What has giving up fast food done for you?

RingSize8
RingSize8 Posts: 175 Member
in Food and Nutrition
This wasn't a New Years resolution, because frankly, I don't believe in them, but I gave up fast food on Monday. That may not seem like a very long time, but I was fast food ADDICTED. I would even lose weight while eating it, but it would make me feel terrible physically, and it was the thing I would go to when I went off track, which made getting off track way too easy and convenient.

How has stopping the drive thru drama helped you? What tips do you have for staying on track, because my biggest issue was the convenience that fast food offered me (not that the delicious chemical and fat content wasn't attractive on some level as well). I'm serious about not only eating within my calorie range, but also eating healthier foods.

Any ideas/suggestions/etc would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.
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Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    I've never stopped eating fast food and don't intend to. It's not a daily thing but I haven't seen it cause any issues as long as I stay in my budget. It's my treat and I'm not giving it up.
  • PhiSigAmber
    PhiSigAmber Posts: 44 Member
    Someone once told me that my idea of fast food should be a protein shake. I've been drinking them regularly ever since.

    I haven't completely cut fast food (doubt I ever will), but it's a very "once in a blue moon" kinda thing for me. It has forced me to pack lunches for work, which means I am eating much healthier throughout the day.
  • RonnieLodge
    RonnieLodge Posts: 665 Member

    Any ideas/suggestions/etc would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

    Carry healthy stuff with you/put it in your desk at work. Soups and crackers, tins of tuna or chicken, nuts and seeds are pretty easy and keep for a while.

    :D
  • JustineMarie21
    JustineMarie21 Posts: 437 Member
    I never really ate fast food MAYBE... once or twice a month but I did let go of other bad things like candy, chocolate, chips, red meat, you know the bad stuff. I am basically a vegetarian with the exception of chicken and turkey and fish if thats not a vegetarian thing. Lol But my main point is that by giving up the bad stuff my taste buds became more alive and sensitive. Sugary treats are even more sweet in my opinion no matter what it is, so only eating a little is very satisfying when I do indulge. I crave and I mean crave healthy foods like a big red juicy apple. When I try to be loose with my diet and dine out with the family my stomach is in pain after because Im not used to eating that way. And it might be an OCD thing for me but when my parents get takeout for dinner like pizza or chinease, I feel the need to put a big bowl of veggies on the side. It makes me feel healthy and not feel as bad.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    I've never stopped eating fast food and don't intend to. It's not a daily thing but I haven't seen it cause any issues as long as I stay in my budget. It's my treat and I'm not giving it up.

    ^ This.
  • EatClean_WashUrNuts
    EatClean_WashUrNuts Posts: 1,590 Member
    Why give it up? I like my cake and eat it too
  • keelz2010
    keelz2010 Posts: 182
    I still eat junk food, just less of it than before. Make some of your own batch of pizzas one day (or buy them) and freeze them, it'll only take 15 mins to cook when you fancy one, quicker than waiting for a take out delivery.Have a side salad with it though rather than the whole pizza. If you are going to McDonalds, order a kids meal instead of an adults, or a burger without the fries, water in stead of a shake.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Nothing. I had stopped eating fast food and was eating mostly "clean" for a good year or two. I now eat fast food fairly regularly, as of the last few months and there are no issues.
  • Sallyafe1
    Sallyafe1 Posts: 18
    Hi Ronnie,
    Just today. Track your calories. Commit to yourself. Fast food has too much fat and calories. Our brains trick us into eating using brain chemicals. Eat sugar you want more.
    Control your brain chemically, no cravings. Watch the afternoon Dr. for great diet tips. Make a small change every week. You can do it.
    Eat only healthy food, you are smart, beautiful and confident. Use lettuce leaves to wrap 1/2 of a veggie burger, no bun. No wheat or white flour, no white sugar, white bread, no fried food. Lots of salads, make quinoa, brown rice and wild rice. Use legums, they all have extra protein that includes all varieties of beans.
    Eat lots of frozen or fresh fruits and veggies. Whole grains for bread. Your food should give back to you in nutritional value.
    Use 1/2 of a banana in a smoothie with vanilla, skim milk or almond milk. No yogurt with sugar.
    I have lost one lb. this week. It was hard won. But it is not coming back. Some people can eat fast food & not have issues.I had 5 children and a busy schedule, I cooked. We all change as we age, usually some weight gain.
    Friend me, I can help.
    Sallyafe1
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    This. You can get "healthy" eating fast food. But if you want to be elite, you have to cut it out. It's a personal choice.

    beastbeforeafter.jpg
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    But if you want to be elite, you have to cut it out. It's a personal choice.

    What do you mean by "elite"? Changing your body composition does not require cutting out certain foods.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    This. You can get "healthy" eating fast food. But if you want to be elite, you have to cut it out. It's a personal choice.

    beastbeforeafter.jpg

    Are you saying you're elite?
  • MidwestAngel
    MidwestAngel Posts: 1,897 Member
    This. You can get "healthy" eating fast food. But if you want to be elite, you have to cut it out. It's a personal choice.

    beastbeforeafter.jpg

    Are you saying you're elite?
    I was wondering this too.
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
    This. You can get "healthy" eating fast food. But if you want to be elite, you have to cut it out. It's a personal choice.

    beastbeforeafter.jpg

    Are you saying you're elite?

    beardage is elite.
  • emtjmac
    emtjmac Posts: 1,320 Member
    It has made me really want some fast food, all the time.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    This. You can get "healthy" eating fast food. But if you want to be elite, you have to cut it out. It's a personal choice.

    beastbeforeafter.jpg

    Are you saying you're elite?

    beardage is elite.

    lmao!

