Fast food cravings
SierraMC15
Posts: 17 Member
Help!! I never know how to kick fast food cravings. Even when I prepare my meals and have them ready with foods that I like, I will want to drop everything and just go get McDonald's. Or ice cream. Or anything unhealthy!! I know that I'm allowed to give myself a "treat" every now and then but what are some tips y'all have on avoiding a full on fast food and or sugar binge?
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Wondering how often you’re feeling this? 1-2x a month I wouldn’t worry so much and just work it into your plan. 3-4 times a week? I would check what is happening with your emotions. Can I recommend Brooke Castillo’s Life Coach School podcast series? It’s amazing for identifying how you’re feeling and how that causes overeating! I know I always want to “treat” myself when I’m feeling stressed.2
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You're halfway there with preparing meals you like and allowing yourself an occassional treat. My cravings haven't stopped (I don't know if it's even possible), but it helped a lot to stop thinking about individual foods as healthy and unhealthy, and instead separating them into everyday-foods and sometimes-foods. This means there are no laws that beg to be violated, just easy, reasonable boundaries. I also find "no waste" a good goal and great help; when I've bought and prepared it, I eat it, I don't throw away good food.5
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You keep a food diary? Use a food scale at home? Plan a menu for the week?
I’m another person who doesn’t find healthy/unhealthy food a very useful concept. But sometimes I do think of different food as helpful or unhelpful. One thing I do is plan a daily treat. It’s how I fight feeling deprived. Conversely, many of my meals are rather plain. But they fill me up for few calories, leaving calories in the bank for a treat. In that sense those foods are helpful.
If you plan well enough, you can probably get in a trip to McDs if you really want it. Can you keep yourself in check if you go? Is it worth it to try to limit your McD picks? Big difference between a Big Mac, large fry, and a large milkshake and a burger, small fry and diet soda. Is that worth it?
All that said, almost all of what I eat everyday would make most people’s healthy food list. It’s the way I get enough to eat and still get a daily treat. The good news is that after eating this way for awhile my tastes changed. Last time I had McDs French fries, about 2 years ago, I threw them away. Thought they were awful. I used to eat fast food for lunch every single weekday. Things change.
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This may be controversial, but instead of trying to kick the food cravings, have you tried giving into them no strings attached except calories? Forget nutrition for now (temporarily) and give yourself unlimited permission to have whatever you want as long as it's within your calories.
If you're anything like me, these foods may lose their "decadence" factor after a while. Right now, you're still thinking about them as "treats" not as "food", so they're quite attractive. If you just give in within calories whenever you have the urge, they may become normalized and just like any other food you like. In fact, they may move into the "not always worth it" category once you've repeatedly experienced hunger and the lack of variety because these foods are often calorie dense.
Losing interest or the desire to not experience negative outcomes (like hunger or heartburn) may be an easier way to start eating them less frequently than brute willpower.12 -
People crave mcdonalds?4
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I kill my bad cravings with loads of vegetarian or vegan food.5
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I went on the websites of my fave spots and made myself a list of meals that I could work into my calorie goals. And if I really really wanted fast food, I got it with no guilt. After awhile I found I was only going around once a week, which I really don't think is a big deal. Often, feeling deprived makes you crave something more!
Other than that, I think the most important thing I do is pre-log my meals. So if you want McDonalds, first log what you are going to get and look at the numbers. Then make a conscious decision to go get it, or back that meal out and log something that will work better. I think it's really important to make the mindset change that you are an adult and are in control. If there is a voice in your head telling you to do something that will move you backwards instead of forwards, tell that voice to shut the *kitten* up.
Also I have a weighed out portion of ice cream several times a week, I usually have a couple of flavors in the freezer. Other nights I have a couple of Oreos or a bowl of cold cereal in milk. Still lost weight and now maintaining just fine, still have great numbers at my check up and fitness goals progressing as expected.
Good luck!4 -
People crave mcdonalds?
I do sometimes. And it doesn't help (or it does I suppose) that the burger I usually crave is one of their highest calories ones (Angus Swiss mushroom burger). When I want it, I have to carve out a minimum of 1000 calories out of my daily budget. Sometimes it feels like it's worth it, other times I think "*kitten* that, too much work, I'll go for something else" and my desire for it diminishes.2 -
I make fast food fit into my calories. Does that mean I go there all the time? No. I limit it to once a week at most...I had Taco Bell on Sunday, so now I won't go elsewhere until next week...if it sounds appealing, which it doesn't at the moment.2
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makkimakki2018 wrote: »I kill my bad cravings with loads of vegetarian or vegan food.
