Fast Food at the Gym??

superwmn

It's weird that she'd bring it in, but it is a free country...

When I'm at the mall, the smell of the pretzel shops CALLS out to me. I feel like a cartoon character floating on the ribbon of scent coming from the pretzel stand. Funnily enough, I haven't had a mall pretzel in forever because I can't rationalize the calories. When I indulge, I prefer to spend my calories on something better than bread.

But when I'm in the mall, I walk by the pretzel stand and 'eat them with my nose'.

Perhaps you can eat fries with your nose and next time the smell won't have such an affect on you?

Charmagne

Dafrog

My gym is right next to a Chinese restaurant and all the cardio machines are at the front windows. Therefore, you get to watch everyone walk in and carry out there to-gos. I love Chinese, although I use this to my advantage. Because the biggest portion of ppl I see or overweight and I tell myself I do not want to look like that again.
Perhaps you should allow yourself a small fry occasionally, if you love em that much. I still allow myself things that I enjoy on occasion, just not too often and in moderation.
I am working on a lifestyle change, not a diet.
As for the lady you brought in the fries, one is going to have temptations where ever one is.

Jennplus2

I don't mean sound overly judgemental, but...

I'd only be at the gym, if I knew and accepted the value of exercise and the importance of good health.

That being said, I would feel like a complete hypocrite to feed my kids unhealthy crap, knowing the affect it had on my health. I can't imagine me caring about my own health, but not that of my children.

Even worse would be for me to bring my kids with me to the gym with burgers and fries for all to see. I'd have to be unbelievably inconsiderate, utterly insensitive, and completely obtuse, not to think of the others working out.

...okay, I maybe I do mean to sound judgemental.

Do you have kids? Work full time and then cook a healthy dinner EVERY night? But still have the time to get them into the bath, read to them, and then get them to bed on time? If so you should be cloned! :happy:

Unhealthy crap IMO is ok every now and then. Kids really enjoy that stuff and as a special treat from time to time I don't think it is that bad. I have heard of people who blame the need for sugar and fast food crap on their super healthy upbringing, saying that if only the parents let them have McDonalds once a month or eat a small candy and let them be kids they might not feel the need to eat it all the time once they went away to college or as adults. It is all about balance.

A mom who runs from work to pick up the kids and wants to hit the gym and knows that the kids wont eat unless they get drive through could always let them eat in the car before she hits the gym however.
I think the gym should be only for working out, not for eating. BTW, go to a gym that has a daycare!

Charlie001

My gym...is the last building on the last street of the industriel complex. No fast food anywhere. It is the best gym in montreal. If you want to check it out, it is called "physical park." Just google it.

kasmir8199

Wowwwwwww @ the Krispy Kreme image!

No,I don't think it should be allowed. I think it's borderline that my gym has a Smoothie King in it, but they have a bit more benefit than pure fast food chains (esp with their protein shakes).

I twitched once because I saw someone in the gym drinking a Coke!! All I craved was WATER!!

garedds

I'm not trying to be a pain, but what is food therapy??

DOn't worry you are not being a pain! I hadn't heard of it either until my daughter needed it. She has never liked to eat and had an extremely limited diet of what she would eat. She also doesn't like to touch food or be around it if it is not one of the "liked" foods. She has been this way since birth. She would actually starve herself if we didn't feed her something she liked. SHe only has about 9-11 foods that she actually likes/eats.
So, now she goes to food therapy where they "play" with food going through the 30 some steps to getting her to actually eat it. For example maybe she has to just have the food in front of her, then she has to touch it with one finger, then her whole hand (or 2 fingers depending on her reaction), then maybe move to touching the food to her cheek or nose (getting closer to the mouth area). Anyways on and on, incuding chewing and spitting out which is the last step before eating. She is slowly getting better and in the last 2 months has actually added 2 foods that she will eat. She eats no fruit, will only eat carrots under pressure, and only chicken nuggets/chicken hot dogs for meat. If a food has touched another one it is very difficult for her to eat it and she probbaly won't. The main thing with this condition is that children will actually starve themselves. Her body is having to learn to have an appetite as she repressed hers by not eating. She meets with a therapist once/month (we live far away from the therapy) and sometimes we go in for 3 day stretches. So she would go twice a day every day for 3 days.
Hope that helps you understand a little more. It is not easy to deal with, but we do. She has to "practice" at home as well.

buggaboo73

I'm thinking mom was busy and trying to squeeze in her gym time so grabbed them a quick bite to eat so she could get everything done.

