I 100% honestly and truly believe that i'm addicted to fast food. Last year I lost 30 pounds by strictly cutting out fast food but suddenly something came over me and I got back on it. For me it's like a drug, I spend all of my hard earned money on it and it feels like such a waste! It's like i'm paying to make myself fatter, and it doesn't even taste that great, I just eat it!

Does anyone else have this problem? Am I just crazy? Any tips? Anything at all will help, really. Thank you so much!

I am the same way I would hit up the drive thrus about 15 times a week at my worst. One thing that helped me was a picture of myself that I taped to the steering wheel of my car. It is really hard and they are everywhere I found that I really couldn't cut them out but be more selective about what I get like a burger and side salad not a #1 large with a coke.

I used to be like that. I had to have a quarter pounder with cheese everyday. Then someone told me that a kid that was working at a local fast food establishment crapped and put it in the meat. Problem solved. No more fast food burgers.
Sharon

Well one tip I could offer is, like Colleen already mentioned, you can be selective about what kind of fast food you get... like getting a salad instead of fries (and skipping the fatty dressing), asking for no sauce on your burger, avoiding anything deep fried like chicken nuggets/fish etc, and getting a low-calorie drink like diet Coke, bottled water, hot tea or something like that. I realize no one goes to a fast food restaurant for salad but if you find yourself in the drive thru, don't let yourself order what you would normally get!

Even a small change like getting a small fries instead of a large could make a HUGE difference in terms of calories and fat.

Fast food addiction is very real. Its cheap, easy and full of all of the things that our taste buds have become used to and like very much. But, just like all addictions....alcohol, nicotine, sugar, even chocolate ...the addiction to fast food can be broken. For me personally, I avoid fast food like the plague! I know my weaknesses and its better not to tempt myself.

Thank you all so much!
I'm glad to see i'm not the only one who does this. I feel like i'm the only one sometimes.. like i'm the only big person going through the drive-thru.

Thanks surferchick, but ahh I hate doing that. Substituting things for other things I don't like such as salads. I'd rather just have nothing at all sometimes ya know? But thank you so much, seriously, you guys are great and always here to help!

Please watch supersize me......you will stop that moment

Well if you can avoid going there altogether then that's even better.

I agree with CyberGypsy...watch Supersize Me and that will help. Also, read the book Fast Food Nation. I read this while I was pregnant with my daughter and I was in a real McDonald's kick. About half way through the book I was SO turned off by all fast food that I almost never go now. I NEVER ever crave it like I used to and I only go if I'm like taking a long road trip and my only option is fast food at a gas stop or something. I avoide it at all costs now, though. Seriously, if you become educated about what's *really* in your fast food you may change your mind. It makes you look at it in a whole different light. You almost will stop looking at it as food at all. My addiction was literally gone after reading that book.

I watched "super size me" tonight - if you watch this it could make all the difference for you.

i also struggle with an extreme fast food addiction - i keep a food journal now and i noticed there were literally WEEKS where that was all i ate!!!

its HARD to break the habit!

*hugs*

I also suffered a serious fast food addiction -- I would steal cash from my parent's to go to Mcdonald's. And when they started accepting credit cards, then I would go nearly every day, sometimes more than once a day. On June 1, 2005 -- I just stopped cold turkey -- absolutely NO fast food of any kind for a LONG time -- but I now can go to Mcdonald's occasionally and the crazy craving doesn't come back after I eat some fries or a cheeseburger. There is an incredibly interesting science behind the craving for the high fat and sugar content in fast food. Basically, the more you eat, the more your body craves it.

And on a side note, watching "Supersize Me" made me WANT Mcdonald's (after I kicked the habit). But I resisted -- I went out and had Taco Bell instead after turning off the movie and seeing a commercial for it.

Watch supersize me chick. Especially the bit where it shows how they make chicken nuggets. ICK!

It does get addicting and I know it can be hard as its cheap and tastes good but you need to look at the break down. Shock yourself. I used to work in starbucks and would end up eating all the left over cakes and things as they were thrown otherwise. Anyway one day we were looking at nutrition and I couldn't believe the amount of fat and calories. Major shock to the system. So maybes you could get a nutrition sheet to keep refering too?

Have you tryed hypnosis? Paul McKenna has a cd and book out here and he focuses on you can eat what you want as long as you enjoy it and chew it and really taste it. Ive been working on that. Still letting myself have some treats but slowing down my whole meal and Ive found since really tasting things, some stuff I used to eat is too rich to eat to much now - like dougnuts. I can very rarely it one now where as in the past in my bad days I could eat a whole pack in one sitting

I guess try to make the same things you would buy at the restaurant at home. But make lean versions like small hamburgers and homemade baked fries and things. As time comes on I think you'll come to like your own versions better since they are not processed and better for you.

Yeah me too - former addict - recovery helped by watching supersize me. I used to have headaches and only feel better if I had my fix - just like it said on supersize me - was scary! But think there's also just the association between hunger - when I'm hungry I go to the drive through - it's so easy to just point your car in that direction. Maybe give yourself a once a week treat and so you eat it as a planned thing and it might make it easier to work on for the rest of the week as it's tough breaking that addiction!

EM