So how did you all fix your cravings for fast food?
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »CountessKitteh wrote: »
can we define "crap"..
you can go to mcdonalds, wendys, etc, fit it into your day and hit your calorie/macro/micro goal for the day and your overall diet will be fine.
Diet, dosage, and hitting calorie/micro/macro goal is what matters, not individual food choice....
Micros, macros, bah!! I say fast food is crap because it tastes crappy. It's low quality crap.
well that is your personal preference....
however, if OP wants to eat in the context of her overall diet then she can, and hit her goals...
Well, since the OP state she didn't, I'm just going to believe her.0 -
nicsflyingcircus wrote: »snowflake930 wrote: »For me, it was pretty much telling myself the calorie content in burgers and fries. How much more food I could have for the same calorie amount. I switched over to fresh ground turkey in place of ground beef and there is truly, very little difference. I have not purchased ground beef in 3 years now.
If you want it though, just make in fit into your calorie allotment for the day.
When we have fast food, I make better choices, veggie pizza, grilled chicken breast, etc.
Works for me.
Lies, damnable lies! While ground turkey may have its merits, it in no way compares to the rich, beefy flavor of real hamburger.
Ground venison does. Well, if superiority is comparable, that is.0 -
I'm pretty much a food snob so I've never had to deal with this...I eat fast food very rarely and usually only when I'm on a road trip or something...I don't think it tastes all that good.
This was the case well before I started making efforts to be fit and lose weight...I've just always found it to be pretty disgusting. I enjoy high quality food and about the only fast food I can deal with is a sour cream and chive baked potato with a side of chili at Wendy's..that's half way decent.
I would think that learning to cook and making food that is actually delicious would go a long way in solving your cravings for that slop.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »CountessKitteh wrote: »
can we define "crap"..
you can go to mcdonalds, wendys, etc, fit it into your day and hit your calorie/macro/micro goal for the day and your overall diet will be fine.
Diet, dosage, and hitting calorie/micro/macro goal is what matters, not individual food choice....
Micros, macros, bah!! I say fast food is crap because it tastes crappy. It's low quality crap.
well that is your personal preference....
however, if OP wants to eat in the context of her overall diet then she can, and hit her goals...
Well, since the OP state she didn't, I'm just going to believe her.
where did she say she can't?
she just said she had a craving for fast food....0 -
How about holding yourself accountable - if you want the burger and fries, make sure it fits your macros then go and get it yourself. Don't ask anyone else to get it for you or pick it up on the way home. Go in and order, no drive through. Look at all of the calorie options available at the Fast Food restaurants that you choose to frequent. Find the menu items you like and compare them to other items for calorie counts. Downsize the order: instead of double cheeseburger and large fries go to the regular cheeseburger and small fries. It's not about denying as much as it is planning.
Something that also helps me is to plan meals. In my irrational love of spreadsheets I have dinners planned until June, including shopping lists. I'm not saying go to that extreme, but start by planning tomorrow's dinner.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »CountessKitteh wrote: »
can we define "crap"..
you can go to mcdonalds, wendys, etc, fit it into your day and hit your calorie/macro/micro goal for the day and your overall diet will be fine.
Diet, dosage, and hitting calorie/micro/macro goal is what matters, not individual food choice....
Micros, macros, bah!! I say fast food is crap because it tastes crappy. It's low quality crap.
well that is your personal preference....
however, if OP wants to eat in the context of her overall diet then she can, and hit her goals...
Well, since the OP state she didn't, I'm just going to believe her.
where did she say she can't?
she just said she had a craving for fast food....
No, she said she wanted help in getting rid of the cravings.0 -
I'll still eat it on occasion... I just make sure to look at the menu before I go and pick foods that will fit my goals for the day.0
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OK, not demonising any foods here but I successfully and permanently curbed my cravings for fast food. It's a craving for fat and salt, both which used to be hard to come by (paleolithic), and both are needed for the body.
