addicted to eating out...

koneil83
koneil83 Posts: 82 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Is it just me or is anyone else addicted to eating out? It seems that when I get a craving for something like Subway, I will crave it until I get it. It's like everyday I get up and think, "where am I going to eat today?" I do not always go get what I want everyday but I feel that it is something that controls my life.

any suggestions?

Replies

  • jkcrawford
    jkcrawford Posts: 435 Member
    Try packing a lunch, It is so much better for you. Subway is not as good for you as they make it sound unless you have no cheese or sauce. I used to grab something everyday, but now I take a lunch and I much more enjoy it. I haven't had a burger since August. I do grab something once in awhile but not too often. This is a lifestyle change. Try for one day a week not to go fast food, then increase it every week. Drink water and leave soda alone. Soda just makes you want more sugary things.

    Good luck
  • crystalnichle
    crystalnichle Posts: 126 Member
    I'm the same way.. I'm always craving something from some restaurant..especially if its terrible for me! Sometimes though I'll try and mimic the recipe at home and use healthier ingredients... like subway is easy you can make some pretty tasty sandwichs at home that are better then subway and much better for you.. some stuff thats really bad tho you cant mimic.. like mcdonalds.. i dont care how hard you try..nothing tastes as good as a double cheeseburger from there! lol
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    There's nothing wrong with eating IF you can control portions, make a few healthier choices and don't do it EVERYDAY.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    I can't afford to be addicted to eating out.

    I think if you are craving it, especially if it's from a place you often get food from, it's because you are just so used to it. I used to get cravings for certain drinks and foods (Diet coke) but the less I ate/drank them, the less I craved them.

    Maybe try recreating the things you eat out a lot at home? That way you can control the calories, portion size and sodium content more.
  • mambagirl
    mambagirl Posts: 137 Member
    When I started to track my sodium it cured my restaurant food cravings real fast.Try tracking your sodium on those days and it might make you feel like cooking at home more often.I still eat fast food but instead of having the sandwich,fries,and drink I'll JUST have the sandwich or just have the fries or get the kids meal,then I'm very careful to eat homemade and fresh foods the rest of the day and I cut it down to twice a week at the most....
  • JustANumber85
    JustANumber85 Posts: 644 Member
    I need to work on this- not so much eating out, but making wise choices away from home. Just because a burger is on the menu doesnt mean we have to eat it. We can get a salad or a chicken sandwich instead. When i go out to a fast food joint, i have been asking for their dietary menu, that way I can get the healthiest choice.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
    I can't afford to be addicted to eating out.

    Same here! It's really expensive. Those "discount" meals really add up.

    Maybe it would help to think of it from a financial standpoint. Calculate how much money you save over the week, then spend it on something fun that's not food related.
  • AggieFan2011
    AggieFan2011 Posts: 551 Member
    I used to eat out a lot, but since starting MFP I really haven't felt the need to eat out nearly as much as I used too. I realized that the amount of calories weren't worth it and it's so much healthier to eat at home. Plus my bank account really appreciates the change!

    One of the ways that I found to combat my cravings is find ways to make healthier versions of the foods I want in my own home. For instance if I want subway, I just make a wrap at home instead, if I really want a chicken sandwich I cook some chicken and put it on a whole wheat bun, or if I want french fries I make sweet potato fries or zucchini chips. Pinterest has done wonders for expanding the variety in what I eat. I've found so many delicious recipes and healthy lunch and dinner ideas on that site. I think a lot of the reason I always wanted to eat out before is because I always ate the same things for lunch and dinner when I ate at home, but if you mix things up with your cooking it becomes easier to want to eat at home as opposed to going out. Then eventually you'll just get into the habit and not feel the need to go out hardly at all. At least from my experience.
  • Shock_Wave
    Shock_Wave Posts: 1,573 Member
    addicted to eating out..

    So am I but as luck would have it my girlfriends never seem to mind. :bigsmile:
  • toniRAD
    toniRAD Posts: 196 Member
    Like others have said, making your own healthy versions of things at home really does help! You seriously can find a healthy recipe for anything you want on google. Sometimes you'll still want the real thing of course, but not as often. Also, keep experimenting with other foods/recipes you've never had before. The more variety you have, the less you'll want the same thing over & over. (:
  • CelebrateLife
    CelebrateLife Posts: 247 Member
    Your body has become so accustomed and has adjusted to that and especially if you're consuming mostly unhealthy meals --fast foods...pasta ...sodas....sweets...

    Try eating "Clean" and start preparing your own meals so you know exactly what's in them

    Good Luck!!!
  • sussexbythesea
    sussexbythesea Posts: 1,335 Member
    Your body has become so accustomed and has adjusted to that and especially if you're consuming mostly unhealthy meals --fast foods...pasta ...sodas....sweets...

    Try eating "Clean" and start preparing your own meals so you know exactly what's in them

    Good Luck!!!

    So true about the body adjusting,I mainly home cook and rarely eat fast food. Coming to USA is nightmare as if we have that stuff it makes us feel nauseous and we get sick. Must be something in the processed food that causes body to adapt and crave it...
  • Sharkington
    Sharkington Posts: 485
    I used to love eating out before I realized that I was consuming way more calories, sugar, and sodium than I thought I was. One of the things I loved most about eating out, was just socializing with friends, or my SO while we waited for our food or drinks.

    However, I don't eat out nearly as much anymore and some of the things that turned me around were: 1. the price - it is so expensive (especially when you're ordering drinks. In my city, one glass of wine is rarely under 9 bucks.) and buying your own food, as well as planning ahead can really save you money - and it lasts much longer than one meal (even if it's something like Subway). 2. I started to teach myself how to cook healthier meals and trying new recipes. There are a ton of healthy options out there that taste amazing - just do some research. Also, cooking, chopping, slicing, baking, roasting, etc, is very therapeutic for me. I love coming home after a work out, especially, and preparing my healthy meals. And lastly, as far as my love to socialize around food goes, I learned to cook with other people. I love talking and having a good time with my SO, in particular, while we cook our meals, so if you have someone (be it a friend, family member, SO) around, try making it a regular thing to cook together and try new recipes. :)

    Hope that helps a bit!
  • Moosycakes
    Moosycakes Posts: 258 Member
    You could try only eating at places where you can easily find out the nutrition values of the products, and choose the healthy choice?

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