How do you choose a salad over a Big Mac?
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sawyergarden13 wrote: »Don't deny yourself something if you really want it. Maybe use your big mac day on a exercise day thus less guilt
Poor advice for many people. Far too many people (as 70% of the US population is overweight or obese) apparently really want (or think they want) high calorie low nutrient foods, or just too much food too often.6 -
BurgerLovinBulker wrote: »stevencloser wrote: »Kathryn247 wrote: »I agree that if you go to McDonald's you should get a burger and not a salad, their salads are terrible and not many fewer calories than the burgers. If you're looking for general decision-making help, I found this Chris Pratt quote oddly helpful and on-point.
I want to know what burger with 1200 calories he's talking about. And eat it.
Ever heard of The Habit? Check out their nutrtional facts.....
I have not heard of them. But I looked at their nutrition facts and there's no single item that breaks 1000.
https://www.habitburger.com/wp-content/uploads/Habit-Nutritional-Data-21140614-2.pdf0 -
I would skip McD's entirely. I think if you can break that bond long enough, you'll find it wasn't as good as you thought it was.2
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JeromeBarry1 wrote: »Back when I was getting my lunch every day from McD, my decision process management had one word, "Money". For $2.16 I could get a chicken sandwich and a side salad. I did that each day. During that time, I was not trying to lose weight. I was just going about my life trying not to spend 'too much' on food.
IMO the problem is that you're in the wrong place. If you want to make it easier to chose a salad, you need to be in front of a menu where there are actually GOOD salads on the menu. Otherwise you're pushing a boulder up hill.
True--but cheap food is very rarely healthy food. It's really hard to eat in a healthy way if money is really tight. (Yes, not impossible. But really, really hard for most individuals in such a scenario.) And if you're forced to eat cheap prepared food, (and there are people that this is best option given circumstances) you probably are not eating at a place with good salads.
The point here was this person CHOSE to eat a chicken sandwich/salad combo instead of something else...that was really the point. I think.0 -
I made myself a Diet Bible, with printout menus of all the fast food places I might frequent. I have all the nutritional info right there so if I have to get something from McD's etc, I know what I'm getting into. And I also have a printout that equates how many exercises you'd have to do to burn off x food item. It helps me to be prepared, and I can make choices without guessing about what it will do to my day. It helps me a lot to see the numbers and know.5
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Packerjohn wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »sampsondavidj wrote: »McDonald's has always been a nemesis for me. I have stood in line, pondering if I should get a salad or McWrap instead of a Big Mac. 99.97% of the time, I choose the Big Mac....I did get the McWrap once. What I am looking for is "decision process information" that helps you choose the salad. What I mean by "decision process information" is any thoughts or reasonings that you have that lead to the decision to eat the salad.
I just get the Big Mac. 540 calories. Get a side salad for 40 more if you don't put dressing on it, and a diet drink you are in for 580 calories, a not too bad amount for a meal. I don't see what the issue is.
The issue is it's pretty poor nutrition if done on a regular basis.
We have no idea if this is a once a week thing, once a month, daily (hope not) or twice a day (please, no).
Having a 600 calorie meal like this instead of a large extra value meal is certainly a smarter choice...even though it certainly isn't a nice salmon fillet with kale salad.0 -
sampsondavidj wrote: »McDonald's has always been a nemesis for me. I have stood in line, pondering if I should get a salad or McWrap instead of a Big Mac. 99.97% of the time, I choose the Big Mac....I did get the McWrap once. What I am looking for is "decision process information" that helps you choose the salad. What I mean by "decision process information" is any thoughts or reasonings that you have that lead to the decision to eat the salad.
I don't eat Mc Donalds salads. By the time you add the dressing the calories come out to more than a Big Mac. I take the Big Mac and pick off the buns.1 -
Packerjohn wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »sampsondavidj wrote: »McDonald's has always been a nemesis for me. I have stood in line, pondering if I should get a salad or McWrap instead of a Big Mac. 99.97% of the time, I choose the Big Mac....I did get the McWrap once. What I am looking for is "decision process information" that helps you choose the salad. What I mean by "decision process information" is any thoughts or reasonings that you have that lead to the decision to eat the salad.
I just get the Big Mac. 540 calories. Get a side salad for 40 more if you don't put dressing on it, and a diet drink you are in for 580 calories, a not too bad amount for a meal. I don't see what the issue is.
The issue is it's pretty poor nutrition if done on a regular basis.
