800 calorie hamburger?

[Guest (Lightsider)]

I kid you not...Wendy's has one. I think one of the biggest and healthiest changes I made aside from the gastric bypass, was cutting out fast food.

Seriously, if you want to even have a chance at losing weight and having healthy arteries....keep driving by the fast food joint.

800 hundred calories...totally irresponsible marketing.

[Guest Jo-88]

Even subway is ridiculous... at least a lot of places are posting the calorie counts right on the menus now. That makes it easier to realize the mistake your about to make before you order anything. Its healthier and cheaper to cook your own food at home. Anyone who needs to lose weight your first priority should be to learn how to cook... then learn how to cook healthy.

My major problem is still soft drinks... its so hard to say no to them, but they are HORRIBLE for you.

[Guest AlyTheGreatAngel]

I actually get these vegan patties that have 80 calories. I'm only vegetarian so I add a slice of american cheese(70 calories), mustard, ketchup, and some veggies if i'm in the mood. :S

[Guest Jo-88]

@Jodie - we've gone to the unsugared, flavored soda water drinks - they seem to be an unsinful alternative.

Ive been wanting to try the stevia sweetened sodas... they have very few calories, but Ive never seen them in a store. Of course even those arent "healthy" but at least they have fewer calories (baby steps lol)

here is one brand http://www.zevia.com

[Guest (Lightsider)]

I actually get these vegan patties that have 80 calories. I'm only vegetarian so I add a slice of american cheese(70 calories), mustard, ketchup, and some veggies if i'm in the mood. :S

I am pescatarian. I would like to be vegan but my body has trouble absorbing protein as it is. I am jealous of you! I really do not like eating any type of animal, in fact red meat makes me ill just looking at it.

@Megan Rose. That is rediculous. However when I was younger they had a build your own hamburger place. I hate to think how many calories were in some of the creations I have seen made there.

It is pretty sad we are having a weight epidemic in this country. I can see some backlash against fast food soon like a fat tax. I am not so sure I would be against it.

[Carolyn Marie]

I can't bring myself to give up red meat, but I have cut down a lot. Maybe one burger a month, and never one of those giant things. My favorite is the standard cheeseburger at In N Out. Carl's Junior has a 1/3 or 1/2 pound burger with pastrami on top. Yikes! Now that even makes me ill just thinking about it.

I try to balance things. Lots of Asian noodles, sandwiches, soup, salads, and then small portions of pasta or meat, and chicken.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Robin Winter]

800 calories for a burger is actually pretty average I think lol. It's not even the calories that will get ya, it's the salt! Remember the double down from KFC? That had a sodium level equal to a full days maximum recommended intake for an adult. Scary!

Edit: Scratch that, it was MORE than the maximum recommended intake of sodium. I'm proud to say I never bought one

[Guest (Lightsider)]

800 calories for a burger is actually pretty average I think lol. It's not even the calories that will get ya, it's the salt! Remember the double down from KFC? That had a sodium level equal to a full days maximum recommended intake for an adult. Scary!

I beg to differ. Fat calories will get you. It clogs the arteries and raises bad cholesterol levels.

[Guest Sarah Faith]

I actually lost my weight eating basically whatever I wanted. Fast food Burgers are usually around 500 calories, which is pretty light compared to gourmet hamburgers, I've seen Gourmet hamburgers way over 1200 calories. Either way, I really eat whatever I want. Today I was doing a lot of driving between my apartment and my families place (4 hour drive round trip) and I ended up eating a 700ish Calorie hamburger from Sonic, I finished my day at a total of 1400 calories. I just counter high intake with exercise. Really the only thing I've done to lose weight is Count Calories, and exercise.

Though if there is one thing I gave up, its sugar. I don't drink Soda anymore (used to be addicted to soda) and I avoid desserts for the most part. Its been so long since i've really given up sugar even a tiny bit makes me feel sick now. Which is sad, I miss cheesecake.

[Guest Lizzie McTrucker]

A double quarter pounder with cheese teeters around 730 calories.

I once tried a double Big Mac, just for the novelty of it. 4 all beef patties (supposedly), special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun. Boy was that a mess trying to eat it. 700 calories later, it was just a one time thing...because it was so messy to eat, really.

I used to think Subway was good for you. I'm sure it still is if you get the all-veggie sub though.

[Guest Jaques]

I seldom eat fast food and am usually very careful with diet because i have high BPand cholestorol, but i worked so hard yesterday and was really tired and couldnt be bothered to cook so i bought myself a frozen peperoni pizza and was so hungry, i ate the lot - then looked at the calorie content, wich came to around 5,500, so i vowed never to do that again - i enjoyed it though!

