Tag Archives: fast food

Just How Healthy Is Your Salad?

I’m really not a burger and fries kind of person. Which is not to say that I don’t indulge in high calorie foods, it’s just that when I pig out it’s usually on pulled pork and bread pudding. The rest of the time I simply have a salad. Wait! Don’t stop reading. I’m not bragging… I’m segueing. For months (nay, years) whenever I was forced to eat at a fast food restaurant (I must confess I despise fast food restaurants but I have a kid who loves McDonald’s fries—hence our visits) I would order the salad. I did so simply … Continue reading →

Weight a Minute! Society’s Obsession with Food

Today’s Weight: 261.4 My back went out last week, forcing me into a sedentary state. If I’m not exercising, I’m not losing – a fact I’ve learned about myself. Sigh. Last week (before I threw my back out) I took my ten-year-old for a mother/daughter outing to Wendy’s, her favorite place to eat. Standing in line, I overheard a man and a woman talking behind me. She was trying to decide which of the items on the dollar menu she wanted, and finally settled on a junior cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, and fries. Her husband said to her, “If you want … Continue reading →

Prince Charles vs. McDonald’s

In this corner… we have His Royal Highness, Charles, the Prince of Wales: A 58-year-old father of two who likes to grow his own organic vegetables. And, in this corner, it’s the MacDaddy of all fast-food giants, home of the clown bearing its name, and a host of other greasy (yet yummy) menu options–McDonald’s. Ding! Ding! Let’s get ready to rumble! Okay, perhaps, I am overdoing it a bit. After all, the alleged feud between the famous British royal and the fast food chain may not be as bad as many first thought. So how did all of this get … Continue reading →

Oops He Did It Again!

The Super Bowl is still a couple of weeks away, but controversy is already brewing regarding an upcoming ad slated to air during the big game, and guess who it features? Mr. Britney Spears himself. Yes, Kevin “I got Fed-Exed” Federline is smack in the middle of it all. According to the New York Post, executives in the fast-food industry are blasting the commercial for Nationwide Insurance, which features Brit’s ex daydreaming about being a rap star but really working in a fast-food joint. Representatives for the National Restaurant Association called the ad “demeaning and unpleasant” to the nation’s 12.8 … Continue reading →

McDonald’s Makeover—Strawberry Shakes and Stationary Bikes

Shakes and stationary bikes? French Fries and foosball? Big Macs and basketball? McDonald’s is getting a makeover… one the fast food giant hopes will be a hit with both parents and children. Say so long to the slides found at the traditional McDonald’s PlayPlace, the burger-and-fries company is ripping them out and replacing them with climbing ropes, stationary bicycles and electronic dancing games at SOME of its restaurants. If the new R Gyms (R as in Ronald McDonald) prove to be successful in their test restaurants you may soon see them popping up at your neighborhood McDonald’s. The R Gyms … Continue reading →

KFC Finally Trans Fat Free

KFC has announced it is making the switch to trans-fat free cooking oil. My question then is: what took them so long? Trans fats have since long been known for their harmful effects. For one, trans fat raise bad cholesterol levels while also lowering good cholesterol in the process. This fact has been known for a number of years now, and it is interesting that KFC only made the switch now. Only after their own customers pressed for it, may I add. Just requesting a change from KFC was apparently not enough; the Center for Science in the Public Interest, … Continue reading →

Kentucky Fried Chicken Going Healthy?

Stop the presses… I just heard that KFC is going healthy. Well, healthier anyway. No, they aren’t introducing chicken shaped tofu and ditching the macaroni-and-cheese for grilled asparagus; rather the company announced today it is phasing out trans fats in cooking its Original Recipe and Extra Crispy fried chicken, Potato Wedges and other menu items, though it admits it hasn’t found a good alternative yet for their yummy biscuits. At today’s news conference the restaurant chain said it would start using zero trans fat soybean oil system wide in the United States. The switch is estimated to be complete by … Continue reading →

Travel Tip–Avoiding The Fast Food Trap

Do you remember hearing this on your last road trip? Day One: “Welcome to McDonald’s. Can I take your order?” Day Two: “Thanks for choosing Burger King. How can I help you?” Day Three: “Hola! Taco John’s. What can I get for you?” If it sounds familiar you aren’t alone. Many vacations and road trips are filled with fast food stops. The key to avoid falling prey to this all too familiar junk food trap is to plan ahead. Here are some tips that have served my family well: · Take a large cooler of bottled water. Staying hydrated curbs … Continue reading →

Foods That Can Cause Weight Gain

Today, we are surrounded by food choices that not only do not help us when dieting, but also can actually cause weight gain. Between the fast food restaurants at every corner, high-calorie coffee drinks like Mochachinos, and grocery stores filled with snack foods, it is no surprise that many people have difficulties losing pounds or just maintaining their current weight. By avoiding some key foods and remembering to keep everything in moderation, people can keep up with their busy life without gaining weight. One major problem for many people on the run between work and home life is fast food. … Continue reading →

Fast Food Diet

In our health and weight obsessed society, we are taking the all or nothing attitude. People either eat all protein and no carbs, all vegetables, only raw foods, and avoid dairy and sugar entirely in pursuit of the perfect physique; thinking these are the key to looking younger and living longer. Calories are counted and diet plans eliminate favorite foods completely in the name of youth, health and six-pack abs. The nation of excess in terms of over indulgence is becoming a nation of excess in under indulgence. When Morgan Sperlock made his documentary “Super Size Me,” he ate nothing … Continue reading →