Start here
Where are you in your journey?
Choose the path that fits today. We’ll take you to the most useful discussions.
- GLP-1 medication Zepbound, Wegovy, access, side effects, progress, and support.
- Before surgery Compare procedures, plan ahead, and get honest pre-op answers.
- Post-op Recovery, food stages, symptoms, and support.
- Long-term Regain, labs, habits, and life after the honeymoon.
- Revision Explore revision options, complications, and next steps.
Best Fast Food Bets after Bariatric Surgery
- Replies 17
- Views 15.9k
- Created
- Last Reply
Top Posters In This Topic
-
ShoppGirl 4 posts
-
SleeveToBypass2023 3 posts
-
FluffyChix 1 post
-
Losingit2018 1 post
Fast food is a fact of life for so many of us, so is it really reasonable to expect it to disappear from the scene after bariatric surgery?
Note: This isn’t an article on “How soon after surgery can I eat pepperoni pizza and wings?” This is an article on making the best choices you can given your situation.
Consider Macros
That is, “macronutrients,” or carbohydrates, fat, and protein. The news is bad on the surface since the average fast food meal has more carbs and less protein per calorie than the average home-cooked meal. You can work to turn this around, though.
Carbohydrates: Cut back on carbohydrates by skipping the starchy sides: French fries, potato chips, and hash browns, steamed, fried, or Mexican rice, and breadsticks. Try to go “green” (lettuce wrap) or “naked” (no wrap) with your burger, tortilla, or sandwich; if the fast food joint cannot honor your request, just eat the filling with a knife and fork, and throw away the bread, bun, tortilla, or taco shell (if you are feeling guilty because of starving children in third-world countries, make a donation. You’ll do more good than you would by adding starch to your hips).
Protein: How can you boost your protein intake at a fast food restaurant to be what you need? Skinless grilled or baked chicken, lean cold cuts, cheese, and beans can all up your totals, and yogurt is an increasingly common side option. Even a small burger patty can give you 10 to 15 grams of protein, although it comes with a few extra grams of fat.
A good protein goal for a meal is about 20-30 grams. You can get that for 200-300 calories with any of the following.
Fats: Your first order of business is to avoid anything fried. You will be avoiding excess grease while also avoiding sneaky carbs in breading – did you know that the amounts of carbs in onion rings and fried chicken are comparable to the amounts in bread? Also, watch the fatty spreads – think mayonnaise – salad dressings, and dips.
Find the Vegetables
Protein and vegetables…does this sound familiar? It should, since your goals when eating at a fast food restaurant should be the same as when you eat at home. Vegetables help fill you up without filling you out, and it is best to eat as many of them as you can handle with your pouch or sleeve. It may take a little more digging to find vegetables at fast food restaurants than at home, but you can usually do it. Here are a few leads.
When “Value” Isn’t
Besides the convenience, the deals are among the most tempting things about fast food. For pennies more, you can often add fries and a drink, or you could get a second burger or taco for half the price. Don’t do it!
“Value” depends on what you want and need; why would you pay extra, even if it is “only pennies more,” for extra fat, sugar, starch, and calories? A healthier definition of “value” might be to pay the least you can for a meal that is convenient, delicious, and healthy. Why include “oversized” in your definition?
For those times when fast food simply makes sense, go for it – just keep yourself on track by reading the menu carefully and staying focused. You can do it, no matter where you end up. You might as well enjoy it!