[Guest Sarah Faith]

Wow Jaques! That's alot of calories for a frozen pizza! The Frozen Pizza's I get are like 1400ish total if I were to eat the whole thing, but I mainly stick with the thinner crust supreme pizzas usually Red Baron. Good to hear you enjoyed it though at least.

[JJ]

For me anyway denying myself completely just doesn't work. I end up binging and then feeling guilty and feeding the guilt -on and on. Plus I love red meat. Struggled to give it up several times in my life but it's just not something I can do. I feel deprived and my blood sugar seems harder to regulate as well. But after pancreas damage from acute pancreatitis about 10 years ago I can no longer handle really dense red meat like steak and roast except in small amounts spaced out as well.

There is some interesting research that the amount and type of food you do best on is tied to your heritage with some people doing better on a vegetarian diet and others doing better on fish and still others actually needing meat protein to some degree. That historically our bodies evolved to best handle the foods available in a region due to natural selection. Now we are often quite a mixture and it can be a challenge.

Fast food is not in any heritage of course. Nor can it be argued it is good for you. However many fast food places do have alternatives if you study their nutrition, Taco bell has burritos under 200 calories and Subway has subs -yes with meat and lite mayo -for around 300. Healthy ingredients as well. That said I eat whatever I want one day a week. One burger a week won't ruin your health or your diet if you are responsible and eat healthily the rest of the time. Works for me amd I plan to eat this way for the rest of my life. And in spite of that binge day my extensive tests of metabolism and cholesterol along with liver and kidney function were the best of my entire life.

Gusess what I am saying is that there are different paths for different people and you need to find what works best for you. If that means you eat a hamburger or a pizza now and then it's fine as long as you are staying fit and healthy that way.

BTW the latest I read on salt is that it is not the villain it was once thought for otherwise healthy people. It will cause you to retain fluid which will make you puffy and weigh more. It can pose a risk for those with other conditions like high BP but even that is now being questioned to a degree. Till T I always had to keep my salt levels high or developed low blood pressure. My daughter has the same condition. I do know salt did have a direct effect on my blood pressure so I don't know on that one. I think the true answer is not just one thing or even two but the whole picture. And that it varies from individual to individual

.

The only hard and fast rule for me that really is rigid is that I make no excuses. If it is an eating day I eat. If not I stay on the limits and I exercise 6 days a week. Period. Come rain, snow, heat or thunderstorms. I did give myself permission to stay home an extra day this week because I was sick and have had to argue with myself more every day since. I hate that and it'll be a long time before I let myself do it again

[Guest Jaques]

i got it wrong, i dragged the packet outa the bin to have another look, the pizza was 5500 Kj - i got them mixed up - it was around 1500, lol, that made me feel better - i was a lot healthier i think as a vegetarian, which i was for many years until i met the missus, she cooks well - but then that was 11 yrs ago - i think youre right johnny - different folks/different strokes - no pun intended!

[Guest ValerieD]

What's scary is that my college serves nothing but fast food and salad. Given that our winter weather emails say things like "if you slip and fall, land on a fatty part of your body to reduce injury", and the fact that the plowing in this area of NY is atrociously bad, I sometimes suspect that campus dining is tasked with making students fatter. I usually lose a good 10 pounds every academic break even while eating more and exercising less.

[Guest Sarah Faith]

You're right JJ, everyone is different in that regard. I don't limit how much meat, or fast food that I eat, but I don't eat much sugars, and I balance out the bad with A LOT of exercise. I burn about 1000 calories with my work out routine, so I have to eat about 2500ish calories a day to not starve my self.

[Guest (Lightsider)]

If that works for you Sarah awesome. But I will say this...unlimited typical fast food is just not healthy..90 percent of it is junk and is just bad for your arteries. Sorry, I have to disagree with you there.

[Guest Sarah Faith]

If that works for you Sarah awesome. But I will say this...unlimited typical fast food is just not healthy..90 percent of it is junk and is just bad for your arteries. Sorry, I have to disagree with you there.

Oh don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that is all someone should eat! There is alot of stuff on a fastfood menu I absolutely will not touch! If I eat fast food I always research nutrition before hand and plan what I'm doing accordingly. I've mainly been focused on caloric intake vs caloric value burned, and I'll admit I haven't though as much about cholesterol as I probably should. Thanks to this thread actually I'm researching recommended daily cholesterol values right now.

I don't eat fast food hamburgers as much as I used to though, I don't like how they always seem to be dripping with grease. I usually get chicken sandwiches if I'm eating at a fast food place, or I just go to subway and get one of their healthy choice sandwiches.

