How Do I Avoid Fast Food?

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  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
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    Just tried to take my own advice... got an out-of-town guest coming in this weekend. He likes Five Guys. Took a look at the nutritional information (http://www.fiveguys.com/menu/nutritional-information.aspx). OMG!

    At the high end... a Bacon Cheeseburger (920 c) + Large Fries (1474) + Tbs BBQ Sauce (60) = 2,454 calories before I've even had a drink or dessert!!!!

    At the low end, a Little Hamburger with ketchup and pickles runs about 500 calories... wonder how much less if I leave off the bun?
  • pixardad
    pixardad Posts: 184 Member
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    @belkbelknap, many have said it, Subway has "decent" choices. But *watch out*, you really need to pay attention to the nutritional info. I was ordering the ham sandwich and put american cheese (lowest calories), but it turned out the sodium level was INSANE compared to 10 more calories from Swiss.

    Also, watch out for some of the condiments. I use the deli mustard to add flavor and avoid the mayo and others at all costs. Remember though, deli mustard is more salt. So are pickles and peppercinis.

    Also, remember, deli meats need to be preserved, aka SALT. So any sandwich of deli meats is going to have much more sodium. You may want to consider a chicken breast type sandwich, take the extra calories and just walk a bit more.

    In general though, how you trade off sodium vs calories really depends on what you can afford to get rid of. For example, if you have good blood pressure, but can't exercise very easily, you may be better off taking the higher sodium in lieu of calories. Sodium will go away with water and bathroom breaks. :)

    As for Chipotle and Pita Pit, I have no clue. But now I think I'm going to check them out.

    Oh, one more little tip: If you're looking at a breakfast sandwich at Subway's, stick with the muffin if you can...lowest calories *and* sodium. Also, look at the calories/sodium of egg white vs regular. Regular=higher calories, but egg white==higher sodium.

    Good Luck!
  • AZChatterB
    AZChatterB Posts: 248 Member
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    At my previous job, lunch was usually at a fast food place. I could have either not gone or learn to make better choices. I chose to learn to make choices so that I could enjoy the camaraderie and fellowship with my co-workers. Changes I made (1) no French fries! (2) no breaded foods. At McDonald's or Burger King, I would order the side salad ($1) add grilled chicken ($2) - no dressing as the meat was juicy enough. At Taco Bell, i would order from the Fresco menu and then not eat the flour tortillas, just fork out the inside. At Panda Express, I would order the mandarin chicken (no sauce) with vegetables (no chow mein, no rice). At Subway, I would order a salad. Surprisingly, many of my co-workers joined in. Watch the sodium, but if you need to eat fast food, you have choices.

    I have since changed jobs, and my new job doesn't lend itself to going out to lunch. I now pack a lunch.

    Good luck!
  • sofitheteacup
    sofitheteacup Posts: 397 Member
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    Two words: Plan ahead.


    Go grocery shopping for what you can have for these meals instead- when you get home, chop it up and bag it up and pack it so that when you're on your way out the door, or hungry, it's more work to go somewhere and wait in line and pay for something than to just use what you have. And if you PLAN AHEAD, it's just as appealing too!
  • Hernandeak11
    Hernandeak11 Posts: 351 Member
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    Subway and Quiznos are saviors to me
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
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    Some people travel (perhaps as part of their job) regularly, and fasting for 2 weeks is not really a good option.

    Let's not be so judgmental -- what's simple for you is not always simple for someone else.

    I'm not being judgemental whatsoever. Also, fasting for 2 weeks ... ? 2 weeks straight? I'm not sure what you mean by that.

    You said...
    Easy: don't go eat and just wait until you're home. There's no reason why you can't wait to eat. Sure, maybe you might be a little hunger but just hold off until you get back home. Simple.

    I was pointing out that if you're traveling for work, waiting until you get home, for example after a 2 week trip, is not a good option.

    And to say it's "simple" just because it's easy for you not to eat out is judgmental. You probably didn't mean to be, but it is. You are judging that it's simple and implying that someone else cannot follow a simple, easy suggestion.
  • Robin_Bin
    Robin_Bin Posts: 1,046 Member
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    Panera is huge calories.

    Sean

    True for many of their offerings, but they have relatively low calorie offerings. (Not necessarily the ones I would have expected before I looked it up.)
  • sofitheteacup
    sofitheteacup Posts: 397 Member
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    I'm not being judgemental whatsoever. Also, fasting for 2 weeks ... ? 2 weeks straight? I'm not sure what you mean by that.

    You said...
    Easy: don't go eat and just wait until you're home. There's no reason why you can't wait to eat. Sure, maybe you might be a little hunger but just hold off until you get back home. Simple.

    I was pointing out that if you're traveling for work, waiting until you get home, for example after a 2 week trip, is not a good option.

    Maybe I'm nitpicking or blind, but I went through both pages and the OP said asked for how to AVOID fast food "away from home" but did not say anything about traveling for extended periods of time, for work or otherwise. Unless the fasting comment was initially made as a joke, I see no reason to be getting into it over this.


