Exercise After Eating McDonald's

McDonald's has a reputation for serving unhealthy foods, so most people don't really associate McDonald's and exercise. However, exercising after eating McDonald's isn't as crazy as you might think. In fact, depending on what you order, the two can go pretty well together.

Exercise and McDonald's can go well together. (Image: fatchoi/iStock/Getty Images)

McDonald's Nutrition Information

You can get healthier foods like grilled chicken and fruit salads from McDonald's. (Image: Liv Friis-Larsen/iStock/Getty Images)

Most people associate McDonald's with cheeseburgers and fries, the core staples of its menu. However, McDonald's offers more than just junk food. You can get healthy foods like grilled chicken, salads and fruit smoothies from McDonald's. Even if you want to indulge yourself in a treat, you can always get a small serving of whatever you want; a small fry is just 230 calories, and a regular hamburger clocks in at 250 calories.

Staying in Shape

You can pick pre-workout meals from McDonald's depending on your goals. (Image: Maridav/iStock/Getty Images)

The ideal pre-workout meal for you depends on your goals, states the ShapeFit website. If you're just looking to maintain, a low-carb protein shake is a good option. These aren't available at McDonald's, but you can get items like a Premium Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken or a Chipotle BBQ Snack Wrap, both of which provide high levels of protein with reduced carb counts. The Snack Wrap has 15 grams of protein and 29 carbs, while the Tuscan Salad with Grilled Chicken has 25 grams of protein and 25 carbs.

Building Mass

To put on mass, you'll need to consume a lot of protein. (Image: Reddiplomat/iStock/Getty Images)

To put on mass, you'll want to consume lots of protein. McDonald's has plenty of options in this area, though some are healthier than others. Most of McDonald's grilled chicken salad and sandwich offerings contain more than 30 grams of protein while clocking in at less than 500 calories. Of course, the biggest protein meals are the ones that are the most unhealthy; a Double Big Mac will give you 40 grams of protein, but also 40 grams of fat.

Losing Weight

When trying to lose weight, you won't want to eat right before you work out. (Image: Maridav/iStock/Getty Images)

If you're trying to lose weight, you shouldn't eat right before you work out. You'll need to create a calorie deficit if you want to lose weight, and you can't do that if your workout merely burns what you just ate. This is especially true if you're going to McDonald's, where it can be so easy to give into temptation and order an unhealthy meal. If you do want to eat a little something small at McDonald's before you work out, make it something small like a Snack Wrap that will hold you over without derailing your day's eating.