McDonalds Bacon Egg and Cheese Bagel

Ok, so did I get your attention?  hehe  Eating two of these was a favorite for breakfast for me before the surgery, sometimes I would actually want to eat a third just with no place to put it.  I am now craving this again.  So options, I tried to calorie test a smaller healthier version and it looks like it would be about 220 calories for the whole thing if I make it per my idea of a substitute.  A regular one from McDonalds is 560 calories, but if I only had 1/4 of it, 140 calories and the flavor and taste that I miss.  I have a real hard time completely cutting out everything I used to eat.  So here's my question, just go for 1/4 of what I really want or does anyone have any great tasting low cal alternatives they can think of.  BTW the idea of completely abstaining from all the "bad" stuff just doesn't work for me, it's not part of MY journey, no offense but a little here and there makes me still feel.... well, human.  So again, I am open to ideas other than complete avoidence.  I am hoping someone can come up with a healthier substitute than I can think of!

Hmm...english muffins are supposed to be less calorie and healthier than bagels & other breads. I believe they make whole grain options as well to kick up the nutrition a bit. Turkey bacon, and egg whites instead of the whole egg. I tried a bite of bread the other day and it made me so full, and it was like not even an inch!! I am 9 weeks out but wanted to let you know my experience with it

My only question is, can you have that 1/4 of the McD's version without getting carried away? Without derailing you from the rest of your day or week? Can you work that into your nutrition goals for the day? It maybe that you very well could... I have no idea, since I don't know your program or the rest of the nutrition details for that particular item.

If you know that you can handle it and work it into your program, I say go for it. I'll probably get a bunch of responses saying that people disagree, but this has to ultimately be what works for you. If you can work it in without ruining your day, then no harm, right?

I don't believe in anything being off limits, either... but I do believe in making sure that I can still get what I need in if I am going to splurge, since my body cannot handle much food at a time right now.

I hope that helps some... would love to hear what you decide lol

Those were my favorites, too. And the hashbrowns!!!

If you come up with something, let me know.. haha.

I tried for awhile, but I couldn't get anything close... the thing i noticed though: the sauce they put on the bacon egg & cheese bagels i think is what makes it so distinct.. if someone could figure out how to mimic that sauce, i think it'd be a lot easier.

Ashley
I don't think it's sauce. It's the Liquid margarine used to cook the bacon, egg and warm the  bagel. You can look here for all the ingredients in each dish. Bacon, folded egg, cheese and bagel if I remember correctly....unless they've changed it over the years.
This is the ingredient list about 1/3 of the page down----

http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/getnutrition/ingredientslist. pdf

Skip the carbs (bagel).

Try this... I made some this morning and they were yummy!

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/vsg/4526805/Sausage-Egg-Muffins-YUM/#37490456

I firmly believe that if you truly want something you should eat it - just less of it than you ate before your surgery (assuming that you are at the right stage of your diet post surgery, its not a trigger food for you, etc. etc.).  For me, if I want one thing and eat a substitute, I will continue to crave what I wanted initially and just end up eating it anyway.  I frequently will order what I want and eat 1/4 or so of it and toss the rest or save for a second meal if its something that keeps.  
 
I did not have surgery to deprive myself forever and I have eaten like a "regular" person since I was allowed solid food and have just eaten a lot less because of the restriction my sleeve provides.  I am currently a little over 17 months out and have been at goal for quite a while now.

Best of luck to you!

 
Your body...your journey....

Speaking for myself.....your approach/theory is my maintenance program.

I'm a big promoter of lose the weight first.....than find your tolerances in maintenance.

Maximize your WL efforts and you will get to goal faster and resume a little more normalcy.

Many who try and incorporate a more liberal approach during WL....have a hard time making goal.

That said.... somebody yesterday or the day before showed how to make muffin pan eggs. I've made these before and it is a great WL food.....I think you would like it.....

frisco

Just make yourself the bacon/eggs/cheese at home.  If you haaaaave to contain it in something, use part of a low carb wrap.  You're pretty early out to be thinking bagels.  At nearly a year out, I don't think I could stomach more than a bite or two of bagel, just wouldn't go down well for me.  Having little bits of my trigger foods is a slippery slope for me... I say find a new, WLS appropriate substitute that you also enjoy.  I also make crustless quiches in muffin tins- they freeze up great and I nuke one for breakfast. 

 Anything from McDonalds and WL don't belog in the same sentence - IMO.  I used to love me some bacon egg and cheese biscuit for breakfast when travelling, or dunkin donuts bacon egg and cheese croissant.  IF you must have something from there, throw away the carbs and just eat the pork fat soaked egg, bacon, and cheese.  Realize, even that will probably blow your diet out of the water for the day.  Is the taste really worth it?

Seriously though, check around the forums for substitutes.  I have seen some pretty awesome looking things on here that are probably just as tasty and won't poinson your weight loss.  Just the other day there was some bacon, egg, and cheese combination that looked awesome, if I could have bacon.  There are some pretty good bariatric cookbooks out there too with lots of recipes.

I know I am going to sound like a broken record on this, but take a serious deep look inside at why you feel you need that food?  Is it just for taste and texture, or are you using it for something else?