Anyone else addicted to fast food?

135

Replies

  • ames105
    ames105 Posts: 288 Member
    I used to have McDonald's breakfast every day. I felt like something was missing if I didn't have it. I craved it, wanted it. Is that an addiction? Its debatable. Maybe it was an addiction, or maybe it was an excuse because I didn't like to take the time to make something at home and I was very afraid of ever feeling hungry.

    I do know that, since I gave it up, my cholesteral level has dropped substantially, I feel better, have more energy and have clearer skin. All good things. I decided to treat myself yesterday to a Sausage McMuffin and I could only eat half of it. It didn't taste good to me any longer.

    It was hard to give up but I'm so glad I did.
  • iTStaRTsN0W
    iTStaRTsN0W Posts: 106
    i love it, i can taste a burger sometimes =( what ive learned to do is just order a salad, or make one special day to have it. i dont go over on my calories bc i incorporate it into my calories.
  • lgoldfarb
    lgoldfarb Posts: 76 Member
    I have weeks like that too, sometimes it seems like I eat junk for every meal. Then the next week I'll be so much better about my food choices. I don't have a lot of time to cook, sometimes just getting to the grocery store is hard. If I do have to go through a drivethrough for lunch or dinner, I'll get a kids meal. You'll at least save some calories and it will satisfy the craving just as a regular meal would.
  • tbullucks06
    tbullucks06 Posts: 128
    I was raised by a single dad who took us out for fast food all the time. He would go out on the weekends to singles dances and call me at 2am on the way home to see if I wanted Burger King. I never turned it down. No wonder why I'm fat!! To this day I would rather eat fast food than anything else. But like others have said - you just have to make it work for you. It doesn't have to be forbidden.
  • meadow_sage
    meadow_sage Posts: 308 Member
    So I've been successfully been losing weight for four months now and every once in a while I fall back into my old habits of eating greasy fast food everyday. This past week has been really terrible because I've had burgers, fries, soda and junk food almost everyday. It's so tempting, easy and convenient. It's like I'm addicted to it. Does anyone have any tips to stopping this madness? It's really hindering my progress. I have gained back 5 of the 35 pounds I have lost my willpower and motivation all of a sudden. Just a few weeks ago I ran 80 miles in 20 days and this past week my exercise has been zero. Looking for some motivation and tips. Thanks.

    Different things work for different people. What works for me is planning and preparing for my meals ahead of time. I even log ahead of time. If I have it all set in stone what I'm eating when....I tend to stick to the plan better and aviod those fast food temptations. I used to eat McDonalds for breakfast, almost everyday.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    I'm uncomfortable with labeling the frequent consumption of fast food as an addiction. Sort of depreciates the struggle a person with say a drug or alcohol addiction may go through? That being said. Maybe you could begin cooking more at home, then do some more exercise so that you have more calories to fit in a fast food treat here and there?

    No offense, but please don't negate any type of addiction. There are many process addictions (which are addictions that do not affect the chemical process of the persons mind or body), such as gambling, eating, shopping etc, and there are chemical addictions (which interfere with the chemical make-up of your body), i.e. drugs, alcohol. I am an addiction studies major now going into my third year and it really flips my ticker when people think that eating cannot be a "real" addiction. Yes it is in the mind, yes it may be a mental thought, but it is an addiction none the less. Either way, no matter the choice of the "drug" everyone struggles and everyone fights their demons in their own ways.



    With that being said OP...you are an adult. YOU make your own decision and YOU have the choice to say no. When you choose to say yes, you overlook the negative effects it is going to have on you for the immediate pleasure, and deal with the guilt and possible shame AFTER the deed is done. This IS a classic sign of an addiction. Fast food can be acceptable if you can fit it into your macros every now and again. Is it possible to eat fast food every day and stay in your caloric budget? Sure...but it would suck and it wouldn't be very healthy as far as nutrition goes. Your body needs fresh unprocessed foods. If you honestly feel like you have a problem with fast food, you can always look into over eaters anonymous online for extra support.

    eta: definitions of chemical and process addictions for more clear explanation

    So when a person is deep into the cycle of addiction what kind of advice can you offer for him or her to break the cycle?

