Fast food: always a no?

nibbpe15
nibbpe15 Posts: 1 Member
edited November 28 in Food and Nutrition
For as long as I can remember fast food has been my weakness. How much is too much? Or is any amount too much?????? McDonald's, Taco Bell...ect
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Replies

  • CombatGirl93
    CombatGirl93 Posts: 45 Member
    When I go to anywhere like that now (mostly McDonalds as we don't have a Taco Bell in the UK *cry*) I set a compromise with myself and buy a happy meal. 539 calories, 7g sat fat etc buuuuut it's enough to fill me up and it doesn't make me feel bad at all. It's just when they serve the cheese bites and the mozzarella sticks...well that's a different story ;)
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Not always a no, but maybe not always a yes? That's my only answer. That stuff doesn't fill me up for the calorie count, and I can have a burger with good meat and bread and cheese at a lovely restaurant instead.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Depends on how many calories you have available, what your goals are and what you order. Not always a no. Not always a yes.
  • marcelo_templario
    marcelo_templario Posts: 653 Member
    No exactly, sometimes a crunchy wrap might come good for your goals, as it contains several types of nutrients, the quantity is key, check this out: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/
  • maroonmango211
    maroonmango211 Posts: 908 Member
    I always ask myself 'is the juice worth the squeeze?" As in, are the calories and lack of nutrients worth the taste. Most of the time, my answer is no.... I'd be better off making a burger at home or piling some cheese, beef and veg on some chips and baking my own nachos or putting in the effort to make my own al fredo pasta ( my super weakness when it comes to eating out). I usually try to think about it from a taste standpoint instead of just calories or 'clean' eating. It's helped me more than once avoid eating something easy and fast to pick up and instead finding time to make something myself.

    That being said some times there just isnt time in the day or energy left so a fast food meal once in a while isn't going to derail any goals as long as it fits in your calories and macros (for the most part at least) and is more of a treat than an every day thing.
  • d_thomas02
    d_thomas02 Posts: 9,055 Member
    Do the research for all the chains you could find yourself in and preplan 'safe' choices for each one.
  • hchoi25
    hchoi25 Posts: 3 Member
    Personally, I'm a firm believer in food made from my kitchen. I prefer things to be kept natural and in portion. But we all have those days when we either crave junk food or just don't have time to cook (If that is your reason, try food prepping!). I would go for the healthier alternatives on the menu (salad with no dressing, panera bread, soup, nothing fried and preferably not grilled, minimal dressing or sauces, loaded in lean protein like chicken). Go for the simple stuff or things where you can see it being made right in front of you, such as chipotle.
  • Rabidrunner
    Rabidrunner Posts: 117 Member
    If we're on the road I know I can grab 3 Chick-Fil-A strips and a pack of the buffalo dipping sauce plus an iced teas for about 370 cals. It's not the best but it's ok in a pinch when there's nothing else.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    I am unashamed to say I love fast food. I just make reasonable choices. Example, I had an Egg McMuffin and a small coffee today, and passed on the hash brown and orange juice. Earlier this week I had a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger instead of the Baconator at Wendy's, no fries/chips.

    It doesn't keep me super full for long, but neither do the heavier versions. But, I stay within goal while still getting to eat at places I enjoy several times a week.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    If you like it, find a way to fit it into your daily calorie allotment. Is it a good idea to eat it constantly? Probably not. But the best thing about counting calories is that you don't have to give up any of the foods you love.
  • themadteapot
    themadteapot Posts: 41 Member
    The thing that got me today was the calorie versus fill up! I have been eating a lot of fast food in the last couple months because of my boyfriends work schedule, laziness, and etc. I find that a lot of the time I don't feel full and if I do it doesn't last.. And almost anything on the menu that I want exceeds my daily caloric intake.

    I know I'm still gonna eat it now and again.. But i seriously don't understand how it is SO high calorie! I could totally make a yummy burger at home for a lot more money but way less calories.
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,401 Member
    Most fast food is just that. Fast. Not very tasty, not very nutritious, and not much time to get.

