While many groups are pushing the message that fast food is bad and home cooked meals are healthier and more economical, one former science teacher is spreading the word that one can actually live off McDonald's meals and still lose 60 pounds in six months just like he did. John Cisna wrote a book about his so-called McDonalds diet and now he's being paid by the 60-year-old corporation to be its brand ambassador at schools across the country.
According to reports, Cisna has already spoken at 90 schools on invitation. Included in his presentation is a 20-minute documentary about the 54 different meal choices available on a McDonald's menu and how your choices of those meals can make a difference in your diet plans.
However, Cisna said that his McDonald's Diet is not about weight loss or dieting. Spokeswoman Lisa McComb helped to explain that neither Cisna not McDonald's advocates eating every single meal every day for an extended period of time from one establishment only.
"While the decision on how schools choose to educate and inform their students is up to them, we support John's desire as a teacher to provide students with facts to make informed choices," she said.
Cisna first came up with the idea for the McDonald's diet along with his high school class, reportedly without the help or endorsement from McDonald's. He maintained a strict caloric intake of only McDonald's meals along with walking everyday in the experiment. Since losing 37 pounds in the first 90 days and writing a book about it, he said he wanted to counter the impression about fast food, especially McDonald's being suicide for your health. A message made loud through documentaries like "Super Size Me" and "Fast Food Nation."
Critics of Cisna's McDonald's Diet school talks are saying he is a pawn in the company's overall agenda to market fast food to young kids.
Bettina Elias, a former lawyer and one of the first to break the news of Cisna's school talks on her blog, is calling out McDonald's.
"This is really beyond the pale in terms of its aggressive marketing to kids," she said.
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