For medical reasons, hubby and I curbed our fat and salt intake for one month. Home-cooked meals, vigilance. My tastes in vegetables changed as without salt they needed something else to pump up their flavour. I found I had to eat very fresh vegetables, skillfully prepared with flavourings such as garlic, onion, herbs. I began picking stronger flavoured vegetables as well like parsnips.
Our tastes did adjust to the new diet, and subtle flavours became more pronounced.
After that one month, we both craved KFC so ordered a meal. It was horrible.
Guess what? Commercially salted soups and fast food now taste terrible. All you taste is salt and fat!
I still go out and eat fast food, but I may just order the burger with a salad. I'll steal a fry or two from hubby's stash. It's all about moderation and loving your choices. All of them.
Seniors may have to switch to a low-salt diet in order to protect their kidneys. It happens.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »CountessKitteh wrote: »
can we define "crap"..
you can go to mcdonalds, wendys, etc, fit it into your day and hit your calorie/macro/micro goal for the day and your overall diet will be fine.
Diet, dosage, and hitting calorie/micro/macro goal is what matters, not individual food choice....
Micros, macros, bah!! I say fast food is crap because it tastes crappy. It's low quality crap.
well that is your personal preference....
however, if OP wants to eat in the context of her overall diet then she can, and hit her goals...
Well, since the OP state she didn't, I'm just going to believe her.
where did she say she can't?
she just said she had a craving for fast food....
No, she said she wanted help in getting rid of the cravings.
OK - so where did she say she can't fit it into her day ...?
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maybe if she eats fast food once in a while an fits it into her day, she wont crave it...
shocking concept, I know...0 -
I eat fast food when I really want it, which turns out to be not very often. I quickly adjusted after realizing that most of the time I was eating fast food out of habit and because of a lack of planning. The other part that made it easy was logging my food and staying within my calorie allotment. Even now when the urge hits me I first decide whether I want to spend so many calories on just one meal. If the answer is yes, then I indulge.
This.
Last week my kids wanted Arby's (they love the curly fries), so I saved all my calories for the day and ate the #7 meal, large, with an order of jalapeno hush puppies. That meal was an entire day's worth of calories for me and it was worth it
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BodyByBacon wrote: »I am surprised so many are defending fast food. If you feel there is nothing wrong with it once in a while, then by all means go for it. But I am coming at from a different angle.
First I have an addictive personality (not saying this applies to original poster or anyone else) and I need to see what certain foods do to trigger that. Sugar and fast food trigger me to eat more and more. I never really get full eating them. I had to stop cold turkey, recognize what it does to me, and take it a day at a time. And yes after a while the cravings lessen.
And I need to respect myself and eating poorly is not respecting myself, it is more an act of violence or self destruction. If I want a burger I make one or I go to QUALITY burger place. There are plenty around. I am worthy of quality food.
The other thing I do is I decide before I go precisely what I will be eating. That way, when I get there I don't have to make any choices, because if I do they will likely be bad ones. I also try to limit myself to one item. If I want a nice big juicy burger, fine, then skip the fries (and appetizer and desert). Then I leave feeling satisfied and also proud of accomplishing what I planned.
That's my two cents.
^^JW, where to you get quality burgers? Seriously, I am not trying to be a smart a**. Restaurants add a lot of sodium and sugar to foods they serve. Just saying. And yes, we are ALL, worthy of quality food, and we can (and many of us do) make it ourselves, and it is even better tasting than quality burger places.
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? I'm confused. Fast food is universally acknowledged as not being healthy, despite some efforts made to adjust that image. The OP herself is asking for adviceon how to avoid or reduce consumption. I think you just enjoy arguing. I have done nothing but agree that it should be avoided and offer my way of doing it (for me and my kids). OP, again I apologize for this distraction. I will stop my part in hijacking your request for ideas. I hope you get some great ideas here!
You are not alone. I agree with you, some people just don't like hearing it. I avoid all processed foods to the greatest extent possible. Fast food isn't alone in its unhealthfulness, but it certainly is not good for you. That doesn't mean you have to completely cut it out of your diet, but you're fooling yourself if you believe having a moderate amount is as healthy as never having it- it's not. Crap is crap - better to eat healthfully than crappy foods. Not picking on fast food- I love cakes and cupcakes- they aren't healthy for me either. I don't live in denial they are healthy though, I just know that I'm happy to sacrifice a little health for how much I love them!
