Yesterday I learned that if I download the “Whopper Sacrifice” Facebook application and delete 10 friends from my account, I will receive a free Burger King Whopper.

Salivating, I mentally reviewed my friend list: who will I ax first? Do I sacrifice the outliers and use the promotion as a reason to trim my inflated friend count? Do I sacrifice friends who need a good laugh? The Facebook-obsessed? The vegetarians?

Then I stopped mid-review: why on earth would I want a free Whopper? The last Whopper I consumed was probably 5 years ago, in an airport, out of necessity rather than choice (or so I justified at the time). Yet Burger King’s brilliant ploy had me dreaming of charbroiled tastiness (perhaps topped off with a chocolate milkshake?).

Burger King’s Crispin Porter & Bogusky has always gotten my attention with previous ad campaigns such as the Subservient Chicken and Whopper Virgins; and honestly, who doesn’t think the king is creepy? But despite the laughs these ads have brought me, this is the first time I’ve been lured into actually considering entering a store and making a purchase (the more I thought about the milkshake, the better the whole deal sounded).

Yet there is something to be said for recognizing that (blessed) moment of mindfulness when it hit me that:

1) I don’t actually like the way Whoppers taste
2) I really don’t like the way I feel after eating fast food
3) I am lactose intolerant (milkshakes are always a no-no) 

Now, I’m not going to lie and say I never eat fast food hamburgers, but I am going to tell you that I try to take a moment and pay attention to what my body actually needs and evaluate my reasoning for making such a choice (most of the time I realize I’m craving protein). To be honest, it’s usually the times when I’m not paying attention to what my body needs or how it feels when I make such a decision.

It is so easy to get caught up in the influences of our modern environment – and now we have the added pressure of keeping up with the status updates and tweets of friends and strangers alike. Right after I first read about the application, I updated my Facebook status to say: “Erin may be sacrificing your friendship for a Whopper.” Within the hour one of my so-called “friends” commented, “I’ll sacrifice you first. Mmm…Whopper.”

And he did.

For the sake of his health and his sanity I am happy to report that after deleting 10 of his friends he was directed to a site that asked for his contact information and told him that it would take up to 4 weeks to receive his coupon. If his disappointment was any indication, I’d say it’s pretty safe to assume he won’t be walking into a Burger King anytime soon.

I’m currently deliberating whether to accept his latest friendship request. After all, he did choose a hamburger over me.