Don Thompson: McDonald’s CEO claims he lost 20 lbs in a year despite eating from chain’s menu every day

McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson has claimed he lost 20 lbs in weight, despite eating from the chain’s menu every day.

Don Thompson said he regularly worked out at a gym to lose the pounds but did not stop wolfing down the fast food meals whenever he could.

But his claims were met with skepticism on Twitter with some branding it the “McDiet” and asking him to “prove it”.

Last week McDonald’s unveiled its most unhealthy item ever, the Mega Potato, which is a double size portion of fries. At 1,142 calories Mega Potato is more than half the recommended daily calorie intake for a woman.

Don Thompson said he shed the weight over the course of a year by getting up early in the mornings and going to the gym.

The fast food boss insisted he still ate at McDonald’s ‘every single day’, although he did not specify what he chose from the menu.

He admitted that despite McDonald’s trying to rebrand itself as healthier, its salads make up only 2-3% of sales.

But the McDonald’s CEO claimed the company was making efforts to include more vegetables in its meals.

Don Thompson, who has been on the job for less than a year, was responding to a question about how the company is adapting amid growing concerns about obesity when he pointed out his slimmer frame.

He said that he lost the weight by getting active again and noted that it’s rare to see Europeans that are “very, very heavy” because they walk a lot.

“And so I think that balance is really important to people,” he said.

“I don’t see salads as being a major growth driver in the near future,” Don Thompson told investors in New York this week, according to Bloomberg News.

It’s no wonder the salads have failed to lure health conscious diners when they are often as fat-laden as a Big Mac and boast names such as Bacon Ranch and Southwest Crispy Chicken.

In comparison to poor salad sales, the restaurant’s Dollar Menu generates 13-14% of U.S. business, he said.

However, Don Thompson claims the company isn’t giving up on selling fruit and vegetables. For instance, some of McDonald’s new McWraps have tomato, cucumber slices and shredded lettuce inside, he said.

McDonald’s first added tossed salads to its U.S. menu in 1987.

Bloomberg News reported earlier this month that it is considered ditching Caesar salads after it already got rid of Fruit & Walnut salads from its menu this year.

McDonald’s shares fell more than 2.2% to close at $98.28 on Wednesday, after the announcement. At one point they declined as much as 2.9% for the biggest intraday drop since October 19 and they continued to fall on Thursday.

The shares gained 15% this year through to Tuesday. In comparison, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index advanced 16%.

The chain announced it was axing its Fruit & Walnut salad in March after competitors Burger King Worldwide Inc and Wendy’s Co began closing the gap with McDonald’s.

McDonald’s, the world’s biggest hamburger chain for years, held a huge lead against most rivals, but some of those chains now are luring away diners with fast-changing menus featuring tempting new food.