Fast food, calories and the diet mindset
Written by: Angelica Guadalupe, Intern
Edited by: Gabi Kahn, MS, RD, LDN
Let's talk about McDonalds! When you’re headed to McDonalds it’s probably because you’re craving your favorite burger, fries, or a shake. We know that McDonalds is probably not the most fresh option, but it’s perfectly normal and healthy to satisfy your cravings and choose convenient food when hunger strikes!
Did you know that some salads from McDonalds are more calories than their burgers? Their chicken salad is around 630 calories while their classic cheeseburgers are around 300 calories.
Now, we know that calories do not need to be counted or even be a thought in your everyday life. Calories are simply a unit of energy. But what I do know is that if you were in a diet-mindset right now, you’d automatically think “salad” when ordering even if you were craving the burger.
What you didn’t realize was how many more calories the salad was - because then you would’ve picked the cheeseburger! (Remember this is if you were in a diet-mindset.)
When you start dieting or counting calories, you tend to only focus on how skinny you want to be instead of how healthy you want to be. These two categories do not correlate. Size never determines one’s health status.
That just goes to show how diet culture influences an individual’s choices and does the opposite of caring for their health.
Picking a food choice based on calories alone is simply misleading and harmful. If you’re craving a juicy McDonald’s burger with fries and a shake, then go for it! If you’re craving more fruits and veggies, then go for the salad.
We want food choices to be based on what your body needs and craves. It’s a mix of honoring your body’s needs and wants while adding in gentle nutrition. And as a reminder, having fast food from time to time isn’t going to make you a failure. Sometimes we are in a rush and need to get food on the go, sometimes we have a craving and sometimes that is all that is accessible to us… and either way, it is okay!
