A not-so-healthy meal is preferable to skipping a meal

When I'm in a rush, I pop into Wendy's and order a 20-piece chicken nugget and finish them all. That’s about 25 carbs, 55 grams of protein, and 570 calories.

This is the way to go. We're not preparing for the Olympia stage here. Make mostly good choices and enjoy life when the opportunity arises. Tell me more about that ice cream cone...

Exactly. I eat well for all my other meals, so I have no issue indulging in some junk food for dinner and enjoying it, especially after a tough gym session. I'm not cutting right now. The ice cream was amazing! I've been having some every night for the past week and will continue throughout this week. I'm at a beachside community for vacation, and there’s an incredible ice cream spot on nearly every corner, so I've been trying them all. The portion sizes are insane. What I thought was a kiddie size turned out to be a medium or even large. You should see what an actual large looks like!

I'm really glad to see iron back. He was one of the best guys on this site. I'd rank him right up there with Viking, Theo, and Grrl.

In your case, a dirty meal is better than not eating at all. If you're cutting, you could always opt for grilled chicken sandwiches, strips, salads, etc. They will be high in sodium, but it's still better than nothing. Just avoid empty calories like fries or sugary sodas.

Hey, it's all about the 50 nugget platter or nothing!

I might eventually level up to the big boy platter. Maybe some help will come my way.

Man, ice cream is one of the best things ever! I have it after almost every meal, LOL. Gotta have raspberry sauce on top, though. It's fantastic for bulking and also helps with acid reflux if you're using orals. It’s packed with protein, carbs, and fats! My current favorites are either strawberry and cream or mint chocolate chip. I just grab a liter tub from the freezer each time and keep going until it’s all gone.

Once you're back to training, go for the seafood diet: eat everything in sight. Those extra calories are crucial for building new muscle and getting through heavy lifting. Any excess fat gained can be trimmed down later once you've established a solid foundation.

I completely agree. I used to eat a pint of Ben and Jerry’s every night before bed, LOL. Half Baked, Americone, and their cookie dough flavor are out of this world. But then Ben got too political for me to handle. Haven't found a good replacement since… I didn’t know that about raspberry sauce. I get awful acid reflux on all orals and have to take Prilosec when I'm on them. I’ll have to try the raspberry sauce next time. Does it really help keep it at bay all day?

Sorry, I tend to write things that can be misunderstood. I just meant that you have to have raspberry sauce on it for the best flavor and the extra carbs. I guess once the sauce mixes in with the ice cream, it might thicken it and help ease reflux too. Surprisingly, you can’t buy the sauce in supermarkets here anymore, so I have to order it off eBay each time. It’s the raspberry sauce from 'Tasty' if you want to give it a try.

Hey! Whether you're bulking or cutting, as long as you're hitting your calorie and macro targets for the day, you're good. Of course, whole, nutrient-dense foods are better for health, but if grabbing something like crispy strips helps you meet your protein and calorie goals, it's much better than skipping a meal altogether.

Absolutely — a 'dirty' meal is definitely better than skipping a meal, particularly if you're aiming to gain weight and muscle. Missing meals can significantly hinder your progress compared to eating something less than ideal.

But remember, those gains might just lead to extra belly fat and side effects.

At your weight, you definitely need those dirty meals. Eat and keep eating to ensure you get enough calories.

There are some reasonably good protein-rich fast food choices: 1) Taco Bell: Cantina chicken bowl with triple chicken, no cheese or guacamole, and no ranch sauce – that's about 60 grams of protein and 25 grams of carbs, which is decent for fast food. 2) At McDonald's, you can grab a double cheeseburger for $3.99, and the second one is only 99 cents. So you can get two double cheeseburgers without cheese, remove the buns, and just eat the four patties, each containing around 15 grams of protein. 3) Most other places offer grilled chicken sandwiches; just skip the fries.

Sometimes that's the case. As long as you plan to get better food later, it’s understandable to resort to junk food. It’s frustrating to use up all your macros on less healthy options, but there are times when you don’t have other choices.

This is definitely a tough situation. If there’s a McDonald's nearby, there’s likely a gas station too. I often opt for a protein drink and some jerky if I want to eat cleaner before that.

At 140lbs, skipping meals will impact your gains much more than consuming "unclean" calories. Grab those crispy strips from McDonald's to hit your protein and daily calorie surplus. Prioritize calories when trying to gain weight!

When I have limited food choices, I usually go for some crispy fried chicken from KFC. It’s high in fat but also packed with protein. I'll make up for it the next day with healthier fats and carbs.