Will need encouragement...

One thing I learned about giving up fast food when you don't have a lot of time is pre-making food for a week when you do have the time. Several recipes can be made in advance frozen and all you have to do is bake it when you get home. I pre-make lunches so when I get home from school I can just grab it. That way I don't buy fast food on my way home ^_^ Hope that helps!

I am in a similar situation. I am a lazy eater, if it's quick I am all for it. I find that if I invest a little time on my shopping days to portion out food into individual servings I am more apt to eat properly opposed to eating junk or fast food it also helps to stop overeating. Give it a try. Also if you crave crunch I find that baby carrots and hummus satisfy a chip or salty craving. Hope this helps.

-TPC

it took me over a year but I lost 107 lbs. I have been gaining weight since October so I am getting back to basics. Start tracking everything and after a few months it will get easier. if you cheat on something just start over. You will not stick to it if you feel like you can no longer eat the things you like. The success comes in choosing better ways to stay healthy. The choice to want to do better Is the success. Good luck.

If you can handle it, I would suggest formulating several "go-to" fast food options for yourself (like a 6" Subway turkey) that fall into your calorie goals. That way if you find that you don't have time to eat once in awhile, you know what to order before you even get there. Every fast food place has something that is lower in calories, you just have to find it and will yourself to order it haha. Hope it helps!

This is great advice. Thanks!

Hi Andrew! Good for you for committing to a healthier lifestyle! You've done well with kicking the diet soda!

What types of food do you like to eat? I'll share what's worked for me.

I've cut down on the amount of starch I eat. So bread, pasta, rice, potatoes... I cut those out and replace them with more protein and veggies/fruit. I'd have toast for breakfast before, now I have eggs. Instead of a granola bar for a snack, I'll have an apple (with peanut butter sometimes). Just start small. You don't want to get overwhelmed.

Once you get in the habit of cooking, it becomes easier. Start with a few simple meals... google some - there are a ton of awesome recipes out there. Go get all the necessary groceries so you'll have everything you need for the week and won't have to run to the store all the time. Get lots of fruit and veggies that you like and don't buy as much fatty/processed foods.

Also, drink lots of water.

Andrew, I started off at 222 lbs and 6'1, so not too far off. If you count calories you are only about half way to the real issue, and that is what you are eating, in addition to how much. Blood sugar is such a critical thing to maintain and yet the conventional wisdom is we should be eating a lot of sugar (in the form of grains and starches, think bread, potatoes, etc.) Fast food isn't the healthiest way to go, but there are ways to make it work for you, like don't eat the fries. I watched the movie Fat Head and it changed the way I look at nutritional recommendations.
I adapted a low-carb diet and it has worked for me so far. I'm down to 197 since the beginning of November, 2013. I eat an easy breakfast of eggs and bacon in the morning, a Shakeology shake with fruit for lunch, and a reasonable dinner of salad and some protein. I've eaten at Arby's and McD's, a fried chicken place here called Bojangles during this time. I ask them all to hold the bun.
The Shakeology shake is easy to put together, fast, delicious and it keeps me feeling full from noon until about 6-7. If I think I'm feeling snacky, I grab a water to make sure I'm not really slightly dehydrated. (The body gives the same signal for dehydration as for hunger.) I have added in a 30 minute workout to my daily routine now as well and the weight continues to come off.
If you would like, I'd be happy to share my health and fitness lessons learned and help you out as well.

One thing I learned about giving up fast food when you don't have a lot of time is pre-making food for a week when you do have the time. Several recipes can be made in advance frozen and all you have to do is bake it when you get home. I pre-make lunches so when I get home from school I can just grab it. That way I don't buy fast food on my way home ^_^ Hope that helps!

This is what I have started doing -- plus it's been extra hard for me because my wife is 39 weeks pregnant. So, in preparing for baby (and since I'm the cook), every Saturday I will make stuff that can be frozen, and then just put into the oven (maybe with a little extra prep time) when it's time to eat. Now, these aren't the healthiest things considering that most of what my freezer meals consist of pasta dishes -- but I guarantee I know everything that's going in them.

If you want any of the recipes (I really didn't create them myself but found them from a variety of different sources), I'd be more than happy to share -- just message me.

Also, it's just as easy to stop at your local grocery store and pick up some fresh produce rather than a big mac -- just saying.