To go along with the other off the wall things we talk about in this section....

[GabeU]

Normally I avoid fast food like the plague.  Both for the taste, and because it's terrible for you.  That being said, I don't fault people who do eat fast food.  

Anyway, though I haven't eaten anything from McDonalds in well over a year, I decided to try their Quarter Pounder With Cheese with the new, fresh beef patty.  Unbelievably, it was actually really good.  Is it on the same level as a burger from somewhere like Red Robin?  Heck no.  But for a fast food burger it's a step up, that's for sure. 

[maratsade]

And I bet it's not too expensive, either!

[GabeU]

---

@maratsade wrote:

And I bet it's not too expensive, either!

---

Well, I had someone pick up a couple for me, and I had one of those "buy one get one free" codes from taking part in a survey listed on a McDonalds receipt I got last week.  I'll get something to drink from there once in a while as I like their frappés.  With the bogo coupon it was a litlte over $4.  So, not too bad for two burgers.  I only ate one and will probably eat the other one later.  The patties are actually thicker.  I suppose it's because of the fresh vs frozen deal, but I think they actually use different beef, as well.  It didn't have that "McDonalds taste" to it, or that taste that everything from McDonalds has, if you know what I mean.  If someone had given me one and I didn't know where it was from I would have never guessed it was McDonalds, whereas with everything else from there you know it two seconds.  

BTW, is it just me, or is my avatar not showing for you, either?  It seems I'm the lucky one this time around.  LOL.  

[MarkJFine]

I used to practically live at places like McD and used to boast about eating 4 Big Macs in a sitting... but that was the 70s, and, well:

  a) It was the munchies (I did say 70s), and

  b) they were free because I kept winning them on those baseball scratch cards.

That said, I've probably not been to a McDonalds since 2005 (could have been the Spurlock doc that finally did it for me), except for the time I had to use a rest room on a long trip.

They can talk about being fresh and healthier all they want. I might buy a coffee, but still won't eat anything else. It would probably make me turn a sick shade of green from all the sugar they throw in that stuff.

[maratsade]

"(could have been the Spurlock doc that finally did it for me), "

I've never seen that documentary but I read it took the guy a long time to lose all the weight he gained while on his month of McD's meals.

[GabeU]

---

@maratsade wrote:

"(could have been the Spurlock doc that finally did it for me), "

I've never seen that documentary but I read it took the guy a long time to lose all the weight he gained while on his month of McD's meals.

---

It's a great documentary, and what happened to him while eating nothing but McDonald's food for 30 days was not only amazing, how long it took to undo the damage done to his body was absolutely ridiculous.  His girlfriend at the time (eventual wife, then ex wife) was a vegan chef, and it was her food that helped him get back into shape.

BTW, no, my avatar issue isn't fixed.  Everyone else's looks fine to me, but not mine.  It's the same thing that has been happening to various people over the month.  I could just wait and the problem would almost certainly, eventually, go away, but I think I might fiddle with it, as in changing the avatar to something else, then changing it back. to see it that helps.

This is what mine looks like to me, and wherever my avatar shows....

  

[GabeU]

Yay!  I changed my avatar to something else, then back again, and it's fixed.  🙂  

[maratsade]

Glad you fixed the avatar issue, Gabe!

As for Supersize Me, it sounds very interesting.  I wonder, though, about his rules (I read about the list of rules he had about what he would eat) and whether the rules skewed the outcome.  What if I eat at McD's every day  but choose salad and fruit and grilled artisan chicken?  Surely it'd be less bad than eating Big Macs all the time.

Edit:  This guy lost weight with McD's.

[GabeU]

---

@maratsade wrote:

Glad you fixed the avatar issue, Gabe!

As for Supersize Me, it sounds very interesting.  I wonder, though, about his rules (I read about the list of rules he had about what he would eat) and whether the rules skewed the outcome.  What if I eat at McD's every day  but choose salad and fruit and grilled artisan chicken?  Surely it'd be less bad than eating Big Macs all the time.

---

Oh, no doubt it's skewed, but I think he based what he ate on what the average customer eats when they eat there for a meal.  Granted, no one would actually do what he did, as in eating McDonald's for every meal for 30 days, nor even eating the same thing each and every day.  It definitely wasn't realistic in that sense.  And there's no doubt that what he actually did eat probably would have done the same thing to just about anyone.  Terribly unhealthy.  Yuck.  

