The Best Fast Food
Let's face it -- writers aren't exactly known for their great eating habits -- sometimes the sugar, salt, fat, etc is all that gets you through to your deadline without all of your hair falling out. Bring on the Cheetoes.
Though I have to admit, all in all, I have made a lot of changes in the last year in the way of eating better, healthier, and have lost 17 lbs to show for it (and have kept it off, with some fluctuation, but I'm working on the next 10 now). But I'm not on a diet by any means. Have the Pepperidge Farm cookies, but only have three, unless you are on deadline, then keep the whole package on the desk. I like cooking, and I like eating good food, and recently have made more effort to make sure most of what we're eating is healthy. But I don't give up the good stuff, because life is too short, and if I happen to step off the curb at the wrong moment, I don't want my last thought to be "I should have had the burger."
I love fast food. I'm a huge fan, though I don't eat it more than once a week, usually, unless we're on vacation or there's something strange in the schedule. Still, it has changed so much since I was a kid, when going to Carolls or McDonalds was a huge treat. Now it's like the competition for the most disgusting 
thing you can ingest. I tend to stick with the basics, and regular size, at that. I don't eat beef or pork if I don't know where it came from, so the Chicken McNugget is my friend, and I also love Wendy's Chicken Sandwiches. Burgers I have at home, though I will admit, there's nothing better to quell the pain from a rejection or a tough review than the occasional Big Mac or a nice Whopper.
I respect a person's free choice to eat the most disgusting burger they want to. I get so tired of all the dieting segments and the food nazi stuff on the news. People make choices about what they put in their mouths, and you don't have to choose the triple burger with five cheeses and three sauces, but if you want it, you want it. It's more of an affront to go to McDonalds and ask for fruit and yogurt. That's not natural. What's hysterical is that all of the fast food salad can actually have more fat and calories than a burger if you add all the stuff to them, dressing, etc. It's the American way.
My only complaint about fast food is that it can either be really, really good, or really, really bad -- yesterday, my Chicken McNuggets were soggy and the fries limp. I hate that. Because when a chicken nugget and a McDonalds fry is fresh and hot, it's nirvana. Their hot mustard is the best.
I'm a foodie, but I love the healthiest, grassfed, organic beef or the lowliest McNugget all the same. Each one addresses a different desire. However, at the end of the day, I am responsible for what I put in my mouth, not McDonalds or anyone else. I wondered in the recent wave of food control attempts if posting the calories and fat of certain choices would actually cause people to make different choices or if they just end up feeling guilty about the ones they do make (if romance novels had fat contents, would you all cut down on reading them?).
How about you? what's your favorite fast food, or do you not indulge?
Well, I'm a veg-head, so I
Well, I'm a veg-head, so I don't eat traditional fast food burgers, but I love, love, love Burger King's veggie burgers, dripping with cheese and sauce and all the condiments, and a big old side of french fries. I don't indulge often, maybe once every two months, but when I do...mmmm....total taste satisfaction.
The fast food of choice for my family is pizza; we love our pizza. My favorite is loaded with roasted red peppers, feta cheese, and black olives. I also make a homemade pizza with grilled portabella mushrooms, carmelized onions, and garlic, that's to die for.
We've all heard about the guy who sued McDonald's for his obesity problems; my daughter suggested I sue the company that makes Cheez-Its, since they're my weakness and have no doubt contributed to my expanding waistline. But as you said, Sam, at the end of the day we each are responsible for the food choices we make. As my husband likes to say, "You can do anything you want in this life, as long as you're willing to pay the consequences."
Cheesey things
what is it about cheese? I'm lactose intolerant, severely, so I have to be careful with dairy, but still, I love cheesy things, too -- loved baked Cheetoes. :) Those aren't real cheese, of course, but tasty little buggars. I use the 100 calorie packs and it's enough, generally. They probably have them in Cheezits. :)
We make homemade veggie pizzas, too -- I do eat meat that we specially order from humane certified, organic farms, which means we eat less, but we know where it comes from, and they are usually small family farms that process their own meat as well. We pay more, and eat it a little less often, but it's our compromise since we don't really want to be meatless.
However, cheese is technically not vegetarian, which I found out because of the rennet (animal enzyme taken from cow's stomachs), so vegans can't eat it (though Organic Valley does put out some very good rennet free cheese, and there are a few others, but they are pricey -- I use them here at home, but I'll still eat cheese out in the world).