    When the feelings of loss come up without the addiction what can one do?
  • VeganCoco
    VeganCoco Posts: 104 Member
    1. Studies are starting to show that the chemicals in fast food are quite dangerous to the human body. They've been so in mice for quite some time. However, this is still relatively unexplored by science. Acrylamide is created during the frying process. It gives french fries that nice crunch. It has already been tagged to be a possible carcinogen. Benzoic Acid/Sodium Benzoate inhibit digestive enzymes and have been link asthma attacks. HFC is linked to an increase in heart disease. Just remember, at one time people though Monosodium glutamate (MSG) was safe for consumption. Now we know better! Potassium Bromate, which increases white bread volume and is use in buns is known to cause cancer in animals. In California, products with Potassium Bromate are required to carry a warning label.

    2. Fast food is addictive in both physical and psychological senses. It should be obvious that people can develop a psychological dependency on fast food. Anybody who possibly could think otherwise is simply not thinking. As for a physical and chemical addiction, a study in March of 2010 showed fast food to be as addictive as heroin and cocaine. In the study, the pleasure centers of the brain in mice were overstimulated. Here is an excerpt from an article:

    "In another study, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City showed that feeding rats a diet high in saturated fat, calories and sugar -- which is the typical make-up for a fast-food menu item -- lowered the rats ability to respond to leptin, a hormone that helps regulate eating behavior by controlling how full one feels. As rats grew fatter, the amount of leptin in their bodies increased signaling that they were dangerously close to starvation. They continued to overeat and gain weight."

    Source: http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/03/30/fast-food-is-like-heroin-studies-find/

    Think about that for a moment. Fast Food causes hormonal changes! :noway:

    3.
    I don't want to sound mean, but all it takes is a little self control...

    If you do not want sound mean, don't say mean things. To diminish the challenge someone faces when overcoming obstacles is mean. Fast Food is full of drugs. Quitting them is damn hard. It takes more than just a "little self control". It takes discipline and effort, sometimes by the second! I smoked cigarettes for close 15 years of my life. One day I quit - just quit. It looked easy to my friends, but it was anything buy. The cravings, the headaches, the anger, it was a nightmare. There is no difference quitting smoking and quitting fast food. I know, I quit that too!

    To the OP: Keep your head up. Take it one step at a time. There will be times you won't see the light at the end, but that is okay. Just keep focusing on your feet. Make sure they keep moving in front of each other. In time, you will win your race!

    I was just about to say all of this! Well said!

    I won't reiterate it all but here are a couple (all be it simple versions of) the studies that have been done. I agree that a lot of people say they are addicted when really they lack willpower, I certainly am not addicted, but I believe I used to be. It does not however mean that it doesn't exist and that the addictive properties of food are not a valid issue for people trying to lose weight.

    http://www.undergroundhealth.com/fast-food-as-addictive-as-heroin-study-confirms/

    http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/junk-food-addiction-and-how-break-cycle

    I know exactly how you are feeling OP, I go through cycles like this, I lose 5 pounds and put on 6 when I'm in these moods. I find that for me when my eating is out of whack I find it hard to get back onto the right path as I constantly feel low, moody and 'what's the point' about everything (a side effect of the food, ironically). This then interferes with my exercise (the 'what's the point' mood strikes again) and usually goes of for about a week until I kick my *kitten* and get back to where I was pre-slump :)

    The way I usually get back on track is I book in some exercise and don't even let myself consider cancelling it (for example, I am doing this tomorrow as I've had an awful week) so I'm at Crossfit tomorrow and then yoga. Then I have a green smoothie for breakfast (kale, spinach, pineapple, banana, protein powder and chia seed maybe mmmm) because something about starting my day with something healthy that just gets me in the right frame of mind (I don't know about you but I can be awful for thinking 'well I already ate junk for lunch I might as well eat more - so it's a positive thing for me to START the day right). I clear out my fridge and buy healthy food for the week and I clean my flat. All that and then maybe 5 minutes looking at some goal-inspiring pictures usually gets me back on track!

