Taco Bell is encouraging people to choose items from their Drive-Thru Diet menu, consisting of Fresco-style choices with 9 grams or less of fat.
I should have seen this one coming, but I didn’t. I’m an advocate of taking your own lunch, but I suppose if you’re eating out anyway, it does make sense to choose items lower in fat. However, go to Taco Bell daily as a means to lose weight?
According to Taco Bell, Christine Dougherty did just that. The 27-year-old woman picked items from the restaurant’s Fresco menu up to eight times each week, and she lost 54 pounds over the course of two years. In the Taco Bell commercials, Dougherty says she lost about 2 pounds a month.
What’s the Fresco stuff? Instead of cheese and fatty sauces, you get items like onions, salsa, lettuce or tomatoes. There are seven choices, including a grilled steak soft taco with lettuce, tomatoes and salsa. The website for the diet even invites you to make a Frescolution pledge and send motivational e-cards.
I’m not at all convinced a fast-food restaurant should be in the business of promoting a diet, particularly one that encourages taking a shortcut with the drive-through. Every footstep counts, and fast-food restaurants often have shorter lines inside than for the drive-through.
Overall, the Taco Bell diet seems a bit gimmicky to me. Though I applaud Taco Bell’s efforts in offering lower-fat menu options, I don’t think we should be looking to the fast-food industry for diet help. Plus, does anyone really eat Taco Bell five to eight times a week like Dougherty? Some people may now choose Taco Bell thinking they’ll drop a bunch of weight just like Dougherty, without exercise. It’s possible to eat healthy without resorting to a fast-food menu, and exercise is important. Don’t let the marketing fool you.
If you’re dieting by Taco Bell alone, please comment to tell us how it’s going. Or, if you think I’m being too critical of the Drive-Thru Diet, I’d love to hear from you as well!
(Image via flickr.compujeramey)
Post from: Blisstree