    I can eat way better burgers and tacos at home, and they are much more nutritious as well. And when you make them yourself, you have to option to spread that nutrition to where you want it, rather than working around it or ordering what fits when you pull up at the drive through.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    nibbpe15 wrote: »
    For as long as I can remember fast food has been my weakness. How much is too much? Or is any amount too much?????? McDonald's, Taco Bell...ect

    Too much in what way? You can lose weight eating only fast food, if this is the question. Health-wise, it depends on what type of fast food, how often and what you consider healthy. For me, most fast food is not worth it, basically because I hate both the smell and the taste, plus it does not really fit my definition of healthy. I eat the occasional pizza, because pizza is something I do like, but not daily.
  • GsKiki
    GsKiki Posts: 392 Member
    Everything in moderation!
    I eat fast food sometimes but I take smaller portion, and I do a bit more of some exercise that day.
    You just have to be aware that fast food is filled with fat, so make sure to work it in your food schedule, and as I said moderation is the key.
    How much is too much is up to you. I personally eat fast food maybe twice a month, because I simply don't need more. I would suggest not going over once per week tho, but it's up to you.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    I've lost 35 pounds and I eat fast food once a week
  • Pawsforme
    Pawsforme Posts: 645 Member
    edited January 2016
    Teacher loses 60 pounds eating McDonald's for breakfast, lunch and dinner
  • PiSquared
    PiSquared Posts: 148 Member
    Like so many have said, so long as you're expending more calories than you are taking in, it doesn't matter where the calories come from.

    With that said, one thing food logging has done for me is to make me super aware of where I'm spending my limited calories. If I'm going to waste calories on something, it had better taste good. For example, my husband and I went on "date" this weekend to have lunch and catch a matinee of the new Star Wars movie. I had a blue cheese and bacon burger, french fries, and a beer, and let me tell you, it was all totally worth it!

    If you love fast food, and you have enough calories in your plan to allow it, then I don't see why you shouldn't indulge in it every now and again.
  • nickynoneck83
    nickynoneck83 Posts: 25 Member
    A grilled chicken sandwhich tell them to hold the mayo & ask for mustard get a small fry or salad with a water.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,337 Member
    In as of itself fast food does not make you fat. As with all documentaries including those that would say the opposite like Super-size Me, a documentary like Fat Heads not to mention the Texas teacher who lost 60 pounds eating nothing but McDonalds http://abc13.com/health/teacher-loses-60-pounds-while-eating-nothing-but-mcdonalds/705916/ make it clear that the issue has less to do with fast food, and far more to do with eating too many calories total. The biggest issue with fast foods is the lack of veggie options. Veggies are nutrient rich, and lacking them in your diet at all could bring issues long term. Personally, as long as: 1) You fit it into your calorie goal 2) You perhaps can even fit it into your Macro (Carb, Protein, Fat) goal 3) It does not result in your losing control and trigger overeating, fast food as part of what you eat is just fine.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    edited January 2016
    It depends on your goals and if you are meeting your nutritional needs. I don't think nutritionally it would be great to eat fast food for every single meal because they tend to lack a variety of vegetable or fruit options.

    I do have fast food once a week or once a month and have lost weight. It is always a planned meal. I look up nutrition information and plan/log my order before I even leave the house. It fits my calorie goal.
    I don't get a triple bacon cheeseburger with large fry and a shake because I choose to eat more than once a day. I might get a regular hamburger with a side salad with a vinaigrette dressing and an unsweetened iced tea and that comfortably fits my calorie goal.

    Watch things like cheese, condiments, bacon, dressings that can pile on extra calories. Be careful of portion sizes. Planning and pre-logging are helpful in knowing what/how much you can get. Fast food places have their menu and nutritional information online. Look up the places you go to and think about what choices fit your goals best that day.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    Watch things like cheese, condiments, bacon, dressings that can pile on extra calories. Be careful of portion sizes. Planning and pre-logging are helpful in knowing what/how much you can get. Fast food places have their menu and nutritional information online. Look up the places you go to and think about what choices fit your goals best that day.

    ^^This^^

    I try to stay away from fast food on a normal basis, but sometimes on a weekend when I've done extra work I'll go for a Hardees meal or Carl's Jr., or Arby's. I order without mayo, skip the fries, take it home and eat a healthy side with the burger. It's still a ton of calories but I plan for it all day and make sure I stay within my macros. You'll find a lot of big burgers like that (1/3 lb etc.) have up to a quarter of their calories/fat in the bun or the mayo they slap on the thing. Best thing though is make your own copycat version and use healthy ingredients. We love having a Fast Food copycat night and we look for ways to make it healthier.

  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    It's almost always a no for me because there is very little fast food I find palatable. I only eat it if I'm traveling or something and don't have time for decent food.

