Not being able to afford fast food initially may seem like a contradictory statement because everyone knows that fast food is cheap (depending on how often you eat it and how many mouths you have to feed). But it’s not about the price that you have to pay when you eat this food–it’s about the price that your body pays when you fuel it with “cheap gas,” so to speak. Since it is cheap– so is the quality and your body deserves better! The very concept of fast food is so convenient because all you have to do is go through a drive thru or stand in line for a few minutes and TA-DA, you have your food (possibly accompanied with a smile). But with convenience comes a compromise because how could you possibly make quality food in a few minutes? You CAN’T!!! So, the convenient concept of fast food composes a crappy product, NOT SURPRISING! Hence my weight loss tip for you to apply on your journey is to avoid fast food!
Welcome to the place where taste really does makes WAIST, where convenience and profits reign over quality ingredients. So there are many reasons why fast food restaurants should be avoided, but the main reasons why I’ve avoided it for all these years is because fast food restaurants serve processed foods that are high in sodium, calories, and fat. The cooking methods at many fast food restaurants consist of fried and/or microwaved foods. The ingredients in their foods and some drinks are disturbing and are not meant to be in the human body. They include tons of preservatives meant to preserve their foods life–not YOURS! Many of the foods served at these restaurants have trans fat in it and I’ve already covered the dangers of consuming that in my previous post.
I used to be an EXTREMIST when it came to eating out because restaurants were my primary source of food—breakfast, lunch, and dinner came from restaurants majority of the time. I kept up with the latest food releases from my favorite fast food restaurants. If they were open late, I was eating late. If the food tasted like crap I would throw it away and pay a visit to another restaurant a few blocks away from that one and tried it again. You name a restaurant and I’ve been there! No wonder why I didn’t know how to cook because I didn’t have to, and if I did I would mimic the fattening foods that I ate at a restaurant the night before. So needless to say I was truly on the road to obesity, caught in the ever so fattening cycle of weight gain!
Fortunately, my eyes were opened to the truth surrounding the fact that I could no longer afford fast food, due to the fact that I NEEDED to lose weight, and my then Recommended Daily Calorie Intake of 1500 (which equals one meal at many restaurants) wouldn’t allow it. I had a calorie budget, so I couldn’t afford the high calorie meals at many restaurants. In addition, I wanted to maximize the calories that I did have and I advise you to do the same, because there is no way you’re getting all of your nutritional needs out of that one meal. So please do not be fooled by these restaurants claims and be blind to what you’re putting in your body; instead ask to see the restaurants Nutritional Guide before you order.
Once I stop eating fast food my taste buds changed dramatically because I got used to eating real food! I went to Wendy’s once after I had not eaten fast food for months and I called myself ordering their grilled chicken sandwich because I thought it was a “healthy option,” but I couldn’t eat the bread because it was white and I now preferred whole grain/wheat bread, so I attempted to eat the chicken and it was so salty and disgusting, I just threw it away. Now just a year before that, that sandwich would’ve been history but once you fast from something for a while and you try to go back to it, it won’t be the same. I have never been back to a restaurant with a drive thru since!
So I encourage you, don’t contradict your weight loss efforts or compromise your healthy eating habits by eating fast food. Don’t fuel your body with poor quality foods from fast food restaurants and any other unhealthy restaurant that chooses to use garbage ingredients, like trans fat for instance. Begin to cook for yourself and keep in mind that putting processed foods in the oven like pizza does not count as cooking (unfortunately). Finally, remember that you can’t afford to eat fast food when you’re trying to lose weight!
I hope that this tip will help you on your journey to a healthier you! Until next time 😉
Related articles
- The Fast Food Epidemic (rnovakov.wordpress.com)
- Study examines exercise labels on food (wcpo.com)
- Processed Food – Killing Us Slowly? (gobination.wordpress.com)
- The Effects of Eating Fast Food (rockettimes2013.wordpress.com)
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