Help! I'm addicted to take out/fast food
swathi88
Posts: 25 Member
hey guys so I'm in school at the moment. I'm always finding myself look for the quickest meal with least effort which usually means getting take out or picking up something from a drive thru. I need some tips to stay away from these two lethal things. Any ideas? I even tried meal prepping but I will always get food when I'm on the go
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Replies
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Before answering - I guess we need to know what specifically the problem is?
Are you having trouble maintaining a calorie deficit? If so, then perhaps consciously choosing lower calorie options would help (Small cheeseburger vs. Big Mac/Whopper; small fries vs. Super size, water instead of coke, etc).
Are you just sick of the food? Then yeah I'd recommend simply taking a week and commit to cooking at home each night that week. Hopefully that can start a habit for you.0 -
Do you like the things you're prepping? When my lunches and dinners are things that I know I enjoy, I'm not really tempted to stop for other things. It doesn't have to be elaborate -- but try to make your meals things that you really love and you should be less tempted. You can also set up a challenge for yourself -- bank the money you would have spend on fast food or takeout food and use it to buy yourself something that you want once you've banked the money.0
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My daughter an athlete loves her fast food places cause she is real k y hungry before we get home from practice or a game.. But she knows to pick the healthier items on the menu. Salads, water on ice, etc. Love Chipotle and EL Pollo loco. I would say drink lots of water. I've read that our body mixes up signals...when we are hungry we are actually thirsty. I carry my reusable bottle and fill up every chance I get. It quells the hunger pains and keeps my mind off food til I can make sensible choices. And really one day a week, just cut up some veggies and out in individual bags, get protein bars to nosh on before you leave class and head outside. Sometime it's just the convenience factor but it's also taking a bite out of your wallet.0
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It's like comings off drugs. This is "food" scientifically designed to be addictive, basically. It takes time to get off the stuff. I used to frequent the fast food drive thru at least once a day, usually more. Just sweat it out for a few weeks. It's crazy hard, but you can do it!
These days, I could easily binge and overeat - I will always have to be vigilant - but never on fast food. It truly seems revolting now.0 -
Yeah, the area around here is crazy with Whataburger rehab clinics. Or not.
Otherwise, what @ceoverturf posted. The "why" is the important bit.0 -
Most restaurants have the nutritional info for their menus online. You can check those out and decide what to order before you get to the drive-thru.
At home, if you just don't have time to cook or don't want to cook, you can fill your freezer with frozen dinners and bags of frozen veggies. Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice have some tasty and nutritionally rounded meals.
The primary problem with both restaurant meals and frozen foods is the salt content. If you don't have medical problems with salt you should be OK except for retaining some extra water weight. If you do have problems with salt, blend in low-salt foods to keep your daily total down.0 -
I seriously had this addiction also.
After moving out on my own I thought "hey, I can eat whatever I want now" and ate a lot of it. It became a vicious cycle. I was addicted To it and it became something I needed rather than wanted. I actually became sick of it but it was convenient and I craved it.
Habit I guess.
Especially working in a mall right next to a food court.
So basically I started to just leave my wallet at home, and bring food with me. And if I didn't bring food, well then I would wait until I got home.
Maybe leave your wallet at home? You shouldn't really need it at school anyways.
And also, when you go grocery shopping grab some protein bars or granola bars for on the run. Or a protein shake, so you can just add water and go.
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Would sweating it out really show it is addictive or just a habit.It's like comings off drugs. This is "food" scientifically designed to be addictive, basically. It takes time to get off the stuff. I used to frequent the fast food drive thru at least once a day, usually more. Just sweat it out for a few weeks. It's crazy hard, but you can do it!
These days, I could easily binge and overeat - I will always have to be vigilant - but never on fast food. It truly seems revolting now.
I'd suggest you move the quotes from around food and use them on the term addictive because what some foods are designed (about as much culinary as any sinister science) for is to be hyper-palatable.
Though if you have any links to peer reviewed research about food being addictive that doesn't involve rats, I'd be interested in reading it.0 -
juggernaut1974 wrote: »Before answering - I guess we need to know what specifically the problem is?
Are you having trouble maintaining a calorie deficit? If so, then perhaps consciously choosing lower calorie options would help (Small cheeseburger vs. Big Mac/Whopper; small fries vs. Super size, water instead of coke, etc).
Are you just sick of the food? Then yeah I'd recommend simply taking a week and commit to cooking at home each night that week. Hopefully that can start a habit for you.