I would probably have to sue Pepsi -- I don't keep it in the house because it really is my weakness...
Sam
"They put something in it to make you crave it fortnightly!"
I still think Mike Myers was onto something with that line. It's funny, we couldn't afford much in the way of takeout growing up. We got hooked on pizza when there were only three of us left and two of us had jobs of our own.
Then I married a man who could cook.
Hubby says his biggest problem is that he loves his own cooking and he eats too much of it. So do I, so I eat plenty. His joke is that I wasn't a skinny kid because I had a high metabolism but that I was skinny cause I was starving. So all rolled around nicely for the first eight years, we ate out what we thought was a lot from time to time because my son eats little more than burgers. (He's autistic AND stubborn. Believe me, I'm not coddling him. If he doesn't want what you feed him...he'll just starve.)
Then I got preggers.
The onset of the twins and our various multiple jobs and the fact that we were both so tired meant take out. A lot of take out. Oddly, we figured out that eating out cost us less after a while, than shopping for groceries. Plus groceries go bad if you don't eat EV-rythiing. At least take out is bitesize or can last to two meals.
We're trying to get back to cooking. And I definitely agree, I'm totally responsible for what I eat. I'm a big believer in portion control. Ironically, I just picked up a box of Cheeze-Its last night to help me while I write. God help the chip industry when I'm writing!
Dee
Bwahahaha!
I'll have that quote in my head now...
I'm with you and hubby -- we make lots of good stuff here, too, and with only two of us, have to be careful of that, which is why I'm back to no baking now.
I'm big on portion control, too and thinking about food for nutritional content more than calories (though I don't ignore calories). It's ironic -- when I stopped dieting, I lost weight, LOL.
Sam
After watching SuperSize me,
After watching SuperSize me, we gave up McDonald's. Almost forever. LOL! But man, I do love a Big Mac. Wendy's is my favorite for burgers, though McD's fries and Coke are the best.
I don't eat fast food very often. If we do pick something up, it's usually subs or pizza -- which are probably not much healthier but feel better for you than burgers and fries.
Basically, I like to eat and I don't like to be hungry.
I try not to snack on the chips and things at home, though. *try*
M
Read in bed!
www.meganhart.com
I never watched that...
Though I heard of it. But didn't they eat the worst possible things at the largest sizes all day long? I mean, you could do the same with food from home and have the same result...
I agree. I don't like being hungry, either. I have been trying to really make the distinction between hungry and eating just because I can, which I think I did a lot of, though.
Sam
Actually, no...
He had to eat everything from the menu at least once, which included the salads and the parfaits and such. And if they asked him to supersize, he had to say yes. (He was so happy when they forgot to ask.) In thirty days, he nearly had a heart attack and every single way of measuring his body took a nosedive. It's very much worth watching, but seriously, you'll probably never want to eat at Micky D's again. It took us a year. AND I'm still terrified of their delicious, golden, salty fries.
I eat them, but I fear them.
It got a lot easier to say no after the Veggie-folk learned that they were frying them in beef fat, lol. After that, they used pure veggie oil and the fries were less mesmerizing to my inner carnivore.
I don't really care about food much. I just hate passing out when I forget to eat. Sigh.
Dee
Ah, the beef industry ;)
My favorite fast food is a Nebraska chain called Runza. They make awesome burgers, fries, and onion rings, and I go once or twice a month, maybe. Meat isn't a favorite food for me. Chocolate, now...there's an addiction!
Margaret
I used to like Friendly's burgers
But I haven't eaten any beef I don't buy for several months now. I could live without it, but in truth, I love it, so I compromise.
I have to say that sugar is a huge goodie for me -- I'm always glad I'm lactose intolerant instead of diabetic, because I would hate to have to give up sugar. I don't think I could...
S
Mmmm...
I do love me some fast food... Like Megan, we cut WAY back a few years ago after reading a book--Fast Food Nation. Yikes! We do still go occasionally, mostly when we're on vacation. The kids sure do love french fries and McNuggets, and I can't say that I don't! When I was growing up, every few weeks my grandparents would take us to McDonald's after church, and I do still love their Big Mac, but haven't had one in years. The In-and-Out Burger Double-Double comes close ;) And chips... bliss! Sadly, I love most of them--Fritos, Doritos, Cheetos... all the terrible-for-you-fake-food goodness...
And Sam, what a question! If romances had fat calories, I imagine I'd be so big I couldn't leave the house--have you seen the size of my TBR? ;)
"And Sam, what a question!
