We were having a discussion in calorie counters section about Fast Food and how it really messes up weight loss. You either slow down your weight loss, plateau or start gaining 1 lb a week when you start bringing fast food back into your diet menu.

Just curious has anyone that has reached their weight goal ate fast food and kept their weight off and if so how much fast food did you eat a month.

thanks
chrissy

I've lost 200+ pounds, maintained it 30 years and eat fast food once a year if that. That stuff is not good for anyone at any weight. Why eat junk when there is so much good stuff around?

Hi, Chrissy:

I agree with Bertha Marie. I have lost about 60 lbs.,and I stay away from fast food. My problem is that the fast foods can trigger overeating, and I don't need that. The average fast food item contains so much sugar, salt, and other additives that cannot possibly add anything to a person's individual nutrition needs.

I do like to try new foods, new flavors, new tastes, etc. The world is full of good foods that I enjoy.

Well,
I don't think it's the best option, but, I am eating things like lean cuisines every day. I am still losing weight, but am trying to make better choices now. I think if you have to every once in a while, it wouldn't hurt you. Maybe, if you have to choose a salad, or grilled chicken sandwich, etc.

Good Luck!

-Kristen

thanks, for replies, I agree fast food is garbage but I love it so I figured out a way to keep it in my menu. Thanks to john and his thread under Nutrition on how many calories and fat grams are in fast food I can figure out how much I can eat. I just stayed away from them cause everyone kept telling me they were so bad and never really looked at fat grams etc.. but when I came off losing say 30 lbs. I went back to eating fast food blindly eating it averaging in my head that I only had 4 pieces of pizza that isn't too bad.

I am shocked how much fat and calories are in each burger etc... no wonder I am over weight. I was uneducated on fast food and junk food, chips etc.. on how many grams of fat and calories each item has.

so, I know if I eat too much fat grams a day I gain weight so I figure as a treat once a week only I have 500 calories and 30 grams of fat from one fast food item. I heard on this site that you're body only needs 25 g to 35 g approx. of fat a day or it goes to fat on our body. So, I figure if I keep the fast food at 30 grams, 500 calories I can keep within the requirements of our body and not gain weight.

I was looking at chips yesterday and I was shocked to see that 25 chips is like 50 g fat and 500 cal. I didn't know this. I could easily consume 100 chips in one sitting which would be 200 g of fat and gain weight that day.

I really have learned this week that being educated on what we are eating is part of losing weight.

I will keep this thread updated if I start gaining/plateauing on the small portion I have a week.

chrissy

If you want to eat healthy, fat is not the only thing to look at. A certain amount of fat is necessary to absorb fat soluable vitamins, have healthy skin and hair. It is good you are educating yourself about this. It is bad to use food as a treat or reward...it can lead to diet downfall. What else are you going to eat on the treat day - it's almost impossible not to ingest more fat unless you eat only fruit and veggies which will not keep you full.

Do you guys consider Subway sandwiches to be a good option? How about the salads at the fast food restaurants? Or grilled chicken sandwiches? I do know you have to be careful of condiments, dressings, breads etc. that are with this type of food.

I am trying to educate myself too, but I would love to have some options when I am out and need to have lunch.

For instance, I will have a Subway sandwich, made on wheat, no cheese, lots of veggies, and lean ham or turkey. According to their nutritional info - about 350 cals. and about 3-4 grams of fat.

I have found that when I eat the "full fat" burgers etc. Even though I would keep up with the calories, It made me want to eat more of the fatty foods. Almost like an addiction. I would "cheat" more and pretty soon, fell off the ole wagon. That stuff has high sodium too. Which I think messes with your taste buds and makes you want more salty.....

bertha marie, I eat pretty good during the week, then friday along with only 500 cal, 30 g of fast food/junk food I will eat good food the same as what I eat during the week. I eat 1,400 cal. a day 35 g of fat approx. I eat egg white only boiled, fruits and vegetables, 1% milk, english muffins, mayo, margarine. vegetable cheese slice(grilled cheese). I eat the same thing everyday as I get panicky when I eat different food everyday cause I think I ate too many calories or too much fat grams. I don't mind eating the same thing everyday but do look forward to the very small portion of fast food/junk food to mix it up. At least I know exactly what I am eating now not just eating junk food blindly on a binge and gain weight. like I said before I am really really shocked on how much fat grams I was eating when I at fast food and chips. It is going to be weird to count 20 chips at 30 grams fat when I want them and not have anymore. I don't want to go over 30 grams, 500 cal. when I do have my once a week "junk day" as I don't want to gain weight.

kimmy good question, part of my fast food is eating louissanna subs for foot long it's 600 cal. 30 g of fat. I am considering this fast food but is it or not? and what about pizza 1 slice 270 cal 10 g of fat. Is this junk food. Where is the line. My doctor said stay away from cheese clogs arteries??

chrissy

Fast food is not healthy, but if you really like it you can eat it but only if you burn these extra calories. If not, you will gain weight.

I don't usually eat fast food, not after reading Fast Food Nation (oh, the horrors!). But occassionally will stop at a sub shop and get a small turkey sub on wheat, mustard only, with extra veggies.

The best thing to do if you want to eat fast food is exactly what you are doing: checking the calorie, fat & fiber content of everything want to get (www.calorieking.com is free and has most of the fast foods in their database). Stay away from french fries, plain white bread, and greasy meat patties (even the fat on the grilled chicken can be scary).

Food tracking has really opened my eyes to what goes in. I used to buy salads every day for lunch at the cafe at work, thinking I was really being good. But then I figured out the calories for everything I put on them and was shocked--I may as well have gotten a burger meal (the cheese, sunflower seeds and dressing were a whammy)! So now I take homemade sandwiches to work, along with fresh fruit and yogurt or cottage cheese. Still super easy to make, but much less calories.

kimmy good question, part of my fast food is eating louissanna subs for foot long it's 600 cal. 30 g of fat. I am considering this fast food but is it or not? and what about pizza 1 slice 270 cal 10 g of fat. Is this junk food. Where is the line. My doctor said stay away from cheese clogs arteries??

chrissy

Cheese is good for us in tiny amounts, and I was shocked to discover this amount was the size of a domino. Also, fat is fat, and full fat cheese has a lot of the bad fats. So if you want cheese, go for the low fat cheeses. They take some getting used to, but I've actually found that the Cabot cheddars are wonderful, so are the Laughing Cow low fat cheeses. And parmesan is great too. Low fat mozzerrella is ok, better than nothing.

I guess the line of what is ok fast food is whether the food has anything redeeming in it. Does the food have any fresh veggies, lean meat, or fiber in the bread? Or is it high in salt and fat, and low in fiber and vitamins?

It is bad to use food as a treat or reward...it can lead to diet downfall. What else are you going to eat on the treat day - it's almost impossible not to ingest more fat unless you eat only fruit and veggies which will not keep you full.

You are so right on sister! In the past, I always rewarded myself with a night out for dinner with my friends. And I always ate so much I felt guilty the next day and gave up. Now, I treat myself to a night out with friends. Maybe a nice salad is involved, but the focus is on friends. Or I treat myself to a new shirt, or new purse, or new makeup... Anything to do with feeling good and looking great!