Question:
I have noticed that many people on here still manage to eat at fast food
restaurants. I was wondering what types of things you order from each place. What foods do you get from McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King, Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken etc. I am on the go quite often, and need several easy quick options to grab when I am out and about that will not hurt my weightloss. I have lost 42 pounds in 3 and a half weeks, but I am really sick of the same old things all of the time. Thank you and God bless! — Kelly M. (posted on May 25, 2002)
May 25, 2002
I am 2 weeks 3 days post op. Some of the fast food items that I have ate
on the go are: Wendy's small chili, low fat, high fiber and protein. Taco
Bell's refried beans topped with sour cream, again, high fiber and protein.
KFC, small mashed potatoes and gravy. Sonic 1/2 of a grilled cheese
sandwich well chewed. Captain D's small piece of fish well chewed.
Chinese -cup of egg drop soup. I hope this helps. :)
— juliehedges
May 25, 2002
I didn't want any fast food for the first 2 yrs, but now I must eat so many
meals in the car that I gave up. From MCD, I get the CB + fries, eat a
little of each. Wendy's, is either chili, baked pot, or their new Mandarin
Chicken salad (if I can sit down to eat). Taco Bell, taco or bean burrito
or part of a burrito supreme. The other night I had Mexican pizza. BAD
mistake. Haven't felt that miserable since I was a rookie! Don't even know
why. At KFC, I get corn on the cob, cole slaw or mashed pots. MAYBE a
piece of chicken, but that's iffy for me. I still avoid milk & sugar,
and still take 120-180g protein supps a day, though. So I am not trying to
count any of this as nutrition, just as a meal.
— vitalady
May 25, 2002
I am over 2 years post-op and have 4 month old twins. I don't have time to
cook so we get take out allot!. Mcdonalds food doesnt settle well with me
but then again it didnt before WLS. My favorite is Wendy's Chili and baked
potato with broccoli and cheese. I can also eat a slice of pizza with
anything on it and I love chicken chow mein or mooshi pork from the Chinese
Restaurant.
— Debbie M.
May 25, 2002
My fav is the chargrilled chicken sandwich from Chick-fila, and I can
almost eat all of it leaving about 1/3 of the bread. I really like the new
mandarin chicken salad at Wendy's, haven't tried the other new ones, but
they have a great selection of salads. I like the ceasar shaker salad from
McD with the chicken and ceasar dressing. I can eat a taco from taco bell.
I don't do the fast food fish places, they tend to disagree as they are
way too greasy. I tried it once and never will again. Haven't done
Hardees yet. And BK I do the Junior Whop because I like all the fresh vegs
on top of my burg and I can eat almost the whole sandwich leaving about 1/3
of the bread. I can eat the entire sandwich but choose to leave the bread.
6 months post-op.
— Cheri M.
May 25, 2002
I LOVE Burger King's Jr. Chicken Whooper with no mayo. It has tomatoe and
lettuce on it and is very moist and juicy. They messed it up one time and
put mayo on it and it was gross. Even after scraping off most of the mayo.
I usually take the top bun off before eating it. Bread just doesn't sit
well with me.
— livnliter
May 25, 2002
I know that I will sound like an old stick in the mud but, after reading
some of the answers here, it basically scares me. It doesn't scare me that
people are eating these things particularly, but what scares me, is that
after only a few weeks, the habit of eating the "good stuff" is
coming back. I honestly think that most of us should have psychological
counseling for at "least" 6 months post op. The surgery doesn't
change your mindset, only your bodyset. If some people don't get a handle
on that, they will only sabotage themselves in the end. I understand that
Michelle eats what she wants because she is so far out of surgery
(although, for the life of me I can't understand corn as that comes out of
me the same as it goes in LOL). But there are others that have only been
out of surgery for a few weeks and are alreayd "trying" these
things counter to what their doc has said. After reading a few of the
profiles, it seems that there is more to the problem than just wanting to
"eat" something. I'm not a professional but, it just seems to me
that for some people, it would be beneficial to have counseling along with
the surgery. I think that many of us have a food addiction and/or, use
food as a comfort. This is just my thoughts and it just seemed wrong to
tell someone a few weeks postop what fast foods she could have.
— Barbara H.
May 26, 2002
Fast food, that's what got most of us in trouble. What happened to
planning ahead with foods that won't cause us to revert to fatter times?
Most of those on this site went through the pain of surgery why would they
want to go back to use those bad habits again? I for one never want to be
this size again.
— marta B.
May 26, 2002
I am almost six months post-op and I eat chili and the Mandarin Chicken
Salad from Wendy's. The salad is enough to make 3 or four meals if I add
more chicken to it. I do have to be careful though because chicken usually
makes me ill. But the chili has been a mainstay since I was two weeks
post-op. And I eat refried beans with cheese from Taco Bell. My surgeon
actually suggested the chili from Wendy's and the beans from Taco Bell as
part of the soft diet. The chili is low fat and very high protein - it is
actually good food. And the beans are fat free (until you add the cheese)
and extremely high in protein. I don't eat anything from McDonalds (didn't
like it pre-op) nor do I eat burgers or any sandwiches at all.