"And Sam, what a question! If romances had fat calories, I imagine I'd be so big I couldn't leave the house--have you seen the size of my TBR? ;)"
Ha!! I love it!! Thanks for the laugh, Fedora! What if the calories increased based on the level of hotness? I'd be in more trouble than I am already!
Ha!
Karen, if heat determined book-calories, I would be 600 lbs and have to be removed from my house with a crane!
You and me both...
It would not be a good scene, booklover1971! Karen, I'm SOooo glad that books are calorie free, hotness notwithstanding...
Fast Food Nation
I have read that, and agreed with a lot of it, and I also support the Slow Food Movement. I think it's good to have everything. I love chips too and salty things, though I try to control my salt more than anything else, because of blood pressure... but a bag of Fritos every now and then is just necessary!!!
LOL on the fat content and books... I know, I would be in binge and purge mode, LOL.
Sam
Too funny!
I've been working on healthier eating, too, but at deadline stress time I want a Krispy Kreme. *g* I agree, life's too short to live in denial. Although it's also too short to make yourself miserable with bad habits. The best balance is overall good eating without being extreme and saying no ice cream will ever pass your lips again, I think.
I actually love that I can find out Weight Watcher points for fast food anything; it does guide my choices. Although only to a point; I'll still have the Santa Fe grilled chicken on whole wheat at Carl's Jr. instead of a cheeseburger that's half the points, because it's NOT healthier.
Exactly
Denial... is that a river in Egypt? (groan, I know...). ;)
I used WW back a few years and what it did was get me out of the habit of eating too much, and that helps -- but then I went flying solo, because I lost 15 lbs on WW, and then it came right back. So, then I gave up dieting, but I think the general lesson you learn about eating less sticks.
I used to love KK donuts when they were hot, and their coffee was wonderful -- I also love the iced tea lemonades at Starbucks, no sweetener (you don't need it -- the lemonade already has sweetener in it) and those are very low cal, no fat, for a venti.
We have this great Italian bakery close by that sells the most amazing cakes -- by the slice -- so once a week we can go pick out a slice of cake, say, on a Sat night, and enjoy that.
Sam
I don't know how many of you
I don't know how many of you have heard of the chain called WHATABURGER but it is mostly a Texas chain with its home here in my town. Anyway the have a grilled chicken sandwich which is my favorite fast food. It is white chicken grilled and put on a bun with lettuce and tomato. And it is a warm sandwich not a cold one.
Oh no...
I love that kind of sandwich, since chicken is my mainstay out of the house, or fish if it's available. Though I don't eat the fish at McD's or BK because it's actually fattier than the chicken nuggets. But, your post made me chuckle, because I met Karen Foley for lunch a few months ago, and the sandwich I had was just that -- chicken, lettuce, and tomato... which they called a CLT.
We're Blaze authors -- you can imagine what we made out of that...
Sam
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHH
*chokechokechoke!*
OMG, you're supposed to warn me before you mention chicken sandwiches!
yep my mind works that way
yep my mind works that way too.....I know exactly what you are thinking
Damn you, Sam!!
I read this yesterday and I've been fighting a minor stomach bug for a few days now so no big deal.
But, feeling slightly better than warmed over oatmeal today, I decided to try to eat something "real" for lunch today (no saltines, no yoghurt). What did I want? What did I CRAVE?
A McDonalds cheeseburger. You know, the ones on the dollar menu. So I got it.
I wish I could say it tasted good but I can't. Actually I don't know if it did or not. I INHALED it because just the thought of hot beef and cheese made me salivate (see saltines and yoghurt above).
Of course, now, it's just sitting there in the pit of my stomach like that lump of oatmeal I also mentioned earlier.
The good news is it hasn't come back up though.
LOL
ani
Hee
Yeah, that's me, leading people into fast food sin. ;) Sorry you have been sick, but as weird as it is, sometimes fast food, junk food, is what I crave when I don't feel good.
In fact, when I was pregnant (many, many moons ago), I had such terrible all-day sickness, that all I could stomach were Big Macs. Kid you not. The only thing I *wouldn't* hork up. LOL
A good friend of mine used to call McD's burgers "gut bombs" for the reason you mention, that feeling that it just "landed." LOL
I hope you feel better soon!
S
How odd
When I was pregnant with my first son (also many many MANY moons ago), the only thing I could eat were fast food burgers. They were the only thing that would stay down.