    Also, unrelated to a specific poster, but I'm not understanding the influx of "here's a healthy fast food option" when the OP states in the title that they're trying to avoid it, not justify it or make it less damaging.

    It's hard to stop or decrease eating fast food, but it's not impossible. It's also not a requirement, but that did seem to be what was being asked.
  • AeolianHarp
    AeolianHarp Posts: 463 Member
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    You said...
    Easy: don't go eat and just wait until you're home. There's no reason why you can't wait to eat. Sure, maybe you might be a little hunger but just hold off until you get back home. Simple.

    I was pointing out that if you're traveling for work, waiting until you get home, for example after a 2 week trip, is not a good option.

    And to say it's "simple" just because it's easy for you not to eat out is judgmental. You probably didn't mean to be, but it is. You are judging that it's simple and implying that someone else cannot follow a simple, easy suggestion.

    Simple and easy don't always have to mean the same thing. I never said it would be easy to accomplish it. There is a large psychological road block in implementing fasting as people feel the need to eat constantly when there really is no such need. Something can be simple to implement but difficult to maintain.

    And if I don't mean for it to be judgmental does not make it judgmental since my intentions would dictate that. It can be perceived as judgmental but it doesn't mean it is. Either way, I'm stating now that it wasn't meant to be judging and if it was perceived as such that this perception should be removed as I was simply stating a fairly simple way to avoid fast food albeit one that may be difficult to implement.

    People tend to get awfully butt hurt on here.

    Also, I have no idea why you would mention travelling. I wasn't even talking about that. If someone was travelling then the situation would be much different.
  • stubbysticks
    stubbysticks Posts: 1,275 Member
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    It's not difficult, you're just making it difficult.
    This. If you're cruising around wistfully stalking fast food places that means you could have packed a lunch. I used to have difficulty avoiding fast food joints too...turned out I was lazy. When I made the decision I was going to do whatever it took to get that unhealthy weight off because it would eventually kill me, being lazy was a pretty lame excuse. And it turned out that spending just a little time planning ahead like so many others mentioned not only helped me drop weight, but saved me a ton of moolah.

    Don't get me wrong...in reality you're going to eat fast food sometimes & if this were a rare occurrence I doubt you would have posted this topic in the first place. And eating crap in moderation, like once or twice a week, is not going to prevent you from losing weight if you are dedicated the rest of the time. So your challenge is to limit those fast food outings & make most of your meals consist of something brought from home. It doesn't even have to be homemade, there are lots of prepackaged frozen dinners that are WAY better for you than fast food. I used to buy SlimFast bars because there was a particular flavor I liked, & keep some in my bag everywhere I went so I'd never get too hungry. I still keep a protein bar with me at all times, in my purse & in my gym bag.

    It can be done, but only if you want to do it. If you're not willing to let go of old destructive habits to get your life back, there's no advice that will help you.
  • deletedusernameaccount
    deletedusernameaccount Posts: 8 Member
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    thank you to all who replied, i really appreciate all the suggestions and advice.

    whoever said "its not difficult, youre just making it difficult"............yeah im here asking for help and advice, you can spare me the judgement.

    i like the idea of healthy lunch foods (salads, soup, sandwich) available at the grocery store, thats a great option. packing a lunch ahead of time is another great option. i basically just either need to choose wisely as to where i eat if i choose to eat out, or pack a healthy lunch ahead of time, or wait to get home to get something sensible.

    im looking forward to making better choices and feeling better about what i eat.
  • WingMan380
    WingMan380 Posts: 2,139 Member
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    Just don't go.
  • kitinboots
    kitinboots Posts: 589 Member
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    I've not read all the replies, but my suggestion would be do a big supermarket shop at the beginning of your week and buy loads of good foods that you are excited to cook/eat. Then when you're tempted to eat out, think about all the delicious and guilt free things you have to eat at home, and what a waste it would be if they went off before you got a chance to eat them.
    If I have some nice organic chicken or smoked salmon sitting at home that I've paid a decent amount for, then I want to eat them rather than waste both the food and the money I spent.
  • lexidell46
    lexidell46 Posts: 143
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    I just imagine all of the grease dripping off of the food and I also do not like salty foods. So I do not go to fast food joints.I also never took my kids to them either. Now as Adults they do not eat there also. I have a BK across the street from me and I have only been there once in the six years I have lived here.and that as to use the restroom.
  • JoannaLouden
    JoannaLouden Posts: 70 Member
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    If you are near a Target, the deli area has pkgd fresh salads/soups/etc that you can buy and go out and eat while you drive.

    Taco Bell has a fresco menu (no cheese, more tomato...) that is supposed to be lower cal...i have not checked it but it might be "okay" if you must eat out.

    Have a bag that stays in your car and stocked all the time....roasted almonds, small pb containers, a few crackers, even a nutrigrain bar or granola bar. That may help you when you are out and hungry....just eating one or two of those may tide you over enough to get home for a healthier full on MEAL.

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