I mentioned in yesterday’s blog that I’d got the idea for that blog whilst sat in the queue for the drive through at Salford McDonald’s.

I know this will be surprising to some.

——— Although, hopefully not to longer term readers of these blogs ———

After all McDonald’s is “unhealthy”, isn’t it?

Well, that depends what happens when you’re in McDonald’s I suppose.

After all, it’s just a building (well, 39,198 of them).

Being in a building (or driving up tight to one and talking to the people in it) can’t be unhealthy or fattening, can it?

It’s what we do when we’re there that is, potentially, fattening and unhealthy.

And, even then really, only ever in conjunction with other choices across the week, month and year.

If we ate less than one third of daily energy requirements (or one 21st of our weekly needs), I really can’t see how it would be fattening.

If we ate twice what we might normally have in a meal, we’d only have to reduce the rest of the week by 5% to make up for that.

And, as for being unhealthy?

I’m not sure what they’d be putting in their food that would acutely adversely affect out health.

If we only ever ate from there, sure (even then there would be choices that wouldn’t).

But one meal here and there affecting our health?

The key, of course, is what we make being in a specific place mean (other restaurants, people’s house, bars, etc are available).

If we think we’ve “failed” because we’ve gone to McDonald’s, decide “sod it” (whatever that actually means) and go for the Double Quarter Pounder with cheese (730 calories), large fries (510), large Coke (290) and large McFlurry (620)………..

Then we’re probably going to find it hard to pull back that 2,150 calories elsewhere.

If we go for the sweet chilli chicken wrap of the day and a diet coke (Jon represent!), that 474 calorie total can mean, whatever our size and activity levels we could end that day in a deficit no problems if we choose to.

Or, maybe, somewhere in-between.

I’ve known people for whom McDonald’s is their go-to convenience food when losing weight.

Because everything has a super easy to find out and pretty accurate calorie value, so they know where they stand compared to some random food from the staff canteen, coffee shop or garage forecourt.

That day I need to get some food quickly – my step daughter was in the middle of her trampolining competition and I was about to leave to take my youngest to a birthday party.

Is going to McDonald’s what I would do if I was training for the Olympics or wanting to step on stage as a pro body-builder?

Probably not.

Is it (and others like it) something that 99% of the population can easily incorporate into their life and still lose weight and improve health if they don’t use it as a justification to eat over a day’s worth of calories in one go?

Sure.

Much love,

Jon ‘I’m lovin it’ Hall

P.S. My wife used to work for Ronald and he helped put her through Uni.

P.P.S. You want to get in better shape whilst still living a life you enjoy? That’s exactly what we help people with. Check www.myrise.co.uk/apply to take the next step in changing your life!

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RISE in Macclesfield was established in 2012 and specialise in Group Personal Training weight loss programmes for those that don’t like the gym and find diets boring and restrictive!

Jon Hall
Jon Hall

When not helping people to transform their lives and bodies, Jon can usually be found either playing with his kids or taxi-ing them around. If you'd like to find out more about what we do at RISE then enter your details in the box to the right or bottom of this page or at myrise.co.uk - this is the same way every single one of the hundreds who've described this as "one of the best decisions I've ever made" took their first step.