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? I'm confused. Fast food is universally acknowledged as not being healthy, despite some efforts made to adjust that image. The OP herself is asking for adviceon how to avoid or reduce consumption. I think you just enjoy arguing. I have done nothing but agree that it should be avoided and offer my way of doing it (for me and my kids). OP, again I apologize for this distraction. I will stop my part in hijacking your request for ideas. I hope you get some great ideas here!
You are not alone. I agree with you, some people just don't like hearing it. I avoid all processed foods to the greatest extent possible. Fast food isn't alone in its unhealthfulness, but it certainly is not good for you. That doesn't mean you have to completely cut it out of your diet, but you're fooling yourself if you believe having a moderate amount is as healthy as never having it- it's not. Crap is crap - better to eat healthfully than crappy foods. Not picking on fast food- I love cakes and cupcakes- they aren't healthy for me either. I don't live in denial they are healthy though, I just know that I'm happy to sacrifice a little health for how much I love them!
no such thing as crappy food..
cakes and cupcakes are processed...just FYI ...0 -
[/quote]
no such thing as crappy food..
cakes and cupcakes are processed...just FYI ...[/quote]
^^True this. And the fact is, everything is processed technically.
Many of us want to avoid overly processed, packaged foods with many things added to them to "improve" (?) the flavor and extend shelf life, which may not be as nutritiously healthy for us.
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snowflake930 wrote: »
no such thing as crappy food..
cakes and cupcakes are processed...just FYI ...[/quote]
^^True this. And the fact is, everything is processed technically.
Many of us want to avoid overly processed, packaged foods with many things added to them to "improve" (?) the flavor and extend shelf life, which may not be as nutritiously healthy for us.
[/quote]
NDJ, will you find a way to argue with this, too?0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »CountessKitteh wrote: »
can we define "crap"..
you can go to mcdonalds, wendys, etc, fit it into your day and hit your calorie/macro/micro goal for the day and your overall diet will be fine.
Diet, dosage, and hitting calorie/micro/macro goal is what matters, not individual food choice....
Micros, macros, bah!! I say fast food is crap because it tastes crappy. It's low quality crap.
well that is your personal preference....
however, if OP wants to eat in the context of her overall diet then she can, and hit her goals...
Well, since the OP state she didn't, I'm just going to believe her.
where did she say she can't?
she just said she had a craving for fast food....
No, she said she wanted help in getting rid of the cravings.
OK - so where did she say she can't fit it into her day ...?
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maybe if she eats fast food once in a while an fits it into her day, she wont crave it...
shocking concept, I know...
Isn't that what she said she was doing now, and wanted to change? Listen, I'm not saying one can't eat that crap. I'm saying the OP said she didn't want to. Try and push your personal eating choices on her if you want, but I don't play like that.0 -
Two very small burgers. And no sides. I could easily make 2 small sandwiches at home for 2 bucks.0 -
I never crave the food itself, I actually crave the 'fast' part when I'm burnt out and can't think of something I feel like making. If it fits in my calories, I don't worry about but that's really because it's not a common habit. And I try to mix up the McDs etc with subs and healthier type fast food. And Thai. Mostly Thai. Develop an addiction to larb and you'll be set.0
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AmandaHugginkiss wrote: »TheVirgoddess wrote: »
? I'm confused. Fast food is universally acknowledged as not being healthy, despite some efforts made to adjust that image. The OP herself is asking for adviceon how to avoid or reduce consumption. I think you just enjoy arguing. I have done nothing but agree that it should be avoided and offer my way of doing it (for me and my kids). OP, again I apologize for this distraction. I will stop my part in hijacking your request for ideas. I hope you get some great ideas here!
In and of itself, it's not unhealthy. Excessively consumed - probably (just based on sodium, IMO). But as part of a well balanced diet, it's not unhealthy. I had an Egg McMuffin the other morning, it was 300 calories, 17g of protein. It was a good breakfast and didn't ruin my day food wise, or my body health wise.
