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Ways To Avoid Eating Fast
Foods
Before we even begin to
think about ways to avoid eating fast (or junk) food, we need to accept two
facts. Firstly, fast food is made to be tempting and taste good. For most of
us, fast food is something we want to eat even if there are other options
available. We are constantly bombarded by
advertisements of the most
appetizing looking fast food. This triggers a neural response that
conditions us, even when we are not hungry, to think about fast food when the
first hunger pangs arrive.
Secondly is the fact that fast food is, literally, fast. With the pace of
life being what it is, it’s so easy to grab a burger or a pizza on the go
and save time in your hectic schedule. And let’s not even talk about the
time saved as compared to cooking a healthy meal for ourselves.
Having accepted the fact that fast food is both tasty and easy, the only way
to fight off the temptation of eating it is to focus on what eating these
foods does
to us and then look at the alternatives available.
We all know about the direct physical effects of fast food. It’s a question
of weight. We are becoming a nation of “super sized” people, and that cannot
be disputed. Yes, fast food gives us an opportunity to socialize with our
friends over a pizza and gives us time to do the things we enjoy – time that
would have otherwise been spent in either cooking a eating a proper meal.
Sure we are saving some time today. But stop for a second and ask yourself,
what is the 30 minutes you save every day by eating fast food going to do
for you 5 years down the road when your health is such that it takes you 30
minutes just to get up and walk to your car? Is it worth it? And what about
your family, are you not letting them down by hurting yourself? And finally,
sit down and calculate how much money you spend in a year on fast food. And
be honest. The amount will surprise you. How do you think a few hundred
million people provide so many multi billion dollar companies with such huge
profits? Do the math.
If you agree that eating fast food is not the way to go, there are some
things you can do to stop consuming it. And they are not tough at all. Sure,
fast food can be an addiction, but luckily it is easier to break that an
addiction to booze or drugs.
The way to beat the fast food urge is to plan. Spend a little time reading
up about the bad effects of fast food. That will motivate you to kick the
habit. Then read a bit on how a good diet can not just improve your health,
but your whole lifestyle – your love life, your career, your hobbies,
everything is easier when you are healthy. This will take you just a day or
two.
The next stage is to find healthy foods that you like and are quick and easy
to make. It’s not as difficult as it sounds. A visit to the cookbook section
of your library or bookshop and a search on the internet will find you
exactly what you are looking for. All you need to do now is plan you meals
for the week in advance. I said just plan – it will take you five minutes!
Make a shopping list of what you need for the week and pick it up on your
way home from work.
Your most important meal of the day is breakfast and that is the time of day
when we are most rushed. You can’t add time to you morning, but you can eat
good food in the time you have. All you need to do is get everything ready
the night before and put it in the fridge (healthy food, remember? No bacon
and eggs!). Just pop it in the microwave in the morning and your first
healthy meal of the day is ready.
Do the same thing for your lunch. Get it ready the night before so all you
need to do is take it from the fridge on your way out. Dinner is a
family
time and a lot of good organic food will keep the family healthy. Go ahead
and make it a big meal. Just make sure it’s a healthy one.
The other danger comes with snacking. If you spend a lot of time in your
car, keep some fresh fruit in there. It will kill the hunger pangs that make
you pull into a fast food joint and keep you healthy too.
One time when we eat needlessly is when we have nothing to do. The best cure
for boredom is eating! If you spend a lot of time waiting at airports and
other such places, stay away from the cafes and bars. Being bored and near
these places will create an artificial hunger. Instead go and read a
magazine or check your email.
If you do have to eat in restaurants a lot, remember that even fast food
places now have healthy meal options. Whatever type of restaurant you are
in, look for the healthy options and portions – salads are great (and yes
they do taste good).
If you can stay off fast food for 6 months, you can promise yourself a
reward that after that time you will allow yourself a fast food meal once a
month!
A word to all the bachelors and bachelorettes out there. Being too busy with
your careers to cook and eat right may sound like the life of a high powered
executive, but that lasts for only a year of two. Keep on with the junk food
and you’ll be a VP at 30. But one who has to live with medication and a
restricted diet that limits how much further up the ladder you can go. Also,
please keep in mind that cooking is a great stress buster and can help you
get rid of the work day pressures so you can perform better when you return
to office.
Addictions to Junk Foods & Obesity
Sources used for article:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Easy-Ways-to-Avoid-Eating-Fast-Food&id=1303968
http://www.menshealth.com/eatthis/10_ways_to_make_fast_food_healthy/index.php
http://almostfit.com/2008/06/18/how-i-quit-eating-fast-food-20-ways-to-end-your-addiction/
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/fast-food.html
You must seek approval from your doctor
before starting any new diet.
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