Anyone eating fast-food and still loosing? :)

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Replies

  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Honestly, it can work either way. It is what works best for the individual in the end. Some people can't eat clean. They don't have the time, or the money, or the desire to eat those type of foods. For some people, eating clean might result in the individual abandoning their program all together.

    Thanks Whit. Honestly it's the only reason I say it. I hate to see a new person trying to figure out how to lose weight get harrassed by someone on a crusade. They start to think that if they eat two brownies they've ruined their progress forever. They end up abandoning their diets all together because they tried to be too strict with themselves, and they never had to be in the first place.

    If eating clean works for you go forth and enjoy. But anyone who's smart knows it's not the only way. I have Subway to thank for more than a few of these lost pounds.

    Hopefully, you don't get the Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki sandwich. It has 1000mg of sodium.
    http://www.subway.com/nutrition/nutritionlist.aspx

    The water retention effects of sodium can be countered with potassium. A 16-oz glass of Trop50 Orange Juice (100 cals) is just about enough potassium to counter the effects of that sandwich. No water weight gain required.

    Really? I never knew this! What if I took potassium vitamins would they have the same effect?

    You can't get potassium in those quantities over-the-counter. Only potassium prescribed to people with high blood pressure can give you enough potassium to counter a really bad sodium day. Concentrated version of fruits and vegetables like juices and tomato paste are some of your best sources for potassium in whole foods. Dried beans are another good source.
  • robinogue
    robinogue Posts: 1,117 Member
    I do on ocassions.. but it's not enough to hurt my weight loss
  • Please see the documentary "Fat Head" by Tom Naughton for more on the topic of losing weight eating ONLY fast food. Not really recommended by ANYONE( including the filmmaker/s) for long term health, but he does lose 12 pounds in 30 days eating nothing but fast food by limiting calories to about 2,000 and carbs to about 120 or less. Food for thought and pun intended. -Jeff
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    Trop50 is not made with sugar. It is made with artificial sweetener (I think) which is why it is low-cal. And no one should be worried about sugar unless they are diabetic. Extra sugar has no detrimental impact to body mass.

    Look I don't make this stuff up... I live it! And you aren't in any worse or better shape than I am thanks to your "clean" diet.

    How do you allege what shape I am in?
    I drink orange juice once in a while. I did last night.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Please see the documentary "Fat Head" by Tom Naughton for more on the topic of losing weight eating ONLY fast food. Not really recommended by ANYONE( including the filmmaker/s) for long term health, but he does lose 12 pounds in 30 days eating nothing but fast food by limiting calories to about 2,000 and carbs to about 120 or less. Food for thought and pun intended. -Jeff

    The OP didn't ask about losing weight eating ONLY fast food. The OP wanted to know if they could eat fast food and still lose weight. A balanced diet will allow you to eat what you want which was the point of my statement about countering sodium with potassium.

    Please stop looking down your nose at people's lifestyle choices just because you watched a sensationalistic documentary made to enrage the public and make money.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    Please see the documentary "Fat Head" by Tom Naughton for more on the topic of losing weight eating ONLY fast food. Not really recommended by ANYONE( including the filmmaker/s) for long term health, but he does lose 12 pounds in 30 days eating nothing but fast food by limiting calories to about 2,000 and carbs to about 120 or less. Food for thought and pun intended. -Jeff

    The OP didn't ask about losing weight eating ONLY fast food. The OP wanted to know if they could eat fast food and still lose weight. A balanced diet will allow you to eat what you want which was the point of my statement about countering sodium with potassium.

    Please stop looking down your nose at people's lifestyle choices just because you watched a sensationalistic documentary made to enrage the public and make money.

    Or maybe he's just adding relevant information to the discussion on eating fast food and losing weight. You sure are angry!
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Trop50 is not made with sugar. It is made with artificial sweetener (I think) which is why it is low-cal. And no one should be worried about sugar unless they are diabetic. Extra sugar has no detrimental impact to body mass.

    Look I don't make this stuff up... I live it! And you aren't in any worse or better shape than I am thanks to your "clean" diet.