Anyway, I don't get fast food cravings, so I don't know what it feels like. We eat fast food when we need to for convenience. In my opinion, making stuff forbidden will lead to cravings, because we always want what we can't have, right?
I think allowing yourself to eat it occasionally will help, but if you're not comfortable with that, play around at home - there are so many copy cat recipes out there.
I agree with this. I think my confusion is more about why they thinking I'm judging anyone.
Egg McMuffin ... mmm. The idea of a Whopper sitting on a counter for a year without one bit of degradation is more the nasty image in my head. Yes, I am judging that Whopper. Everyone should. Blech.
Try sitting a whopper on your counter and see what happens after a couple of days. It will start to smell bad, decompose, and then rot. It's made of ground beef, cheese, a bun, some lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, ketchup, a pickle or two....you get the idea. Bread will harden because all bread (even that nasty Ezekiel stuff) hardens and goes stale when exposed to air. Put it in a baggie and seal it and even the bread will mold and rot.
OP, like everything in life, You need to practice moderation. We get that learning moderation isn't something that happens overnight. For now, just stop eating as much of it. When you ask for that whopper at the end of the night, why are you doing it? You're not hungry; you just want to satisfy some ritual that you associate with food. Change that to something not food-related. Turn off the tv and go to bed if all else fails. Honestly, it doesn't matter whether that 4th meal is a whopper or something that would traditionally be considered healthier. If you overeat, you gain weight.
I can imagine if i put any food out for a few days on the counter, esp in really hot weather it would rot???
agreed re eating in moderation.0 -
Went cold turkey. Now, it depends on your definition of fast food. Like I haven't eaten McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell for about 7 years, but Subway and Chipolte do sneak their way in every once in awhile. But it is something I rarely crave.0
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My boyfriend and I used to get fast food breakfast ALL THE TIME, but recently I made a bunch of breakfast burritos and froze them. They were SUPER easy. They definitely still had some calories, but at least I knew exactly what went into them - a roll of sausage, 1/2 onion, 1 red pepper, 1 green pepper, 10 eggs, 10 tortillas, some red pepper flakes. It comes out to around 350 calories per burrito. They tasted just like McDonald's, but were more convenient and even cheaper in the long run. I made them on a Sunday night and it only took me about 25 minutes to get them ready.
Feel free to add me and I can share some recipes with you that are delicious!0 -
herrspoons wrote: »I didn't. I just eat less of it.
^ This. If i'm craving something, im going to eat it. Just less and in moderation.
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Personally, I drink a bottle of water every time I get hungry. If I'm still hungry after 20 minutes I'll eat wholegrain rice cakes or another wholegrain, high fibre/high protein food.0
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I just decided back in 2009 that my husband and I weren't going to eat fast food anymore and we haven't. In 2012 I was diagnosed with celiac disease after dealing with thyroid disease, so sticking with it hasn't been a problem. Even if I wanted fast food, I can't eat it.0
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I don't eat it because medically (serious sodium restriction) I can't.....But damn I miss Arby's sometimes. And McDonald's fries. A few months ago I had a small fry and it was the best thing EVER. After awhile the cravings just stopped. I had to learn to cook a lot better LOL, but they did stop.0
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Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
Fast food IS unhealthy. But folks can get away with eating some unhealthy foods. I find it easier to do with out (easier to stay at my maintenance level, and easier in terms of how I feel). But some folks prefer adding it in to their diets.
? I'm confused. Fast food is universally acknowledged as not being healthy, despite some efforts made to adjust that image. The OP herself is asking for adviceon how to avoid or reduce consumption. I think you just enjoy arguing. I have done nothing but agree that it should be avoided and offer my way of doing it (for me and my kids). OP, again I apologize for this distraction. I will stop my part in hijacking your request for ideas. I hope you get some great ideas here!
really, how so?
