Weight gain from mystery shops.

Five Guys burgers are not appetizing to me. I do like the fries and peanuts, but I won't do the shops because the reimbursement never covers the full cost of the items required. Seems the company isn't willing to pay own inflated prices. 10-ft pole for me.

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I seldom order hamburger, and never with cheese because they are processed, nor with bacon. When I order hamburger, it's always the little hamburger and the cost of the combo with little fries, is more than covered by the reimbursement. To each his own. The fee with bonus beats many regular shops, considering that my son likes the food which is reimbursed.

@Sybil2 wrote:

You mean wings and beer are not healthy?

Well, they're excellent for one's mental health, that's for sure! So, yeah, I think we *could* say that they're healthy....

I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.

@LisaSTL wrote:

You mentioned one of the worst culprits from any food shop, soda. People always blame the meat, potatoes or bread when soda is nothing but sweetener on top of sweetener, a load of chemicals and often over sized. Diet soda isn't any better since studies have shown it actually contributes to weight gain as well.

To me, nothing tastes more delicious than ice cold water. So I do the obligatory few sips of soda and then go get some water to take home.

@DavePi wrote:

So when I started mystery shopping in September 2015, I was 182 pounds. In December 2015 I was 200 pounds and I started to get man boobs. Because of that transition to a fat sumo, I took a hard look at my moobs and changed my eating habits and took less food mystery shops. I am now back to my weight I was before and now I am 185. I am no longer fat.

That is all

When I started shopping I started out doing a weiner shop, then a donut shop, then a diner. I won't do food shops anymore I totally understand.

****************

Motivation increases when we assume large responsibilities with a short deadline.

The 5guys reimbursement fully covers a little burger, small fries and regular soda around here. Anything extra and you go over.

Cholesterol levels elevate in response to inflammation, which is caused by eating bad carbs and processed foods. It is a proven fact that fatty meats, fish and poultry do not raise cholesterol levels. Healthy natural oils lower your blood sugar levels and have no negative impact on cholesterol; coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil are good for you.

Buffalo wings are fine, bbq wings have too much sugar (bad carbs) and boneless breaded wings are not healthy as well.

The lettuce wraps for burgers are messy, I just get a fork and knife; eat the burger off the bun. The bacon could be better if uncured, and some places do offer real cheese though not many.

Drink the unsweetened tea. The shops require assessing one of the non-water drinks. I'd rather sip some regular soda than aspartame.

Stop bringing home sugary sodas and poisoning your kids. If you won't drink it, why allow them to?

Fries are healthier than most gluten free snacks that are loaded with processed carb based flours that spike your sugars and raise cholesterol levels.

It amazes me how many people refuse to do some research and learn what is really healthy.

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

Try a peanut butter and bacon sandwich. It will change your life!

@LisaSTL wrote:

I must be lucky that FF is totally unappealing to me. The only things I do not eat are trans fats and high fructose corn syrup. I also moderate bacon only because I could eat it at every meal, including dessert Sauces, butter, cream are all okay since portion control is the more important factor for me. Life is too short to deny myself great food and great wine

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

@isaiah58 wrote:

The 5guys reimbursement fully covers a little burger, small fries and regular soda around here. Anything extra and you go over.

Cholesterol levels elevate in response to inflammation, which is caused by eating bad carbs and processed foods. It is a proven fact that fatty meats, fish and poultry do not raise cholesterol levels. Healthy natural oils lower your blood sugar levels and have no negative impact on cholesterol; coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil are good for you.

Buffalo wings are fine, bbq wings have too much sugar (bad carbs) and boneless breaded wings are not healthy as well.

The lettuce wraps for burgers are messy, I just get a fork and knife; eat the burger off the bun. The bacon could be better if uncured, and some places do offer real cheese though not many.

Drink the unsweetened tea. The shops require assessing one of the non-water drinks. I'd rather sip some regular soda than aspartame.

Stop bringing home sugary sodas and poisoning your kids. If you won't drink it, why allow them to?

Fries are healthier than most gluten free snacks that are loaded with processed carb based flours that spike your sugars and raise cholesterol levels.

It amazes me how many people refuse to do some research and learn what is really healthy.

Wow. Maybe it doesn't have anything to do with research maybe it's just a matter of preference. For example instead of doing a shop in a diner I could do one for less work in a grocery store. I get reimbursed for my groceries, get a little exercise walking in the aisles and get to make my own food selections that I don't have to do any research on.

****************

Motivation increases when we assume large responsibilities with a short deadline.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2016 02:54AM by pammie8223.

I found I would mess up when I went into the food shop hungry. Almost everything tastes great when you're near starving. Now, I'll eat a piece of fruit first. Then, when I'm in the shop that burger, pizza or whatever no longer looks that great. As for the fries, I'll usually eat 1/2 of them right away and then go for the sandwich. By the time I go back to the fries, they are cold. I hate cold fries so the 2nd half of the pack of fries just goes in the trash. As for the drink, I always do the unsweetened tea. Even though some shops say do a soda, the receipt only says "drink".

@isaiah58 wrote:

The 5guys reimbursement fully covers a little burger, small fries and regular soda around here. Anything extra and you go over.

