Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Marathoner's 30-Day Diet: Nothing but McDonald's

Joe D’Amico combines passions for running, fast food

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 11, 2011 12:13 PM CST

(Newser) – The "McRunner" likes his food like he likes his races: fast. Joe D’Amico will run his 15th marathon this month after training for 30 days ... fueled by a diet of McDonald’s, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. “My wife told me I was crazy,” says D’Amico, a fit 36-year-old. “But I love McDonald’s and I love running, and this was a great way to combine the two.”

D’Amico, whose personal best is a speedy two hours and 36 minutes, gobbles a breakfast of orange juice, hot cakes, and an Egg McMuffin; for lunch, he likes a grilled chicken sandwich and a Coke; and for dinner, it’s a burger, fries, and cookies. Other than that, he consumes just water, a multivitamin, and energy gel. “I’m not trying to prove anyone wrong or make any kind of political statement,” says the runner, who blogs at McRunner.com. “But I’ve been eating McDonald’s since I was a kid. In a way, I’ve been practicing for this my whole life.”

In this Dec. 20, 2010 file photo, McDonald's signs sprout from the restaurant's parking lot in New York.
In this Dec. 20, 2010 file photo, McDonald's signs sprout from the restaurant's parking lot in New York.   (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
My TakeCLICK BELOW TO VOTE
47%
10%
9%
17%
6%
12%
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 9 comments
YetAnotherCollegeKid
Mar 13, 2011 3:34 AM CDT
During the Tour de France, the bikers consume 9000 calories ever day, and some still lose weight. Michael Phelps eats 10000 to 12000 calories a day, every day. What people don't get is that things like '30 percent of your daily fat intake' is 30 percent of 2000 calories; or in other words, 6 percent of the daily intake for a super- athlete. To get 9000 calories of McDonalds, you would have to eat 17 Big Macs a DAY. The only thing that your body won't burn off is the trans fat; in just one day of that diet, you would get 13 days worth of trans fat. But, hey, he isn't eating just Big Macs. With some nice balancing Coke and a couple McNuggets, he is good to go.
genxandy
Mar 12, 2011 5:27 PM CST
Honestly, it could be true, but it's alittle hard to believe that he's been eating only McD's for 30 days and still in good health. I know they have a wide array on their menu, but there is alot of sodium and fat associated with even the simplest of them such as the fries. Even the breakfast sandwiches have about 30 per cent of your daily fat content. Just look at the nutrition info on the packaging of each.
janbee
Mar 12, 2011 8:29 AM CST
Newser is the New Craigslist......it's Facebook for Angry People.................Read your own comments and puke! As for our McRunner in this day and age, lots of people are using social/digital media to try and make some money - obviously this guy is in this group. Truth about our bodies is this - our bodies see food as an energy source - our metablolism is our on-board system of converting food into energy or fat. If you sit on your ass like Michael Moore, do no exercise it doesn't matter what you eat - you'll be making documentaries about being fat. This guy is making the point that if you stay active, eat McDonald's, get proper amount of sleep you'll achieve and maintain good fitness and body health. He is not saying eat McDonalds, and do nothing all day long and look at me. Sure he's hoping to pull off a Jared type deal - but at the same time he' really saying get off your freaking keyboards and mix in some exercise with your griping bullshit! But hey, there is always the Palin, Bachman, Tea Scrotum, and now Charlie Sheen philosophy, if i want to overeat and do no exercise I will, if I get diabetes that is my choice, whether I have health insurance to pay for my poor health it's none of your business.....I've got a freaking "Rock-star Fatbody", I'm filled with Tiger Fat - so mind your own G-D business. Did I cover everything, NDT and DLY?

 
McDonald's • diet • fast food • marathon

 
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Timelines   |   POPSUGAR Tech   |   Business Insider   |   HuffPost Entertainment   |   NewsOne