On Weight Watchers? Eat McDonald’s.

I want to talk about the major minerals this week, because I just finished learning about them and they’re incredibly cool and interesting and important. BUT, I came across a bit of disturbing information and I have to vent! So, minerals can wait until tomorrow...

Apparently, McDonald’s and Weight Watchers have teamed up and there are now McDonald’s menu items that are Weight Watchers-approved and have points listed next to them on the menu boards. This is kicking off in New Zealand but will surely make it over to the states soon. Does this disgust anyone else?!

This sentence really gets to me:

“Over the past few years, McDonald’s has aimed at offering healthier food items for those weight-conscious customers.” (www.nbcchicago.com)

Let’s be honest: McDonald’s has never been and never will be a go-to for “weight-conscious customers”. Right? I’m not completely against McDonald’s, but I am against them promoting anything on their menu as a health food. It is some of the most highly processed food that exists, and the quality of their meat (and fish, and vegetables) is extremely low. I’d rather have a client eat at McDonald’s very rarely (maybe a few times per year) and order something they’ll enjoy, eat it, and not feel guilty about it, then try to tell them that there are healthy items on the menu.

The other part that gets to me is this: the sodium and preservatives and sugars in these McDonald’s Weight Watchers menu items (Filet-O-Fish, Chicken McNuggets, and Sweet Chili Seared Chicken Wrap, to name a few) are what make our blood sugar fluctuate and send mixed signals to our brain, so we don’t know if we feel full or hungry, and therefore we crave more sugar or sodium.

So it’s just unfair for a leading weight loss company to be supporting this. They aim to help people meet their weight loss goals – and in many cases, they are successful. But, if someone joins Weight Watchers and eats McDonald’s three times per day, because WW says they can, are they really doing themselves a favor? Is their health really going to improve? They may order fewer things than usual, stay within their points, and drop some pounds. But their health will suffer and they will surely gain the weight back eventually. Not to mention they will feel bad after eating McDonald’s. They might have a temporary high and feel great, but the sugar and sodium will cause them to crash and battle another craving. And who wants to be on a diet that makes them feel bad?

I recognize that there are some people who really do eat at McDonald’s every single day, and the new WW menu items may act as a guideline for them when ordering. However, I think WW has some guts to be endorsing this type of food. And, if someone really does want to try to eat healthier, I'd focus on weaning them off of McDonald's, not just altering their order. It goes back to the conclusion I came up with a few months ago when I did a research project on Weight Watchers: they are a weight loss company, but don’t necessarily focus on the overall health of the person.

I’ll repeat what I always say and truly believe: if you are trying to lose weight, focus on fresh, whole foods. As you consume more and more whole foods, your digestion and metabolic processes will improve and your body will become more balanced. This, in turn, will lead not only to increased weight loss but also to improved health in many different areas. You will not only look better, but you’ll feel amazing!

Thanks for listening!!!