We love to demonize McDonald's and link its name to the so-called obesity epidemic, but I have to say that the people at McDonald's have just been delivered a gift from the dietary gods and they are turning it down. You see, Chris Coleson of Virginia has been eating mostly McDonald's food since last December and has lost an amazing 86 pounds in roughly seven months' time. Eating salads, wraps, and the random cheeseburger, he's totally derailed the point made by Morgan Spurlock in Super Size Me. Rather than learn from the example set by Subway and Jared Fogle, however, McDonald's has chosen to shrug and turn away from Mr. Coleson, based on the rationale that many people have lost weight eating at McDonald's and his story is not a big deal. Ah well. From purely a business perspective, one would think that McDonald's would simply look at the numbers: The average customer walking into Subway perceives that they are eating more healthfully than the average customer at McDonald's, even when they actually consume more calories. You can't buy that kind of perception with smart ads alone--people need a weird-lipped spokesdude modeling his old enormous pants to drive that point home.

Anecdotally, of course you can lose weight eating at McDonald's. Or Subway. Or Chick-Fil-A. Or anywhere, really. Back when I was a serious Weight Watchers groupie (I had the calculator, the little pouch of books detailing Points, many bookmarks, an all-consuming food obsession, etc.), McDonald's had its Teeny Beanie Babies promotion. My little brother was eight years old at the time and a die-hard collector and basically, I would do anything for him, so I carefully parceled out my 30 Points a day for three stops at McDonald's. I am living proof that you can lose weight at McDonald's. After all, a cheeseburger and small fries is 11 Points, and an Egg McMuffin is only seven. You just won't be very happy while you're doing it, and eventually, you'll get scurvy and your teeth will fall out and then, eventually, you'll die. Or something. Regardless, bad things will happen.

What do you think? Is the Chris Coleson diet plan a good one? Wasn't he just getting too few calories (a.k.a. STARVATION DIETING)? Don't all diets just suck, regardless? Is McDonald's stupid for not jumping all over this?

We would like to know if you want fries with that.