You mean you kill your cravings with chips, ice cream, blooming onions, and pesto pasta?6 -
I still eat fast food, just less often and smaller portions. I order kids meals with a diet soda. I get the added bonus of being a 5 year old in a 41 year old body as I actually enjoy the toys.4
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I still have fast food but plan for it and research what I can have for that day. I have my fast food standby's......2 bean tostadas from bakers......subway (whatever sandwich will fit my calorie account)...protein burger from Burger King or Carl's jr (burger wrapped in lettuce instead of bun).
There is no I cannot have BUT what I can have.0 -
My friend who has lost 55lbs thru this site orders kids meals from fast foods.0
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I crave it every night on my way home and I have so far avoided it by just reminding myself that I have already spent time/money on the food I have at home so I shouldn't spend more on the fast food. I always just want to get home after a long day, so as long as I stay strong and drive past it I know I won't double back for it. I'm also only craving certain brands, so I don't have to stay strong for every single intersection. I think I pass 4 fast food/takeout places each day that I wish I could eat, but so far I have yet to stop once.1
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PS - I also tell myself mentally that it is a special treat for when I've had an awesome or terrible workday. So a second part of the mental willpower is to just tell myself "My day was not that bad/great, you don't need it today. Maybe tomorrow" and then rinse and repeat each day1
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I avoid binges by letting myself have these things within my calorie allowance. I use a weekly deficit and balance lower days with higher days so if I want to eat a higher calorie meal of whatever, it works out over the week. As for ice cream and general desserts (none of which I consider unhealthy), I pre-log calories for every evening and weigh out what fits.
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amusedmonkey wrote: »People crave mcdonalds?
I do sometimes. And it doesn't help (or it does I suppose) that the burger I usually crave is one of their highest calories ones (Angus Swiss mushroom burger). When I want it, I have to carve out a minimum of 1000 calories out of my daily budget. Sometimes it feels like it's worth it, other times I think "*kitten* that, too much work, I'll go for something else" and my desire for it diminishes.
I will sometimes crave chick fil a or Freddy's but McDonalds to me is like, a last resort, if I'm on a road trip and there are no other options. I think it's so gross. Unless I'm getting chocolate chip cookies or a McFlurry, those are pretty good. Lol.
Anyway, There are a lot of lower calorie fast food options. There was a thread on here in the past of low calorie fast food options, you could probably find it if you looked hard enough. There were a lot of good ideas in there. Taco bell actually has a lot of low calorie items if you like that.
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amusedmonkey wrote: »This may be controversial, but instead of trying to kick the food cravings, have you tried giving into them no strings attached except calories? Forget nutrition for now (temporarily) and give yourself unlimited permission to have whatever you want as long as it's within your calories.
This is what I do, and I've lost over 70lbs. We eat out every Friday night (I refuse to cook on Fridays!) and quite often once or twice over the weekend as well. If we go to Taco Bell, I know that the combo I like is 740 calories, and I make it fit into my calorie allowance. If we go somewhere without calories on the menu, I make my best guess at an entry and log it anyways. You'll learn to look for better options on the menu and pick accordingly so you still get your "fix" without going overboard and blowing the calorie bank.3 -
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amusedmonkey wrote: »People crave mcdonalds?
I do sometimes. And it doesn't help (or it does I suppose) that the burger I usually crave is one of their highest calories ones (Angus Swiss mushroom burger). When I want it, I have to carve out a minimum of 1000 calories out of my daily budget. Sometimes it feels like it's worth it, other times I think "*kitten* that, too much work, I'll go for something else" and my desire for it diminishes.
I will sometimes crave chick fil a or Freddy's but McDonalds to me is like, a last resort, if I'm on a road trip and there are no other options. I think it's so gross. Unless I'm getting chocolate chip cookies or a McFlurry, those are pretty good. Lol.
Anyway, There are a lot of lower calorie fast food options. There was a thread on here in the past of low calorie fast food options, you could probably find it if you looked hard enough. There were a lot of good ideas in there. Taco bell actually has a lot of low calorie items if you like that.
