You know what? I don't eat junk. And the reason is, I don't want junk! You couldn't pay me to eat McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Domino's, etc. My taste has changed over the years since I stopped doing that and calling it "fun." That and checking a calorie chart... :eek:

I go to Starbucks now and then, and I get a grande iced coffee, no sweetener, and put whole milk and some half-and-half in it. That is my idea of a splurge! I really enjoy it, too!

My rule is, if I'm going to eat something like french fries, they have to be the best french fries on the planet, made with whole potatoes, with the skins on. They aren't going to be synthetic, modified food starch extruded into a french fry shape and carrying 250 calories of mostly fat in a small serving! :p

So I guess the answer to "how often" is--it's always an option! But not one I care to take! That's why it's a lifestyle change...

Jay

Lately, I've been using a working definition of junk being that stuff that makes me want to eat it, and keep eating a whole bag/carton/whatever, even though as I'm eating it I'm thinking it tastes icky. To me, that's some freaky kind of food. I did that yesterday with some nonfat frozen yogurt. My goal with that stuff is never. It's almost always very processed stuff.

On the other hand, I'm pretty lenient with other treats. I plan to have none during the week (which just works out well without any feeling of deprivation), and whatever I truly want on the weekends. With the way I normally eat (which markedly influences what I *want* to eat), the weekends still remain quite healthy :).