A 57-year-old man from Nashville, Tennessee, has defied expectations by losing nearly 60 pounds (26kg) after eating McDonald's three times a day for 100 days. Kevin Maginnis, a grandfather, shared his unconventional diet journey on various media outlets, revealing that he consumed half-portions of items like Big Macs, quarter-pounders, french fries, and apple fritters to limit his calorie intake.
Maginnis told local news station WSMV that he never felt burned out by the fast food due to the reduced portions. He also avoided snacks between meals and drank only water. The result was a weight loss of 58.5lbs (26.5kg), with improvements in his cholesterol, blood sugar, and heart attack risk. 'I was pre-diabetic before – down into healthy ranges now,' he said on NBC's Today show.
Today's hosts marvelled at his transformation, though one noted the diet 'obviously isn't sustainable'. Maginnis joked, 'Don't be bitter while I'm eating my apple fritter and losing weight,' but acknowledged that maintaining weight loss would require portion control. 'Half a plate to lose the weight – three-quarters of a plate to maintain the weight, any food, including McDonald's,' he explained.
Maginnis announced his diet in a TikTok video that went viral. He dropped from 238lbs (108kg) to 179.5lbs (81.4kg) by the 100-day mark. His wife joined him halfway through and lost about 20lbs (9kg). However, doctors consulted by WSMV cautioned that the diet is not for everyone, urging a focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and unprocessed foods.
Maginnis's results contrast sharply with the 2004 documentary Super Size Me, in which filmmaker Morgan Spurlock gained 24.5lbs (11.1kg) and suffered health issues after eating McDonald's exclusively for 30 days. Maginnis plans to continue enjoying Big Macs for lunch but will mix in other meals, and his next goal is to complete a 100ft rope climb within 100 days.
