# Would I lose weight eating nothing but McD breakfast? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 3, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067 "2013-06-03T20:20:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/61 "2013-06-04T14:27:34Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Sorry, I realize this is just a hypothetical scenario, but I keep thinking “How’s he going to get the Egg McMuffins after 11 am? Is he just going to buy three in the morning and save two to heat up later?” There was an article on CNN about McDonalds considering serving breakfast all day which promted the OP. I think I put that in there. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/62 "2013-06-04T14:53:20Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Someone recently ate nothing but 20 potatoes per day for over two months. I think he was the head of the Washington State Potato Commission. Yep, here’s [the website about it.](http://20potatoesaday.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/63 "2013-06-04T15:15:31Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > The answer to any question of the form, “Can I lose weight by eating only [some food type]?” is always “yes, if you eat less of it than you need to maintain your current weight.” > > I mean, theoretically you could eat 5000 calories a day of chocolate covered eclairs, and if you spent 5 or 6 hours jogging on a treadmill you’d still be losing weight. Another example; remember during the Olympics when it was revealed what the swimmer Michael Phelps ate? It was a ridiculous amount of food that amounted to about 12,000 calories a day, but he trained five hours a day for six days a week. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/64 "2013-06-04T15:30:16Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > SUGAR DOES NOT CAUSE DIABETES! > > God, will someone please beat that meme to death already? There may be a lot to argue about here, but that’s one bit of ignorance I wish was already eliminated. Would you mind extrapolating? It was my impression that sugar spikes your, um, blood sugar, and after so many blood sugar spikes your insulin just can’t hack it anymore. Is that not the case? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/65 "2013-06-04T21:58:39Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > Would you mind extrapolating? It was my impression that sugar spikes your, um, blood sugar, and after so many blood sugar spikes your insulin just can’t hack it anymore. Is that not the case? No, it’s not. Would one of the MD’s with solid knowledge in this area please explain this to **Olives?** I fear making a hash of it. ---
**Author:** ![midnight-dreary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@midnight-dreary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/midnight-dreary)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/66 "2013-06-04T22:04:16Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > Would you mind extrapolating? It was my impression that sugar spikes your, um, blood sugar, and after so many blood sugar spikes your insulin just can’t hack it anymore. Is that not the case? Cane sugar is mid/low GI. Fructose syrup is high GI. Rice cakes is high GI ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/67 "2013-06-04T22:44:27Z")
> [@midnight-dreary](#): > > Cane sugar is mid/low GI. > Fructose syrup is high GI. > Rice cakes is high GI Ok, so _some_ sugars spike your blood sugar? ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/68 "2013-06-04T23:03:48Z")
> [@midnight-dreary](#): > > Cane sugar is mid/low GI. > Fructose syrup is high GI. > Rice cakes is high GI How are you classifying cane sugar as low-to-mid GI, while HFCS is high? They are 68 and 73, respectively, depending on the glucose/fructose mixture of the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/69 "2013-06-04T23:47:56Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > There was an article on CNN about McDonalds considering serving breakfast all day which promted the OP. I think I put that in there. Sorry, must have skimmed over that part. I was thinking about all the road trips where I barely missed being able to get an egg and cheese biscuit because it was just after 11. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/70 "2013-06-04T23:59:32Z")
> [@Winston\_Smith](#): > > It’s a skewed measure by which an Egg McMuffin isn’t considered all that unhealthy. The english muffin is all chemical preservatives and sugar. The butter flavoring they put on it is butter-flavored chemical preservatives and sugar. The “cheese” has more in common chemically with a plastic gas can than a block of real cheese. The ham is chemical preservatives, fat and sugar. The egg is probably not as bad as the rest, but I don’t think eggs are really regarded as healthy, nutritious foods. Wow. I haven’t read the thread beyond the point I’m responding to… I worked at McDonald’s in high school. We had spray bottles ( squish, squish ) full of melted butter. We melted this butter ourselves in metal tubs-o-the-grill, and filled the squish-squish bottles with it. We sprayed the grill surfaces with it, we sprayed racks of freshly toasted english muffins with it, and it was good. Don’t ask about how much Real butter went into baking the biscuits. It’s better that you don’t ask! Unless something has changed since 1985…or so, the fake ingredient thing is just misinformation. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/71 "2013-06-05T00:03:34Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Wow. I haven’t read the thread beyond the point I’m responding to… > I worked at McDonald’s in high school. We had spray bottles ( squish, squish ) full of melted butter. We melted this butter ourselves in metal tubs-o-the-grill, and filled the squish-squish bottles with it. We sprayed the grill surfaces with it, we sprayed racks of freshly toasted english muffins with it, and it was good. Don’t ask about how much Real butter went into baking the biscuits. It’s better that you don’t ask! > Unless something has changed since 1985…or so, the fake ingredient thing is just misinformation. …well you didn’t really do much in this post to dispel that notion. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/72 "2013-06-05T00:19:58Z")
