Analyzing the Health Impacts of Fast Food

I feel so alive. Welcome to fit ready go weight

loss and healthy living episode 2 I'm your host

Steve Megatron Phillips and joining me is my

wife Mary. Hello. Hello So How did you like doing

the first episode? It was good Anything that

she would have changed yes, it's awkward because

neither one of us are used to recording a podcast

in the same room talking to each other like In

a weird way. I'm just not used to recording podcast

I'm not used to doing them in person. I'm used

to having somebody on the other end being in

Skype in another state so Well, I'm fine once

we start talking. I just don't know how we're

supposed to get there so We were talking And

this is kind of a roundabout way of jumping into

the episode. They're building something near

us which we'll get in later. And we were thinking

about because there was a supermarket that was

close by that closed down and we've watched it

get bulldozed all summer and we were thinking

of things that we would like to see show up in

the area because the other ones of whatever these

are are hours away. And we were kind of thinking

in the vein of the the healthy eating aspect

The Trader Joe's is what I would like to see.

I would settle for a Whole Foods, but I would

prefer Trader Joe's Yeah, the last time we visited

one of those it was a couple years ago And it

was because it was like a 45 -50 minute drive

just to get to one and I'm really surprised that

one of our cities nearby they're all I mean they

keep building up all these restaurants like oh

my goodness they have so many restaurants now

I can't even keep track but they're kind of higher

they act like they act like they're a higher

class city and yet they still don't even have

the Trader Joe's or Whole Foods or anything and

where the people that are trying to eat healthier

and I mean Kroger they have their sections now

that gear towards organic and gear towards which

I'm not big on the whole organic thing. I'm not

picky like that but they do have a section with

stuff but I've had them pretty stumped with trying

to find a certain something called texture vegetable

protein. I've had a couple stores stumped not

being able to find it. I finally did find it

at one of our local stores but Actually, I didn't

find it. My friend found it. She was in town

for less than 24 hours and sends me a text. I

was just like, you've got to be kidding me. How

did you find it? And I've been there so many

times. But, pretty much, we're just, why can't

there be a healthier food store here instead

of opening up more junk? So, kind of getting

to that route of it. What exactly are they building?

Not even a mile from our house. A Taco Bell.

Which is basically the Walmart of fast food.

That's what I call it because it's kind of the

ghetto restaurant and there's one two miles down

the road All we're thinking is are they closing

that one down? I mean, I don't know that one's

newer Well, the other one used to be combined

with like a Long John Silver's You can kind of

tell because of the way it's structured on the

outside. There's a certain one Yeah, there's

a certain structure to the building. Long John

Silver's is right down. It's like two stories

down from it You're thinking Red Lobster. No,

there's our Long John Silver. It was right on

the other side of the bell type. I don't know.

But anyways, maybe it was named, maybe it was

mixed with... Anyway, the structure of the store

is like the dual restaurant build, which is probably

why they're doing a new restaurant, which it's

a smaller structure. Again, I really don't see

the reason to have another Taco Bell down the

street from a Taco Bell, because that's usually

the thing that a pizza place does. But... At

the same time like I was kind of Confused why

we have to have two of them on the same road

within a couple miles of each other Yeah, well

we saw him tearing everything up and we're like,

what are they building there? I wonder what they're

gonna build It's right in front of like a nicer

fancier restaurant that we went to once for our

vow renewal and We're like, what are they building?

What are they building? And then they put the

sign out for Taco Bell and I was like you got

to be kidding me So I'm not very happy about

that. Yeah, I'm We live in a nice small town.

We don't have a whole lot here I mean we have

a Kroger and we have another food store, but

besides that that's about it I mean we don't

have a lot so for them to just all of a sudden

come in and build a Taco Bell and just Not very

happy about that. Well, I mean predominantly

they're all mom and pop food shops. The city

that we live in is like a four mile radius for

the most part, give or take. Well, if you don't

town the country part of it. Yeah. We live in

this more of the city part, but there's a lot

of country to the city we live in. So I mean,

it's in a sense, it's a really small town. So

there's really no major fast food. I mean, you

got your little Caesar's in town, but Other than

that, there's really not anything that you would

think of as fast food. And even that, I'm kind

of surprised is where it's at. I mean, we have

really pizza places. The only things we have

close by, we have a Hungry Howie's and then we

got a Little Caesar's and then everything else

is like not actually in the city. It's outside

the city, but it's actually a couple of miles

from that, from the from the border of the city.