I find your campaign to stop people from name calling of certain foods fascinating. Reminds me a bit of efforts to stop people from using pejorative terms for sexual orientation, race, disabilities etc. Amusing to think of "junk food" as the maligned underdog. I DO agree that it is not always unhealthy. Context matters. Maybe I have been sweating a bunch and need that extra salt. And there have definitely been times where I needed something sugary (like during a tennis match that has gone on too long and it's now lunchtime). But I also agree that in most situations, you can make a much healthier choice than "junk food".
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Our "quitting" fast food wasn't a matter of believing fast food is evil. But the price sure is! lol We took a look at our monthly bank statement and decided eating out wasn't for us anymore. We want to buy a house this year and fast food wasn't in the budget plan for that. I started cooking at home and found that if I ate a big portion of veggies and low calorie foods I would be too full to want to indulge in massive treats. I still eat chocolate most nights just a smaller portion. But I was forced to eat dinner out a couple nights ago because of an emergency. We has wendys. I looked up their nutritional info and found I could have two sandwiches for under 600 calories if I changed up the sauces (sub mustard for ketchup and mayo) or go dry. I honestly didn't enjoy it other than the bacon on one of the sandwiches (bc bacon is bacon is yummy) but I was hungry and had to eat something. But because we are cooking at home so much now, our tastes for foods have just changed. We can still have something if we want to as long as it fits into our calorie budget and our financial budget. I just don't want to much anymore.
But overall, most people here are right. An occasional indulgence will not derail you. Earn some extra calories with exercise. If your goal is weight loss, it's probably wise not to eat it for every meal and probably not every day. But once in a while is going to help you keep your sanity while you are learning fast food doesn't have to be a part of every meal but can still play a part in an overall healthy lifestyle in moderation.0 -
? I'm confused. Fast food is universally acknowledged as not being healthy, despite some efforts made to adjust that image. The OP herself is asking for adviceon how to avoid or reduce consumption. I think you just enjoy arguing. I have done nothing but agree that it should be avoided and offer my way of doing it (for me and my kids). OP, again I apologize for this distraction. I will stop my part in hijacking your request for ideas. I hope you get some great ideas here!
You are not alone. I agree with you, some people just don't like hearing it. I avoid all processed foods to the greatest extent possible. Fast food isn't alone in its unhealthfulness, but it certainly is not good for you. That doesn't mean you have to completely cut it out of your diet, but you're fooling yourself if you believe having a moderate amount is as healthy as never having it- it's not. Crap is crap - better to eat healthfully than crappy foods. Not picking on fast food- I love cakes and cupcakes- they aren't healthy for me either. I don't live in denial they are healthy though, I just know that I'm happy to sacrifice a little health for how much I love them!
no such thing as crappy food..
cakes and cupcakes are processed...just FYI ...
That's exactly my point- I do my best, know it is bad for me, and about once a month, choose to eat something like that anyway. Try reading- maybe you'll get the point.
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goldthistime wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
Fast food IS unhealthy. But folks can get away with eating some unhealthy foods. I find it easier to do with out (easier to stay at my maintenance level, and easier in terms of how I feel). But some folks prefer adding it in to their diets.
? I'm confused. Fast food is universally acknowledged as not being healthy, despite some efforts made to adjust that image. The OP herself is asking for adviceon how to avoid or reduce consumption. I think you just enjoy arguing. I have done nothing but agree that it should be avoided and offer my way of doing it (for me and my kids). OP, again I apologize for this distraction. I will stop my part in hijacking your request for ideas. I hope you get some great ideas here!
really, how so?
I find your campaign to stop people from name calling of certain foods fascinating. Reminds me a bit of efforts to stop people from using pejorative terms for sexual orientation, race, disabilities etc. Amusing to think of "junk food" as the maligned underdog. I DO agree that it is not always unhealthy. Context matters. Maybe I have been sweating a bunch and need that extra salt. And there have definitely been times where I needed something sugary (like during a tennis match that has gone on too long and it's now lunchtime). But I also agree that in most situations, you can make a much healthier choice than "junk food".
Maybe it needs a PC name, like "alternatively nutritious".
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