Edit:  And that's interesting about the guy losing weight with McDonald's food.  He did it right, that's for sure.  

[maratsade]

True, most people won't eat the artisan chicken with the apple slices.  🙂   From what I've been reading about the documentary,  it seems to me it's a kind of "what if?"  (What would happen if people ate like this every day of their lives?  The answer is not pretty).   In any case, it does have merit.

[MarkJFine]

Thing is, I'm pretty sure there are people who do eat there at least a few times a week for lunch, if not every day.

Just to keep things in context of just how important diet and exercise are:

Realizing I haven't discussed this much, but my brother, who was grossly overweight, diabetic, high blood pressure, and all the other typical ailments that go together died 3 days before his 62nd birthday this past February. My recent task has been to organize his condo and get things packed and cleared so it can be prepped and sold. And by prepped, I think we're calling a hazmat team at some point (story for another time).

Anyway, today I worked on the kitchen. Despite having zero diabetes meds in the house, I found boxes upon boxes of pasta and processed cereals - basically all complex carbs. It's what probably drove his ketoacidosis levels through the roof, likely driving him into a diabetic coma and ultimately killing him.

So the moral of today's sermon is... there are no substitutes for low fat proteins and veggies in your diet. Something I don't even think he knew existed.

[GabeU]

@MarkJFine

Sorry to hear about your brother.  I can't imagine.  😞  

My stepfather's brother died a few years ago, and he was very overweight and diabetic, as well.  I can't remember his exact age, but I'm pretty sure he was in is mid 50s.  He was terribly unhealthy.  

When I was in my late 20s I got up to about 240lbs, and pretty much from eating junk food.  Pretty much every day at work one of my guys would go out and pick up lunch, and, sure enough, it was always fast food.   Now, nearly 20 years later and 70 pounds lighter, there's no more of that, thankfully.  

[MarkJFine]

When I was 45 I was close to 200 lbs. I'm only 5'6, and suffered every time I checked the air in my tires. Made a consious decision to lose weight, quit smoking, lose weight again, and get myself completely fit by the time I was 50.

I'm now approaching 60 and around 133 lbs. Was between 3-5% body fat while training for half marathons a couple of years ago. Nowadays I struggle to stay at 8% and trying to avoid the ankle ligament injuries that have been hampering me for almost two years (hint: Not a good idea to lace-lock New Balance shoes - causes problems).

[maratsade]

Mark, sorry to hear about your brother.

[MarkJFine]

Appreciate the condolences @GabeU @maratsade. Although we weren't very close my parents are in their late 80s and I'm doing my best to do for them what they can't. So this past week was spent getting his condo organized for cleanout and resale.

Deffo got my steps in and more.

[maratsade]

I bet that's a lot of work.  Did he have any family?

[MarkJFine]

No family. And our younger sister is in SC. So it was just me.

And I'm ok with that, tbh. Once I get into a rhythm I can be very efficient and I work very fast. I just get a plan of attack in my head and execute: Simple things like, rules for what to keep, what to throw out. Actually, that sounds a lot simpler than it is.

In fact my parents wanted to come, but I told them no because they'd just slow me down.

[GabeU]

Well, I had to do it.  Two more Quarter Pounders w/ Cheese today.  I just can't help myself.  It's like a drug!  AHHHHHHHH!!!!!   Just kidding, but I really do like them.  LOL.  

And I don't know what in the heck this is, but it looks funny, so I'm going to post it....

[maratsade]

A co-worker said McD's has a new salad now, too.  Southwestern??

I can see all avatars.... did they come back for you?

---

---

Well, I had someone pick up a couple for me, and I had one of those "buy one get one free" codes from taking part in a survey listed on a McDonalds receipt I got last week.  I'll get something to drink from there once in a while as I like their frappés.  With the bogo coupon it was a litlte over $4.  So, not too bad for two burgers.  I only ate one and will probably eat the other one later.  The patties are actually thicker.  I suppose it's because of the fresh vs frozen deal, but I think they actually use different beef, as well.  It didn't have that "McDonalds taste" to it, or that taste that everything from McDonalds has, if you know what I mean.  If someone had given me one and I didn't know where it was from I would have never guessed it was McDonalds, whereas with everything else from there you know it two seconds.  

BTW, is it just me, or is my avatar not showing for you, either?  It seems I'm the lucky one this time around.  LOL.  

---