    How do you allege what shape I am in?
    I drink orange juice once in a while. I did last night.

    I am not alleging anything about your shape. My point is that a "clean" diet does not always mean healthy, and an individual can be healthy eating a "non-clean" diet. You asserted that drinking orange juice after fast food was a trade up. I countered that that particular product is not.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Please see the documentary "Fat Head" by Tom Naughton for more on the topic of losing weight eating ONLY fast food. Not really recommended by ANYONE( including the filmmaker/s) for long term health, but he does lose 12 pounds in 30 days eating nothing but fast food by limiting calories to about 2,000 and carbs to about 120 or less. Food for thought and pun intended. -Jeff

    The OP didn't ask about losing weight eating ONLY fast food. The OP wanted to know if they could eat fast food and still lose weight. A balanced diet will allow you to eat what you want which was the point of my statement about countering sodium with potassium.

    Please stop looking down your nose at people's lifestyle choices just because you watched a sensationalistic documentary made to enrage the public and make money.

    Or maybe he's just adding relevant information to the discussion on eating fast food and losing weight. You sure are angry!

    Maybe because people should not restrict their diets or avoid certain foods simply because someone on the internet said that food was bad. I personally don't believe that any food is bad. All food has some level and quality of nutritional value. And guess what, I'm not angry. Defending my point about orange juice does not make me angry. But before you attempt to escalate me to that point, I think I will just walk away from this thread. Yet again, the "sensationalists" have denied the truth.

    OP, I hope your question has been answered.
  • DeanneLea
    DeanneLea Posts: 261
    I eat out several times a week and always have. Some places are worth splurging on something higher in cals and other times I'm just eating out for convenience so I find a low cal item and go with it. Find a balance that works for you. If keeping fast food in your weekly routine is realistic for your lifestyle, stick with it. In the long run, you'll stay on track if you don't deprive yourself.
  • I eat out usually two to three times a week and, yes, I do occasionally eat fast food.

    I stay away from the fries (usually steal three or four from my DH) and I usually only eat half of the bun if there is one. If there are Jr sizes or smaller choices, I try to pick those. I usually stay away from hamburger most of the time and go with chicken or something else. If I have the choice (like at a sub place), I load up on extra veggies or order a pickle and peppers instead of chips (like at Jimmy Johns). I usually drink water (once in a while I don't though).

    Almost every place---fast food or regular restaurant--- has healthy choices or at least OK choices that are perfectly fine included in the big picture healthier lifestyle.
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,716 Member
    Maybe because people should not restrict their diets or avoid certain foods simply because someone on the internet said that food was bad. I personally don't believe that any food is bad. All food has some level and quality of nutritional value. And guess what, I'm not angry. Defending my point about orange juice does not make me angry. But before you attempt to escalate me to that point, I think I will just walk away from this thread. Yet again, the "sensationalists" have denied the truth.

    OP, I hope your question has been answered.

    Let's not bother Whit. The thread has been taken over by the OMG 20 GRAMS OF SUGAR! OMG SODIUM! crowd. Like it was destined to from the start.

