It’s after midnight on a Friday night, and what do I want? A McChicken.

Granted, McDonalds cravings—or any fast food craving, for that matter—aren’t particularly noteworthy. Fast food is chemically engineered to make us crave it. The question remains: to what extent is this normal?

Over the last 8 months, I have eaten one McChicken for 80% of my weekday lunches. That’s 4 McChickens per week for the last 35 weeks. That’s 140 McChickens. That’s 45 pounds of McChickens. At this current rate, I will consume 68 pounds of McChicken sandwiches over the course of a year.

Now, if you heard that someone consumed 68 pounds of a fast food sandwich over the course of a year, what would be your immediate mental assumption as to said person’s appearance? I thought so, and you are wrong.

In the course of the 8 months that I have relied heavily on McChicken sandwiches, my weight has not fluctuated. In fact, it is more stable than it was prior to my McChicken habit. Why is this? Routines. Having a sensible routine helps keep things even keel. My McChicken is my routine. If anything, I believe I’ve lost 3 pounds.

Still, others may argue that fast food is the bane of a healthy blood pressure’s existence. However, salt is in an over abundance in nearly everything. Fast food is hardly the only culprit. My blood pressure still averages approximately 106 to 108 over 64.

How is all of this possible? Let’s consider the McChicken. First, it’s only 360 calories. That’s less than an order of medium French fries, and is considerably more filling. In fact, I’ve found the McChicken to be more filling than the dollar menu chicken sandwich counterparts at Burger King and Jack n the Box.

With these 360 calories, I receive 14g of protein. While this isn’t exactly a high protein to calorie ratio, it’s high enough to provide sufficient energy midway through a day at the office.

Now, with diabetics in the family, I must admit that I’m giddy that the sandwich only has 5g of sugar. Similarly, the 16g of fat contained in the sandwich doesn’t phase me. If I must get sweetness from somewhere, I prefer it to be fat, not sugar. The McChicken delivers in this regard, with over 80% of its fat being unsaturated.

In any event, now that we have established that the McChicken doesn’t appear to be clogging my arteries or bursting my seams anytime soon, allow me to elaborate on what’s truly my motivation behind consuming it daily: the flavor and price.

Yes, the McChicken consists of a miracle chicken product made by McDonalds. No, I do not care. How many dry or misshapen chicken sandwiches have you had? I’ve had plenty, though not a single one was a McChicken. Always cooked to perfection, this sandwich has never let me down. The lettuce and bun offer the perfect soft counterpart to the crunch of the patty. It’s simple, craveable heaven.

And the best part? It’s a buck. For a girl on a budget, that’s a mini victory every day that I go through the drive through. It’s fairly easy to spend upwards of $10 at other fast food establishments on just a sandwich, and yet I skim by for just a buck.

It’s cheap, it’s delicious, and it’s about as healthy as a fast food sandwich is going to get while still tasting delicious. And I’m craving one right now…damn.