Fast Food Lunch Deals

As Jessica and I sat down to watch some episodes of The Office on TBS last night I noticed that during every commercial break there seemed to be an ad for a fast food restaurant offering a cheap lunch meal, usually for $5 or less. For someone that is forced, or likes to eat lunch away from work, this sounds like a good deal. After all, spending $10-$15 a day on lunch can really add up!

As we watched these commercials, I started thinking about how much food these meals are actually giving you. Without exception, every single one was offering WAY TOO MUCH food for one person to eat. I started adding up calories in my head and it was crazy. Jessica suggested I write a blog post about this...so here it is. Check out some of these numbers:

TACO BELL 

$5 Buck Box

(1) Chicken Flatbread Sandwich
(1) Taco Supreme
(1) Burrito Supreme
(1) Cinnamon Twists
(1) Medium Drink (Regular Coke)

Total Calories = 1320

Calories From Fat = 440

Total Fat = 49g

Carbs = 180g

KFC

Variety Big Box Meal

(1) Drumstick
(1) Crispy Strip
(1) Indiv. Box of popcorn chicken
(2) Sides (Mashed Potatoes and Cole Slaw)
(1) Biscuit
(1) 32oz drink (Regular Pepsi)

Total Calories = 1560

Calories From Fat = 530

Total Fat = 60g

Carbs = 196g

Arby's

$5.01 Combo

(1) Regular Roast Beef Sandwich
(1) Curly Fries
(1) 32oz drink (Regular Coke)

Total Calories = 1080

Calories From Fat = 370

Total Fat = 42g

Carbs = 150g

McDonald's

Extra Value Meal

(1) Angus Deluxe Snack Wrap (wraps are healthy, right?)
(1) Large Fries
(1) 32oz drink (Regular Coke)

Total Calories = 1220

Calories From Fat = 450

Total Fat = 50g

Carbs = 176g

Now look at all those numbers and consider this: The average man requires only 2000-2200 calories PER DAY to manage their current weight. This number is around 1800-2000 for women (sorry, your metabolic rate is typically lower). The average man only needs 40-50 grams (35-45 for women) of fat per day and 250 grams (225 for women) of carbohydrates. So for instance, the KFC meal would give you 70% of your calories for the day, 120% of your required fat intake for the day and 78% of your daily carbs....all from just one of your three meals!

I don't write this to tell you to never hit up the drive-through of a fast food joint, because all of these places have healthier options. Just don't get suckered into their latest offer...it's likely way too much food garbage to eat in one setting! 

YESTERDAY'S WORKOUT:

Run

4.72 mile Tempo Run in 35:32

10 minute warm-up at 7:35 pace, then 15 minutes at 7:00 pace, then a 10 minute cool-down at 7:50 pace. Good workout.

Swim

1152 yd in 25:32

6:00 warm-up

4 x 100 intervals with 100yd cruise between each
1) 1:35
1:52
2) 1:29
1:53
3) 1:32
1:52
4) 1:32
4:00 cool-down

TODAY'S WORKOUT:

Run

Speed Workout - some Yasso 800's on the track, then I took my shoes and socks off and did some 100 yard sprints on the football field. Grass was nice and soft and it felt good to get out of my shoes and run. I was worn out after 4 of these sprints. Too bad there wasn't any oxygen waiting for me on the sidelines like the NFL guys get!

Warm-up: 1.32 miles in 10:17 (7:47 pace)
2 x Yasso 800's
1) 3:04
3:02 jog
2) 3:04
3:01 jog
4 x 100yd sprints with 45s rest in between
1) 13.22s
2) 12.72s
3) 14.02s
4) 13.42s
Cool-down: 1.32 miles in 11:14 (8:30 pace)

Total Workout: 4.89 miles in 47:37

Here's my speed chart from today's run workout: