that you can have.

    I am on 1430 calories a day and I have very little trouble fitting something from most fast food places into my calorie goal. I get fast food once a week and I'm doing just fine.

    For me it's due to a doctor diagnosed gluten intolerance. Even their french fries are coated in wheat/gluten in the form of flavor enhancers. Honestly, nothing there is worth me feeling sick for 3 weeks.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    edited August 2015
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    All you need to lose weight is a calorie deficit. :)

    [Edited by MFP mod]
  • Monklady123
    Monklady123 Posts: 512 Member
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    I actually ate at McDonald's just yesterday while driving back through rural southern Virginia. We'd just dropped off my daughter at college and were starving and that was all there was. I ordered a regular cheeseburger but didn't eat the bun, and I had a small fries with ketchup to dip in. Drank ice water. It was fine. It wasn't really many calories considering what I might have ordered. lol. I guess I wouldn't do it every day but when you're out and about and have no other option (like on your trip) I wouldn't worry about it. I had some sliced zucchini and hummus when I got home and didn't go over calories for the day. (although I also earned a ton by hauling all my daughter's stuff up two flights of stairs, omg...

    And I agree about the salads at McDonald's, which is why I just get the burger and remove the bun.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    OP just so you don't think I didn't read your original post, I've been on trips like that, when I was in college we traveled across country on a charter bus and we stopped at McDonalds for every single meal for 2.5 straight days on the way out and back to California. I came to find out later that bus drivers eat for free at McDs...

    Anyway, it gets tiresome but I think there are plenty of decent choices at McDonalds, or any fast food place, and the nutrition info is published so it's pretty easy to know what works and what doesn't for your calories.

    Breakfast: fruit and yogurt parfait, egg white delight McMuffin

    Lunch/Dinner: McDouble, one of their grilled chicken sandwiches, the wraps? I don't usually get salads at fast food places but I've heard other people say they enjoy the southwest chicken salad at McDs.

    Although I agree with someone else that setting yourself at 2 lbs/week is pretty aggressive, how much weight do you have to lose?
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
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    NJGamerChick wrote: »
    booksandchocolate12 wrote: »
    Wow. I'm shocked at how many people can't get anything from McDonald's. Nothing. Not a single thing on the menu can fit into your calorie goals.

    Or is it just that you can't get what you used to get, before you became conscious of your calorie intake, and have therefore decided, "Well, I can't get a Big Mac and supersize fries, so I guess I can't get anything"?

    Maybe really take a look at the nutrition info before you decide that there's NOTHING that you can have.

    I am on 1430 calories a day and I have very little trouble fitting something from most fast food places into my calorie goal. I get fast food once a week and I'm doing just fine.

    For me it's due to a doctor diagnosed gluten intolerance. Even their french fries are coated in wheat/gluten in the form of flavor enhancers. Honestly, nothing there is worth me feeling sick for 3 weeks.

    Gotcha. A medical condition is an entirely different story.

  • starling01
    starling01 Posts: 81 Member
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    I eat McDonalds Daily Double all the time and sometimes the Deluxe. I order them without cheese or any sauces. You get tomato and lettuce and a treat I love. The Daily Double without cheese or mayo is 340. The Deluxe is 390. I don't think that's bad at all. I also love the parfait and the oatmeal for breakfast. I don't care for french fries so that's not a temptation. The sundaes with no toppings at all are also good with reasonable calorie levels. My calorie goal is 1210 per day for .5lb loss and I can easily fit those into my day. If you don't like the taste, that's another matter of course.
  • DataSeven
    DataSeven Posts: 245 Member
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    As far as fast food goes, Wendy's is usually my #1 choice. They have excellent options for people watching their calories. I typically go for chilli and the grilled chicken sandwich. I understand if you have to cut yourself off from it though, sometimes you have to go cold-turkey to get out of the habit of always choosing the fast food.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    I'm not a huge McDonald's fan, but you also mentioned that there's nothing but fast food in sight. Does that mean there are other options? I've heard people rave about the salads at Wendy's. Their chili is a good option as well. Chipotle is amazing if it's around. Subway is always a good choice too. If there are options beyond McDonalds (since you specifically just don't seem to be a fan of their food), perhaps give them a try.
  • DataSeven
    DataSeven Posts: 245 Member
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    booksandchocolate12 wrote: »
    Wow. I'm shocked at how many people can't get anything from McDonald's. Nothing. Not a single thing on the menu can fit into your calorie goals.

    I can find something to fit into my limit pretty much anywhere I go. This weekend I had a mcdouble and a small fries. Not the healthiest option but I made it work. Back in my pre-MFP days this would have been two mcdoubles with a jr chicken on the side, & a medium fries. So the choice I made is still progress, to me.

    I feel like people banish fast food completely because if they can't get what they really want, they'd rather not have anything at all. I get that, but I've learned to compromise.

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