I saw this news story “Wisconsin man marks 50 years of daily Big Mac meals.”
All kinds of thoughts went through my head.
This was the excerpt:
A Wisconsin man who earned a Guinness World Record for most Big Macs eaten in a lifetime celebrated another milestone: 50 years of eating a Big Mac nearly every day. Don Gorske of Fond du Lac earned a Guinness World Record in 1999 when he was confirmed to have eaten 15,490 of the McDonald’s sandwiches in his lifetime, and the record was most recently updated in August 2021, when his total surpassed 32,340.
Gorske is now celebrating 50 years of eating a Big Mac almost every day since May 17, 1972. The burger fan, who said he most often eats two of the sandwiches on a given day, said he has missed only eight days in his 50-year fandom.
I use to have an obsession with Big Mac.
As soon I got to be 18 as an adult I ate a lot of Big Macs with work and school. But then when I was in the Marines in Iraq obviously I didn’t eat any. We would eat one meal a day. One day I was super hungry in a big of a military vehicle and it started to rain a little bit and the combination of all the dirt kicked up in off road driving and the smell of oil and men and rain drop hit my nose and for some reason I thought: I miss a McDonalds’ Big Mac. I thought if I get home I’m going to eat a lot of Big Macs.
When I got home a Marine who knew me in High School caught up with me in our return. He said my first meal in the US should be a treat. He asked what I want and I think it was a let down when I said Big Mac. Instead he got me something else. But I was hungry for Big Mac. And thus for a few years I would eat a Big Mac for nearly everyday, and definitely as most of my meals during the week. In college I ate so much Big Mac one day I thought I want to do an experiment: I asked “Can I have the Jimmy special?” There was a question mark expression and they said “oh, you’re Jimmy, yes!” and they got me what I always ordered: A Big Mac.
But that was a different time; I was a lot more active physically. I was younger. I had a crazy metabolism then. I couldn’t even break 130 pounds. I was “Slimjim.” But I can’t do that anymore.
So to hear someone eat a Big Mac for 50 years, longer than I’ve been alive, wow, that’s dedication.
Here’s a video:
I think it is a bit excessive.
I think it is great in the video he says he’s got low cholesterol and the doctors said he’s healthy. But that’s not everyone.
Its fascinating what people would do for what they like. They might cut out other things and here this person cut out other meals to have his Big Mac everyday. I guess there’s some sacrifice that comes with that.
So this post isn’t slamming on the guy but it did make me think what is it that we love a lot and be willing to sacrifice and have it in a way that’s sustainable. I hope its Christ and the things of Christ. And if we treasure Christ what we cut out for Christ may it be like this person, he won’t see it as a sacrifice because it was what he loved. May we cut out sins and pursue Christ and live for Him.
The Domain for Truth 
Excessive is the right word
Yes you are right excessive is the right word! It made me search my heart. Thanks for reading this sister
My pleasure Jim
With all the preservatives in those Big Macs, I’d say this man is now ‘well-preserved’!
Haha yes. I’m glad I stopped and moderated my craving for Big Macs
If only he knew what is really in those he might just change his mind.
I use to have Big Macs cravings; it was the only thing I could eat for years after iraq without gagging but it was thinking about what might be in those Big Macs and my health that made me stop. 🛑✋
Wow! I am so glad you stopped when you did. Do you know how much money he would have in the bank if he saved all that money he spent on big Mac?
Ah that was the other reason I stopped a Big Mac a day: it was getting expensive! Good point!!!
Indeed, it is
This guy’s story is quite disturbing, considering the nutritional value of a Big Mac is negligible. It is an addiction without any doubt, which would be proven if he stopped suddenly. I have been in a place of being addicted to novels and chess in the past, but I have managed to reign them in and spend more time in the things of God which has been a great blessing in my life. We certainly all need to be careful in how we spend our time.
May we all reign in things that we are prone to be addicted to. I know it is by God’s grace we reign over our sinful devotions. Sometimes the hardest things are those that aren’t sinful in of itself but we have a love for it more than it is warranted or worst we love it more than God (an idol)
Well said brother 👍
Wow! That is a whole lot of Jimmy’s Specials.
This is it: “May we cut out sins and pursue Christ and live for Him.”
Wow! That is certainly an achievement… But not sure it is one I would like to replicate! As you say, may we be just as committed to Christ as this guy is to McDonald’s!
Amen ;and Amen.
And amen Bonnie!!! You have probably over the decades seen so many fast food going from few to so many out there!
[…] World Record of 50 years of daily Big Mac meals […]
I’m surprised the guy is still alive. He must have quite the metabolism.
I used to have a occasional hankering for a Big Mac, too. It waned as I got older but I would still get them once in a long while. The last few that I had had very negative effects that I can’t share here. So, I’ve had to give up on them. Cholesterol from my mom’s side of the family is another good reason to avoid them.
I like your conclusion, Pastor Jim. May God help us to live for Christ.
Thanks for sharing; I too have to be careful as McD doesn’t always agree with my stomach and is one of too many reasons why I have to slow down with Big Macs! I can’t believe our church small groups use to meet from time to time in McD, and the last one was a few years ago at Baldwin Park near the 10 freeway exit at Puente Avenue; which I understand is not that far from where you use to live! Was there a McD near the Freeway back then too?
