So, I have been asked repeatedly about John Cisna, the 56 year-old science teacher from Iowa who ate at McDonalds and got healthier? Right. Is it possible for someone to get healthier eating at McDonald’s and walking? Apparently, it happened or did it?
It starts with a teacher, 3 students and a hypothesis: “is it possible for a person to become better off eating nothing but McDonald’s for 90 days straight…breakfast, lunch and dinner?” A direct quote form John. The 3 students had to design a McDonald’s meal plan for John based on 2000 calories/day and supposedly tracking 15 different nutrients. The nutrient tracking was not reported. I’m sure it was a student oversight or they were so completely blown away by the lack of nutrients, they could not report it.
All John had to do was log on to his computer each Sunday night and see his what his students had selected for him to eat for the next 7 days. He also committed to walking 4-5 days a week for 45 minutes each time. So John walks, goes to McDonald’s, eats 3 times/day and that is that. By the way, when McDonalds found out about John’s experiment, they decided to give him the food for free. Of course they did. Who can’t afford to give cheap crappy food away? I wouldn’t even give it to my dog.
After 90 days, John lost 37 pounds and his cholesterol, triglycerides and LDLs decreased. Not surprising. Notable weight loss for sure. I love weight loss because I’m in the business. But this was a 90-day experiment at McDonalds! Hellloooooo!! We all know the food at McDonalds is far from healthy. Even their “healthier” options still contain additives, preservatives, added sugars, wheat, milk, oils of all kinds that resemble margarine and tons and I mean tons of sodium. If you could lose weight on crack, would you? Come on now!
Fact, weight loss usually always results in improved cholesterol. Now, we don’t know John’s previous cholesterol, triglycerides or LDL numbers. Nothing surprising there. Next, when you consume more protein and fat, you tend to stay fuller longer. This means you can avoid snacking because you’re not hungry. No surprise there either. Then, if I or someone else planned your meals for 7 days, breakfast, lunch and dinner for a total of 90 days, and the only thing you had to do was show up with a fork and eat, you’d be successful too. This was a no-fail experiment.
After watching the 20 minute video about John and his journey, I was disappointed to learn that John had eaten McDonald’s Famous Fries every day. The plot thickens. Look at what is in those fries: Hmm…
FRENCH FRIES
Ingredients: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural Beef Flavor [Wheat and Milk Derivatives]*, Citric Acid [Preservative]), Dextrose, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (Maintain Color), Salt. Prepared in Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil) with TBHQ and Citric Acid to preserve freshness of the oil and Dimethylpolysiloxane to reduce oil splatter when cooking.
CONTAINS: WHEAT AND MILK
*Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients.
Wait, what??? I thought French fries were made of potatoes, oil and salt. Well, that’s how real French fries are made. Do you have any idea what hydrogenated soybean oil is and what it can do to your body? First, any food with soy has been genetically altered unless is has the seal of approval reading “Non-GMO.” Second, hydrogenated oils are responsible for a host of health issues that are on the rise as I’m typing this blog: diabetes (interferes with insulin receptors), heart disease in the form of clogged arteries, bone degeneration, infertility, autoimmune diseases, and overall immune issues. Plus, hydrogenated oils make you fat on the outside while adding a plush bumper of fat around your organs!
On day 75, this is what John ate and more of what I had expected:
- Breakfast: 2 Egg white Delights and 1 Fruit and Maple Oatmeal, Large Diet Coke
- Lunch: Premium Bacon Salad with Grilled Chicken, Fruit and Yogurt Parfait
- Dinner: Premium McWrap (Grilled Chicken), Regular Famous Fries, Large Diet Coke
- Total Calories: 1910
- Total Protein: 107g
- Total Carbohydrates: 254g
- Total Fat: 61g
- Total Sodium: 3985mg
Lots of numbers to make sense of, right? The sodium is super-sized. The carbohydrate intake reflects that of an endurance athlete not a middle-aged man walking 45 minutes, 4-5 days a week. But John lost weight eating at McDonalds. Who can argue with that? No argument necessary but some common sense would tell you to look a little closer.
Why did John’s triglycerides drop? My guess is that John ate 3-4 ounces of protein at every meal which helped him stay fuller longer. He was only allowed No 3 meals a day. No snacks. But folks, this is a short-term study using crappy food. In fact, at the end of the video, there is a statement that says:
“No one is suggesting that anyone should eat every meal at McDonalds or that eating McDonalds will result in any health benefits. Rather, John says, it’s not about where you eat but the choices you make and how much you exercise.”
If you can’t eat at a restaurant every day because the food is sketch, then you shouldn’t be eating there at all. Be a picky eater, a food snob, or the patron that asks all the questions the wait staff doesn’t know answers to. Pick your restaurants wisely! Exercise is only 20% of the equation.
Here’s the deal. Our take away should be eating any amount of protein at every meal will reduce your sugar cravings and help prevent high calorie snacking. If you do this every day, then you’ll lose weight. But don’t just play the number’s game on the scale, be better. Dig deeper. Expect more from the food you eat. Quit thinking food is filler. It’s not. Food is information for our DNA every time you eat or drink. If you want to look like McDonalds food, then eat McDonalds. You are what you eat.
But who am I to talk? I’m just a holistic nutritionist all geeked-out about news that makes people think that eating at McDonalds is good for you. Personally, I’m not lovin’ it.
Watch the video for yourself and make your own call.
http://www.niashanks.com/teacher-lost-weight-eating-mcdonalds/
Lisa
info@eat2succeed.xyz