Good luck.
— Patty_Butler
May 26, 2002
I totally disagree with the poster who said "why would you eat fast
food? thats how you ended up MO. Sorry but eating one taco or a
chessesburger isnt what made me fat. It was the supersize meals. I love
chili from wendys, if i order a taco i get extra meat and cheese and tewll
them to add no lettuce. I like KFC's chicken wings. Fast food doesnt always
mean bad food. I was told to eat high protein. I got nutrional info on
every fast food place I go to and always pick the highest protein food that
the chain offers.
— C. L.
May 26, 2002
1st, congrats on the 42 pounds in just 3 weeks. Thats amazing! I didn't
visit my first fast food place until I was 3 months post-op. I am now
almost 4 months out and limit the visits to once a week. I'm amazed at how
little of it I eat! I have had 1 chicken breast from KFC (remove the skin
and munch on pure chicken-can only eat 1/2 of it). From Subway, I have had
a 6 inch meat and cheese sub, minus the mayo, remove the top layer of bread
and still can only eat 3 inches of it! From Burger King, the jr. chicken
whopper, remove the top bread and can eat 1/2 of it. I would wait a few
months before attempting any fast food, other than a chili or pinto beans
meal which seem to work early on.
— Cindy R.
May 26, 2002
Be careful with fast food...it is still loaded with fat and EVIL CARBS. I
get a cheeseburger with extra onions from Mc D's and eat maybe 1/4-1/2 of
it. I get a small chili with cheese from Wendy's and eat maybe 1/2 of it. I
get the breaded chicken sandwhich with cheese from Burger King, and
sometimes I'll eat a few fries here and there, but generally fries and
bread don't sit so well.
— Paula Prichard
May 26, 2002
Pre-op I saw people that were eating fast food, and I thought "why
would they want to slip into old habits", just as others have stated
previously...but now, I've learned that it wasn't McDonalds, Wendy's, KFC,
Taco Bell, etc. that was making me fat, but it was the amount and the
choices that I made.
<br>
It's comletely possible to enjoy a nice, normal meal at almost all the fast
food restraunts without falling into the same pitfalls that I did pre-op.
<br>
Even post-op, our lives are just as hectic (if not more at times) that you
can only find enough time to hit the local fast food restraunts.
<br>
At Wendy's I'll get either the Taco salad, or just the chili. At
McDonalds, I'll get the grilled chicken sandwich without the mayo (and I
usually don't eat much of the bread). At Burger King I'll get the chicken
whopper without the mayo(and again, I eat little or no bread). At Taco
Bell, I'll get a soft taco and only eat some of the tortilla. I've KFC
mashed potatoes and chicken, although I don't eat the breading. I've had
chicken, meatball, italian subs from Subway. I once had 1/4 of a bagel
from Dunkin Donuts.
<br>
I'm 8 months post-op, so the variety in the foods I can actually eat now
has expanded, it's all in the choices that I make, not the restraunt that
I've chosen.
<br>
I had this surgery to me normal. Normal to me means that if I'm on the
road and the people I'm with need to stop off at McDonalds for lunch, I'm
not going to sit there with a bottle of water and then try to hunt down a
health food store. It means that I can sit and eat a small portion of the
"healthiest" food item on the menu.
<br>
Hope this helps you some! :-)
— Kristin R.
May 26, 2002
I'm not going to join in the fast food debate, but I wanted to let you know
of something that I discovered at KFC. It's their Honey BBQ sandwich. The
chicken is moist and easy to eat. I take off the top bun and eat it with a
fork. The nutrition facts are 310 cal., 6g fat, 7g sugar and a whopping 28
grams of protein!! I am 16 months post op and am able to eat about 75% of
the sandwich. It really is delicious. (Remember, I am not a carb
restricter). Something else that I have eaten from there is part of a pot
pie. Beware, however, there are a ton of fat grams in this, but I only eat
about 1/3 of it. (I especially like the crunchy edges of the top crust). At
Taco Bell, besides the crunchy tacos, I will order a grilled steak taco. I
cannot eat the tortilla (too doughy), so I will open it up and eat it like
a salad. It really is good and has a delicious sauce. At McD's the only
thing that I am able to eat is a salad. At Wendy's, I can eat the nuggets
(with BBQ sauce), a baked potato with butter and sour cream, or a chili.
Nothing interests me at Burger King or Arby's (other than baked potato).
Taco bell tacos were my saving food when I was about 2-3 months post op. I
was able to eat about 1/2 of one and it made me feel normal again. I
started at 264 and got to goal (139) by nine months. I am now at 120. So,
eating these items has not hurt my loss/maintenance at all. My belief is
that I will never diet or restrict again. THAT is what got me to MO. I want
to be normal and normal people will occasionally have fast food and NOT
feel guilty!! Shelley
— Shelley.
