'20km run to burn off Double McSpicy set': Personal trainer breaks down calories of popular McDonald's meals

We all have a soft spot when it comes to fast food. However, there's a price to pay for indulgence – not just for your wallet, but for your waistline too.

Ever wondered just how much effort it takes to offset McDonald's mouthwatering Double McSpicy meal? 

Well, personal trainer Leon Tan did the math for us. 

In a TikTok video, Leon did a full calorie and macro breakdown on the iconic Double McSpicy that almost every Singaporean loves, based on the information provided on the official McDonald's website.

@strongertmr Some Mcspicy slander #healthy #motivation #gym #nutrition #fitness #singapore #diet ♬ original sound - Leon / Personal Trainer

The burger alone is a "whooping 833 calories". And if you get the upsized set, the large fries will set you back around 512 calories.

In total, you will be consuming about 1,300 calories, he explained, and it will take you about "20km to burn off that Double McSpicy set". He references the website Marathonhandbook and notes that this is an approximation as "caloric burn differs  from person to person".

Before you champion your beloved burger as a protein-packed meal, Leon is here to set the record straight.

"You can't even use the excuse that you want to eat it for the protein," he pointed out, emphasising that the protein content is merely 18 per cent at 38g.

Alternatively, he suggested opting for the Quarter Pounder burger. At 507 calories, it boasts a more favourable protein percentage of 25 per cent at 32g.

Or you can skip the fries and go for the single-patty McSpicy instead, which has only 541 calories. 

The only fish burger on the McDonald's menu also got analysed.

@strongertmr Replying to @capricorn good lower calorie option, not so good high protein option #healthy #motivation #gym #nutrition #fitness #singapore #diet #protein ♬ original sound - Leon / Personal Trainer

The Filet-O-Fish is a much better option than the aforementioned burgers as it only has 332 calories. With that said, Leon highlighted that it has a pretty low protein content of only 15g, which makes up just 18 per cent of its total calories.  

While opting for the Double Filet-O-Fish may seem like a better choice, Leon mentioned that its protein content of 24g accounts for only 20 per cent of its calories.

Navigating the McDonald's menu

For a low-calorie, high-protein meal, Leon's recommendations include the Grilled Chicken McWrap and the Grilled Chicken Salad. 

@strongertmr RANKING MCDONALD’S FOODS AS A PERSONAL TRAINER McDonald’s might be the most famous and universally loved food restaurant in the world. You can have your own strong opinions about their food, but they have definitely put in some effort to improve the quality of their food, transparency of ingredients and their healthier offerings. Of course, they still have plenty of high fat, fried and oily options which are probably not the best choice to have often if you’re trying to manage your weight (everything in moderation!). But instead of demonising the food, let’s instead learn what are some of their lower calorie and higher protein options so that we can make better choices should we have a meal there. I based lower calories as foods under 300 kcal and higher protein for foods which have a protein weightage of >25% (relatively higher than the rest). You definitely could fit some of this into your diet even if you’re trying to cut. But you probably would want to get the Coke Zero and corn as your side! Check it out and let me know what is your favourite McDonald’s option! #NDP2023 #healthy #motivation #gym #nutrition #singapore #diet ♬ original sound - Leon / Personal Trainer

The former contains a modest 361 calories with a generous protein content of 23g, while the latter offers only 173 calories but a substantial 20g of protein.

He also included some items on the menu that are well under 300 calories such as the hamburger and a box of six-piece nuggets. 

Start your day right with a good breakfast, right? Well, that's possible even at McDonalds.

@strongertmr Ranking McDonald’s Breakfast as a Personal Trainer We are back with another Mcdonald’s Menu post and this time, we are looking at the breakfast menu! The breakfast menu might seem “healthier” and lower in calories but after inspection, unfortunately, they are not. Check them out! I’ve ranked them from lowest to highest calories. Menu items under 300 kcal is noted as Low Calories and if they are at least 25% (or rounded to) protein weightage, they will be noted as High Protein. Turns out, only the McMuffins are relatively lower in calories and higher in protein! Everything else has a depressingly low amount of protein relative to their calories. The hotcakes are absolutely just a carb-fest and is almost 600 calories! The breakfast deluxe would require about a 12-15km run to burn off. If you had to choose, I would most likely recommend either of the 3 different McMuffins with a cup of corn and black coffee for breakfast. Hopefully this helps you make better choices when you’re out at your favourite Mcdonalds! #NDP2023 #healthy #motivation #gym #nutrition #singapore #diet ♬ original sound - Leon / Personal Trainer

Leon suggested that the McMuffins, excluding the fried chicken patty options, are a reasonable choice. They are relatively low in calories and around 25 per cent of protein.

Before you go for the hotcake meal in all its syrupy glory, he also cautioned that it only has 9g of protein but comes with 560 calories.

ALSO READ: Is the new sambal up to scratch? I try McDonald's Nasi Lemak Burger 2.0 to find out

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