But anyways. Yeah, the whole putting a Taco Bell

there is not exactly enticing because that's

just more traffic closer to home that we don't

need. And the food isn't even that great for

you anyway. That great? There's nothing great

about Taco Bell at all. There's not a single

thing on the menu. I never hear of anybody that

goes to Taco Bell and doesn't get sick. Just

ask them for an avocado, I guess, but I bet you

those don't even come fresh. From the can or

the freezer, it's coming fresh to you. They like

to do this thing anyway. So we thought tonight

would be a good avenue to kind of jump into fast

food and how bad it actually is for you. Yeah,

well everybody knows that fast food isn't healthy

for them, of course everybody says that, but

then they still go to it. When I ask people how

often they go, how often they eat out a week,

my normal answer is about four to five times

a week. And that's just crazy to me because one,

the first thing I'm thinking is how horrible

it is for them. The second thing I'm thinking

is, I don't know what your finances are, but

I sure couldn't afford fast food five times a

week. There's just no way. Even if I ordered

off the dollar menu, that's more than I would

spend going to the grocery store and preparing

my own meals. And I know it can be convenient,

and am I saying that we never ever ever eat out?

Yeah, we do, but it's... I mean, we probably

eat out once every three months. I mean, when

it comes to fast food, we really do not. And

it's something if we are... on the road and we've

been busy all day then we might pick up a sandwich

to hold us over until we get somewhere or um

but there I mean there's not and then I always

have my phone so I get on and I actually look

at the nutrient nutrition value of things before

like and it doesn't matter where we go if it's

a sit -in or if it's like a restaurant we're

going to to just grab something real quick she's

always looking at the nutrition which is probably

the most important thing because It shows you,

for one, if you're in a bind and you need something

to eat real quick, yeah, I can see you grabbing

a sandwich, but don't get the whole meal. Don't

get a bunch of extra stuff that you don't need.

Get enough to tide you over, that kind of stuff.

It comes down to the eating in moderation of

it. You don't really want that much of it. And

I can honestly say, as somebody that's eaten

a lot of that junk, Not only is it not good for

you, and it makes you feel bad, but you spend

more than if you just have something because

like I used to go This was like before we were

married, but we were together and we were living

in our one of our apartments and I Had this thing

where I had to go to the McDonald's at the corner

store consistently And when I say consistently,

I blow like five, six bucks a day. And then...

Which a lot of people blow more than that just

on lunch. I mean, they spend seven or eight dollars

on lunch and think, okay, it's only seven or

eight dollars. Or even if it's five dollars.

I mean, break it down. If you're spending five

dollars a day on lunch, five days a week, that's

25 dollars a week. It's 100 dollars a month.

And then most of the time, a lot of people, they'll

spend... They're not cheap like me and like,

okay, it can't be over a dollar. They're more

so, well, I'm going to order what I want. So

you're talking seven or eight dollars for a meal

and that adds up fast. And then people wonder

why they're left with nothing at the end of the

month. So we thought it would be fun to sit down

and pick out the worst foods of fast food. Well,

too many people want to go and say that Okay,

well I'm gonna go to Subway Well, I'm sorry.

I'm not saying there's nothing good on the menu

because there are there There's decent stuff

on one eliminate the bread the last time I went

to Subway I actually ended up getting a salad

you can turn any of their Sandwiches into a sale

and even be careful with that because a lot of

the meats from this from the subs are bad. So

I got a chicken salad. So it did have the chicken

on it but then I had them add vegetables to it

and just a small amount of dressing. A lot of

people go crazy on the dressing and then that

just defeats the whole purpose of eating the

salad. But it was so good actually. It was delicious

and I would say it was probably, I mean I don't

know because I created my own but it had to have

been 250 -300 calories because I had a small

amount of dressing put on, I had the little bit

of chicken, and the rest was all vegetables.

I did not have cheese added, I didn't have extra

meat, nothing. And it was so, so good. Actually

better than a sub. But if you want to get a spicy

Italian sub... Okay, that's not too bad, right?

And this is before you even add on those, that

mayonnaise or you add on that ranch or honey

mustard, whatever type of dressing you like,

and dressing is horrible. And don't get me wrong,

I love dressing. I can dip everything in ranch.

I love ranch, I love honey mustard, but you have

to be careful with that. It works out for me

because I hate dressing. Yeah. Which can drive

me nuts because he's picky, picky, picky when

it comes to cooking. I love pizza sauce. spaghetti

sauce, an Italian dressing on my salad. Other

than that, I couldn't believe it. Yeah, and when

we got together, he didn't even have Italian.