I know this works well for many people, but not me. When I crave something, it's usually a specific item from a specific place, not "fast food" as a category. Settling for less makes me feel like I've wasted my calories, so I basically end up having them less often, not because I'm "trying to eat less fast food", but because it isn't always worth it or I'm not willing to go through the process of fitting them in.1 -
You might look into "urge surfing" and see if it's something you can work into your routine.1
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I tell myself I can have anything I want, in any quantity I want. For me, that removes the element of "lack", of tying myself in knots wanting what I've told myself (or been told) I can't have. I can have it. I choose not to. I make choices that will better aid my nutrition and health.
That said, cravings are incredibly hard to defeat. When I decide to binge, I don't guilt myself. There's nothing wrong with having food you like, it doesn't make you "bad" or "weak". I also no longer view certain foods as a treat or reward. I add the foods to my diary and try to compensate on subsequent days. I get back on track as soon as I can.
When I do binge, I choose options that are healthier for me, not anyone else. Everyone is different and on their own journey. I no longer view different foods as good or bad. Food is food. It doesn't exist on a moral scale. I just prefer healthier options to less healthy options these days, and eat accordingly.
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I agree that you shouldn't deny yourself the things you really want, but one tactic I've used at times in the past is to delay. If I suddenly start wanting some specific high-calorie food, I'll make a plan to have it sometime within the next week (sometimes tomorrow, sometimes several days out, depending on what it is and how my week looks). This helps distinguish between a legitimate craving and a whim or urge, because sometimes the desire for that thing goes away. Other times, I still keep wanting the thing, so then I eat it as planned.2
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People crave mcdonalds?
Haha, I don't get it either. Pizza, ice cream, and chocolate I understand, but McFattie food-I do not understand. It is not even real food! I am a food nerd and I know what is in fast food...that probably helps me avoid it? Maybe try educating yourself about what is in the fast food you crave will help to deter you?2 -
I eat fast food on the regular. Not a week goes by when I don't have a grilled chicken sandwich from Chick-Fil-A or a Jr Cheeseburger from Wendys. I just don't get the fries and I have a side salad. And dayum, I love me some Taco Bell!
You can figure out a way to fit it into your calories.1 -
Read the nutritional information on your favorites, esp. fat and sodium - and you won't crave it anymore. I am so grateful that I never liked fast food and I don't crave it, because just about every FF chain is represented in this town. It's no wonder we are the 3rd fattest state. You should see the lines at Hardees for breakfast.3
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People crave mcdonalds?
Haha, I don't get it either. Pizza, ice cream, and chocolate I understand, but McFattie food-I do not understand. It is not even real food! I am a food nerd and I know what is in fast food...that probably helps me avoid it? Maybe try educating yourself about what is in the fast food you crave will help to deter you?
Is edible and not poisonous? Then it's real food. Do some people like it? Then eating it is justified. You can have your preferences, but it's really not that hard to understand that some people may have different preferences.
I know what's in hot dogs and bologna and I still eat them. I know rodent poop and hair may potentially be in more edible things than I care to list, but I haven't gone breatharian. I know some vegetables have poop and insect eggs that may not completely wash away, and maybe even potentially harmful bacteria. Yep, still gonna eat them.3 -
bobsburgersfan wrote: »I agree that you shouldn't deny yourself the things you really want, but one tactic I've used at times in the past is to delay. If I suddenly start wanting some specific high-calorie food, I'll make a plan to have it sometime within the next week (sometimes tomorrow, sometimes several days out, depending on what it is and how my week looks). This helps distinguish between a legitimate craving and a whim or urge, because sometimes the desire for that thing goes away. Other times, I still keep wanting the thing, so then I eat it as planned.
I do this, too. About twice a year I get a craving for a McGriddle that will not go away, and then I get one (or two
). But I think about eating one way more often than that. 0 -
People crave mcdonalds?
Haha, I don't get it either. Pizza, ice cream, and chocolate I understand, but McFattie food-I do not understand. It is not even real food! I am a food nerd and I know what is in fast food...that probably helps me avoid it? Maybe try educating yourself about what is in the fast food you crave will help to deter you?
This is some utter nonsense right here, rooted in classism and fatphobia. Let people like what they like without this ridiculous argument that they must not be ~educated~ if they're still eating at restaurants you personally don't like.8 -
I cave once or twice a month.
I had taco Bell tonight and my meal was 980 calories and I still stayed under my goal.
I just don't make a habit of it.
It's nice to have every now and then.0
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