I think I'm having trouble maintaining a calorie deficit but also rather not eat fast food in general. I think I'm going to use up this weekend to cook up meals that I would actually eat. Thank you again.0 -
Thank you all for the amazing tips. I will make sure I incorporate all of your tips in to my routine.0
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Two days ago in the forums: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10261641/im-addicted-to-fast-food#latest0
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If you're needing quick lunches/snacks while you're out of the house, perhaps try bento boxes? Here's a nice thread about them, though some of these are a bit more involved in the making, lol. I make simple/quick ones for my son's school lunch. Never longer than 5 minutes to put together (although he's a picky eater so there's a limit to what I use). http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10043413/using-bento-boxes-for-lunches/p10
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I personally hate fast food as it's not filling and not worth the calories. But every once and a while my kids will want to go out to eat so I order off the kids menu so I get just a little bit but not over indulging in calories.0
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Fast food actually has some major advantages over restaurant food in general - unlike your local Chinese food or pizza take out place, the McDonaldses, Wendys, and Arby's of the world (and their ilk) all offer calorie counts on their items.
Just make sure it fits in your calorie budget. I eat at McDonalds with my kids a couple times per month and my regular go-to is the grilled sweet chili chicken wrap meal, includes medium fries and a drink (diet coke or diet lemonade for me). I sometimes throw in a side salad. A decent meal, only 700 calories out the door.0 -
This it also true. Sometimes I have to grab something on a super busy day, you just gotta try and get the healthiest possible, and if not, ah well, everything in moderation as long as it fits within your budget.Fast food actually has some major advantages over restaurant food in general - unlike your local Chinese food or pizza take out place, the McDonaldses, Wendys, and Arby's of the world (and their ilk) all offer calorie counts on their items.
Just make sure it fits in your calorie budget. I eat at McDonalds with my kids a couple times per month and my regular go-to is the grilled sweet chili chicken wrap meal, includes medium fries and a drink (diet coke or diet lemonade for me). I sometimes throw in a side salad. A decent meal, only 700 calories out the door.
They are just a lot more calorie dense for what little nutrition some things carry. So you just gotta think if it's worth it.
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juggernaut1974 wrote: »Before answering - I guess we need to know what specifically the problem is?
Are you having trouble maintaining a calorie deficit? If so, then perhaps consciously choosing lower calorie options would help (Small cheeseburger vs. Big Mac/Whopper; small fries vs. Super size, water instead of coke, etc).
Are you just sick of the food? Then yeah I'd recommend simply taking a week and commit to cooking at home each night that week. Hopefully that can start a habit for you.
I think I'm having trouble maintaining a calorie deficit but also rather not eat fast food in general. I think I'm going to use up this weekend to cook up meals that I would actually eat. Thank you again.
It sounds like you are just trying to make a change for personal reasons. You have to do what's best for you.
I don't eat out a lot, period, because (1) I prefer to save my money for other things and (2) I love preparing food and (3) I've never simply been much of a fast food person. However, when Grandpa was alive (he died 3 years ago), his favorite lunch place was what he called "Two Four Letter Words"- Taco Bell!- so I went there with him quite often, and I admit to liking it. Now Chipotle is my fast food place, but not real often.
During the week, the night before I prepare my morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack for the work day. I weigh my food to make sure I stay in my calorie goals. I usually don't eat anything other than what I bring with me, and there are always plenty of snacks in the office.
Do you like sandwiches, veggies, and fruits, and other things like chips or trail mix?
By the way, there is nothing at all wrong with fast food, as long as you can fit it into your calorie goals.
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Asher_Ethan wrote: »I personally hate fast food as it's not filling and not worth the calories. But every once and a while my kids will want to go out to eat so I order off the kids menu so I get just a little bit but not over indulging in calories.
That's a great idea to order from the kid's menu. I've thought of doing what when at Chipotle because their regular sized adult meals seem too big.0 -
Try going on a fast? For me, it helps to go hard and know there is an eventual end date. Taking some time off from fast food completely will force you to get more creative and find solutions that work for you. And it's easier to rise to the occasion when it's not necessarily permanent. But that's just how I operate.0
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Try going on a fast? For me, it helps to go hard and know there is an eventual end date. Taking some time off from fast food completely will force you to get more creative and find solutions that work for you. And it's easier to rise to the occasion when it's not necessarily permanent. But that's just how I operate.
I don't understand what you are trying to say. Please elaborate on the purpose of a fast in this situation.0
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