Diabetes is not caused by repetitive blood sugar spikes. High glycemic, low glycemic, don’t matter much. Spikes do not make your insulin unable to hack it. Type 2 Diabetes is caused by a combination of factors that result in lowered sensitivity of insulin receptors. One of those factors is genetic predisposition. One is low grade inflammation. Another is excess calories be it from sugar or starch or fat or protein. Then there is obesity, especially central obesity. And the protective effect of higher fat free mass. And the protective effect of ongoing regular exercise. Maybe a host of other factors too, like some micronutrient factors. These also all interact and the nature of what drives what is something that wil drive many very vociferous debates. There is a probable effect of added sugar on increased diabetes risk; the effect is modest, likely real, but not the major factor of diabetes. Chronic insulin resistance requires higher insulin output which eventually the pancreas cannot keep up with. Some tiisues also become more resistant than others. Brain receptors are likely also involved. As for the healthiness of the diet proposed - you could survive like that and lose weight. The macronutrient balance would not be so awful even. Add a multivitamin and a fiber supplement and it is adequate. Maybe have an OJ instead of the Coke. But there are real nutritional advantages to a varied diet with real fruits and vegetables that this diet does not have. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/73 "2013-06-05T00:23:00Z")
If MacRonald’s took the time to create blocks of fake butter, to fool the cooks, then perhaps I’m not as cynical as I think I am. (And if that butter is fake, while still retaining all of the terrible fat gram quantities, then I have to nominate MacRonalds for the Unnecessary Redundancy In Food Engineering award. ) ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/74 "2013-06-05T00:29:52Z")
You can get Mexican Coke or Pepsi at any grocery store in Ohio. As far as Egg Mcmuffins go, I would have to eat around 10 just to maintain my weight, and that would quadruple my food budget. Though I could make the exact thing at home for around 48 cents, maybe around $1.17 with better ingredients. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/75 "2013-06-05T00:38:25Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > If MacRonald’s took the time to create blocks of fake butter, to fool the cooks, then perhaps I’m not as cynical as I think I am. (And if that butter is fake, while still retaining all of the terrible fat gram quantities, then I have to nominate MacRonalds for the Unnecessary Redundancy In Food Engineering award. ) Then what did you mean by this? > [@bobot](#): > > Don’t ask about how much Real butter went into baking the biscuits. It’s better that you don’t ask! ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/76 "2013-06-05T00:42:08Z")
He meant there was a whole lot of real butter in the biscuits. So much butter that you’d be better off not knowing. Ignorance is bliss, and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/77 "2013-06-05T00:42:51Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > He meant there was a whole lot of real butter in the biscuits. So much butter that you’d be better off not knowing. Ahh, I see. Thank you. I read it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/78 "2013-06-05T20:22:40Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Another example; remember during the Olympics when it was revealed what the swimmer Michael Phelps ate? It was a ridiculous amount of food that amounted to about 12,000 calories a day, but he trained five hours a day for six days a week. It makes sense – you probably have to watch you don’t lose weight. I read an article about Brooks Orpik of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and he eats something like 4,500 calories a day during hockey season. Of course, that’s not nearly as much as Phelps, but that’s still twice as much as the reccomended suggestion for adults. Plus, it’s not like they’re gorging on junk food. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/79 "2013-06-06T00:12:03Z")
Thanks **DSeid**. _the more you know_ ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067/80 "2013-06-06T00:20:04Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Plus, it’s not like they’re gorging on junk food. I wouldn’t be so sure about that. While I don’t remember exactly, I think I remember reading something about how Phelps’ diet consisted of a lot of high-calorie junk food, simply because otherwise it would be difficult to get in all the calories he needs to burn. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-i-lose-weight-eating-nothing-but-mcd-breakfast/660067.md?page=5)