He sat there, I'm kidding you not, and ate lettuce

for his salad. I did not understand that. But

yeah, Subway, foot long Italian sub. Just meat

and cheese on that sub, and you're talking almost

a thousand calories. And almost three thousand...

Milligrams of sodium which kills me because that's

my favorite 3 ,000 milligrams you're putting

that into your body Do you understand what you're

doing to yourself? And we're wondering why people

so many people are having getting cancer and

blood pressure high blood pressure diabetes We

have children these days that at nine years old.

They're having to give themselves shot and shots

for Insulin yeah insulin. I mean what are we

doing in this society that? I know we're always

on the go, on the go, but tell me that you can't

just maybe skip that show one night. That, you

know, you may want to watch that show, but maybe

you can prepare your lunches for the week, or

decide what your meals are. I plan out my meals.

I'm not saying that every single week I do, but

I try my hardest, especially dinners. That's

what can get difficult for me. I am a working

mom, and so it can be difficult. On the nights

that I close, my babies are... Usually falling

asleep in the car and put right to bed by the

time we get home But I always have something

prepared ready in the fridge that all we have

to do is heat it up. It's healthy I make freezer

meals and that way if If maybe maybe I'm off

it three o 'clock that day and I am gonna have

time to throw something in the oven for an hour.

I have something pre -made in tins and it can

be thrown in the oven for an hour just like a

frozen entree might be able to. But it's something

that's homemade, much healthier and that can

be done by the time my husband gets home and

we can still eat a healthy meal. Slow cookers

of course are great when you're working. There's

just... So many people get into the fast food

because they just don't want to and I know we're

all tired and There's a day that goes by when

we're busy and I'm like let's go get a pizza.

Let's go get a pizza I mean, that's like my go

-to, but I'm like no no Because they're bad for

you. I mean they really are. Nothing you get

out to eat Which what is funny is most pizza

is actually when you think a pizza would be the

worst most the time depending on your toppings

If you just got like a cheese pizza It's actually

better than most of what you can get depending

on where you're getting it from and if you're

not getting deep dish That type of thing so I

actually pizzas I mean I'm not telling you go

out and get pizza because it's not healthy for

you I'm just saying it's better than some of

the options that are out there even some of the

sandwiches at Subway Are even with some slices

of pizza? Yeah And I'm not saying don't I mean

sometimes go out and get what you want. I mean

there are times If we're on vacation, I may not

every single day we're on vacation. We haven't

gone on vacation in a long time. We are gonna

get into that story. We have two kids and really,

I mean, going on vacation just hasn't been something

we've gotten to do. But when we have, I might

have cheated for one or two of the days. If we

were gone for maybe four or five days. One or

two of my meals, maybe I went and I didn't look

up the nutrition and I ate what I wanted you

know and I'm not saying that you shouldn't do

that but too much in our society now going out

to eat is no longer for most people most people

aren't like us where we don't eat out and I don't

know if you are or not but most people go out

to eat numerous times so you can't order what

you want every single time you go because if

you do that then that's pretty much most of the

food you're consuming is going to be what you

want, and you don't care about the nutrition

value. And so many people aren't like me, and

there are people out there that are, so if you're

listening to this and you're like, well I do

do that, then great, I mean, that is great. But

most people don't get online and look up the

nutrition. I, I mean, I look it up if I'm gonna,

anything, anything at all, and just like on my

breads and stuff that I buy from the store. which

my friend is going to help me learn to make breads.

I read the ingredients because the ingredients

in a store, it's gonna start with the thing that's

in it the most. So if an ingredient on the back

of whatever you're getting, bread, say it says

whole grain, 100 % whole grain, it's not 100

% whole grain. it probably says enriched flour

or processed flour is the first ingredient. That

means that is the most that's in there. So don't

let the fact that it's a wrap at a restaurant

think it's good. Those tortilla shells are not

really any better. And then they're usually filled

with so much sauce with whatever's in the wrap.

I had a... For instance, there's a Chop -It Cob

Salad Sandwich. I've never heard of the place

Chop -It. It must be something, somewhere, obviously.

