First off, what is bad? Bad is a black and white term, and our food choices are anything but black and white. THIS is a great post on how we label our food as “good” or “bad” and how we can shift to a more neutral approach.

With that framework of “bad”  in mind, is a cheeseburger objectively “bad”? Are there really no redeeming qualities? 

We don’t think so. 

A majority of the clients that work with KLN have a goal of fat loss, so let's frame our first argument about why fast food is NOT bad in the context of a fat loss goal.

1ST ARGUMENT: IT IS POSSIBLE TO EAT AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT WITHOUT OVER CONSUMING CALORIES

How do you do that? With the goal of maintaining a calorie deficit, which is essential for fat loss, you order foods that are lower in calories.

For example, 

• At Mcdonalds, swap out a side of fries (230 cals) for apple slices (15 cals). 

• At Chick Fil A, swap out waffle fries (420 cals) for a fruit cup (70 cals). 

• Replace a 20 oz coca cola (212 calories) with diet coke (0 calories) or water.

• In general, replace fried chicken with grilled chicken

• In general, order grilled foods vs fried foods

• Fast food beef is generally fatty and therefore high in calories, so order chicken over beef

• When you order a salad, use the salad dressing sparingly, as it generally contains the most calories

Ordering foods with fewer calories does require knowledge about food, but it is possible to do! Fast food does NOT have to equal fat gain or excessively high calorie consumption. 

2ND ARGUMENT: FAST FOOD IS GENERALLY CHEAPER AND MORE ACCESSIBLE THAN OTHER FOOD OPTIONS

For example 

• A $10 Chiptole burrito bowl of chicken, white rice, black beans, tomato salsa, fajita veggies, romaine lettuce has 45 protein/ 72 carbs/ 13 fat, with a decent amount of fiber and vitamins and minerals from the beans and veggies.

Vs

• Homemade burrito bowl with the same, but expensive, “healthy” organic ingredients 

The Chipotle burrito bowl is probably cheaper than the organic ingredients (organic food is not always worth the extra high price tag), and takes less of our time than shopping for, cooking, and cleaning up after your own bowl would take.

A preconceived notion that acts as a barrier for many:

1) eating healthily is expensive and
2) eating healthily takes time and is hard to do. 

Those two things don’t have to be true! Good nutrition can be easy and time efficient, and fast food can fit under the umbrella of good nutrition.

3RD ARGUMENT:  FAST FOOD CAN BE HEALTHY

The idea of what is “healthy” is nuanced. A salad can be healthy as it’s filled with micronutrients, and a cookie can be healthy when we allow ourselves to enjoy it guilt-free. For the sake of this topic, let’s consider “healthy” in the context of eating enough calories, adequate protein, and foods high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Let’s stick with the last example of the Chipotle burrito bowl:

It has protein (chicken, beans), fiber (beans, veggies), vitamins and minerals (from the beans and veggies), and can be modified to meet the specific calorie needs of different people (i.e. adding guacamole for more calories or double chicken for more protein).

I would say it’s full of ingredients that are beneficial to our overall health.

It’s important to note that fast food can be consumed in a way that isn’t as healthful if opting for super calorie-dense options that lack nutrients, but most fast food restaurants do have options that are more aligned with goals of eating healthfully. 

Fast food is not bad, nor is any singular food bad or good, because they exist within the context of our goals and life circumstances.

So, how can we make fast food work for us in the context of our nutrition goals? 

My advice is to define your nutrition goals and then order fast food that is in line with those goals. Fast food can work for fat loss goals, fast food can be affordable and accessible, fast food can be healthy. 

Let's stop lumping fast food in with evil villains and bad behaviors and instead make informed decisions that help us progress towards our goals. Fast food, when approached with mindfulness and purpose, can fit into a balanced and enjoyable approach to nutrition.

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