May 26, 2002
I will have to agree with both Shelley and Kristin and disagree with
Barbara. There ARE healthy food choices at the fast food places and I see
NORMAL people dining at these establishments. We are now normal, not the
way we were pre-op when we were able to woof down an entire value meal plus
an apple pie or two, or a flurry that has 650 cals all by itself. We
probably consumed close to 2000 cals at one sitting, whereas now we take in
approx. 200-300 which is completely fine. I really don't see the problem
with that. The salads are super, the grilled chicken is great. McD's
burgers aren't the best choice as they are fried, but BK's burgers are
flame broiled and not a bad choice, esp. with the veggies on top that will
take up pouch space. And another thing I want to point out is that all of
the surgeons 'allow' different things. I had to eat a soft solid BEFORE I
was discharged or they wouldn't let me go home. And we were only
restricted from meats and salads, and some veggies with a casing (corn,
peas) for 4 weeks. After that we were free to try what we felt comfortable
with. She is almost right at 4 weeks and is curious what others are eating
and I think she is smart to get an idea before experimenting. Who better
to ask? I say as long as you have been cleared to eat it, go ahead. And
make wise choices. Enjoy being a NORMAL person! Bon Apetite'!!
— Cheri M.
May 26, 2002
To those who ask why someone would want to eat fast food after surgery, I
must say something. The fact of the matter is that most of us are having
this surgery because we are tired of diets. We want to be able to learn to
make good choices with food, and we want to learn to have control over the
foods that got us where we are. I think it is pretty normal to have fast
food once in a while- it is practically impossible to avoid unless maybe
you have nothing better to do than cook all day. They key to this surgery
is that it makes us want to eat better, and to eat less. I don't know
about the rest of you, but I am NOT having this surgery to go on another
diet. If I get busy and want one taco, I sure as hell am not going to stop
myself. I want to learn to coexist with food in peace, and not have it be
my best friend OR my worst enemy any more.
— Jennifer Y.
May 26, 2002
I don't eat alot of fast food but occasionally I'll enjoy a Rodeo
Cheeseburger or a Whopper at Burger King. The Whopper I can only eat 1/3 to
1/2 of at a time. I also like the bolonia deli sandwhiches at Subway. I
don't particully like bolonia, but it is the cheapest one at $1. And since
I load it with all kinds of veggies, it tastes great. I don't get mayo
anymore as it makes my stomach quezy. However I will have oil and itallian
dressing on my subs. I don't eat fast food often, but since I don't eat
alot at a time, or even order it much I sure don't see the harm. If it was
forbidden, I'd be eating it all the time. lol!
Oh as far as the breads with the sandwhiches, I used to have to take half
the bread off. But now that I've been post op for awhile, I can now eat the
bread, as long as I eat "slow" enough for my body to tell me when
I'm full.
— Danmark
May 26, 2002
I don't eat a lot of fast food, but when I have to or when the urge hits me
I try to make the best choices. I don't really do taco bell at all...I
never liked it pre-op. At mc donalds I get the grilled chicken sandwich.
I eat it with a little mayo - no bread and 2 french fries...I know I
know...but like I told my surgeon, I had to find something I could live
with for the REST of my life, not just while I am losing weight. I don't
know where you live...but I eat at Pollo Tropical a lot. 1/4 chicken
meal...a taste of the rice and beans -- salad and the chicken of course.
Miami Subs...I have had couple of different things there...the chicken pita
-- I take about 1 bite of the pita but just mainly eat the chicken and the
lettuce/onions and I get the sauce on the side and eat a little of that. I
have had a mcdonalds hamburger..no bread...my supermarket (Publix) makes
great subs that my friend and I share -- I don't eat any of the
bread...just the meat, cheese and veggies. I have been to arbys and have
had the roastbeef sandwich - no bread....and the turkey...again no bread.
Congrats on your weight loss! I have lost 112 to date (in 9 mths) and I am
very happy with that :)
— Ilene M.
May 26, 2002
I don't eat as much fast food as I used to...I just can't. But I have to
say there is one thing I found I can eat on the run from McDonalds:
chicken fajita. It works well for me. I realize it's not the best food
choice I could be making. But it's small enough and there is little carbs
in it: just the tortilla. But at least it's not a big ole greasy big mac
or something. Chili from Wendy's, and even a chicken soft taco from Taco
Bell is do-able. It's just a matter of making choices. And looking
carefully. McDonalds even has chicken fingers and fish sticks now in some
areas. And hey, they even have salads.
Take care and good luck.
— Mustang
May 27, 2002
My favorite fast food is to order a Burger King Chicken Junior Whopper. I
eat the grilled chicken off the sandwich and I'm stuffed. I toss the
bread, mayo, etc. in the trash.
— Kathy J.
May 27, 2002
I'm the queen of fast food!! From Wendy's, small chili with crackers (I
can almost eat the whole thing). From MacDonalds, double cheeseburger (I
eat about 3/4 of it). From Taco Bell, a crunchy hard taco (I eat the whole
thing). From Burger King, the 5 piece chicken nuggets (I can eat them
all). From KFC, 1 whole chicken wing (I eat it all). As you can see, I
really push for protein.
— Patty H.
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