At almost 300 pounds, I loved the secrecy of the drive thru lane. The anonymity, the faceless ordering box, the busy cashier and the taste of the food appealed to all my senses. It was a rare day when I didn't swing through my favorite restaurant in search of extra food. It was as if the bright signs and catchy slogans communicated directly with my brain - "Turn in here. Try this." And I willingly obliged.
Day after day, whenever there were errands to run, or children to pick up, I'd buy fast food and eat it right in the car. Sometimes the desire for fries was so strong that I'd order two different meals, complete with drinks, just so I could have two boxes of fries. In case you were wondering, I ordered two different meals so the cashier wouldn't think I was going to eat all that food by myself!
After being obese for 10 years, I finally got serious about losing weight and getting healthy. There were a lot of bad habits I had to slowly work on, but one of the hardest to break was my fast food habit. Even though I had drastically altered my eating and purchasing habits at home, conquering the fast food obsession was difficult. Driving down the road I'd spot my favorite restaurant, and could almost taste the food. It took a conscious decision, and a little bit of planning to change this habit.
If you love fast food, or know someone who does, here are some tips to help break the fast food cycle:
1. Plan Ahead
If the reason you purchase fast food more than you want to is due to lack of planning, I'd encourage you to analyze your schedule for the day, and look for times you may be vulnerable and hungry. When I knew my schedule would require me to be out at lunchtime, or out when those mid-afternoon munchies struck, I began bringing snacks and/or packing a lunch. By spending five minutes in the morning gathering up healthy snacks, you can save yourself a 1000 calorie mistake.
2. Wait
The scenario that was most common for me was to impulsively pull into the restaurant's drive thru lane before even analyzing why I wanted food. As I was losing weight, I bargained with myself to wait 15 more minutes before choosing to eat fast food. By not pulling into the first restaurant I saw, I gave myself time to evaluate what I was hungry for. I cannot think of a single time when I resisted the first restaurant, but pulled into the one down the road. Every time I made the better choice, and ate food I had with me, I gained confidence that I could be successful at controlling my impulse for fast food.
3. Choose Wisely
If you don't have appropriate snacks with you, and you are truly hungry for food and not emotional comfort, choose the restaurant and the food you purchase wisely. Years ago, when I lost 150 pounds, there weren't as many healthy choices at fast food restaurants as there are now. These days, it is the rare restaurant that doesn't have some healthy offerings. Choose the lowest calorie, lowest fat option you can.
By employing these three techniques I was able to conquer the fast food habit. Along the way I improved my own health, set a better example for my family and lost 150 pounds.
That was twelve years ago, and I still work hard to make good choices whether I am eating at home, or at a fast food restaurant. You too can conquer the fast food habit by daily choosing what you will and will not eat.
The method that broke me from my fast food addiction was a mentality that nothing should be off limits if the portion is right. So in the long run I keep my sanity.
If someone has been on a program like Weight Watchers points, they are familiar with this. I learned what I learned from ediets.com's fast food exchanges from a few years back as well as a magazine article.
For instance, when I go to ...
KFC: I get one original breast and one small mashed potatoes
Arby's: Beef n' cheddar sandwich for the meal, small potato cakes for the snack
You don't really need a program to learn these methods. Just visit your favorite restaurants website to get the nutrition guide. Create your own meals in the 200-400 calorie range, and don't forget to round the meal out with a piece of fruit or some steamed veggies.
It really does feel good to eat those treats like everyone else can and not let it rule your diet or have a hold over you.
ReplyIf you do enough reading about the fast food industry and the politics behind it, you can convince yourself that fast food is disgusting, and then you won't be tempted anymore.
ReplyI agree with both of you. I still eat out occasionally, and don't feel guilty about it. Susan, I also understand your comment about not being tempted by fast food when you know how some of it is prepared. Some of my littlest children have never even had a Happy Meal! GASP! (But we do like Chick-fil-A on occasion!)
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