Curbing Fast Food Cravings

puddles76

So last night I was on a 45 minute drive home. I had a good day and ate my normal foods and even got in some extra walking for the last car show of the year. I was eyeballing the burgers they had at the event which would have been perfectly fine for my calorie count but at their price it just wasn't worth it. So that is where the first thought hit me, I could just stop at Burger King on the way home. So after thought 1 went away and a couple of hours later I started my drive home. Thought 2 was I have some great stuffed chicken at home already cooked and I'll just have that. Thought 3 now comes and it's hey stop by Burger King you havn't eaten there in a long while. Thought 4 is wow I'll feel guilty. So for the rest of the drive home thoughts 3 and 4 danced around in my head where I finanlly succumb to the former thought and got a double whopper with cheese with bacon, frys and a regular Dr. Pepper because lets face it saving a few sugars and calories in a diet soda just is not worth it when you're eating a double whopper

So I'm curious to see how some people deal with the occasion and sometimes often cravings of fast food. I told myself to just drive by but obviously the out come was not to my favor. Now I do look at a positive here because my normal meal in the past would have included an extra cheese burger and 2 BK double stackers so if I'm an optimist I did well.

I also really don't feel horrible guilt as I simply just get right back on track today so really it's not the fact that I ate the whopper, it's the fact that I could not make a conscious decision not too. I'm sure I'm not alone in my thoughts and although most of the time I do well at avoiding it has anyone found a good method for the extreme cravings which would just be an excuse all the time if I told myself it's ok to give in on occasion. That thought would just grow and everytime would become extreme and I will be back to 3-4 times a week.

Thanks!

pinkgigi

I just make it a choice never to do it. I know it doesn't work for everyone, but once you decide you are a person that NEVER has a fast food burger, it is no longer an argument with yourself whether to have one or not.

Iron-clad decision, think of something else. Easy to say, less easy to do.

GG

CoCoMa

Progress, not perfection!! Eventually the cravings for those foods will cease, or won't be as frequent. Glad to hear that guilt didn't get the better of you and you were able to move on!!

DannyMussels

Virtually everything you can find at a fast food place can be made at home, for cheaper, and half the calories.

There's books out there that specifically have restaurants, menu items and 'healthier versions'

If you want somethin that bad, make your own at home, I frequently make mini pizzas in a pan, brown a tortilla or pita, salsa or tomato sauce, and whatever else toppings. 10 minutes flat.

Any sauces or spreads, dips can be improved by swapping in low fat/fat free ingredients. Fresher food with no preservatives or additives will also keep nutrition high and calories low.

Start experimenting and you'll take care of those cravings, but in a healthier way.

There's a substitute for everything.

msrobinson77

Have you seen the movie "Super Size Me?" If not, you may want to check it out. Really thinking about what FF does to your body may help curb your cravings a bit. Best of luck!

leddie7

1) chew gum & don't torture yourself by going or seeing any fast food (this includes signs) :P
2) drink 16 ounces of water, by the time you're on the 12th ounces you'll probably wanna throw up
3) eat ASAP & I mean healthy food, not the junk you're think/staring at lol
Food like: Watermelon, Grapes, Banana help fill me fast

How long do you go without fast food, usually?

eviltwinkie

Well, as convenience foods are my achilles heel... I keep 96/4 burger patties and boca's in the freezer (and sometimes homemade black bean burgers) and just keep reminding myself -- 'look at the calories' and 'is it really all that good?'

Once I broke free from eating there regularly I discovered 'hey, you know, it's NOT all that good... alot of times the fries are cruddy, the burgers spotty, the bread not worth it...' Things like that, and little self admissions such as 'I like the little cheeseburgers at mcdonalds because they don't really taste like meat' kind of make you relook at what you've been choosing to eat.

Distance for awhile made me readjust my taste and habits. It helped me re-evaluate my opinions of most fast foods.

That said, I'll still hit panda express or subway off and on, but far less than I use to. It took time to gain the pattern of NOT grabbing something instead of cooking.

So... just keep that internal dialog going. Keep asking yourself 'do I really like this? is it really worth it? does it really taste all that good compared to making a nice burger at home?' etc.

Acg67

Have you seen the movie "Super Size Me?" If not, you may want to check it out. Really thinking about what FF does to your body may help curb your cravings a bit. Best of luck!

it wasn't FF that made him fat it was eating in a consistent caloric surplus.

