Hey there, viewers. What’s your daily diet like? For many of us,
a morning trip to the drive-thru is like second nature. Our day just isn’t complete without
drinking a coffee, or sinking our teeth into a juicy cheeseburger. Let me ask you something,
when was the last time you went on a cleanse? Cut out all the fat, sugary stuff and went
straight for the healthy food. Depending on your habits, it might seem impossible.
Let’s talk today about interesting ways to quit fast food. Do you exercise more? How about eating
more protein? What is it like to switch to a fruit diet? We’re talking all that AND more…
When you decide to cut fast food, the first thing that goes through your mind is,
“But what am I going to eat?” One of the things you can switch to is fruit. There’s
sometimes nothing better than a nice tasty bowl of strawberries on a hot summer day.
I mean, sure, fruit is loaded with sugar. But at the same time,
there’s also a ton of vitamins and minerals to make up for it.
Take watermelon for example. In just one slice, you’re getting vitamins A, B5
and C, along with potassium and copper. An orange can also provide something similar,
with plenty of fiber, calcium and Vitamin C, among other things.
This is nutrition you're missing out on if you’re stuck on a fast food diet. Just one Big Mac is
close to 600 calories. You’re also getting 32 grams of fat, which is almost 50% of your daily
value. There’s also 10 grams of saturated fat and 8 grams of sugar. Some people eat like this
every day. For many, it’s multiple times a day. If this sounds like you, you definitely need a break.
Eating more fruit means making more trips to the grocery store. This is where you need to
be careful. The next time you head to the supermarket, try limiting your shopping to
only a few aisles. I’m talking about meat, dairy and fish. I mean, sure,
it might be a little pricey, but this will rule out most of the gross processed foods.
You see, when quitting fast food, you’re gonna wanna watch the sugary foods from the store.
Snacks from the gas station will easily start to fill the void left from all the
burgers and fries you’re missing. You don’t want to get into the habit of
reaching for a bag of chips the second you have a hankering for Burger King.
If you’re looking to not just quit fast food, but also get in shape,
exercise and healthy eating go hand in hand. Start getting into physical activity.
This can be anything from jogging around the neighborhood, to playing basketball with some
friends at the local gym. You can also create a workout routine and head into the weight room.
I know your schedule is hectic. This is one of the reasons you were always rushing
to the Starbucks drive-thru in the morning. If you don’t have time to go to the gym,
no worries. You can exercise from the comfort of your home.
A few pushups and situps in the morning might be just what you need to start the day off.
Exercise has both physical and mental benefits. Once you get hooked on working out, you’re not
going to want to go back. Just eating a small thing of onion rings will put you in a sour
mood. It almost feels like you’re cheating. If you’re dedicated to your exercise schedule,
you will have healthy foods waiting for you after you pump up at the gym.
Another thing you’re going to want to do is take up a hobby.
This can be something that’s not exercise. It doesn’t even need to be physical.
It can be anything that takes your mind off eating that slice of pizza you’ve been craving.
A hobby is something you enjoy that passes the time. It can be something as simple as
collecting bottle caps or commemorative coins. Maybe you have a sport you play on weekends.
You may be on the creative side of things and dabble in writing, painting or music.
When you’re busy doing something you enjoy, you’re not going to be
thinking as much about eating. There are some hobbies, like watching TV,
where eating fast food comes with the territory. Sometimes, binge watching our favorite show just
isn’t complete without a fistful of french fries. This is why fruit is so convenient.
Instead of soda and burritos, go for a nice bowl of blueberries.
There are a few different methods to quitting fast food. Some of them are physical,
while others are psychological. You’re going to want to start thinking about
junk food differently. It can help change your diet. Confused? Here’s what I mean by that…
A study from 2013 showed that when regular fast food eaters were trained to look at their
favorite fast foods in a negative light, their desire for that food item lessened.
During the experiment, subjects were told to view the food as if they were already full.
They were then instructed to view it as if somebody sneezed on it.
They would be asked to envision different scenarios and report how they felt.
In the end, they left feeling a lot different about their favorite snacks.