    Oh and I weigh myself on the morning I plan to get back on track and even if it's 6-7lbs heavier than I normally am I don't let it bother me, I usually lose it in 2 days (mainly sodium induced water weight and the weight of the actual food in my stomach I think) because even though knowing you've gained is not nice it's still nice to see the numbers go back down - that's positive for me and it also serves as a reminder not to fall off the wagon again any time soon!

    Good luck! xxx

    PS: I can't remember who it was but whoever said 'junk food isn't addictive - you can stop if you want' has clearly never heard about people beating drug addictions! Just because you CAN does't mean YOU can.
  • goodnamegone
    goodnamegone Posts: 237
    If you feel addicted and that means you are unable to stop on your own then try maybe a 12 step program for eating, there you can get support and motivation to eat more healthy. I do think there are chemicals in fast food that can be addictive. I also know that sugar can be addictive.

    I doing a program seems a bit extreme and you feel like you can handle this on your own then start with eating a healthy breakfast, then have a healthy lunch, nice food that you love that is also healthy. Then do the same with dinner. Approach this ONE day at a time.

    The motivation to exercise will return when you are eating well and are not sluggish from the poison of fast food. Good luck with this, you can do it!!!
  • broox80
    broox80 Posts: 1,195 Member
    I have been fighting all week not to go to Hardees and get a bacon egg cheese biscuit!!!! I have planned it in for tomorrow so I can eat it and get it out of my system so I quit thinking about it!! :tongue:
  • NumbrsNerd
    NumbrsNerd Posts: 202 Member
    If it's that important to you, you can incorporate it into your goals. Even daily. Keep within your caloric goals, hit your nutrient needs, and enjoy.


    You're not addicted to fast food, no one is. Habitiual, maybe, but not addiction.

    ^This. I eat fast food A LOT too!
  • megsi474
    megsi474 Posts: 370 Member
    I wouldn't say addicted, but definitely had a bad habit. I also got into the mindset of "I already blew it this week/day, so..." and would only eat more. I started cooking from home- sometimes even the same stuff I'd have out but with less grease and salt- and would do small goals- planning a meal out one specific day or going a week without. I still have it every so often but it doesn't hold the same interest and satisfaction it used to. I won't say I'll give it up forever because I know it's not true, but there is so much stuff out there that tastes just as good if not better and I've come to be proud that it comes from my own kitchen.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    Fast Food is full of drugs. Quitting them is damn hard.

    Name three. :huh:
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
    I eat fast food every week. As long as it fits into my calories I'm still losing.

    The thing that always kicks my butt is eating at Chilis. Unless I stick to something like a house salad, I always have a gain after eating there. Even if I eat half of something and still stay inside my calories. I'm guessing I put on two pounds of water from all the salt in it.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    So I've been successfully been losing weight for four months now and every once in a while I fall back into my old habits of eating greasy fast food everyday. This past week has been really terrible because I've had burgers, fries, soda and junk food almost everyday. It's so tempting, easy and convenient. It's like I'm addicted to it. Does anyone have any tips to stopping this madness? It's really hindering my progress. I have gained back 5 of the 35 pounds I have lost my willpower and motivation all of a sudden. Just a few weeks ago I ran 80 miles in 20 days and this past week my exercise has been zero. Looking for some motivation and tips. Thanks.

    I get fast food 3-7 times a week. The reason I'm successful is that I fit this food into my daily goals instead of telling myself it's all automatically bad, and therefore "failing" myself every time I hit the drive-through.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    i just wanted to stop by and say hi so that i have 2 RIDICULOUS "addiction" threads in my newsfeed.

    carry on.
  • VeganCoco
    VeganCoco Posts: 104 Member
    Fast Food is full of drugs. Quitting them is damn hard.