That is right down the street from where I used to live, indeed. I can’t recall if there was a McD there or not. The Francisquito Avenue off ramp off of the 10 was the furthest west off ramp that my family used. Getting off there, you are very close to the original In and Out Burger. Going Southeast on Francisquito, we would cross Puente Ave. After you pass willow, Rama Drive is the next left. I lived at 1651 S. Rama Drive the first 21 years of my life. It was a great place to grow up. Thanks for sharing, Pastor Jim. It is a small world!
I used to eat a lot of Burger King Whoppers. That lasted for three months while I was working on an apple tree pruning crew. Toward the end of the season when they saw me come in they had a whopper ready.
Wow we both have a similar experience of eating something so much they recognize us and what we want! Were you sick of Whoppers after that?
I still love eating them, but to avoid gout in my feet I have avoided meat entirely or very little, less than one of those Whoppers.
Good post. I like Big Macs, too. What I really like about the BM is the special sauce. Our oldest granddaughter worked at Mickey D’s as a highschooler and she clued me in that a customer can request BM sauce on any McD’s sandwich. A quarter pounder with cheese with BM sauce is the best. Yup, a lot of fat grams in a BM.
As I watched the video, it was apparent the gentleman has an unusual devotion to the Big Mac. His devotion to the Big Mac puts Christians’ devotion to Christ to shame. Well, he is a bit “over the top.” His collection of the wrappers and receipts was a sign of obsessive-compulsive behavior.
Wow thanks for letting me know one can request BM sauce on other McD sandwhiches and burgers! I confess I also have a craving for Fillet O Fish and its sauce. But that sauce might not be good with other meat and burgers lol. I confess too I probably ate more than I should have during the Fridays of Lent (I don’t think you grab any this year?). But whenever I eat it I think of your blog and the errors of Romanism, is that weird lol?
He does put most Christians’ devotions to Christ to shame! Ah collecting wrappers and reciepts is over the top more to me than even eating it everyday, like “wow, you collect proofs too and its a monument of some sort?” is what went through my mind watching the video. Its amazing to me how people build monuments to achievements.
McDs charges a small amount for the special order BM sauce on other sandwiches. Yup, I also really like the tarter sauce on the FoF. I rarely order a FoF for some reason even though it tastes good. Thanks for thinking of my blog as you were chowing down on FoF on Lenten Fridays. As I recall, even your daughters asked if you were becoming crypto-Catholic. Lol.
Yeah, I can get a bit OCD with my drilling down into the minutiae of various topics, but this guy has me beat by a mile. If I had even one month’s worth of wrappers and receipts in a shoe boxes, my wife would throw them out while I was sleeping.
Yup, society is obsessed with building monuments. It’s a means of dealing with mortality. This man has achieved a degree of notoriety because of his devotion to the Big Mac and he gets a degree of satisfaction from that. The same gentleman was featured in the 2004 documentary, “Super Size Me,” which came down hard on fast food.
Amen, Jim. Amen.
I actually love Big Macs and have my whole life. Don’t eat them offer but do have one every now and then.
Anyway, kind of a fun story, good for him, he seems happy and relatively healthy.
“Don’t eat them offer but do have one every now and then.” Same! James did you feel you ate more fast food in the military than before or after the military?
I worked at McDonald’s for almost two years in high school so I are their food a lot, way more than was healthy. But, then again, I was 16 when I started working there and what 16 year old is worried about their diet. My first few years in the military my diet was also really bad but that was mostly because I lived in the dorm so not much space to store or cook food. The chow hall was close by and they had healthy options but most of the time I opted for Macon and eggs and burgers.
Wasn’t until I got married that I started acting like a grown up. Still ate fast food but with a kid, car payment, rent…eating out all the time wasn’t in the budget.
Long story short, I don’t think the military had much to do with my eating habits, it was mostly my age. I got older and started making better life choices.
Amen.
“I hope its Christ and the things of Christ. And if we treasure Christ what we cut out for Christ may it be like this person, he won’t see it as a sacrifice because it was what he loved. May we cut out sins and pursue Christ and live for Him.”
Lol! Amazing this man is still alive and not two tons!!
I find this fascinating on so many levels. Enjoyed reading the comments as well!
Aww nice! Are you…into MCD in anyway? LOL I know some are grossed out with it lol
Negative no McDonald’s for me! They put sugar in their food, that’s why their fries are so addictive. I had a lot of work to do sorry for missing study!
One man’s obsession is another’s weakness. I am not sure where this Wisconsin man resides with his Big Mac attacks. I used to enjoy a Big Mac back in the day, but I haven’t eaten one for several years. Thanks for sharing the meaning behind the name of SlimJim.
In 98, I spent a month in India. Upon landing in LAX, I saw the arches in the concourse and had a Big Mac. I have rarely had one since.
Wow is there any country in Asia you never went to? Were you at New Delhi or another area of India?
In Asia, India (3 times), Singapore airport (once), Japan airport (4 times), South Kores (3 times), PR China (5 times), Thailand (twice, but more nights in country than any of the others). I missed most of Asia. As for India, two times just south of Mumbai and once just west of Kolkata. I never made it to New Delhi, but that might have been my next trip if I had not been laid off.