Brittshae

I LOVE FOOD!!!! I make it a point not to deny myself the foods that I love. I used to eat a double whopper combo myself, but now I just eat off of the dollar menu. My thing is portion control!! That has worked for me!!!

J3J3Real

I'm with Kiwi on this one. I love taco bell but if I go home and make my own version of a soft taco or chicken fajita. I can use my own low fat or light ingrediants. So, I don't feel so bad eating it you know. But I'm like you I love fast food. I just have to keep talking to myself that I can beat this. :happy:

nrvo

I make my own burgers using ground bison and sarah lee 80-cal wheat buns. If I really really want fast food from a specific place (like Five Guys....drool), I'll get it. Instead of getting a Bacon Cheeseburger and large fries, I'll get a small hamburger and split a regular fries with the hubby. It still adds up to over 1000 cals, but it's better than 2000!

I was just reading an article yesterday though - if you are craving Burger King, just get a Whopper Jr. with no mayo. I don't know the exact nutrition info, but it's not super awful. Check out the "Eat This, Not That" books series for good ideas

shannon_stallone

Now that I've made my lifestyle change with eating, the times where I have caved I felt ill after eating the food...I remember one day on the way to work getting fries from McDonalds...The taste of the fry oil disgusted me and after a couple of fries I threw them away...I remember when I used to eat fast food all the time how horrible I felt..Yes it tasted good or so I thought, but I always felt awful and tired...I never knew why...Now I have a lot more energy and I would rather have a chicken breast and a huge salad, or some whole wheat pasta with veggies...Its so crazy! It means its working Now I just need to figure out my sweet tooth problem and I'm good

shannon_stallone

I make my own burgers using ground bison and sarah lee 80-cal wheat buns. If I really really want fast food from a specific place (like Five Guys....drool), I'll get it. Instead of getting a Bacon Cheeseburger and large fries, I'll get a small hamburger and split a regular fries with the hubby. It still adds up to over 1000 cals, but it's better than 2000!

I was just reading an article yesterday though - if you are craving Burger King, just get a Whopper Jr. with no mayo. I don't know the exact nutrition info, but it's not super awful. Check out the "Eat This, Not That" books series for good ideas

I wrote mine, then saw you post about Five Guys...OMG...delicious...I refuse to step foot in there..LOl!

TequillaLover89

I would just grab a whopper jr with no mayo if the urge was that strong ((Just realized the person above me said the same thing)). I've been dying to try the new cali whopper jr, now that I think about it. Sorry probably not very helpful in a forum that's about health. lol.

AngelOiCu812

As I keep using the calorie counter on this site to plan out my day ...
I realize I dont want to walk that far...to use all the calories
I am moving in a new direction and it is not in the door of a fast food resturant lately ...
But feeding a craving is sometimes also good................just know the value =cal / fat in advance and it starts getting easier
I know I work at sonnys Bbq and just realized after eating here for years what 1pc on Gb is=====
& It wont enter my mouth again all soaked in sweet sauce untill I can loose at least 10 lb !!!!

Good luck Hope this is helps ,
Angel
:drinker:

cccgrillo

Not letting myself getmthat hungry is the only way I can prevent it. I try to always have almonds or a granola bar in the car, so I can try to resist the drive thru.

RuthAne

I recommend reading Fast Food Nation
http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Food-Nation-Dark-All-American/dp/0060938455

lacroyx

thing I did when I first started to curb cravings was leave my wallet @ home. no money or debit card to pay for fast food = no fast food!

4littlemonkeys

I think it was mentioned already....but I make my own fastfood at home! The husband and I used to get burger king every Tuesday night after I did the grocery shopping....our weekly treat that "cost" us thousands of calories in one meal!!
What I do now is make hamburger patties at home.....and I bulk the mix out with grated vegetables (have 4 kids so get vege in where I can!) like carrot and zucchini and we have burger king at home night instead! I buy small bread buns, have lots of salad on the side and we have a fun dinnertime helping our kids make their own burgers.

The burger patties freeze really well once cooked (or even uncooked if between sheets of greaseproof paper) so a quick reheat and dinner is ready!!

youuluvashh

Same Here.... I know that if i deny myself, I only want it more and end up failing!!! So i go with portion control at ff resturants or try to chose something healthier than what i intially wanted!!