How Do I Avoid Fast Food?

Chipotle and Subway have calorie info online and you should be able to easily eat there while staying in a calorie deficit.

THIS!

I Chipotle!

+1

like a truck...good night!

I travel. I can find granola bars at walmart and a gym, of sorts, at my hotel. Otherwise, focus on veggies.

Cheers,

Sean

Some people travel (perhaps as part of their job) regularly, and fasting for 2 weeks is not really a good option.

Let's not be so judgmental -- what's simple for you is not always simple for someone else.

I'm not being judgemental whatsoever. Also, fasting for 2 weeks ... ? 2 weeks straight? I'm not sure what you mean by that.

Panera is huge calories.

Sean

@belkbelknap, many have said it, Subway has "decent" choices. But *watch out*, you really need to pay attention to the nutritional info. I was ordering the ham sandwich and put american cheese (lowest calories), but it turned out the sodium level was INSANE compared to 10 more calories from Swiss.

Also, watch out for some of the condiments. I use the deli mustard to add flavor and avoid the mayo and others at all costs. Remember though, deli mustard is more salt. So are pickles and peppercinis.

Also, remember, deli meats need to be preserved, aka SALT. So any sandwich of deli meats is going to have much more sodium. You may want to consider a chicken breast type sandwich, take the extra calories and just walk a bit more.

In general though, how you trade off sodium vs calories really depends on what you can afford to get rid of. For example, if you have good blood pressure, but can't exercise very easily, you may be better off taking the higher sodium in lieu of calories. Sodium will go away with water and bathroom breaks.

As for Chipotle and Pita Pit, I have no clue. But now I think I'm going to check them out.

Oh, one more little tip: If you're looking at a breakfast sandwich at Subway's, stick with the muffin if you can...lowest calories *and* sodium. Also, look at the calories/sodium of egg white vs regular. Regular=higher calories, but egg white==higher sodium.

Good Luck!

Two words: Plan ahead.


Go grocery shopping for what you can have for these meals instead- when you get home, chop it up and bag it up and pack it so that when you're on your way out the door, or hungry, it's more work to go somewhere and wait in line and pay for something than to just use what you have. And if you PLAN AHEAD, it's just as appealing too!

Some people travel (perhaps as part of their job) regularly, and fasting for 2 weeks is not really a good option.

Let's not be so judgmental -- what's simple for you is not always simple for someone else.

I'm not being judgemental whatsoever. Also, fasting for 2 weeks ... ? 2 weeks straight? I'm not sure what you mean by that.

You said...

Easy: don't go eat and just wait until you're home. There's no reason why you can't wait to eat. Sure, maybe you might be a little hunger but just hold off until you get back home. Simple.

I was pointing out that if you're traveling for work, waiting until you get home, for example after a 2 week trip, is not a good option.

And to say it's "simple" just because it's easy for you not to eat out is judgmental. You probably didn't mean to be, but it is. You are judging that it's simple and implying that someone else cannot follow a simple, easy suggestion.

I'm not being judgemental whatsoever. Also, fasting for 2 weeks ... ? 2 weeks straight? I'm not sure what you mean by that.

You said...

Easy: don't go eat and just wait until you're home. There's no reason why you can't wait to eat. Sure, maybe you might be a little hunger but just hold off until you get back home. Simple.

I was pointing out that if you're traveling for work, waiting until you get home, for example after a 2 week trip, is not a good option.

Maybe I'm nitpicking or blind, but I went through both pages and the OP said asked for how to AVOID fast food "away from home" but did not say anything about traveling for extended periods of time, for work or otherwise. Unless the fasting comment was initially made as a joke, I see no reason to be getting into it over this.


Also, unrelated to a specific poster, but I'm not understanding the influx of "here's a healthy fast food option" when the OP states in the title that they're trying to avoid it, not justify it or make it less damaging.

It's hard to stop or decrease eating fast food, but it's not impossible. It's also not a requirement, but that did seem to be what was being asked.

It's not difficult, you're just making it difficult.

This. If you're cruising around wistfully stalking fast food places that means you could have packed a lunch. I used to have difficulty avoiding fast food joints too...turned out I was lazy. When I made the decision I was going to do whatever it took to get that unhealthy weight off because it would eventually kill me, being lazy was a pretty lame excuse. And it turned out that spending just a little time planning ahead like so many others mentioned not only helped me drop weight, but saved me a ton of moolah.

Don't get me wrong...in reality you're going to eat fast food sometimes & if this were a rare occurrence I doubt you would have posted this topic in the first place. And eating crap in moderation, like once or twice a week, is not going to prevent you from losing weight if you are dedicated the rest of the time. So your challenge is to limit those fast food outings & make most of your meals consist of something brought from home. It doesn't even have to be homemade, there are lots of prepackaged frozen dinners that are WAY better for you than fast food. I used to buy SlimFast bars because there was a particular flavor I liked, & keep some in my bag everywhere I went so I'd never get too hungry. I still keep a protein bar with me at all times, in my purse & in my gym bag.

It can be done, but only if you want to do it. If you're not willing to let go of old destructive habits to get your life back, there's no advice that will help you.

Just don't go.

I just imagine all of the grease dripping off of the food and I also do not like salty foods. So I do not go to fast food joints.I also never took my kids to them either. Now as Adults they do not eat there also. I have a BK across the street from me and I have only been there once in the six years I have lived here.and that as to use the restroom.