It's 970 calories and almost 2000 milligrams

of sodium. That's a wrap. That's a Cob Salad

Sandwich wrap. You'd think, okay, well I can

have a Cob Salad wrap. Why not? And you're eating

half... half your calories for the day and the

sodium, that's more sodium than any of us need

in one day in that one sandwich. So you have

to watch it because we are doing this. I mean,

God's given us one body and we have to take care

of it and there's plenty of times that I don't

take care of mine and I've been to the point

that I completely was destroying mine and I've

gotten it back on track. And when we do mess

up and when we do go off, we have to get back

on. Yeah, I'm not very good at that. And I say

that because I of course eat what she makes.

He doesn't have a choice. Because I don't have

a choice and I don't know how to cook. So it's

either that or I go hungry. And truthfully...

Unless it's beans or peanut butter. But not that

peanut butter is any good. We're not getting

into how picky I am because that's just an entirely

different topic. But I can literally eat just

about anything and it doesn't show on me but...

the problem with that is is I don't necessarily

feel all that great because of the crap I'm putting

into my body because there are times where like

I'll eat a bunch of this junk and then I may

not gain the weight but I feel horrible after

I've eaten it all and that like mentally horrible

I feel like physically horrible like just dragging

my stomach will hurt my head will hurt And to

make him feel better, that's going to be, we

won't say what yet, but that's going to be a

segment coming in the beginning of the year.

Yeah, she's got a pilot test she's going to do

on one of the podcasts that I'm going to be the

guinea pig for. Well, I'm doing it as well. I

realize that. But it just won't be quite as difficult

for me. Yeah, you're a loser. But yeah, it's

too many people look at my husband and say he's

in better shape than me because I mean ever since

I've had the baby I still have a little bit of

weight I would like to get back off and and then

not big But I do have a little bit that I still

need to get off into maybe we'll look at him

and think he's in better shape Are you kidding

me? Yeah, right like I work out I Eat much healthier

and I just stay in better track than he does

so you can't look at somebody and say they're

in shape and just because somebody is bigger

doesn't mean anything for the fact that our metabolisms

are all different our bodies are all different

we're all supposed to be different we don't want

to be the same but you I mean you can't judge

somebody from the outside because you don't know

but it doesn't mean that that person so even

if you're one of those that don't One, it's going

to catch up with you eventually. That's why I

keep telling this one here. I like to play Ignorance's

Bliss on this, but I know that I'm wrong. Well,

and he's gotten better over the years. I mean,

I've been doing this for six years now, like

eating healthy and working out and getting things

on track. He's gotten much better and there's

things but and there's certain things I'll eat

in moderation or there's sometimes I'll decide

I don't really need to eat something Like there's

some nights where we won't eat Which isn't good

either, but it it's better than because usually

what ends up happening is in the past We would

sit down and just eat whatever was easiest whether

it's like you know, a bag of chips or something,

you know, we would just or get out the ice cream

or sweets or whatever. So like anymore, neither

one of us have been really doing any of that.

We've been sitting down and kind of just, you

know, why are we going to put this junk in our

body, especially right before we go to bed? Because

most of the time we pass out when we're watching

a show or something. But, you know, it's. We

just, you know, a lot, it's just become a lot

more self -conscious. of not eating it. There's

foods like, I've even kind of decided, because

I love sugary cereals, but even there's come

to a degree where... I don't like it for the

fact that it's showing my kid to eat it. Speak

up! Oh. I said I don't like it because it's showing

my kid to eat sugary cereals. I mean, I have...

I don't like cereal in general because even Rice

Krispies is not a healthy thing. I mean, it's

okay when you need it quick and go, but me and

more so, you need to have a real breakfast, a

fulfilling breakfast. I've been trying to make...

My son, I've been... I've made some smoothies.

He loves them and it's so funny because I've

put spinach in them and Broccoli with you know,

I of course put the vet or the fruits in it too

So he doesn't even notice and he doesn't notice

and loves the thing And then he's getting down

a lot of nutrients and doesn't even know it so

now I just need to do it to this one Yeah, if

I'd actually eat it or drink it but um you know

as far as the cereal goes like I've even kind

of decided because I really can't tolerate as

much sugar in my system as I used to be able

to and I think it's because I've gotten older

like my body just physically doesn't want it

and uh so like we've kind of already come to

this conclusion that when all the sugary cereals

run out we just won't be buying them unless it's

like once in a blue moon the only reason why

I have is because he likes them and I'm she's

a cute well Yeah, I really haven't been couponing

much anymore. But yeah, she couponed and got

a lot of the stuff dirt cheap, so we've got to

stockpile. And it's sugary. And so I've kind

of decided that I really don't need it anymore

because it doesn't make me feel very good. So

we're kind of going that route. Plus, you get

things like Pop -Tarts, you get stuff like...

