Fast food
 

How in the world can I stop with the fast food , I think I need an intervention. Everytime I think I have knocked it out it just creeps right back in to my eating. Usually when Im on the go and have no time or when I get depressed. I know my triggers its just seems I can not ignore them. I know fast food is just junk to eat I guess its just comforting to me somehow Im really not sure how but I wish I knew how to completely eradicate it from my eating habits. :?:

One strong "no" at a time. :hug:

You can do it.

I'd say stock up on low sugar protein bars when you're in a pinch. They're not the healthiest, sometimes they have so much saturated fat and sugar alcohols, but they are WAY better than fast food.

I think it's important to learn to stop soothing our pain/rewarding ourselves with food if we ever want to break free of an unhealthy relationship with food. Try to recognize that depression medicated with fattening food only leads to more depression. Think of something that actually makes you happy long term, with later benefits, and do that instead!

I'm not an "all or nothing" person. I had a lot of success allowing things on occasion. If you like fast food, allow it once a week if it fits into your plan. That's the key - it HAS to fit into your plan.

If you feel that you can't limit it to once a week, though...then it may be something you have to cut out completely. If you feel pulled to swing into the drive through on the way home from work, tape a picture of a "goal outfit" or "ideal body" somewhere in your vehicle where you can see it, or write some sort of affirmation ("I will NOT stop at McDonald's today!") and put it in your car. Or set up a go-to friend you can call when you're feeling weak.

It's just a matter of what you feel comfortable with. If allowing a little splurge once a week (Friday lunch, for example) will take the edge off the craving, go with that. If it won't, cut it out.

I'm with Mindy. I can't do all or nothing. Yes, fast food is crap. However, I happen to enjoy it. I love McDonald's fries. Love.Love.Love. So I allow myself to have them every once in a while - usually when it's TOM and I'm craving salt. And, as Mindy said, I make sure it fits into my plan. Maybe I exercise a little longer that day, or I have a lighter breakfast/dinner.

I don't do well denying myself things, because then I feel miserable and I go nuts.

I agree with moderation if it fits into your plan. Also, check the nutritional menus. Many of the fast food restaurants have items that are much healthier than their other options. I'm particularly fond of Hardees' turkey burger. I take off the top half of the sandwich bun and eat the remainder of the burger. I like the parfait at McD's. Just thoughts...

Moderation is best in my opinion, but if it's a trigger then you need to stop.

I am so unbelievably cheap...we're talking miser cheap...one thing that stops me from eating out all the time is the cost. As an experiment, every time you think about getting fast food, try to resist. If you are able to resist put that money into a new wardrobe fund for when you start losing weight. Seeing the weight drop off, and your fun money amass will both serve as motivators!

I am the same way. I love that junk...and I know it is junk! One thing that I have tried that works most of the time is to tell myself I can have it later. Like, if I am in the middle of running errands or going somewhere, I tell myself I can get it on my way home or I tell myself I can have it for dinner or tomorrow. That takes away the telling me 'no', but would take the pressure off having it now. Usually 'later' never really comes. If it does, I try and order myself just a soda or a hamburger Happy Meal.
Overall, I think the trick is finding something that works for you. Food is everywhere and we have to eat it, so finding balance is key. Good Luck finding your balance!

I never thought my cravings for it would stop, but they really did. I'm actually thinking hard to remember the last time I had it, and I used to have it regularly. Sometimes twice a day. I do typically have one day where I let myself eat off plan to an extent, but that's not usually something I choose for whatever reason. I really think it's true that once you start eating it on a semi-regular basis, you want it more- and the same is true for the other way around.

Try having it as a treat x number of times a week and "weaning." That's what I did, unintentionally, and it worked. As far as convenience goes- I totally understand. I found a few quick go to recipes for when I was crabby that don't break the bank, or if I'm out I'll look for a subway or something I know the nutritional value of. And actually a fast food burger and medium fry won't ruin your whole day if you're really having a hard time. It's just when you get into the double cheeseburgers and frappes and large fries.... like I tend to do.. haha.

