Need buddies so I am not tempted to go to McDonalds

So I've been skimming some of the replies to this, and I agree with a lot of things people are saying, but I wanted to add my own thoughts too.

Like you, I love soda. Especially coke. But I find it helpful to buy those flavored carbonated waters I think they're like 60-80 cents and it makes me sort of feel like I'm drinking a soda but it's about 100% better for you. For me it's the fizzyness that I like so they help me. Also, I'm a sweets lover. If you love chocolate, I like to buy Fiber One bars. They have caramel, peanut butter, chocolate, pretty much anything sweet, so whenever I crave something like that, eating those helps to push the craving out of my head. It tastes unhealthy which satisfies the craving, but it's good for you which improves your health much more than the other options.
Most things you just need to trick your mind in order to help your body.

And like I've read in some other comments, the more I eat healthy, the more I realize I'm starting to prefer it. I'm on day 7 of my no cheating eating and on the first and second days my boyfriend and I were at Walmart noticing everything tasty way more than usual because of course, we go on a no cheat month and all of a sudden the dispays of Klondike bars and Reeses cups look so much more appetizing. But now, I'm like yeah a reeses would be good, but I think I'll just eat a tablespoon of natural peanut butter instead.

Also, for myself, the more I exercise and burn calories and improve my endurance, the more I'm actually afraid of eating bad because I don't want all my hard work to go to waste.

Losing weight is so much more than just dieting. It's a lifestyle. You have to learn to be healthy physically andmentally. Everything goes hand in hand. Get everything unhealthy out of your house and replace it with good stuff. Eat 3 healthy meals and 2-3 healthy snacks to keep your hunger from tempting you and if you stick to it, you'll realize you're probably much happier with the changes you're making. And a huge key that I had a problem with is do not be discouraged. If you gain a pound back, work harder or eat better, don't dwell on it because having a postive mindset can do a whole lot.

Good luck and KEEP IT UP!! You'll reach your goals!

I have an emotional attachment to McDonalds. I know it sounds silly but it's for real. When I was a kid, my dad hated it and my mom loved it. My mom and I would go whenever we were out of the house together and it reminds me so much of that time I spent with her as a kid.

When I was training for my first bodybuilding competition, my roommate brought McDonalds home and I threw and absolute temper tantrum. He didn't do it to be mean but I reacted like he had just punched me in the face. I yelled, stormed out of the house, and slammed the door behind me. Over reaction much? Food can have a deceptively strong hold on our psychology.

When I was cutting, I would tell myself that that food would always be available to have another day. 2 of my favorite restaurants went out of business and closed during my 16-week prep which really pissed me off given that rationale. However, I don't think McDonalds or any other fast food place is going out of business anytime soon! The first 8 weeks of my prep, I had McD's already chosen as my post-competition meal and I was planning on going all-out. After a while, I stopped craving it. I ended up not even wanting it by the time the show rolled around. Pre-show I was eatting fast food once or twice a week (with one of those being McDonalds) and now I eat fast food maybe once a month - not because I'm trying but because I really don't even thing about it any more.

Stick with it and find a rationale that will overpower your cravings... it does get easier with time!

You can do it man!

I would suggest you start cooking more! if you cook delicious food, it will be easier to resist the terror of fast food.

Even if you just cook a cheeseburger at your house, you can bake the fries instead of frying them and drink a diet pop. You are getting the same meal, but it will taste better, and be much healthier for you (especially if you skip the bun and put the burger ontop of a salad [if you are into that])

If you slip up NO BIG DEAL! just try harder the next day, we all fall down, we just have to get back up.
Thank you for your service, and I believe in you!

Good luck

Best advice in the whole MFing thread!

Take time out of your day, cook, relax, enjoy and reflect upon your day. It's cheaper, it tastes better, you develop a skill and hobby that will bring you much happiness. And not to mention what being able throwing down an awesome dinner does for dating life. That's just my take on it. Even down to stuff like bbq sauce / hot sauce / pasta sauce, I do it all from scratch. Sweet Baby Ray can't hold a candle to my beer based bbq sauces.

I'm not saying evil, satan, sugar, addictive. I'm just saying you can make it all cheaper and better and have good results if you focus on portions.

Between work, workouts and cooking, I'm spent at the end of my day. I sleep better, wake up earlier, it's formed a better cycle / routine.

Good luck man and feel free to add me.

The road by my office has just about every fast food place known to man out there. I honestly don't even see them anymore. I have no clue how this happened but I just don't acknowledge their existance... I used to go 5 days a week for lunch. That $140(low figure) a month for awful lunch is two full weeks of awesome food to cook at home for me.

Oh they will let me leave by separating me with no retirement benefits. It seems sad that I have put in 19 years and they will just let me go for having trouble with weight. They have helped me by forcing me to go to a workout session in the morning 3 days a week, but that is not really helpful because I was working out before. That is why I joined this site to see where I am going wrong and try to fix the problem.

Yikes this is pretty terrifying, and seems wrong on so many levels! But in the same respect look at it as a great motivator to skip out on the fast food and take this chance to get healthy again :flowerforyou: