Countless Women Over 50 Are Slimming Down With This Big Mac Salad For Weight Loss: How to Get the Benefits
It worked for Bobbi Rongstad, 65 – she reversed prediabetes and lost 70 pounds
The internet is going wild for a drive thru–inspired recipe that tastes like cheating, but helps women slim down like crazy. Dubbed the ‘Big Mac’ salad, it features all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese…you get the yummy idea. Keto bloggers, Paleo dieters, even Weight Watchers have versions. But who’s burning fat fastest? We’re pretty sure it’s fans of EatLikeABear.com, most of whom are women over age 50. “If there’s one thing McDonald’s knows, it’s how to tempt our taste buds,” says site creator Amanda Rose, PhD, down 140 pounds herself. Rose, 53, tried a Big Mac salad for weight loss as she got bored of same-old salads; her followers soon embraced the idea. They eat thousands of Big Mac salads for weight loss a day—all while reversing age-related diseases and shedding up to 30 pounds in two weeks. Says Rose: “We’re using McDonald’s flavor expertise to meet our health goals!”
What is the Eat Like a Bear diet?
The gist of how Rose and her Bears use the Big Mac salad to transform: They eat just one huge meal a day and then ‘hibernate’ the rest of the time, allowing their bodies to live off stored fat. To maximize fat loss and hunger control, they stick to low-carb fare.
Why does it work so well? Well, even a jumbo 1,500-calorie meal has less fuel than most of us burn off. On top of that, the technique — which scientists call “time-restricted eating” or TRE — triggers biochemical changes that speed away inflammation, flush pounds of water weight and allow for intense healing. (And TRE, or intermittent fasting, is even more effective as we age.)
Woman's World Answers
Another big key is that both frequent sittings and high-carb foods spur the production of insulin, “the main hormone responsible for all weight gain,” notes mega-selling Obesity Code author Jason Fung, MD. Not only does excess insulin drive intense urges to eat but “when insulin is high, we only store fat, we don’t burn it.” As you reduce carbs and meal frequency, insulin goes down “and weight goes down automatically.”
Learn more: Eat Like a Bear to Lose Weight? The 200 + Women Who’ve Lost 100 + pounds on the Plan Say ‘You Bet!’
How Big Mac salads spur weight loss
Rose was carrying 280 pounds when she heard buzz about eating one meal a day and set out to try it. As her body adjusted, she experimented. “I decided to have a ridiculously big salad as my meal each day, and one key was figuring out how to make it extremely satisfying,” she shares. Big Mac flavors ended up being a very good idea. (Or consider pizza skillets, another Eat Like a Bear favorite.)
1. Iceberg lettuce heats up metabolism
“Iceberg gets a bad rap, but it lets you literally stuff yourself for under 100 calories,” says Rose. Plus, one head — the amount used in Rose’s typical salad — has half the calories of top-selling energy bars and (surprise!) more protein and exponentially more metabolism-revving nutrients like fiber and vitamin C. It’s a strategy borrowed from the volumetrics diet, where you load up on nutrient-rich foods that are lower in calories to keep your belly full and satisfied.
2. Pickles boost fat burn even more
They’re made with vinegar, a great source of acetic acid, which kills appetite and revs fat burn by up to 400%, per Japanese research.
3. Protein breaks down existing fat stores
Beef is an amazing source of CLA, a fatty acid linked to faster weight loss. It “speeds the breakdown of stored fatty acids so they can be used to build new muscle tissue,” notes Ronald Klatz, MD, of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. We end up instantly burning fat to make muscle, which not only makes us firmer but also raises metabolism permanently. (Plus, it wards off age-related muscle loss, or sarcopenia.)
4. Dressing staves off hunger
Yes, full-fat dressing is a high-calorie food. But unlike low-cal carbs that drive hunger, “the calories from a rich dressing help us feel satisfied and bring the meal to an end,” says Rose. Studies back her up, showing full-fat options turn off hunger sooner and for about 4 hours longer than a low-fat alternative. “The dressing tastes good. And it would be difficult to overstate how delicious this Big Mac–style salad is. That’s another reason it’s so satisfying.”
Big Mac salad for weight loss success: Marilee Evans, 52
Not long ago, doctors told Marilee Evans her liver was so clogged with fat, it had begun to fail. “Weight loss was the only treatment,” recalls the Utah school secretary, 52. She didn’t want gastric bypass, but couldn’t seem to break her daily drive-thru habit. Marilee’s sister Debie suggested Eat Like a Bear’s approach. “I said, ‘Oh, heck no. I’m not eating only salad,’” Marilee admits. So Debie bought ingredients and cooked for her. “That’s how I had my first Big Mac salad.”
Marilee’s reaction? “For years, fast food was my comfort food. This version is still very comforting.” And it’s so satisfying, it helped her adapt to eating one meal a day. By month’s end, she was down 27 pounds. Continuing her journey, Marilee added in hot low-carb meals—usually at midday at work—but also tucked into Big Mac salad regularly. “Sometimes I’d even pack dressing in a jar, get a bunless double cheeseburger and salad from a burger joint and make a Big Mac salad on the fly!”
Can Marilee stick with this lifestyle long-term? “Oh, yes,” she says. At night, “I sip tea and keep busy with sewing and projects. It’s a new routine and not a struggle at all.” Her liver tests are normal now. And she’s down from a size 24 to an 8. “I am healthier than I’ve ever been.” She urges everyone: “Start with one salad and see what it can do for you!”
Big Mac salad for weight loss before & after: Bobbi Rongstad, 65
When Bobbi Rongstad heard about “eating like a bear,” she was out of shape and struggling to keep up with friends, family and her garden. “I didn’t want to sit in a chair the rest of my life,” says the Wisconsin grandmother. So she tried a free three-day challenge, stumbling on the recipe for Big Mac salad. To her surprise, “it felt like an indulgence, not diet food.” It also staved off hunger for a long time. Pounds flew off. In mere weeks, she was under 200 pounds for the first time in decades. Soon, her prediabetes and high cholesterol disappeared. Now down 70 pounds, Bobbi still alternates between the trendy salad and other low-carb meals. “It took a long time to find a way of eating that feels sustainable. I’m so glad I kept trying!”
How to make a Big Mac salad for weight loss
For maximum weight loss, enjoy this trendy salad the Eat Like a Bear way. To start, choose a daily “eating window” during which you’ll have your salad and any other natural, low-carb fare you like. Most Bears have a single hour-long meal that’s packed with nutrients and at least 1,200 calories. (But you can begin with a longer window.) Learn more at EatLikeABear.com.
Ingredients:
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- Dill pickles
- Onion
- Tomato
- ½ lb. ground beef or 2 premade all-beef burgers
- ¼ cup yogurt
- ¼ cup mayo
- 2 Tbs. chopped dill pickle
- 1 Tbs. pickle juice
- 1 Tbs. mustard
- ½ tsp. seasoned salt
- Stevia to taste
- Cheese, sesame seeds, bacon or any low-carb toppings
Instructions:
- Chop head of iceberg lettuce. In a large mixing bowl, combine with as many dill pickles, onion and tomato as desired. (You’re aiming for volume!)
- In a skillet, brown ground beef or burgers.
- In a separate bowl, combine yogurt, mayo, chopped dill pickle, pickle juice, mustard, seasoned salt and stevia to taste.
- Add meat to mixing bowl with veggies. Add as much of the sauce as desired, then pile on any other toppings and toss.
This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
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