I was addicted to fast food, and I can proudly say I haven't had anything but Subway since 3/15/10...best decision I ever made, because I knew for myself I couldn't just have some here and there. Just me though. I was eating like 10 double cheeseburgers per week at my heaviest, if not MORE. Really don't want it anymore, the cravings are gone.

The way I see it, if you feel it's a serious problem, maybe it's good to abstain for a while, to get comfortable with not having it. Once it's less of an addiction, then fit it in your plan as a treat?

I used to eat Mcd's at LEAST twice a day. My hubby and I went cold turkey in August of 1998 (yes I know the date!). I have not so much as touched a fry since. No idea what is even on the menu... It CAN be done! Rather than fast food I have "instant" food in my car at all times (mostly bars - both granola and other meal types) because sometimes you just NEED to eat.

I miss other fast foods and sometimes partake in a quiznos sandwich or subway but it is rare (like twice a year). try to think of it as "not food" as in it is something you hate. For example I do not eat seafood (allergic) so I try to think of fast food as all fish :D

Like everyone else, I've known for ages that fast food isn't only unhealthy, it's straight up junk. I didn't get serious about cutting it out till my daughter was old enough to eat solid food. We spend SO much time in the car and while some fast food choices are better than others, there are really no good fast food options.

For myself, the gross out method worked. Read up on where they source their food, the treatment of the animals, how really really poor the quality. It's really scary and gross. My daughter is five so she does not really care about this at all (although she's growing a conscience about animals) so there are times when she has the occasional Happy Meal (but I draw the line at chicken nuggets. OMG. Gross).

What has helped tremendously is taking the time to pack a lunch and getting a good cooler bag with ice packs. I try to pack it with food I really like and things that are slightly unusual "treats" for her. She LOVES sushi so we can split two rolls between us. I love hummus and don't keep an open container at home because I'm not even kidding, I could eat the whole thing. I keep the individual containers and carrots for packed meals. Grapes, pretzels, cheese, grape tomatoes, bottle of water - all kinds of things pack well and then we have something to eat without having to stop.

It takes a little planning but if you've already got lunch with you, there is no excuse to get you in the drive through and I PROMISE if you can get two weeks of no fast food behind you, you will lose the habit and your taste for it. My husband is a fast food junky. I thought he would have a much harder time giving it up but once we got out of the habit, we've pretty much lost the craving and when we have gotten stuck in a pinch and had fast food, it's just not as good as we remembered (and the gross out factor is always in the back of my mind. Who REALLY knows if the kid who made that salad actually washed his hands?).

I'm another one who just stopped and no longer crave the junk. And when I'm going to be out and about and know I will need to eat, I bring a cooler with my on plan foods with me. Healthier - and cheaper too!

I am another who doesn't crave it anymore. When I went kosher that pretty much stopped most of the fast food habit. I also thought about how badly the meat industry treats animals and that is exactly where these places get their hamburgers and chicken.

Then I went gluten free which means I really can't eat fast food. I can still have Wendy's baked potato and a local sandwich shops fries because none of it touches meat (that wouldn't be kosher) or gluten. That's it. Now I can say I really don't crave it. Every once in a while I will crave a McDonald's fish sandwich but thankfully it isn't kosher or gluten free so I have to resist. Maybe you can find something that helps you resist, like considering the treatment of animals or whatever.

I'm going to give you a diff. POV.

I go in phases because life is sometimes crazy and you get desperate when your time management flew out the window. In a pinch, I try to stop at places like Panera or Subway where there's hope of a fast salad or soup rather than drive thru McD's. And I drink plain water or plain ice tea.

For me junk foods are a trigger (I'm PCOS/IR) and stepping OFF that train revolves around eating sounder more nutritious meals with a solid protein food in there somewhere. And keeping up with my multivitamin. A few rounds of that and I lose the "taste" for junk food sugar/simple carb hits. It starts to taste disgusting.

If you are feeling THIS attached to it -- have you been checked for prediabetes or insulin resistance?

Because sometimes that's one of the first clues -- getting hung on the blood sugar spikes from junk food meals that are often not just high in simple sugars/simple carbs but high in general calories. You are on this roller coaster of spikes when you need to be on a smoother, more stable ride.

That's a tough food load to ask your body and pancreas to process -- your basic burger, fries and soda meal.

HTH!
A.