Really any of the breakfast cereals, but a lot

of that stuff is just terrible for you You're

better off eating like a waffle or something

that's you know or and having like eggs And you're

not putting any of the extra seasonings or any

of the stuff on it Well the I mean waffles you

they're better, but you have to be careful at

that even because if you buy You know just the

box kind which is of course what Steve likes

here. It's I mean It's not all that great either.

I have a recipe for a pancake. I haven't tried

it in the waffle maker. I don't know how it'll

turn out. And you know, it's not, I'm not gonna

lie, it's not as fluffy as a normal pancake,

but it is filled with protein. It's right on

my website. And actually, it's really good. I

like them. And there's no flour in it. Well,

you can put like two tablespoons, I think I have

on there, optional, but... It's made with eggs

and protein powder, which is the muscle gain.

And they're good and I like them. And then I

don't have to sit there feeling guilty that I'm

eating it. I mean, getting everything all in

that pancake. Or it makes like three pancakes

anyways, but. Yeah. And so what are some of the

other fast foods that are very bad for you. Should

we talk about drinks? Yeah, I know there's, well,

I didn't have drinks. I had the Baskin Robbins.

I had the Baskin Robbins. They have like the

worst drink on there. Baskin Robbins is on there.

Which, you know, we all know that ice cream's

bad. We all like it. But it's a chocolate milkshake,

whether you make it at home or out, it's bad.

But, of course, Baskin -Robbins has the large

chocolate Oreo shake, which is probably something

along the lines that I would want to order. Or

me. And, well, you want to do the chocolate part,

but yeah. And it's 2 ,600 calories. It's 263

grams of sugar. 263 grams. What? I can drink

a two liter of Coke for that. A two liter of

Coke has 260... It has less, but I'm saying...

I can drink a two liter of Coke and I would get

a lot less sugar and calories and salt than what

is in this drink. And of course we have the lattes.

Starbucks has the eggnog latte. I guess I've

never been to Starbucks myself. I create that

type of stuff at home and they have a eggnog

latte. I'm sure that's going to be coming out

soon. 620 calories and 29 grams of Fat and 300

milligrams of sodium it doesn't have on here

the sugar content in that but I mean Just think

about what you're doing if you're going to get

something like that at least do the low -fat

milk It's not gonna make a huge difference, but

it's something get it without the whipped cream

it does save you on some of the sugar some of

the calories still not great if it has a Drizzle

on the top eliminate it. I mean there are ways

that if you're just I don't care I'm gonna do

it. Anyways, just do it as healthy as you can

so I happen to have an empty bottle of two liter

of coke that was under my desk and Just for You

know the heck of it. I I'd calculated because

there's six servings in a bottle the calories

are There's 840 calories in one bottle There's

270 milligrams of salt or sodium in one bottle

and 234 milligrams or not milligrams grams of

sugar in one bottle Still better than this that

drink. Well, that's a that's a dessert too. You

have to remember that's a milkshake Yeah, I know,

you'd have fun with that on me. I do not like

pop whatsoever. She hates pop. That's one of

my bad habits. I would rather kick all my other

food habits to the curb and keep the pop. And

that's why I've gotten them on the spark, but

we talked about that a lot of the time. So what

do you have an idea for for the next episode?

Oh yeah, that's right. We're going to talk about...

How to stay strong during the holidays with all

of the goodies, especially around Christmas time,

because I like to eat. I mean, who doesn't like

to eat cookies? Oh, I do too, and I have trouble

because, of course, during the holidays we get

food brought up to us at work from our customers

and we have the parties to go to, so we'll just

give some... tips on how to help not overindulge

too much and if you have any questions for me

about it then you can email Mary at fitreadygo

.com you can also get a hold of her on Twitter

at fitready87 you can get hold of me on twitter

at scp21 you can go ahead and comment on her

post on the website fitreadygo .com or on my

website geekcastradio .com where it will also

be syndicated. You can also get this podcast

on iTunes, Stitcher, and Blog Talk Radio. And

then the last thing I want to say is if you have

any... Actually I guess I'll give you a question.

What is your favorite fast food dish? And I can't

guarantee I can find... find a way to make everything

at home, but maybe I can find an alternative

to make that dish healthier for you. So just

shoot that over to me and I'll see what I can

do with it. So until next time, we have been

Mary and Steve. So catch you next time.