We used to have Paula Deen on the tv at the gym and watch her making all her full of butter food LOL.

cjegger

My gym is right next to a Mexican restaurant.....sigh.....

heathersmilez

I understand that the McDonalds smell actually gets emitted through the body in sweat; same as Indian food i.e. curry. So you may have kind enough gym-goers who don't eat there but you may still smell it, lol!

heathersmilez

I'm not trying to be a pain, but what is food therapy??

DOn't worry you are not being a pain! I hadn't heard of it either until my daughter needed it. She has never liked to eat and had an extremely limited diet of what she would eat. She also doesn't like to touch food or be around it if it is not one of the "liked" foods. She has been this way since birth. She would actually starve herself if we didn't feed her something she liked. SHe only has about 9-11 foods that she actually likes/eats.
So, now she goes to food therapy where they "play" with food going through the 30 some steps to getting her to actually eat it. For example maybe she has to just have the food in front of her, then she has to touch it with one finger, then her whole hand (or 2 fingers depending on her reaction), then maybe move to touching the food to her cheek or nose (getting closer to the mouth area). Anyways on and on, incuding chewing and spitting out which is the last step before eating. She is slowly getting better and in the last 2 months has actually added 2 foods that she will eat. She eats no fruit, will only eat carrots under pressure, and only chicken nuggets/chicken hot dogs for meat. If a food has touched another one it is very difficult for her to eat it and she probbaly won't. The main thing with this condition is that children will actually starve themselves. Her body is having to learn to have an appetite as she repressed hers by not eating. She meets with a therapist once/month (we live far away from the therapy) and sometimes we go in for 3 day stretches. So she would go twice a day every day for 3 days.
Hope that helps you understand a little more. It is not easy to deal with, but we do. She has to "practice" at home as well.

Thanks for educating us, I was curious as well.

ChuckgM3

I don't really have an opinion on the FF at the gym thing other than food at the gym is kinda gross period, unless it's a banana or something someone is having on their way out of the locker room.

But it brings up an interesting question. The original poster says she hasn't had fast food in a long time, yet those smells triggered instant and vicious cravings for food that her body should be completely disassociated from at this point.

They tell us that it's not a diet, that it's a lifestyle change, but do we ever get to that point where we don't crave it? where those things that are so bad for us, don't sound, look, and smell so epically delicious? Is this just something we'll have to live with for the rest of our lives? Or does it ever go away?... curious.

gambitsgurl

One of the gyms here (not mine) has a chinese buffet on one side and a sub shop on the other. Beside the buffet is a pizza shop and besde the sub shop is a bakery. One more down is a greek restaurant. In the parking lot is a burger king. The gym is the ONLY NON FOOD THING IN THE STRIP MALL.

gambitsgurl

I don't really have an opinion on the FF at the gym thing other than food at the gym is kinda gross period, unless it's a banana or something someone is having on their way out of the locker room.

But it brings up an interesting question. The original poster says she hasn't had fast food in a long time, yet those smells triggered instant and vicious cravings for food that her body should be completely disassociated from at this point.

They tell us that it's not a diet, that it's a lifestyle change, but do we ever get to that point where we don't crave it? where those things that are so bad for us, don't sound, look, and smell so epically delicious? Is this just something we'll have to live with for the rest of our lives? Or does it ever go away?... curious.

In my experience, No. I lost 105 pounds and maintained an amazingly healthy lifestyle for 6years. When my husband died I ate what was easy (widow with small kids) and fell back in REAL easy. You may learn to avoid and be able to avoid but you can pick it back up really fast.

gambitsgurl

I'm not trying to be a pain, but what is food therapy??