    Name three. :huh:

    Caffeine
    Theobromine
    Phenylethylamine
    Casomorphins

    Not to mention chuff loads of MSG and sugar along with carcinogenic chemicals.

    But the real issue is the effect that the chemicals have on your hormones (much the same as in drugs) and the reward centre of the brain, huge increases in dopamine are noted in food addiction in the same fashion as in cocaine addiction for example.
  • akafede
    akafede Posts: 52 Member
    I just love homemade food, I went to mcdonalds and bking like 3 times in my entire life and I'm fat also so...
    But I have no doubt that homemade food has lets say "better quality calories".
  • cmcollins001
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member
    Fast Food is full of drugs. Quitting them is damn hard.

    Name three. :huh:

    Caffeine
    Theobromine
    Phenylethylamine
    Casomorphins

    Not to mention chuff loads of MSG and sugar along with carcinogenic chemicals.

    But the real issue is the effect that the chemicals have on your hormones (much the same as in drugs) and the reward centre of the brain, huge increases in dopamine are noted in food addiction in the same fashion as in cocaine addiction for example.

    Phenethylamine is widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom

    Theobromine is the primary alkaloid found in cocoa and chocolate, Theobromine can also be found in small amounts in the kola nut

    Caffeine is in coffee and tea as well as many other things, and according to several RDN's coffee and tea is actually good for you in moderation...just like everything else...in mod-er-a-tion.

    The "chemicals" have as much control of your hormones as you let them...it's called willpower. The ability to "just say no." No addiction, I have NEVER seen one single withdrawl symptom from lack of Double Quarter Pounder w/Cheese and fries. Never. However...there was that 911 call in Florida when McDonalds was out of chicken nuggets...so, there's that.
  • VeganCoco
    VeganCoco Posts: 104 Member
    Fast Food is full of drugs. Quitting them is damn hard.

    Name three. :huh:

    Caffeine
    Theobromine
    Phenylethylamine
    Casomorphins

    Not to mention chuff loads of MSG and sugar along with carcinogenic chemicals.

    But the real issue is the effect that the chemicals have on your hormones (much the same as in drugs) and the reward centre of the brain, huge increases in dopamine are noted in food addiction in the same fashion as in cocaine addiction for example.

    Phenethylamine is widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom

    Theobromine is the primary alkaloid found in cocoa and chocolate, Theobromine can also be found in small amounts in the kola nut

    Caffeine is in coffee and tea as well as many other things, and according to several RDN's coffee and tea is actually good for you in moderation...just like everything else...in mod-er-a-tion.

    The "chemicals" have as much control of your hormones as you let them...it's called willpower. The ability to "just say no." No addiction, I have NEVER seen one single withdrawl symptom from lack of Double Quarter Pounder w/Cheese and fries. Never. However...there was that 911 call in Florida when McDonalds was out of chicken nuggets...so, there's that.

    So because you have not seen it it does not exist? I have learned from time on MFP not to waste my time trying to convince people. Myself and others have posted links to further proof of actual food addiction, not everyone can control their willpower in the same way and some people do develop actual addiction (actually likened to similar level to heroin addiction) to food. I am not saying that everyone overweight is addicted, merely that food addiction is real and exists and can contribute to peoples inability to lose weight and control their eating.

    Anyway, good job you cracked the whole 'drug problem' thing, I'll make sure I let all of those people that find it hard to function without coffee know that cutting out caffeine doesn't cause withdrawal symptoms.

    I'll also let all of the Cocaine addicts know that they're not really addicted, because cocaine comes from a plant, right?

    Not to mention Heroin addicts that are obviously not addicted either, as Heroin is derived from Poppies?