Cholesterol levels elevate in response to inflammation, which is caused by eating bad carbs and processed foods. It is a proven fact that fatty meats, fish and poultry do not raise cholesterol levels. Healthy natural oils lower your blood sugar levels and have no negative impact on cholesterol; coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil are good for you.

Buffalo wings are fine, bbq wings have too much sugar (bad carbs) and boneless breaded wings are not healthy as well.

The lettuce wraps for burgers are messy, I just get a fork and knife; eat the burger off the bun. The bacon could be better if uncured, and some places do offer real cheese though not many.

Drink the unsweetened tea. The shops require assessing one of the non-water drinks. I'd rather sip some regular soda than aspartame.

Stop bringing home sugary sodas and poisoning your kids. If you won't drink it, why allow them to?

Fries are healthier than most gluten free snacks that are loaded with processed carb based flours that spike your sugars and raise cholesterol levels.

It amazes me how many people refuse to do some research and learn what is really healthy.

Curious: They use peanut oil, 100% refined. Does this help with the cholesterol? From the website:

"We use 100% peanut oil that is refined and contains only enough preservatives (less than .004%, so that the oil doesn't foam when we put our fries in!)"

No, the oil they use is not something I use any more at home. The peanut oil is better for you than soy or most other vegetable based refined oils. Most oils loose their health benefits when heated too much and the refining process does cause the oils to be potentially toxic to our systems. Most vegetable oils, today, are highly refined and made from GMO sourced foods as well. The fries are better for you than the bun, at least they are real potatoes (I need to check their GMO claims).

Let me clarify this further. Most cars run on gasoline. If you add sugar to the gasoline it causes problems. Our bodies create cholesterol to fight the irritation (inflammation) that refined foods introduce into our bloodstream.

The assumption has been that natural fats were the problem. The government tells us to eat high carb diets, eat low fat proteins. I am highly confident that God created the animals and plants the way we should eat them. The majority of today's health problems are the result of processed and refined foods on top of bad diets based on incorrect assumptions and research.

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2016 03:03PM by isaiah58.

Frying gets a bad rap for two reasons, unnatural fats like hydrogenated shortenings and it is often done incorrectly. Food fried at the right temperature is not going to absorb a lot of fat. IMO the bigger problem with a place like 5 Guys is customers don't think about one order of fries actually being several servings. There is nothing wrong with indulging or even over indulging sometimes. A lot of studies have been done on everything from the amount of food served at restaurants to even the increasing size of our dinner plates we use at home. Our perceptions have been altered.

HonnyBrown, I will have to try the bacon and peanut butter sandwich. Made with uncured bacon Isaiah, LOL!

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2016 12:28PM by LisaSTL.

Lisa hit it squarely on the head. Portion is much more important than what you eat, within reason.

Obviously if every meal is entirely made of a small portion of cheesecake it is not healthy, bit within reason portion is the most important.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

@deelitefullyme wrote:

I hate cold fries so the 2nd half of the pack of fries just goes in the trash.

Personally, I think throwing away the fries is wasteful, even if you're being reimbursed for them. They are great chopped up and made into home fries! We cut them up, saute' them for a couple of minutes, then scramble them up in eggs. Or just as a side dish. Split up into servings for two people, they're not going to be an unhealthy choice.

I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.

One word "poutine"

Throw the fries on cookie sheet and pop them in the oven, while they are heating make some gravy and coarsely grate some cheese (I like a mix of mozzarella and mild cheddar) once the fries are hot smother with cheese and ladel on the gravy. I like mine served with white vinegar . It will change your life (ok it might shorten it to).

Lol sorry for the off topic, especially considering the thread title, but it is my favourite way to use up old fries.

I too am a shopper heavily focused on food shops but I am on a restrictive low carb-high fat diet. I lost about 40 lbs 2 years ago and have kept up with the diet for the most part and have kept the weight off. I am not skinny or fit, but I am no longer self conscience about the way I look or feel.

I do mostly burger places that use quality meat, always get the salad option at the sandwich or burrito places and love the buffalo wing shops. For fine dining a steak and veggies/salad is perfect for me. I don't work for the MSC that has most of the FF shops so luckily those don't tempt me.

Luckily my kid loves the pizza shops so I can do those without throwing away the pizza. I do sneak a slice every once in awhile but I usually feel worse after eating it. There are some casual pizza places around that I could be going to for lunch, but that would be ruining my diet and I don't need the free lunch that bad!

@SunnyDays2 wrote:

To me, nothing tastes more delicious than ice cold water. So I do the obligatory few sips of soda and then go get some water to take home.

The guidelines say you have order a fountain drink. It doesn't say what you have to actually dispense from the fountain. Since there are no questions about the soda itself (there are questions about the cleanliness of the fountain drink area and condiment area, and if anything is out of stock...but not about how the soda tastes). I browse around on that fountain drink machine for a bit to note if anything's out of stock, but then settle on water. I've never had any problems with the shop report.

