Is junk food better than no food?

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SaqibH91
SaqibH91 Posts: 19
in Food and Nutrition
I have found myself in this situation many times. Maybe it's my lack of preparation and organisation, but sometimes I may be out and about with no access to any sort of healthy meals (don't ask lol). Should I avoid indulging in junk or just wait it out until I have a chance to get home? Which one of these would cause more harm to my body?

Replies

  • babyblake11
    babyblake11 Posts: 1,107 Member
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    i can tell you that if there is nothing nutritional for me to eat, i would rather not eat or wait til i get home, but that is not necessarily healthy. the answer to your problem is plan ahead, pack your own meals. thats what i do so i make sure i never go hungry.
  • alleyg4
    alleyg4 Posts: 26
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    If you need to eat then I would say eat. I mean, fast food places generally have some semi healthy options or you can just get something to hold you over until later. For example, if you want fries get a small fry but skip the whole meal. If you skip the meal, you may just over endulge later which wont help anyway.
  • kristilovescake
    kristilovescake Posts: 669 Member
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    I’m curious on the response also. I read somewhere that it was better to eat a huge fat doughnut than it is to not eat breakfast (hey, not recommending that’s a good option, the point was to not skip breakfast), but no idea on in the middle of the day. I have a granola bar in my car for these mid-day food emergencies where I’m running errands, etc. and don’t have time to get a healthy meal in. At least that way I’m eating something semi-healthy rather than a candy bar or fast food.
  • Bankman1989
    Bankman1989 Posts: 1,116 Member
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    JUNK FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 Don't fall into the calorie is just a calorie theory. I can eat 500 calories of fruit or 500 caloies of big macs do you think it will have the same results?

    Start packing food for emergencies. or you can grab something healthy at most ff restaurants!
  • spelham15
    spelham15 Posts: 43 Member
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    I found myself in this same situation today and asked the exact same question! Interested in the answers...
  • kelleymfrost
    kelleymfrost Posts: 15 Member
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    I pack an emergency Fiber One bar in my purse for situations like this..Something to tide me over till I make it home. Easy fix.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    i can tell you that if there is nothing nutritional for me to eat, i would rather not eat or wait til i get home, but that is not necessarily healthy. the answer to your problem is plan ahead, pack your own meals. thats what i do so i make sure i never go hungry.

    I agree. I keep healthy snacks in my purse (or car) for those times when I'm really hungry and don't want junk.
  • luv2run
    luv2run Posts: 54 Member
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    If possible could you quick run into a grocery store and pick up a protein bar? or buy a large apple or bannana, that would be better than going through drive thru and would hold you over until you could get home.
  • Jewels211
    Jewels211 Posts: 184 Member
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    I suppose it might depend on just how long it will be before you have access to healthy foods &/or if you have health issues, but overall, I'd say skip the junk if at all possible? Are there NO healthy choices? Gas stations have bags of nuts and many have fresh apples and bananas. You can get apple slices or "fries" at some fast food places from the kiddie menu. Vending machines tend to have at least peanut butter on crackers if nothing else. But I"m with everyone else; try to avoid the situation in the future. Individual bags of nuts, granola bars, trail mix, something like that in the glove compartment or wherever to stave off starvation till you can get home. :)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,699 Member
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    I eat junk as part of my weekly calorie intake. If accounted for, it's better than no food.
  • MikeSEA
    MikeSEA Posts: 1,074 Member
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    And not all junk food is equal either. This is a little non-specific, but I think some junk foods get too much heat and some health foods get too much praise. The key is to be aware of exactly what you're eating, and if you're ok with that then I think that's better than passing out from hunger.
  • dancingj2
    dancingj2 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    I think its best to avoid the junk if possible. I know I am not always that good at it but I will try to have just a small amount. I sometimes carry and apple or 90 calorie Special K bar with me for emergencies
  • BrewerGeorge
    BrewerGeorge Posts: 397 Member
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    JUNK FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 Don't fall into the calorie is just a calorie theory. I can eat 500 calories of fruit or 500 caloies of big macs do you think it will have the same results?

    Start packing food for emergencies. or you can grab something healthy at most ff restaurants!
    It kind of is the same, though, as far as weight loss goes. Body composition might be different, but calories ARE calories.

    For the OP, OF COURSE it's better to eat than to not. There's almost nowhere you can't find an acceptable choice. Even vending machines are going to have something like nuts or peanut butter crackers.
  • oswaldbowser
    oswaldbowser Posts: 164 Member
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    I think that if I remember that you are better off having just a hamburger in bun with no sauce......but dont touch the fries or fizzy drinks

    Hope this link gives you a idea how many calories are in this crap http://www.7habitsofweightloss.com/mcdonalds-nutrition.html
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    There's always options, trust me there's always options, like meat no bun or fries, salad no dressing, a bag of nuts, it may not be the best options, but I think it's better than being so hungry that you binge as soon as you hit the real food.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    JUNK FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 Don't fall into the calorie is just a calorie theory. I can eat 500 calories of fruit or 500 caloies of big macs do you think it will have the same results?

    depending on how the rest of your daily diet is, you might get better results from the big macs due to the protein...
  • crittytn
    crittytn Posts: 34
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    Make the most healthy choice with your options presented. If you have the MFP app, look up things you think might fit the bill and see if they would fit with a healthy-range caloric meal and have some nutritional value for you. If you don't have the app, ask for nutritional values from the restaurant. If they don't have that, make an educated decision. If you're on the go, look at labels in a convenience store to choose the best thing to eat.

    I personally would go with making the best choice under the circumstances instead of not eating, but I am one mean witch with a capital B if I miss meals. I would eat for the protection of those around me.

    I think it's important to realize that we all have lives and stuff is going to happen. You have to make the best choices you can in those out-of-the-ordinary moments and push forward.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    Almost anywhere there is junk food, there is real/healthier food to be found. Almost all fast food places have salad options of some kind, so go for one of those and watch the toppings/dressings. Any restaurant, even cheap chains can make you salads, veggies or even plain grilled proteins (chicken, steak, fish) if you ask. And even gas stations/convenience stores have options if you look close enough. Look for plain roasted nuts, beef jerky, fruit, and to-go cans of things like tuna or chicken. There may not always be enough for an entire meal, but you'll usually find more than enough to tide you over until you can get something more.
  • shirleymae19
    shirleymae19 Posts: 9
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    I would def go with making the best of where you are and eat the closest thing to healthy in MODERATION!! Do not mess with food, or you will binge, you need it every 3 to 4 hr..

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