[Charlize]

I'm a vegitarian now and have been for about 3 years. It was not for ethical reasons. I prayed before eating meat but also give thanks for my food now. I stopped meat in a attempt to reverse my coronary artery disease. I have attepted to cut all fats from my diet. Even beans contain fats but one can get the amount very low. It is a greaat diet as i can eat like a horse and not gain weight. In fact i've lost 30+lbs. and my weight is what it was at high school.

Better yet my blood sugar levels are now good enough that my cardiologist agreed to HRT! That was a hurdle and i really don't want to die because of my transition. More than a bit counter productive. I raise meat goats for others but am glad that i've found a good life wihout meat. No longer have a burger craving.

Hugs,

Charlie

[VickySGV]

It used to be that Fast Food was very good for you, --- back in the days you had to run like hell and catch it !!!

[Sally]

Just to let you know, Wendy's Baconator is 970 calories with 570 from fat, while their triple cheeseburger weighs in at 1060 with 600 from fat.

One of the big winners is Whataburger's triple meat Whatburger at 1130 calories and 620 from fat - without cheese.

Fast food + fat food, pretty much.

Be careful because some of the best looking options often have hidden sugars or fats - salads are great but some dressings can kill a diet.

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest ValerieD]

It used to be that Fast Food was very good for you, --- back in the days you had to run like hell and catch it !!!

It's sure not like it used to be. These days the top speed of your average hamburger is roughly 0 mph.

[Sally]

Just to offset that 800 calorie hamburger I am going to tell you about my fast food lunch today.

I had to go from church to an afternoon meeting without enough time to go home and eat one of my Nutrisystem lunches, they need to be microwaved, or go to a regular restaurant so I did what they had advised.

I went onto the websites of a couple of the fast food chains near the church and selected my menu carefully from their nutritional information (checking it against what Nutrisystem listed from each of them - at McDonald's they have a higher calorie count in the restaurant than Nutrisystem lists so I went with the higher just to be safe) and then ordered exactly that without reading the menu at all.

Here it is:

McDouble Cheeseburger, 390 calories and a good source of protein (a little high on fat) $1

Side Salad with no dressing, 20 calories, lettuce, a few field greens and two cherry tomatoes $1

Apple Slices, 15 calories and a smart carbohydrate $0.50

Large Unsweet Tea with 3 Splenda packets, 0 calories $1

Total: 425 calories and $3.50.

Fitting in both the calorie and monetary budgets.

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest Edu]

800 calorie? If it ain't at least double than that, it ain't a real burger!

Now, jokes aside, when talking about most fast food options, calorie counts are the least of my worries. Here are a few of the things that push me away from those places before I even take a look at calories:

- Here in Spain, McDonald's are often referred to as "McRatas" ("ratas" is Spanish for "rats"). From time to time you can also hear people talking about "Ratas King" and "Kentucky Fried Ratas", among others. This refers to both the questionable origin of the ingredients and the (non)hygienic conditions on many of the restaurants.

- If you put one of those burgers (if that thing can even be called "a burger") on the fridge, leave it there for a few months, then buy another one and put them side to side, you can't tell them apart. The appearance of a real burger (or anything organic for that matter) normally changes visibly within days or, at most, weeks.

- I have met some people who have worked at these places and most of them claim to have spit on a burger before serving it, or to have seen someone doing it. Although I haven't empirically verified their claims, the amount and consistency among them makes them quite plausible.

So, no need to count calories when you take all that into account!

There is, however, a relatively healthy option - started in 1991 in Barcelona and expanded to several countries over the last few years:

I know that gotta be healthy, because it just looks like the ones my grandma used to make me when I'd go out for a whole day or weekend!

Sorry for you, these ain't in the USA nor the UK yet, maybe someday.

Spain is well known around the world for its gastronomy, and Catalunya (even if not as much) for its pa amb tomàquet. So a fast food chain based on the pa amb tomàquet had to exist here

Look at that picture again: a main source of non-refined carbohydrates (the bread, which is essentially a derivative from wheat), a healthy (small) dose of fats (some from the jamón and mostly from the olive oil), a good deal of protein (the jamón itself), and some vitamins from the tomato; with no added salt (although both bread and jamón contain a noticeable amount). Just add a salad side and a beer, and you get a healthy meal served within 5-10 minutes (including queuing time on a busy day!). Maybe the whole meal reaches the 800 calories (definitely if you add in some desert), but on a 1800 - 2000 cal/day diet one can afford having such a main meal some times a week

There are many things on which Spain is behind every developed country, but at least we still have some of the best (in terms of both taste and health) foods in the planet

Hungry regards,

Ethain