The strange thing is I'd been a vegetarian for years but not when I got pregnant. My body demanded MEAT. And the greasier the better.
About halfway through my pregnancy though, I couldn't eat burgers anymore. I switched to tuna.
With my youngest son, I couldn't eat tuna. EVER. Nor could I eat fast food burgers. With him it was peanut butter.
I still get a craving for peanut butter every now and again too.
:-)
what a subject!
Just reading through the posts is making me hungry, but since I'm dieting -- or rather attempting to make a permanent change in my eating habits -- AGAIN just thinking about food makes me hungry.
Unfortunately, I do enjoy fast food, though my tastes have changed. Instead of McDonalds or Arbys I will hit Subway or Chic Fil A. The hardest things for me to give up are french fries and sweets, though I had one small waffle fry of my daughter's today and that at least satisfied that craving somewhat. She made fish sticks and fries, I had a lean cuisine.
I hurt my neck in January and haven't been exercising as much as before so I had to do something to counter my increasing size. So I went back to WW. This time, however, I chose a reasonable goal for my age/height instead of trying to get back to my 20-something, single weight. I did that before, but couldn't maintain.
I'm not worried about how quickly the weight comes off so if I just have to have a Zaxby's salad then I will have one. You can't deny yourself all the time or you fail. Zaxby's is another fast food haunt of my family's. We like their salads because the quality is just about as good as what you'd get at a Chili's or similar restaurant at a much lower price.
Fast Food
Hail to the Redskins!
Loved McDonalds Bacon Egg and Cheese Biscuits. Unfortunately, ate too many of them and my cholesteral (and weight) went sky high. My doctor threatened me with cholesteral medication. Since high cholestoral runs in the family, I gave up McDonalds, but figured I was doomed anyway. In 6 months, my cholestoral went down 30 points! My MD was proud of me and told me to apply my "hard work" to my weight. I was bummed that my fast from McDonalds didn't show up on the scale. Now, I'm just walking the dog every day to hopefully lose weight. Hopefully, in 6 month, I'll lose 30lbs just from walking the dog!. I am eating more fruit and less chocolate chip cookies.
Since I had my gall bladder out last year, my body can't tolerate the high fat meals I used to eat. My dh and I went on a cruise for our 20th anniversary. I didn't want to spend it looking for a bathroom, so I ate more salads and fruit and chose the low fat options on the menu. I did splurge on the lobster one night, and the brownie sundae another night. Couldn't totally deny myself. I found I felt better and had more energy and enjoyed myself overall much more. Coming back, I don't have the cravings I usually do--I'm still eating more fruit and salads. I haven't gotten on the scale yet, but I think I'm looking smaller.
Love the Wendy's chicken sandwhiches also. And fries from any fast food place are awesome!
Hey Teresa!
Go Red Sox! ;)
I am allergic to eggs, don't eat them at all, and I am also lactose intolerant, and let me tell you, one of the biggest things I miss was an Egg McMuffin. However, my cholesterol is low, so I guess there's a payoff in there.
I walk our dogs 2-3 miles a day because we have to, or they would revolt, but it is a good way to get exercise.. for poochie, too. :)
I think getting on the scale once a month is more than enough -- seeing how your clothes fit and your blood tests are better measures. Weight can fluctuate as much as 5lbs with water, etc and I just don't bother much with a scale. I weigh myself once a month, and this month, saw 3lbs gone. That's enough. Even one down is fine by me, I don't really want to lose more than 10lbs a year (though last year I lost more almost w/out trying, and then gained back some over the holidays, which I vow NOT to do this year)... sounds silly, but it's how I'm doing it...
Sam
Hey Betty!
Great to see you!
I just do small changes, and it seems to work. For instance, yesterday I went to BK,and I had a chicken sandwich, but no cheese, no mayo. If I want mayo, I bring it home and put some lowfat mayo on. Amazing how many calories you can save that way. With fries I have half, and then toss the rest out for the birds, who love them.
So, I have my ways... *G*
I hope you're neck feels better soon...
Sam
Mayo
Hail to the Redskins!
I used to ask for no mayo and it took too long for them to make a sandwhich with no mayo. So I started using an extra napkin to wipe off the excess mayo. My dh couldn't believe how much mayo they put on a sandwhich. Its disguisting! He said I saved at leat 100 calories with wiping off all that mayo. I agreed.