    But if you like it you can fit it in your diet. It doesn't have magic fat producing properties. The plus side of fast food is you can usually find calorie counts online, which makes working it into a calorie counting diet pretty easy.
  • Bonny132
    Bonny132 Posts: 3,617 Member
    I don't do much fast food so when it calls my name it is peri peri chicken (grilled chicken) with a side salad and macho peas. Filling, hits the spot and if my allowance allows it, a side of olives. I love Nando's!!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    It's almost always a no for me because there is very little fast food I find palatable. I only eat it if I'm traveling or something and don't have time for decent food.

    But if you like it you can fit it in your diet. It doesn't have magic fat producing properties. The plus side of fast food is you can usually find calorie counts online, which makes working it into a calorie counting diet pretty easy.

    Same here. I got spoiled by homemade food, lol. Unless it's a gyro or crepes place (and even then. I'm picky about my crepes).
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    I eat fast food. Sometimes I just get the chicken sandwich, sometimes a salad, and sometimes I have room in my calorie allotment for a full on bacon cheeseburger from Culvers
  • becalee26
    becalee26 Posts: 185 Member
    I go through a Wendy's phase every so often. I love their chili and salads.
  • 00EmilyJo00
    00EmilyJo00 Posts: 64 Member
    Everything in moderation.
  • asyk805
    asyk805 Posts: 125 Member
    I was trying to figure out what to have for lunch today. Options are very limited in the town I work in so I pulled up the menu's for McDonald's and Subway. Subway will actually allow you to build a sub or salad and it will give you the nutritional value.
    So I am getting a double chicken salad with black olives, cucumbers, lettuce, pickle and tomatoes with honey mustard for 290 calories. I brought my own apple I will either eat with it or hold for a snack a lil later.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    I've lost 65 lbs and maintained my weight loss for over 3 years, and currently have under 10% BF. I meet my protein, fat, and carb, and micronutrient goals without taking any dietary supplements. My sodium intake is high, but that isn't a worry for me because I do not have high blood pressure and I am quite active.

    I also eat fast food nearly once a day. Partly because I'm too lazy to do meal prep for lunches, and partly because I like to get out of the office for lunch. I just make smart choices that fit within my nutritional goals. I can be more free in my choices at this point because I have a fairly high calorie goal, but even when I was losing weight, I could fit it in. A Chick-Fil-A meal of a 12 count grilled nuggets with honey mustard sauce and a chicken tortilla soup with unsweet tea comes in around 500 calories and is high in protein, fiber, and quite filling to me.
  • elite_nal
    elite_nal Posts: 127 Member
    As long as you're meeting your total daily needs in terms of macronutrient intake (protein, carbohydrates and fats) and micronutrient intake (vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients etc.), then it really doesn't matter which specific foods you consume in order to meet your daily totals.

    The plain fact is that your body does not view your nutritional intake in terms of individual food items. It only sees the entire picture as a whole. Therefore, as long as your macro and micronutrient needs are being met, there's no good reason to suspect that consuming one set of foods over another will produce different results.

    So-called “junk foods” still contain perfectly usable protein, carbohydrates, fats and even vitamins/minerals. It’s not that eating “junk foods” is bad; it’s that eating too many of them is usually bad.

    For example, you cannot possibly say that “cheeseburgers make you fat”. You can only say that “too many cheeseburgers makes you fat”. It’s not the cheeseburger itself that is bad; it’s the excessive quantity.

    Within the context of your entire diet, you could argue that the term “junk food” doesn’t even have any practical application when we’re dealing with a small number like 10-20%.

    The truth is that bodybuilding nutrition is really just a numbers game.

    As part of a diet designed to support muscle growth and overall health, you have specific daily macronutrient and micronutrient needs in order to achieve optimal results. Your goal is to meet those numbers at the end of the day, period.

    As long as the total “mixture” of food that you consume throughout that day meets those numbers, it really makes no difference at all what those exact food items are.

    I’m sure some of you reading this are shaking your head by now because you think I’m saying that it’s possible to eat nothing but pizza, burgers and ice cream and still maximize your results.

    That is definitely not what I’m saying.

    You will still get the majority of your food intake from traditional “clean” bodybuilding foods such as chicken breast, rice and vegetables.

    Why?

    Because the diet still has to meet your macros AND your micros and it is NOT possible to meet those totals by eating large amounts of “junk” food.

    It’s not possible to eat pizza and burgers all day without over-shooting your fat totals.

    It’s not possible to pig out on ice cream and 7-up and still meet your fiber/vitamin/mineral requirements.

    It’s not possible to eat low quality protein all day and still obtain the proper amino acids needed for maximizing protein synthesis.
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