According to the website, one Big Mac as served is:
540 calories
46g carbs
28g fat (10g sat)
25g protein
3g fiber
9g sugar
950mg sodium
10% RDA Vit A
15% RDA Calcium
25% RDA Iron
2% RDA Vit C
Not an everyday food in my personal opinion, but once or twice a week as part of a carefully logged diet doesn't seem like a problem to me.3 -
It's hard for me, too, so I choose both. I'll have a regular cheeseburger and a side salad.1
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The only time I eat at McDonald's is if I am starving, and have no other options - no time or traveling. Or if I had too much to drink the night before. (DC and a doublecheeseburger has always been my hangover recovery food.) Although that is not something that happens much anymore - probably been 2 years since I had that hankering. Oh, I did always stop and have a sausage McMuffin at 4am, before my half-marathons. That was sort of a tradition then.
In any event, I have no issues with eating or choosing food at McDonalds, because normally, I am never eating there.0 -
Packerjohn wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »sampsondavidj wrote: »McDonald's has always been a nemesis for me. I have stood in line, pondering if I should get a salad or McWrap instead of a Big Mac. 99.97% of the time, I choose the Big Mac....I did get the McWrap once. What I am looking for is "decision process information" that helps you choose the salad. What I mean by "decision process information" is any thoughts or reasonings that you have that lead to the decision to eat the salad.
I just get the Big Mac. 540 calories. Get a side salad for 40 more if you don't put dressing on it, and a diet drink you are in for 580 calories, a not too bad amount for a meal. I don't see what the issue is.
The issue is it's pretty poor nutrition if done on a regular basis.
According to the website, one Big Mac as served is:
540 calories
46g carbs
28g fat (10g sat)
25g protein
3g fiber
9g sugar
950mg sodium
10% RDA Vit A
15% RDA Calcium
25% RDA Iron
2% RDA Vit C
Not an everyday food in my personal opinion, but once or twice a week as part of a carefully logged diet doesn't seem like a problem to me.
The problem for me isn't the calories or the carb or anything else. It just doesn't fill me up for the calories.. and a burger isn't the first thing I typically want to spend my calories on when I have 540 calories to spare on something that won't fill me up, lol.2 -
sampsondavidj wrote: »McDonald's has always been a nemesis for me. I have stood in line, pondering if I should get a salad or McWrap instead of a Big Mac. 99.97% of the time, I choose the Big Mac....I did get the McWrap once. What I am looking for is "decision process information" that helps you choose the salad. What I mean by "decision process information" is any thoughts or reasonings that you have that lead to the decision to eat the salad.
I don't eat Mc Donalds salads. By the time you add the dressing the calories come out to more than a Big Mac. I take the Big Mac and pick off the buns.
A Southwest salad with grilled chicken and a packet of Southwestern dressing is 470 calories (according to the website) and a Big Mac is 540.
Someone might enjoy the Big Mac more and that would make it a better choice for them -- but it isn't true that a salad with dressing is going to be more than the Big Mac, at least not all of the salads.0 -
I haven't read the entire thread, but Wendy's has way better salads.3
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BusyRaeNOTBusty wrote: »I haven't read the entire thread, but Wendy's has way better salads.
Definitely....0 -
sampsondavidj wrote: »McDonald's has always been a nemesis for me. I have stood in line, pondering if I should get a salad or McWrap instead of a Big Mac. 99.97% of the time, I choose the Big Mac....I did get the McWrap once. What I am looking for is "decision process information" that helps you choose the salad. What I mean by "decision process information" is any thoughts or reasonings that you have that lead to the decision to eat the salad.
you are choosing the food you want over the food that will help you achieve your goals. I have done this a million times now I just remember.
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Panera, Wendy's and chick-fil-a all have pretty awesome salad options, btw. And the light balsamic dressing from cfa is on point.0
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sampsondavidj wrote: »Okay...so I'm going to try to summarize what came out so far:
1) Avoid being there in the first place.
a) Go somewhere else where I can get something healthier
b) Plan and prepare meals ahead of time to avoid going
2) Damage control
a) Limit the number of calories by just eating the burger, add a diet pop if I need something to drink.
b) Cut the burger in half and eat the salad with it (No this isn't too sad...I never thought of it though).
3) Plan to eat the burger and work it into your consumed calories
4) It may have been a lost cause...you're there to get a burger so the decision does not exist and McDonald's doesn't make a great salad.
I would like to look at number 2 in a little more depth and perhaps would like to know why someone would choose option A or B or any other ideas. Pondering the effects media has had, I realized I get the fries because I see them in the picture and that is what my brain recognizes as a complete meal.