    *links arms and skips away*

    Quick tip, if you are wondering who to listen to, check to see how much weight people have lost and how long they've been here. It's a good way of figuring out who's full of it and who isn't. Ta!
  • jogglesngoggles
    jogglesngoggles Posts: 362 Member
    Yes, I have one day a week that I eat whatever I want, occasionally this includes fast food, however my fast food tastes have significantly changed since eating "clean", my body severly punishes me if I eat greasy (cough) "food", but I do have the occasional thin crust pizza, and it never seems to hinder the weight loss!
  • MelissaL582
    MelissaL582 Posts: 1,422 Member
    Every once in a while I'll have fast food. I know for a fact that if I give up the foods I like, I'll start to crave it more and this whole weight loss journey will end. Some people want to lose the weight fast, but that's just not for me. Like other people said...eat the things you like in moderation.
  • JennaM222
    JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
    when I am hungover or drunk, yes.
  • i'm not eating fast food now for various reasons, but there was a time when i ate double chee's from mcd's pretty much every day. They're so great, $1, 330ish calories and a decent breakdown of carbs/fat/protein. Obviously, it's not the ideal breakdown, but losing weight is not the same as getting overall fit/healthy and is just a function of calories in vs calories out. Theoretically, you could eat fast food as your entire diet and lose weight as long as your total cals were below maintenance. Wouldn't be the healthiest, but you get the point.
  • fionaface
    fionaface Posts: 42 Member
    Yes! It is absolutely possible to eat out and still lose. I am one example of that! You just need to be sure to keep track of your calories. Also, if you have one "bad day" or "bad meal," then remember that it is not the end of the world. You might even want to have a calorie goal for your week, instead of just for one day at a time. That way, going over your calories on one day with fast food or another type of restaurant won't necessary kill your nutritional goals for the long run!
  • katesmithy
    katesmithy Posts: 25 Member
    I still eat everything I did before joining MFP, I just eat less of it! I've still lost but I'm considering whether to start being healthier as I'm so hungry sometimes.. I can't go without crisps though, I would die!
  • I still eat whatever I want- including fast food. The difference is that I have learned to eat it in moderation....just by staying within my daily calorie allotment, and exercising.

    THIS!

    This is what I do. When i KNOW where I am going out to eat (because we do a few times a week) I look on the MFP food database and check out healthy options. I plan what I will order and work it in to my calorie goals before I even sit down. Then I won't look at tempting menu options and i ENJOY my meal. For example, today my SO wanted to go to buffalo wild wings (day off work!) so - we did. I ordered a lunch (a soft chicken taco (buffalito) and side salad with lite italian) and stayed under 390 calories! After lunch, we went to the gym and did a little 30 min workout and I burned off most of that lunch anyhow! Just be wise about your planning and enjoy the food you do eat - don't feel guilty!
  • I eat a lot better than I used to, but I still have room for much improvement! lol However, that being said, I have still lost about 16 pounds since January, and I am in better shape (health and fitness) than I have ever been as an adult. It has more to do with eating within the limits, eating healthy food is important, but you don't want to completely deprive yourself of everything "unhealthy." If you have a day or two out of the week when you eat something that is not so healthy, it's ok, and in the end I think it is more beneficial to the overall success of shedding that extra unhealthy weight. :) good luck!
  • Princessbrene
    Princessbrene Posts: 112 Member
    I have cut back, but I do have it sometimes. I've changed how I order though.
    For example:

    McDonalds before: Big Mac, fries, coca-cola, and often got it super-sized. CALORIES: 1350
    McDonalds now: Double Cheeseburger, Fruit & Walnut Salad. Water. CALORIES: 650

    Chick Fil A before: 8 piece nugget meal with 2 packs of Chick Fil A sauce, large fries, with a coca-cola CALORIES: 1450
    Chick Fil A now: Grilled Chicken sandwich, 2 packs of buffalo sauce, and a large Diet Lemonade: CALORIES: 320

    It's about making better choices. ;o)
  • footballmom12
    footballmom12 Posts: 100 Member
    I think my kids would revolt if they had to do without Mcdonalds and pizza because of me!! MODERATION!!!! Still drink regular pop too...Be smart about portions, drink LOTS of water and excercise and you will have success!!
  • MissTattoo
    MissTattoo Posts: 1,203 Member
    As long as you are honest with yourself and track it, there isn't a problem. When I did Weight Watchers, this woman lost 30 pounds and ate fast food every day for lunch. She just didn't sweep it under the rug and pretend she didn't eat it. She tracked it and kept working out.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member


    Maybe because people should not restrict their diets or avoid certain foods simply because someone on the internet said that food was bad. I personally don't believe that any food is bad. All food has some level and quality of nutritional value. And guess what, I'm not angry. Defending my point about orange juice does not make me angry. But before you attempt to escalate me to that point, I think I will just walk away from this thread. Yet again, the "sensationalists" have denied the truth.

