Regularity of fast food consumption

I think the answer is going to vary a lot from person to person. For me, part of the journey is figuring out how to do this and still live my life without always planning it around food. I typically have fast food once every week or two. Usually just a burrito or a burger, no fries or chips. It's actually quite easy for me to fit that into my calorie allowance.

BUT I know even though it fits my calories, it doesn't fit my nutritional expectations for myself. So while I don't mind eating out every so often, I wouldn't do it multiple times a week.

I think what you have done here is fine...there is nothing wrong with an occasional treat, especially if your usual diet contains all your essential nutrients.

However, to answer your question a little more fully, there is a difference between a generally healthy, nutritious diet with the occasional treat, and a diet based on junk food that keeps below the desired calorie goal. It would be pretty difficult to get the correct nutritional balance when eating fast food too regularly, but once a week or so I think should be fine.

I've read in a few places that if you keep your diet healthy for 80-90% of the time, a little junk the rest of the time will not negatively affect you, and this seems pretty sensible to me.

Hope that helps, and that I didn't ramble on too much

Do you mind if I ask what aspects of your nutrition you are keeping track of? It would be handy to know if there's other things I need to monitor beyond calories, carbs, fat and protein.

I have my diary set up to show calories, carbs, fat, protein, fiber, and sodium. I also watch my daily sugar intake (not usually a problem if I'm staying under on carbs) and cholesterol.

Yes, Absolutely! However, you will notice a different with the way you feel. You may not have enough energy to workout after a fried fill of greasy type foods. Or you may get hungrier quicker. Or you may create more cravings. I usually feel the effects the next day.

It is possible, but the "domino affect" (ha, you just had Dominoe's) is the hard part!

I think it depends on your goals. For weight loss only it's really only about the calories. But for overall health it's about the nutrients (vitamins etc.) too. Plus you can eat way more veggies than fast food so if you are having trouble feeling/staying full within your calorie goals it might be good to concentrate on eat fruits, veggies, lean protein and complex carbs. That being said everything in moderation is fine and you are going to have to do what works for you and what keeps you sane.

What a great answer!

Last semester I ate McDonald's and Taco Bell quite frequently, but still managed my weight. Lost muscle, but that was also due to the fact I stopped riding as much and was sitting on my butt a lot at school.

I don't cut out anything like fast food, etc because I know when I cave...I'll cave badly and eat too much.

I cannot, however, keep the stuff in my house or I will eat it. I take ambien, so sleep eating is part of that.

All in moderation. I love pizza.

You would still lose weight if you ate fast food and stayed below your calorie goal, but that's not to say that you would not feel like crap, and for some people this can lead to increased cravings for unhealthy food.

The bottom line is that calories is the only thing that matters when losing weight. However, nutrition is another matter!

For me personally eating is a very big part of my life. I cant manage the mindset of eating for fuel only, which really is foods purpose. Eating fast food satisfies something inside me that needs to be satisfied. I certainly don't eat fast food everyday or even once a week but sometimes it just needs to be done. Ive lost 80 lbs in 2 years. Be mindful, research your options, and make sure your goals and your wants for fast food can agree to disagree and you can live with it. Hope that helps and makes sense.

- JoAnna

I eat fast food and have Starbucks several times a week and I feel great. The only reason I feel bad is if it's my rest day because I feel like I need to workout. I just control my portions and stay under my calorie goal. I'm not going to make the same mistakes I've made in the past with trying to lose weight, by that I mean cutting everything I love out, what a way to fail.

OBVIOUSLY not an expert here but I can tell you from experience that I feel a huge difference going from sticking under my calories and macros by eating whatever I want such as fast food, chocolate, and cakes with veggies thrown in here and there just to get in enough for the day to what how I am eating right now. I am currently doing a no meat, no dairy, no oil challenge for 28 days. I'm a week in and I FEEL healthier. I noticed that I have more energy during the day (but this could also be because i've been doing more exercise as well), I've been eating less throughout the day because meals are filling me up more, and I haven't had any huge cravings for anything. I could easily eat a burger at a fast food joint and then be hungry soon after but I haven't really had this feeling yet. Eating the way I am is suppose to lower your cholesterol level a big amount even in the short time that we're doing this (If curious we are following the Engine 2 Diet which is part of the Forks over Knives deal) and I wish I could have gotten my blood work done first to see if it's true.

Everyone is different though. We are trying this and if we feel like it's something we can stick with we probably will (though I think I'll be the one to add some fish during the week and my boyfriend will go back to his steaks haha) and if we can't, no biggie! I personally think if you want to eat fast food and stuff and stay under your calories to lose weight .. go for it, it's YOUR body. For me eating fast food made me feel .. heavy (despite the fact I AM heavy, it made me FEEL that way) .. and eating mostly vegetables and fruits (processed stuff can be used doing this btw, but you have to watch for oils and how many calories from fat, sugar, and sodium are in it) makes me FEEL healthy. It fits our lifestyle as I am home most of the time I can plan out meals and take the time to cook them. You have to make things work for your lifestyle though, what makes you feel better?

I also track sodium and sugar...too much of either of those will stall my weight loss; I'll still indulge in certain foods that aren't exactly "diet friendly." I just determine if it's worth working out for longer in the gym...usually it's not, though. I haven't had what would be defined as "classic fast food" in like 2-3 months, though...

I was a lover of fast food and I guess you could say I still am..... BUT I now refuse to eat most of what you can get from fast food restaurants. There are a lot more options with fast food now, which includes a number of rather healthy options- grilled chicken, variety of salads, yogurts, etc BUT the burgers, pizza, and fried foods- No thank you! The calories are one thing but the fat, sodium, and carbs are an entirely different story.

I say different strokes for different folks and what works for me doesn't work for everyone but I have adapted a new outlook on food in general... I am only as good and as healthy as the food/drink I consume and I do not want to be a Big Mac OR a Dominoe's Pizza. I'd rather make my turkey burger or my spinach pizza and feel confident in the ingredients used. I don't expect everyone to agree, just sharing my 2 cent. Cheers to a happy & healthy you!


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