    I don't think so somehow.
  • Mishinmite
    Mishinmite Posts: 43 Member
    If you deny yourself something you crave this badly, you're going to obsess over it and end up indulging way too much. A friend of mine used to order a Whopper, no cheese, no mayo and throw away the bun putting all the ingredients on white wheat instead. You could also try making your own healthier versions at home. Or just order the regular hamburger instead of the Triple Whopper.
  • doowop713
    doowop713 Posts: 268 Member
    Fast Food is full of drugs. Quitting them is damn hard.

    Name three. :huh:

    Caffeine
    Theobromine
    Phenylethylamine
    Casomorphins

    Not to mention chuff loads of MSG and sugar along with carcinogenic chemicals.

    But the real issue is the effect that the chemicals have on your hormones (much the same as in drugs) and the reward centre of the brain, huge increases in dopamine are noted in food addiction in the same fashion as in cocaine addiction for example.

    So you don't ingest anything with caffeine? No coffee, caffeinated teas, midol/pamprin?

    Also, according to our dear old wikipedia: phenylethylamine is an organic compound and a natural monoamine alkaloid, a trace amine, and also the name of a class of chemicals with many members well known for psychoactive drug and stimulant effects.[1] Phenylethylamine functions as a neuromodulator or neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system.[2] It is biosynthesized from the amino acid phenylalanine by enzymatic decarboxylation. In addition to its presence in mammals, phenethylamine is found in many other organisms and foods, such as chocolate, especially after microbial fermentation. It is sold as a dietary supplement for purported mood and weight loss-related therapeutic benefits; however, orally ingested phenethylamine is usually inactive because of extensive first-pass metabolism by monoamine oxidase (MAO) into phenylacetic acid. This prevents significant concentrations from reaching the brain.

    So you don't eat chocolate either? Oh.

    Also, again, according to wikipedia: Theobromine (theobromide[3]), formerly known as xantheose,[2] is a bitter alkaloid of the cacao plant, with the chemical formula C7H8N4O2. It is found in chocolate, as well as in a number of other foods, including the leaves of the tea plant, and the kola (or cola) nut. It is in the methylxanthine class of chemical compounds,[4] which also includes the similar compounds theophylline and caffeine.[2] (In caffeine, the only difference is that the NH group of theobromine is an N-CH3 group.) Despite its name, the compound contains no bromine—theobromine is derived from Theobroma, the name of the genus of the cacao tree, (which itself is made up of the Greek roots theo ("God") and broma ("food"), meaning "food of the gods")[5] with the suffix -ine given to alkaloids and other basic nitrogen-containing compounds.[6]

    Basically caffeine. Hm. And again, found in chocolate. Hm.

    And lastly: Casomorphins are peptides, i.e., protein fragments, derived from the digestion of milk protein casein. The distinguishing characteristic of casomorphins is that they have an opioid effect.[1] The most important casomorphins from bovine milk are those released from the digestion of β-casein into β-casomorphins, sometimes denoted as BCM followed by a numeral indicating the number of amino acids in the sequence. In cattle, the amount of β-casein - and, hence, the potential release of β-casomorphins - varies between species and breeds. Typically, β-casein comprises about one-third of the casein in milk, or about 12 grams per liter of milk. However, there are at least 13 different variants of the β-casein protein in cattle population, with any one cow producing milk that will contain either one or two of these 13 variants. β-casomorphins are found in cheeses made from bovine milk; their concentrations are higher in mould cheeses (e.g. Brie, Rokpol) than in semi-hard cheeses (e.g. Edam, Gouda and Kasztelan).[1]

    And I'm assuming you don't consume ANY dairy from cows? No cheeses, milk, or protein powders with this stuff in it?

    Oh.

    :smile: :wink: :glasses:

    Just a bit of input from the "pro-fast food in moderation" side

    [edit for the vegan chick... I guess she doesn't eat real cheese lol my bad. overlooked it.]
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Fast Food is full of drugs. Quitting them is damn hard.

