Q+A: 'Super Size Me'

June 28, 2004 -- How did he lose the weight? Director Morgan Spurlock answers your questions about his fast food diet for the award-winning documentary Super Size Me.

Question: Do you still find yourself craving McDonald's, now that you've been away from it for a while?Adriane, Winnetka, Calif.

Answer: To this day, if I smell a Big Mac, my mouth starts watering like Pavlov's dog. It's crazy. I smell it and I want it, but I can't eat it because to me it doesn't even taste like food anymore. In fact, it tastes like the most "unfood" thing I can imagine, it tastes artificial, chemical and leaves quite an unnatural aftertaste (a delightful McFilm) in my mouth.

Question: Was it hard switching to the healthy food after you ate McDonald's for all of that time?Garrett, Nanuet, N.Y.

Answer: By the time I finished this diet, I was dying for fresh food! My body was craving vegetables and was overjoyed the first time it got some. I experienced an incredible period of withdrawal for the first three days off the diet: massive headaches, body pains, periods of sweats and shaking. It was remarkable. By the fourth day, most of these had effects had subsided. Now I'm not a firm believer that they add all types of chemicals to food to make it addictive, but I do believe that if you eat a diet heavy in fat, sugar, salt and caffeine (like you will eat at most fast food chains), then your body will start to crave and rely on it.

Question: Can't wait to see the film. As a doc filmmakers myself, you really made a sacrifice for your art.Kathryn, Jackson, Miss.

Answer: I knew from the minute I had the idea that I couldn't ask anyone else to do this. (Never ask someone to do something that you aren't willing to do yourself!)