DOn't worry you are not being a pain! I hadn't heard of it either until my daughter needed it. She has never liked to eat and had an extremely limited diet of what she would eat. She also doesn't like to touch food or be around it if it is not one of the "liked" foods. She has been this way since birth. She would actually starve herself if we didn't feed her something she liked. SHe only has about 9-11 foods that she actually likes/eats.

OMG That was ME as a kid. There was no therapy back then so my parents would just beat the **** out of me. To this day I still can NOT have my food touching and I eat one thing at the time clockwise around my plate and still don't eat anything red. BUT - I WILL flinch if someone at the table moves their hand really fast, so there IS that.

lessertess

I don't really have an opinion on the FF at the gym thing other than food at the gym is kinda gross period, unless it's a banana or something someone is having on their way out of the locker room.

But it brings up an interesting question. The original poster says she hasn't had fast food in a long time, yet those smells triggered instant and vicious cravings for food that her body should be completely disassociated from at this point.

They tell us that it's not a diet, that it's a lifestyle change, but do we ever get to that point where we don't crave it? where those things that are so bad for us, don't sound, look, and smell so epically delicious? Is this just something we'll have to live with for the rest of our lives? Or does it ever go away?... curious.

Generally I find that fast food smells better than it tastes. I'll smell it and really want some but if I actually give in and get it, it doesn't taste good and I'm disappointed. I have the same reaction to Cinnabons (sp?) and cookies in the mall. They smell so good but the taste is always disappointing.

20carrots

But when I'm in the mall, I walk by the pretzel stand and 'eat them with my nose'.

Perhaps you can eat fries with your nose and next time the smell won't have such an affect on you?

Charmagne

"eat with your nose"--I LOVE it! Going to try to do that more often :laugh:

Sweet13_Princess

I don't see why gyms couldn't regulate what foods and beverages are allowed in a gym. After all, their facility is supposed to be promoting good health. I know I wouldn't be too happy if someone did that. Plus, I think food in general is a bad idea. It will ruin the equipment, depending on what foods are eaten and could be a health hazard if someone chokes on it. Not a good idea at all!

Shannon

PS The Krispy Kreme donuts and pizza is a really dumb idea. I know everyone likes these foods, but it's kind of a slap in the face to people who are really trying to lose weight and are struggling with motivation/temptation.

chrisdavey

Not at a gym, but my dumbass cousin asked my sister and I who were taking the dogs for a walk for some exercise if we wanted to take a bag of corn chips with us. Some people are clearly destined to be unfit and overweight.

GunNut37086

GunNut.... cute AB!!

Thanks Jamie, she's my 6 yr old baby girl. Her name Lucille (after BB King's guitar).

TrainingWithTonya

As someone who has worked in a gym for years, and in a couple of very small gyms (women's only circuit type gyms) where I was the only person there to staff it for a few hours a day, I ate at the gym all the time! When I was really busy as a trainer I was working 15-16 hour days, so eating at work was a necessity. Depending on how busy I was and when I could squeeze in my workouts with my work schedule and lunch, I have even been known to eat a turkey sandwich while walking on the treadmill. Most of the time I would go in a back office or break room to eat though, so as not to disturb anyone with my food smells. But at one gym in particular, I would have to eat at the front desk because that was the only "office" space. Right next door was a Quiznos and they were always bringing me food. When I had to eat junk while there were clients in the gym, I'd use it as an opportunity to show them that all things in moderation are okay. Yes, they saw me eating fast food once in a while when I didn't bring my food from home, but they also saw me only eating half a fast food sandwich and a few of the fries and putting the rest up for later or to feed to my dogs when I got home. They also saw that I could out lift most people in the weight room and run circles around them in the aerobics room, so I didn't accept a slip up of a fast food meal once in a while as an excuse to stop working out or eating healthy the rest of the time. My motto, and what I teach my clients, is that "Healthy eating is what you do 85% of the time. The other 15% of the time, enjoy your food!"