Drive Thru fast Food Addiction

I challenge you to do this test: Get your 550 calorie drive-thru sandwich and eat it while driving. An hour later, rate how full and satisfied you are on a 1-10 scale. The next day, in your own kitchen, make a 550 calorie meal that requires you to pull out multiple components from the frig and pantry, clean/prep some produce, assemble it into a meal (preferably a fork meal) and sit at a table and eat it without tv or computer or talking. Then rate your satiety.

It's proven that the more interaction you have with your food over the whole process, the more full and satisfied it leaves you. Drive-thru food is probably the least 'interactive' food possible, short of an IV or canned shakes drank in the car.

Also, put your purse or wallet in the trunk while you drive, if drive-thrus are a problem. :happy:

Habit is a much better choice of word than addiction (which IMO is overused). Replace the habit with preparing your meal ahead of time and you can avoid the fast food. I see nothing wrong with fast food, I'm just not willing to use half or a third of my daily caloric allotment on one meal, especially one that is loaded withy sodium that will make me retain water. It's kind of like drinking my calories. I want food.

thedarkwombat wrote: »

So even though going today might not have an effect on the bottom line, does it set me up for failure later on, because today I just reinforced this "habit"?

Well, it depends but it certainly can do depending on the circumstances.

Our minds are said to have two systems in making decisions: System 1 is fast, instinctive and emotional and generally governs decisions that seemingly get made automatically and unconsciously. System 2 is slower, more rational and deliberate but is far more energy intensive. Human beings tend to need to conserve energy and make quick decisions for survival and so we prefer to allow System 1 to make most of the choices on how we act.

Fast food is designed to be hyper palatable and rewards us with a heightened pleasurable experience. This helps anchor in place behaviour which can become compulsive over time and not generally in our interest (over eating.) The more we do it the more the behaviour becomes reinforced and the more likely it will be repeated. So, for example if we create an association between the pleasure of eating fast food to overcome feelings of stress or boredom and keep repeating that action the more likely it is that it will become a compulsion which is ruled by System 1 which does most of our "thinking". That is why many people will say "Why can't I (or in reality their System 2 rational mind) control my eating?". It is because System 1 is generally more powerful.

The good thing though is you can use System 2 to deliberately put in place behaviours which over write the neural connections and associations created by System 1 (they never go away though but get layered over) which through repetition creates better outcomes.

BebePalmer wrote: »

JennyToy wrote: »

I do believe fast food can be addicting. I bought many a mcchicken when I wasn't hungry in the least. I just wanted to have a party in my mouth. I am *not* saying this is true for everyone, but for me, the more I eat fast food, the more I want it. Maybe they scientifically study some people and their taste buds (ie, they have a good balance of fats and sugar that keep me going back for more). Maybe it's something in my genetics that not everyone has. But fast food is addicting for me and that's why I don't go anymore. I know there are healthier options at most fast food places and I know sometimes people use it for time & schedule purposes-but for me personally, it will lead to more consumption. I just think everyone is different in this area.

I am right there, I can have all the good intentions in the world, but end up binge eating till I am miserable. This is something I am starting to address. I have never really mentioned it before, but it is time for honesty or the scale will never move.

Hi @BebePalmer, welcome to the forums.

"Binge" is used two different ways here and I am not sure which you mean. If you have clinical Binge Eating Disorder, you may want to get professional help for it. There are other posters here with BED.

What helps me to not make food choices I will later regret is to not allow myself to get too hungry and to eat fullness enhancing foods like protein, fat, and veggies.

Also yoga:

How Yoga Can Help End Binge Eating

One breath at a time, end the suffering of binge-eating

...According to Juliano, yoga gives people the skills to stay with what they are feeling, rather than turning to food to escape. People who are obese or suffering from eating disorders have a tendency to dissociate from their bodies -- to choose not to feel what they are feeling when they are angry, anxious, or sad. Often, they turn to food to numb themselves. "There's this sense that I have to feel better right now, " Juliano says. "There is a complete intolerance of what is happening right now." This need to escape unpleasant feelings triggers a binge.

When you eat to escape what you are feeling, you lose touch with the experience of eating, as well. This is one reason binges can spiral out of control. "You have no understanding that you are full, way past full, into uncomfortable, because you're so out of it," Juliano explains. "You have no connection to what you're eating. You're eating a pint of ice cream and can't even taste it. Or you go to make yourself some toast and before you know it, half the loaf is gone."

Mindful yoga directly challenges the habit of dissociating from your body and your present-moment experience. "The whole point of yoga is to stay connected to your body. You learn it through practice, through breathing, and through breathing through the sensations."

Read more: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-science-willpower/201007/how-yoga-can-help-end-binge-eating

Original post is from September.

GeeWillickers wrote: »

It is not nor will ever be an addiction. People over use the term addiction as a means to excuse themselves from taking responsibility and to feel better about themselves. At the most it's a habit albeit deeply entrenched one. Nothing will ever set you up for failure unless you believe it, please don't.

Changing a habit is hard and despite being in agreement with the IIFYM/flexible dieting crowd at this stage in developing a doable lifestyle for myself, I have no doubt that jumping on the all healthy foods eating kick when I first started the weight loss journey helped a great deal. It allowed me to add back in slowly plus I didn't feel guilty when having family get togethers.

If you have an interest in learning more about habits and how to change might I suggest reading The Power of Habit: Why We do What We Do in Life and Business - Charles Duhigg. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and try to come back to using a feedback loop to check some of my less desirable habits.

+1. Great book!

Habit =\= addiction

Habits can be strong, but you can change them if you work on it.

Its just a way of life for some people. Some people are really accustomed to get fast food daily. I started doing this when i met my fiancee since she has always had that habit. It took me a while to stop resorting to fast food but its possible. I find that its a lot easier to avoid fast food and wait till i get home if i have a snack in between meals. Another alternative is to adjust portion sizes and what you get. For example, you could try getting a grilled chicken wrap and a yogurt parfait instead of a large combo. Good luck.

I don't buy fast food anymore (or maybe once in a blue moon and i'm very particular about where I buy it) ever since I smelt what Hungry Jacks food poisoning vomit smells like....

I watched the biggest loser the other day and they got the contestants to buy thier favourite fast food and 'test' themselves on it. What one guy said really stood out. He smelt the food and nibbled a bit and said

"I still want it, i guess I'm not fixed yet!" What?. Are they teaching them that skinny people walk around all day unaffected by junk food temptations, that they magical people who dislike treats and one day they will be 'fixed' and be like them?

What they should have told him is that this food is deisgned to be super-yummy- it's called "hyper-palatable" and will appeal to most humans as it hits all the trigger spots- sugar, salt, umami, fat etc.

They should be teaching them that it's okay to like the food - but not okay to regularly binge on it- and give them coping strategies.

The other point I noted was the cheap price of junk in the US and the enormous portion sizes. The box of cheese fries would last me 3 substantial meals! (with a few veggies for flavour)