Shopper in California's Bay Area

I had three shops that consisted of the purchase of cheese. Monterey jack cheese with jalepeno is the devil! One cup of that stuff is 493 calories. Yeah, I've been doing straight cardio and kettle bells to take those love handles off! LOL

Bet I know who did that.... Does the name Dave mean anything to you? LOL

@Spanishtulip wrote:

but it is my favourite way to use up old fries.

My kids and my husband would love that! I love cheese, but I don't add it to anything, unless it's supposed to be there (toasted cheese sandwich; my occasional guilty pleasure, a Reuben; or an eggplant parm sandwich). Other than that, I use it for my protein fix, in small amounts. I have hypoglycemia, and a small hunk of cheese during the day keeps the heebie-jeebies away. As much as I love it, I don't understand why people seem compelled to add it to every sandwich known to man!

I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.

When I do Five Guys I will snack on the peanuts first. This way I am not hungry. I order the burger in a bowl, eat the bettuce and snack on the burger. For the fries I dump enough to fill the carboard container the peanuts go in.

@isaiah58 wrote:

No, the oil they use is not something I use any more at home. The peanut oil is better for you than soy or most other vegetable based refined oils. Most oils loose their health benefits when heated too much and the refining process does cause the oils to be potentially toxic to our systems. Most vegetable oils, today, are highly refined and made from GMO sourced foods as well. The fries are better for you than the bun, at least they are real potatoes (I need to check their GMO claims).

Let me clarify this further. Most cars run on gasoline. If you add sugar to the gasoline it causes problems. Our bodies create cholesterol to fight the irritation (inflammation) that refined foods introduce into our bloodstream.

The assumption has been that natural fats were the problem. The government tells us to eat high carb diets, eat low fat proteins. I am highly confident that God created the animals and plants the way we should eat them. The majority of today's health problems are the result of processed and refined foods on top of bad diets based on incorrect assumptions and research.

I wondered how long obesity had been around and this is what I found:

The best indicator of body type among prehistoric peoples is present-day societies with a similar lifestyle—that is, hunter-gatherers. From the San people of Botswana to the Pygmies in central Africa to the Batek of Malaysia, groups that fall into this category tend to be small and extremely thin. The Baka of Cameroon, for example, are about 5 feet tall and weigh around 105 pounds, giving them an average BMI of 20.

Hunter-gatherers are usually thin because they subsist largely on fruits and vegetables, underground tubers, and, in some regions of Africa, honey. They also get calories from animal meat, and some of their diets are especially fish-heavy. But many tribes insist on distributing the meat evenly among the group, so there's rarely enough for one person to get fat on. Hunter-gatherer tribes also stay thin, unsurprisingly, due to a generally active way of life.

Were there obese people 35,000 years ago? [www.slate.com]

So, like you said Isaiah (processed foods) were not around back then and they are partly attributed to weight gain.

They are attributable to more than weight gain. Our food from agribusiness manages to be heavy on the things bad for us and lacking in necessary nutrients because of the way they feed our food. Free range chickens eating a normal diet of bugs, etc. produce eggs higher in vitamin E among other things. Grass fed beef contains more or the nutrients otherwise lost with a corn based diet. It has also been proven the way we take care of our animals up to slaughter affects the final product we eat. Fear and abuse cause them to release some type of enzymes that adversely impact the meat we put on our plates. Humanely treating our livestock benefits we humans.

The only time I drink soda is when I'm required to buy one on a shop. I like the Coke Freestyle machines that have sparkling water as an option.

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

I haven't drunk soda on a regular basis in years, and I don't miss it. I wish I could get my family to cut down on it. My husband is very health-conscious, but he still drinks soda every day. As do my kids. I keep telling them how bad it is for them... I'll drink a ginger ale once in awhile, but that's it.

On a food shop, if you order a fountain drink as a required item, but you have a choice of soda, iced tea, or sparkling water, that's what I get. Or, if those aren't available, I'll go for a "light" lemonade. I'm not keen on artificial sweetners, but I'd rather have a "light" drink than a regular soda or a full-on diet drink.

I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.

I actually drink soda on occasion, just never any from the big manufacturers. I can get all natural sodas, often really interesting flavors like blood orange, from Trader Joe's, World Market and one of my local grocery stores. I have also found all natural tonic for cocktails which is delicious enough to drink on it's own.

How do you feel about iced tea on a hot day?

@SunnyDays2 wrote:

How do you feel about iced tea on a hot day?

There's nothing better! With a fresh slice of lemon, of course....

(That is, unless it's a very cold, very good beer on a very hot day! I'm really picky about beer, so if I'm drinking one, you can bet it's a tasty one!)

I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.

Magic Hat #9

I wonder if anyone has ever LOST weight from mystery shopping? I doubt it. Some shops involve a lot of walking. I did a shop at a large outlet mall in which I had to stay roughly two hours and walk throughout the entire mall a few times. It was definitely a good workout.

I can't do Five Guys anymore. I'm just so burned out on it. In fact I rarely do any food shops except for about three sit-down restaurants that I enjoy, and those are only available a couple times a year.

When I do shops or even stuff like regular grocery shopping, I park far away in the lot so I have to walk more. I also take the stairs as opposed to elevators. Just little stuff like that can add up enough to make a difference in your health.

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