How To Say No To Fast Foods

World Wide Web | How To Say No To Fast Foods |  Simply saying no to fast foods, and following up on what you've said, are two entirely different things. It's obviously much easier to make a commitment than to stick to it, and this is especially the case when it comes to junk food - it's literally all around us! Heck, if I were to look out of my bedroom window right now, one of the first things I'd see is a pizza joint, and right next to it is an Asian restaurant. You can imagine why I prefer to keep the curtains closed in my bedroom most of the time.

There are ways to avoid the temptation though, or at least minimize it to such a degree that fast foods become no longer a threat to you. When I was in your shoes, the first thing I did was browsing through the websites of the various fast food restaurants in my area, to get an understanding of what they are actually selling. My goal was to find out what it was that I've been eating for all these years, and let me tell you - seeing just how many calories this junk food contains was in itself a major deterrent for me, and I'd go as far as to say that it marked the beginning of a major mind-set change for me. Try it out for yourself and you'll see what I mean.

But that wasn't enough.

The next thing I did was made sure that whenever I was planning to go out with friends, I'd consume a proper home-made meal before leaving. My thinking was that if I am already full before going out, it would be far less likely for me to give in to the fast food temptation. That home-made meal wasn't anything fancy, by the way - I just made sure it contained as much protein and fats as possible. Why these two macronutrients? Because they are best suited for giving you that "Woah, I'm full!" feeling. Carbohydrates aren't a good choice in this case, as the spike of insulin they generates can make some people become very hungry an hour or two after your meal. One of my favorite dishes for this purpose is a plate of cottage cheese with olive oil and a cut-up tomato. Yummy!

If after doing the above you still find yourself feeling tempted to eat fast foods, you should make sure to always pack an extra snack with you on your way out. I realize that for some people it might be inconvenient to carry food around with you while out with friends; if that is the case, consider protein bars or a vegetable - they are both very easy to hide even in your jacket or even your pocket, and can help you stay full for an extra hour or two. As soon as you find yourself contemplating going into a fast food restaurant, don't wait another second - pull out your snack or meal, and eat it on the spot! Trust me, it will help.

The last thing I wanted to mention is alcohol.. yeah, that can be a big problem, as the urge to consume fast foods is particularly high when we're intoxicated. I'm not going to tell you to avoid drinking alcohol altogether because I know that this is an unrealistic expectation. (Although if you can do it, the kudos for you!) However, whenever you plan to drink alcohol, extra care needs to be taken to make sure that you have a home-cooked meal with you, and to make sure that you are feeling full before leaving your home. And if you are thinking that it will feel slightly awkward to pull out your own dish while out drinking with friends, don't worry - it might feel weird the first time you do it, however I guarantee that your friends will admire it, and you'll even be surprised to see that they start bringing their own food with them as well! That's exactly what happened in my case.

Hope this helps, and remember: plan ahead!

Article Source: EzineArticles