    OP, I hope your question has been answered.

    You seem to think he's "looking down his nose" at people who eat fast food when he's just adding something interesting to the topic.

    If you think this thread is being "hijacked" by people who look at specific things like macronutrients, then I have news for you: you're posting on a messageboard called "food and nutrition"
  • Trop50 is not made with sugar. It is made with artificial sweetener (I think) which is why it is low-cal. And no one should be worried about sugar unless they are diabetic. Extra sugar has no detrimental impact to body mass.

    Look I don't make this stuff up... I live it! And you aren't in any worse or better shape than I am thanks to your "clean" diet.

    How do you allege what shape I am in?
    I drink orange juice once in a while. I did last night.

    I am not alleging anything about your shape. My point is that a "clean" diet does not always mean healthy, and an individual can be healthy eating a "non-clean" diet. You asserted that drinking orange juice after fast food was a trade up. I countered that that particular product is not.

    Whit, I like where you're coming from, but some of this stuff needs to be clarified. A "clean" diet is certainly going to have a positive effect on one's body makeup. Sure, you'll lose the same amount of weight eating the same amount of calories regardless of diet, but your body composition will be entirely different. You have to be careful how you use the word healthy here. Losing weight is not the same as being healthy.
  • atomiclauren
    atomiclauren Posts: 689 Member
    Like many many have mentioned, mathematically you can eat whatever you want as long as overall you're meeting those number goals.

    I'm also in the non-fast-food camp, though (partially because of snobby political reasons - yes, I'm one of those people that won't eat somewhere because of the business - like Chick-fil-A and their right-wing, anti-gay stuff, and partially to avoid processed food), and if I do go to restaurants, I go in with a plan.

    Others have also mentioned how they feel like crap after eating fast food, and I tend to as well (or eat anything "heavy" in sodium and carbs).
  • yeah, probably the best reason for me trying to eat more vegetables and lean meats is how things digest and how i overall feel. skin looks better, nails and hair grow quicker (i'm a dude, this is a negative), etc.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    Whit, I like where you're coming from, but some of this stuff needs to be clarified. A "clean" diet is certainly going to have a positive effect on one's body makeup. Sure, you'll lose the same amount of weight eating the same amount of calories regardless of diet, but your body composition will be entirely different. You have to be careful how you use the word healthy here. Losing weight is not the same as being healthy.

    Yes... This is my stance on it. I lost weight by cutting calories, but I got healthy by eating better food. No one is 100% perfect or 100% "clean" but there is no debate that eating real, nutritious foods is a better approach than eating the same amount of calories worth of snack food. I'm not going to apologize for saying it.
  • one thing i will say as far as eating crappy and losing weight is that when you're really fat it matters less what you're eating. it matters way more that you're doing whatever works consistently because you have to take baby steps at first. trying to go from a really bad diet to a really clean one can be tough - as you get further along and see results, it becomes easier to slowly implement an ideal diet and exercise routine.
  • hypersensitiveb
    hypersensitiveb Posts: 342 Member
    Nothings forbidden just eat the right portions and plan your calories around it. Also eat more nutritious the rest of the week so you get your nutrients in.
  • hypersensitiveb
    hypersensitiveb Posts: 342 Member
    Maybe because people should not restrict their diets or avoid certain foods simply because someone on the internet said that food was bad. I personally don't believe that any food is bad. All food has some level and quality of nutritional value. And guess what, I'm not angry. Defending my point about orange juice does not make me angry. But before you attempt to escalate me to that point, I think I will just walk away from this thread. Yet again, the "sensationalists" have denied the truth.

    OP, I hope your question has been answered.

    Let's not bother Whit. The thread has been taken over by the OMG 20 GRAMS OF SUGAR! OMG SODIUM! crowd. Like it was destined to from the start.

    *links arms and skips away*

    Quick tip, if you are wondering who to listen to, check to see how much weight people have lost and how long they've been here. It's a good way of figuring out who's full of it and who isn't. Ta!

    Very true!
This discussion has been closed.