It’s amazing the things that the mind can do. The things your stomach can do
are sometimes equally incredible. Just take for example what happens when you
eat more protein. This is something to consider when quitting fast food.
When you eat protein, it makes you feel full for a longer period.
This will save you from heading to McDonald’s when you have that sudden
food craving. The more protein you eat, the less you’ll want a big, fatty burger.
Trade those carbs for some protein-packed foods. These include lean meats like beef, and poultry
like chicken and turkey. You can also eat seafood like fish, crab and lobster. This will be a bit
pricey, but given the amount of money you're paying for burgers and pizza each week, this
will be quite refreshing. Not only will you be off fast food, you’ll also lose weight in the process.
If you’re not into the whole protein thing, you can try eating healthier fats. While you
probably think all fat makes you gain weight, there are some fats that are
pretty good for you. After all, your body needs fat in order to survive.
Instead of trans and saturated fats, go for some of the fats in foods like avocado.
Did you know that just a cup of chopped avocado has 21 grams of fat?
Or how about a bowl of mixed nuts? There’s plenty of healthy fats in that.
If you’re looking for something that takes you back to your chocolate eating days,
how about switching it up with a little bit of dark chocolate?
Fat accounts for around 65% of the calories in just one dark chocolate serving. It also
carries plenty of antioxidants that go to war with oxidative stress.
Still having trouble wrapping your head around quitting burgers and fries? Well you may want to
try a couple mental exercises. Meditation’s always good for stuff like this. The idea of sitting
down and quietly confronting your thoughts might spook you, but it’s actually pretty productive.
Meditation allows you to seriously think about your troubles. You’re
able to process your emotions when you're thinking clearly.
This allows you to manage stressful situations in your life and attack them from a new perspective.
Many recovering drug addicts and alcoholics will practice meditation as a way to beat their
addiction. If you think fast food addiction is a poor comparison to drugs and booze, think again.
A survey conducted between 2013 and 2016 showed that 37%
of American adults ate fast food every single day. Some of these people would eat it multiple
times in a day. Imagine what that’s doing to your body. And, just think about people’s fast
food habits with the invention of things like Uber Eats and other online services.
If it comes conveniently, you’re going to want it any time you can eat it.
Here’s something else you can do. It’s going to seem weird given everything I’ve just told you,
but you don’t need to quit fast food completely! If you feel like you can manage it,
you’re allowed to treat yourself and have the odd Wendy’s meal every now and then.
Why would you completely deprive yourself of something you enjoy
when you can train yourself to eat it once in a while? You don’t want to be miserable.
It’s all a matter of discipline. If you have enough willpower,
you’ll be able to eat healthy during the week and save your fast food habits for the weekends.
You’re basically counting down the days to your favorite burrito. Doesn’t this make it so much
more exciting? During the weekend, when you’re not eating fast food, have some protein-packed
snacks. This way, you’ll keep your stomach satisfied, and you won’t go too wild on the junk.
You know the term “cheat meal”, right? A cheat meal is basically
any type of food that will not help you accomplish your fitness goals.
While binging tacos and pizza every day is clearly bad for you, having it every now and
then is fine. In fact, it’s recommended by health experts. Pretty wild, right?
Studies show that having a cheat meal can actually increase your
metabolism. This helps you burn calories quicker, and moves you one step closer
to your weight loss goal. It’s all thanks to a little something called leptin.
Leptin is a hormone produced by your fat cells, which allows you to maintain your energy.
This is just something to think about the next time
you promise yourself to never eat Subway again.
Your diet is so important. Even if you’re not eating fast food all the time,
you still need to be careful. Did you enjoy this video? Let’s keep the conversation going
with a couple more food-related videos, shall we? Here’s what you need to know…
Check out 12 Diet Mistakes To Avoid When You’re Trying To Lose Weight.
Our how about the 50 Healthiest Foods You Should Eat Regularly.
Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, click on both, and learn more about how to take
care of your body through diet. What’s the most fast food you’ve eaten in a day? Would
you consider quitting after watching this video? Let us know in the comments below…