    Umm.....yeah.....so...you're elite?

    And OP - I still eat fast food now and again...and I'm still losing.
  • bmd8613
    bmd8613 Posts: 4 Member
    I love fast food more than most people. Until the past month I would have fast food like 10 times a week no lie. Mcdonalds and Taco bell were my best friend and worse enemy. I have decided to cut way back on fast food and soda due to me gaining a lot of weight. Also every man in my family winds up with heart problems I have noticed. My father, and his brothers have all had heart attacks at young ages. But in the past month I have only had fast food one time and I can really tell the difference. I do not feel sluggish or disgusted, Feel better about myself knowing I didn't eat 2 Big macs today. I just feel fresher and have returned to the gym. I started workout 3 weeks ago and already have almost lost 8 lbs. I'm all about having it for a treat once and while, but that **** will kill you eventually.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    I have a certain work location... I am usually starving when I leave and I drive past soooo many fast food places...

    I have started taking lean cuisine, a salad, nuts and fruit to make sure I am not tempted on the way home. After all, it is even more convenient this way.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    I'm just stopping by in the hope that someone can give me one or two examples of "drive thru drama". Never heard that one before.

    I do hope one day i can reach the level of elite. Do you think if i do shaving now i can get there?
  • bbgughj
    bbgughj Posts: 219 Member
    I've cut out fast food and soda pop in the last 2.5 months , You would be surprised as to what good can it do with a little exercise.. My Gut shrank almost 7 " and so far Ive lost about 17 Lbs ...I usually prepare all my food 2-3 days in advance and pack healthy foods for lunch . I've also saved about $50 a week by staying a way from the drive through ....:smile:
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    This. You can get "healthy" eating fast food. But if you want to be elite, you have to cut it out. It's a personal choice.

    beastbeforeafter.jpg

    What category or categories are you elite in? Why do you think eating fast food is mutually exclusive to eliteness?

    Here is Dave Tate, an elite powerlifter. He achieved this while eating fast food every day.

    dave-tate-squat.jpg

    Granted his diet was complete garbage and he was in poor healthy becauase he ate NOTHING BUT fast food and junk food.

    But anyway, your argument is invalid.
  • Iceman420
    Iceman420 Posts: 195
    Giving up fast food has cut my calories by 1/2....at least. I'm eating healthy now, and the weight is coming off.
  • Bobby__Clerici
    Bobby__Clerici Posts: 741 Member
    I've never stopped eating fast food and don't intend to. It's not a daily thing but I haven't seen it cause any issues as long as I stay in my budget. It's my treat and I'm not giving it up.
    I gave it up while I sleep, and it has helped the quality of my sleep....
    As for giving anything up, that's why diets fail so miserably.
  • Bobby__Clerici
    Bobby__Clerici Posts: 741 Member
    This. You can get "healthy" eating fast food. But if you want to be elite, you have to cut it out. It's a personal choice.

    beastbeforeafter.jpg

    What category or categories are you elite in? Why do you think eating fast food is mutually exclusive to eliteness?

    Here is Dave Tate, an elite powerlifter. He achieved this while eating fast food every day.

    dave-tate-squat.jpg

    Granted his diet was complete garbage and he was in poor healthy becauase he ate NOTHING BUT fast food and junk food.

    But anyway, your argument is invalid.
    Who wants to look like that slug?
  • honey_bee_keysha
    honey_bee_keysha Posts: 773 Member
    Giving up fast food has saved me a ton of money.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    Yeah, I haven't truly given up fast food. I have just made smarter choices when it comes to fast food. Mainly because I know that if I have a craving for something, and I don't settle it, then two weeks later I will get it 5 days in a row.

    So, when I get that craving for McDonald's, I get the All American Meal (Happy meal with no toy) and a water. Before I was getting the double cheeseburger with large fry/soda. But the small meal I get now is enough to satisfy me.
  • jmc0806
    jmc0806 Posts: 1,444 Member
    I think I had fast food 3 times last year, so helped me lose 130lbs and saved my wallet but I'm not against it...kind of actually craving taco bell at the moment
  • oddyogi
    oddyogi Posts: 1,816 Member
    I'll never be able to give up Taco Bell forever.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    This. You can get "healthy" eating fast food. But if you want to be elite, you have to cut it out. It's a personal choice.

    beastbeforeafter.jpg

    What category or categories are you elite in? Why do you think eating fast food is mutually exclusive to eliteness?

    Here is Dave Tate, an elite powerlifter. He achieved this while eating fast food every day.

    dave-tate-squat.jpg

    Granted his diet was complete garbage and he was in poor healthy becauase he ate NOTHING BUT fast food and junk food.

    But anyway, your argument is invalid.
    Who wants to look like that slug?

    Ugly mofo isn't he? :laugh:

    I wasn't talking about looks, I was talking about elite lifting.

    By the way, here is Mr. Tate after he cleaned up his diet and cut. (Yeah, still a rather ugly mug... not much to be done about that)

    tateripped.jpg

    In your wettest dreams you're not 1/8th the man that this "slug" is.
  • tsh0ck
    tsh0ck Posts: 1,970 Member
    haven't and won't give it up. no reason to.

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