    Name three. :huh:

    Caffeine
    Theobromine
    Phenylethylamine
    Casomorphins

    Not to mention chuff loads of MSG and sugar along with carcinogenic chemicals.

    But the real issue is the effect that the chemicals have on your hormones (much the same as in drugs) and the reward centre of the brain, huge increases in dopamine are noted in food addiction in the same fashion as in cocaine addiction for example.

    Phenethylamine is widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom

    Theobromine is the primary alkaloid found in cocoa and chocolate, Theobromine can also be found in small amounts in the kola nut

    Caffeine is in coffee and tea as well as many other things, and according to several RDN's coffee and tea is actually good for you in moderation...just like everything else...in mod-er-a-tion.

    The "chemicals" have as much control of your hormones as you let them...it's called willpower. The ability to "just say no." No addiction, I have NEVER seen one single withdrawl symptom from lack of Double Quarter Pounder w/Cheese and fries. Never. However...there was that 911 call in Florida when McDonalds was out of chicken nuggets...so, there's that.

    So because you have not seen it it does not exist? I have learned from time on MFP not to waste my time trying to convince people. Myself and others have posted links to further proof of actual food addiction, not everyone can control their willpower in the same way and some people do develop actual addiction (actually likened to similar level to heroin addiction) to food. I am not saying that everyone overweight is addicted, merely that food addiction is real and exists and can contribute to peoples inability to lose weight and control their eating.

    Anyway, good job you cracked the whole 'drug problem' thing, I'll make sure I let all of those people that find it hard to function without coffee know that cutting out caffeine doesn't cause withdrawal symptoms.

    I'll also let all of the Cocaine addicts know that they're not really addicted, because cocaine comes from a plant, right?

    Not to mention Heroin addicts that are obviously not addicted either, as Heroin is derived from Poppies?

    I don't think so somehow.

    I know you mean well and you're trying to help, but this type of post is sort of the opposite of health. Convincing people that some food item they like a lot is the equivalent of cocaine and therefore evil and bad leads to exactly what Mishinmite observes: willpower will eventually give out leading to failures and binges.

    The proper course of action is to learn moderation and how to fit these foods into your goals. Demonizing them is the wrong approach, and it simply does not work.
  • jedigrover
    jedigrover Posts: 21 Member
    There may be some "addictive" aspects (dopamine rewards) to it, but fast food especially (versus the overall category of "junk food") is mostly a habit.

    In other words, it's more convenient to just buy a burger than to buy the food, cook, and assemble a healthy meal.

    You can replace this habit, though. I've done it, and so have many others. Notice that I said REPLACE the habit, not BREAK it. People fail at breaking bad habits ***because they don't instill (train) a new one in its place.***

    The point being: if you clean refuse out of an area, you wind up with empty space. Nature abhors a vacuum. So if you don't put something good in its place, you will wind up with more bad stuff (sometimes MUCH more bad stuff) than you started with.

    So you need to develop some good habits to replace the bad habits. We all have bad habits and good habits. I try (not always successfully) to replace as many bad habits as I can identify with a good habit. Here's a step-by-step plan for you to try on this (having been there, I can speak from experience):

    1) Clean out your pantry of all the junk food--whatever doesn't fit your plan (I'm Primal, so I eliminated grains, legumes, etc.)
    2) Shop and fill your pantry with foods that are compatible with your eating plan. Don't go overboard at first if you haven't identified what will become your new staple items.
    3) Learn to cook about 4 meals from those ingredients.
    4) Set aside a day with some time (I do this on weekends) to pre-cook your proteins and portion / chop / prep as many "components" of your meals as possible. You can even make your own frozen dinners.
    5) When you are driving past Big-Butt-Burger (whatever your fast-food temptation is), ask yourself these questions:
    - "Will I remember how good this meal was a day or two from now? Or will I feel guilty that I worked against my fitness goals?"
    - "Will I use the time I save (versus home-cooking) to further my fitness goals? Or am I already planning to veg-out in front of the TV with my bag-o-calories?"
    - "Have I looked up the nutritional content of what I'm contemplating buying? Do I really know what I'm about to put in my mouth?"