Do you tell yourself anything that makes you motivated to do something different? I'm thinking to change it up, I may find someone who wants to eat half a burger and a salad. Eventually, I will be working to drop fast food...baby steps for now.
EDIT: I totally posted this before the Chris Pratt quote was there. That is the direction I am hoping to go with this conversation. And to Stevencloser...I will give you something that should indicate I had a problem....A triple whopper without cheese at burger king has 1140 calories. I would eat a triple angry whopper, fries, and pop once or twice a week when the angry whopper was out. There was no nutritional data for that burger. That isn't who I am now, but I still struggle with fast food restaurants.
Skimmed through p. 3 & didn't want to read anymore, so sorry if this has been touched on.
Really, truly, honestly... how likely is it you would only eat 1/2 the Big Mac with the rest of it staring you in the face?
5) Be realistic
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Packerjohn wrote: »rileysowner wrote: »sampsondavidj wrote: »McDonald's has always been a nemesis for me. I have stood in line, pondering if I should get a salad or McWrap instead of a Big Mac. 99.97% of the time, I choose the Big Mac....I did get the McWrap once. What I am looking for is "decision process information" that helps you choose the salad. What I mean by "decision process information" is any thoughts or reasonings that you have that lead to the decision to eat the salad.
I just get the Big Mac. 540 calories. Get a side salad for 40 more if you don't put dressing on it, and a diet drink you are in for 580 calories, a not too bad amount for a meal. I don't see what the issue is.
The issue is it's pretty poor nutrition if done on a regular basis.
According to the website, one Big Mac as served is:
540 calories
46g carbs
28g fat (10g sat)
25g protein
3g fiber
9g sugar
950mg sodium
10% RDA Vit A
15% RDA Calcium
25% RDA Iron
2% RDA Vit C
Not an everyday food in my personal opinion, but once or twice a week as part of a carefully logged diet doesn't seem like a problem to me.
The problem for me isn't the calories or the carb or anything else. It just doesn't fill me up for the calories.. and a burger isn't the first thing I typically want to spend my calories on when I have 540 calories to spare on something that won't fill me up, lol.
Oh yeah, if you're going to be hungry an hour later, totally not worth it. I find it pretty filling though!
On a lark, I got the new crispy chicken quesadilla at Taco Bell. It was actually a few more cals than a Big Mac and I'm sure worse nutritionally (basically flat breaded chicken nuggets and cheese in a tortilla, lol) but I was full for hours.0 -
sampsondavidj wrote: »McDonald's has always been a nemesis for me. I have stood in line, pondering if I should get a salad or McWrap instead of a Big Mac. 99.97% of the time, I choose the Big Mac....I did get the McWrap once. What I am looking for is "decision process information" that helps you choose the salad. What I mean by "decision process information" is any thoughts or reasonings that you have that lead to the decision to eat the salad.
..Or save half for another meal.
..Or order a smaller burger/cheeseburger. To the right of the picture menu full of super-high calorie 'meals' is the dollar menu with options having more reasonable calorie counts. The burger, cheeseburger, double cheeseburger are, if memory serves, $0.80-$1.20ish and probably significantly fewer calories than the Big Mac (but may still satisfy your burger craving unlike a wrap or salad). There is also a 'value' size fry.
Plan ahead before you get there for ~ how many calories you wish to spend on that meal...The calorie counts will be listed on their website.
Salads aren't necessarily lower calorie options - the cheese, croutons, dressing, nuts, etc (ie all the tasty bits) are all calorie dense.0 -
sampsondavidj wrote: »McDonald's has always been a nemesis for me. I have stood in line, pondering if I should get a salad or McWrap instead of a Big Mac. 99.97% of the time, I choose the Big Mac....I did get the McWrap once. What I am looking for is "decision process information" that helps you choose the salad. What I mean by "decision process information" is any thoughts or reasonings that you have that lead to the decision to eat the salad.
If this were me, and it was this much of an issue I'd remove myself from the temptation.
I'm personally not a huge salad person...I like them occasionally, but it's not typically something I go for...I'd only decide on the salad if I was feeling like a salad that day. I also like Wendy's salads better in terms of fast food salads...but still, we're talking about a handful of times per year that I would do that.
You'll also likely find that the calorie difference between getting a salad and getting a burger is pretty negligible depending on the burger...
I don't remember the last time I ate McDonalds, so McDonalds isn't really an issue for me...but I love a Blake's double cheese and green chile burger with their seasoned fries...it's a calorie bomb, so it's an infrequent indulgence, but sometimes I just have to go...it's just pretty rare these days when it used to be at least a 3x per week favorite...now maybe 3-4 times per year.0
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