    Those questions will usually get me to keep driving. And once I've gotten home, I really don't want to turn around and go out--particularly if I have something ready-to-go right there.

    With a little practice, you'll find that it doesn't take nearly as long to prep your food. And you know what it is & where it came from. And it is portioned. And now, that convenience equation starts to tilt in the favor of home-cooking.

    Keep this up for 30 days, then 60 days. By that time, you probably won't even be tempted when driving past your old haunts. Especially when you look down and see more space between your belly and the steering wheel.

    Also, don't try to replace all your bad habits all at once. Each thing you try to change simultaneously multiplies the difficulty & raise the odds of failing at all of them. Pick your biggest problem and whittle it down until it is no more. Then pick the next biggest, and so on. BTW, that approach also works VERY well for paying off debts. Which, when you think about it, is kind of what you're doing here.

    Do your best!
  • Live4theLift
    Live4theLift Posts: 329
    The way i got over mine was i watched this video where a prof at a college bought a happy meal and let it sit out for a long *kitten* time and he showed you that what they put in it really is like a preservative. It got me thinking what the hell is in that food? So pretty much i stopped because i didnt know what exactly they did to those burgers lol
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    The way i got over mine was i watched this video where a prof at a college bought a happy meal and let it sit out for a long *kitten* time and he showed you that what they put in it really is like a preservative. It got me thinking what the hell is in that food? So pretty much i stopped because i didnt know what exactly they did to those burgers lol

    Your prof was either an idiot or a charlatan.

    There are no preservatives in a ground beef patty from McD's. You can replicate the effect perfectly by making your own ground beef patty, grilling it with a little salt, and setting it down on a table. It will not mold; it will simply get dry and stay that way.
  • Zekela
    Zekela Posts: 634 Member
    I enjoy fast food and eating out... but somewhere along the line I picked up a degree in Economics and became more frugal. Hence, I'll not justify spending double the amount of money on food (it doesn't matter if I'm buying either) when I can spend less by going to the supermarket.
  • originalfinch
    originalfinch Posts: 1 Member
    That could not be more wrong. Some people might use an addiction as an excuse but the fact is it exist and its a craving your body needs. Now, I feel they're are various degrees of addiction in which fast food may not be as bad as others.

    Addiction is an excuse... give me a break!
  • mendobr
    mendobr Posts: 1
    ME! I have the same issue, my kids are envolved in sports so by the time I get home from work and practice its convenient to just grab a quick bite to eat. Im monitoring the calories and try to just walk a little longer. But I feel you, its hard to kick that bad habbit when its so easy and goood! Lol
  • CandiQueen
    CandiQueen Posts: 57
    I will say this, food is totally an addiction. The only difference is you cannot stop eating all together so it is more difficult in some ways than drugs or alcohol. Before I got pregnant with my first I struggled with drug and alcohol addictions and it was probably the hardest thing I have ever done, quitting. The thing of it is though, it is easier now because I am not in the lifestyle, I don't hang out with the friends, I am not around the triggers, it has been so long I don't really get cravings anymore other than the odd twinge here and there.

    I haven't eaten Mc.Donalds in 7 years and I STILL crave it ALL the time, although I have never given in. I was so disgusting and would go there 2-3 times A DAY sometimes. Fast forwards to 7 years later and I frequently crave it. The difference between food addictions and other addictions is you will always have to eat. Don't get me wrong, detoxing from drugs and alcohol was an extremely difficult and dark time, but after a period of time goes by it gets easier, food it like a constant struggle everyday, because you always have to be around triggers and around the addiction.
  • You have to stop eating fast food! It's not good for you & just triggers you to eat more junk! Keep strong in your willpower & you will get to your goal a whole lot faster!