Fast food has become a common staple in many people's diets. Controversy about how unhealthy fast food is recently has made many people start looking for effective ways to break the habit of eating fast food and choose healthier foods. Regardless of your reasons for choosing fast food, it is important to understand that You can break the habit. Following these tips can help you reduce your consumption of fast food and lead you to a healthier way of eating.
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Method 1 of 5: Understanding Food Addiction
Step 1. Gather sources of knowledge about food addiction
If you do feel like you have a food addiction, it helps to really understand what food addiction is and how it affects your life.
- Food addiction can be a serious problem. Foods that are high in sugar and fat are delicious. When eaten, the content triggers the release of dopamine to the pleasure center in the brain. This will trigger the desire to eat more food and come back to buy it again.
- People with binge-eating disorder, which is an overeating disorder, feel the urge to eat unusually large amounts of food in a short period of time. People with binge-eating disorder may feel disgusted by their habit but cannot control it. If you feel compelled to eat large amounts of fast food, even if you will feel guilty afterwards, consider seeing a mental health professional to discuss the possibility of binge-eating disorder. This disorder is highly curable.
- Take a little time to find out about food addiction on the internet. There are many resources on the internet that can help you learn more about your eating habits.
- Buy or read a book in the library about food addiction. Take some time to read and find out about food addiction.
Step 2. Write about your eating problems
Seeing your food addiction problem written down on paper can make it feel more real to you. Include how often you eat fast food, your feelings or desires for fast food and how difficult it is for you to give up fast food.
- To help understand the extent of your food addiction problem, answer questions like "How weak am I around fast food?" or "What emotion/situation makes me crave ready-to-eat food?"
- Also rate your addiction from 1-10 (1 being weak and 10 being very strong). These values can vary according to your emotions but can give you an idea of the times, events, or people that influenced your values.
- Write down specifically all the foods you are addicted to. Is it only ready-to-eat food? Or does your addiction include "low-nutrition foods" like candy, potato chips or soda?
Step 3. Make lifestyle changes, don't start a diet
Diets, in their traditional sense, are usually not long-term programs -- especially for overcoming food addiction.
- Many people give up, stop buying diet products or get bored and quit. Make a lifestyle change away from food addiction your goal and don't just adopt a diet.
- Write a meal plan that doesn't include fast food or low-nutrient foods. Make sure you set the right portion sizes and snacks so you don't feel too hungry at one point in the day.
- Eliminate "trigger" foods from your home if your addiction includes low-nutrient foods, other than ready-to-eat foods. If you are still consuming a lot of fat and sugar (the main ingredients of fast food), it will be more difficult for you to break your addiction to fast food.
Method 2 of 5: Eliminate Ready-to-eat Food
Step 1. Wrap up healthy meals and snacks
Having healthy meals or snacks is a great way to reduce the amount of ready-to-eat foods you eat. Instead of having to go out to eat, your healthy meals are readily available and ready to go.
- Buy a lunch box or small cooler, if necessary. This is a great way to avoid having to stop at a fast food restaurant. Filling it with healthy options like yogurt, fresh fruit or carrots, and humus can help you stick to the foods in the program or control your hunger until you get home to eat.
- Keep healthy and practical snacks in your bag/luggage or car, such as pre-measured nuts or fruit.
- Make sure to eat in one full day. Don't skip meals. Grab a healthy snack if you feel hungry. When you feel very hungry, you are likely to make poor food choices.
Step 2. Stop drinking soda
To many, this may seem the biggest challenge. Try to avoid all sodas. Even diet sodas should be reduced in your diet. Diet sodas can mess with your body so you feel hungry even when you don't need to eat.
- Aim to drink 2 liters of clear liquid without sugar every day. You can try: water, water with added spices or fruit, iced tea without sugar or coffee without caffeine and sugar.
- If this step seems difficult, start slowly. Start by reducing the amount of soda consumed by choosing healthier drinks (such as water or unsweetened tea) in place of some sodas. Continue to replace your soda with other drinks until you can eliminate soda completely from your diet.
Step 3. Drive the other way
Sometimes just driving past (or realizing you're about to pass) your favorite fast food restaurant is enough to make you stop for a stop. Driving another route to work or on your way home can help you break out of your routine of stopping to grab a quick bite to eat.
- Look at the online map. Many software programs allow you to enter your origin and destination locations and then show you various route options.
- If you have to drive past a fast food restaurant, try putting a note of positive words in your car. "You can!" or "Focus on your goal!" are nice positive words that can keep you from stopping at a fast food restaurant.
Step 4. Write down the benefits of quitting fast food
Quitting fast food may not be easy. However, keeping a list of positive thoughts to look at when the craving strikes can be a useful resource to help you skip the drive through queue.
- Take an hour (this can be part of a journaling exercise) and write a list of the benefits of quitting fast food. Positive thoughts include: losing weight, saving money, increasing energy or better health.
- Keep a copy of your positive thoughts in your bag/wallet, car or workplace. Look whenever the urge to eat fast food comes.
- While staying away from fast food, write about your progress and add to the positive values you've realized about your lifestyle, health and diet. This will help expand the list of positive thoughts.
Step 5. Go to a healthier restaurant
Going out for lunch is a common activity in the workplace. You can take a break and enjoy 30-60 minutes away from your desk. If you and your co-workers usually stop by fast food restaurants, this time suggest something healthier.
- Look for restaurants close to your workplace. Take a look at the menu and see if it can be a better choice for you and your friends.
- Tell your co-workers about your diet program to break the habit of eating fast food. You never know, maybe they will follow your lead! Telling those around you about your goals allows them to provide support, rather than being a bad influence.
- Make a deal to go out for lunch only once a week. If your friends don't want to change their lunch choices, just go out to eat once a week. This can reduce the temptation you feel.
Method 3 of 5: Strategy Planning
Step 1. Write down realistic goals
Making long-term goals to do can help ease your habit of eating fast food. Make sure you set realistic and specific goals that can be achieved over time.
- Set small goals along the way to reach your long-term goals. Maybe you start by skipping the drive-by on Monday or making plans to start eating breakfast at home. Trying to tackle multiple goals at once can be difficult.
- It is important to be realistic in achieving your goals. If you feel that it's unrealistic to never eat fast food again, set limits on how much you can eat. Maybe you allow yourself to eat fast food once a month.
- Track the progress of your goals over time. This can help motivate and keep you on track towards your long-term goals.
Step 2. Purchase a journal or notebook
Use your journal to keep track of your meals and snacks over a number of days (ideally, a few weekdays and a few weekend days). This will give you an idea of how much and often you eat fast food.
- Also note the circumstances that make you most often choose fast food. For example, do you drive through to buy breakfast on your way to work? Is the drive home long enough for you to stop for a simple dinner?
- Take note of the mood or emotion that triggers you to eat or feel the urge to eat ready-to-eat foods. Maybe you don't eat fast food for many days. It may happen frequently when you are feeling stressed, angry or frustrated. Understanding how your mood relates to food can help give you an idea of your eating habits.
- You don't have time to write a journal? Download the food journal app to use a handy version of the food journal. Having an app accessible on your phone can make journaling a bit easier.
- Think about why you stopped at a fast food restaurant. Trying to identify the underlying cause of your addiction to fast food is an important step in breaking the habit.
- Pay attention to how you feel after eating fast food. You may feel regret, guilt, or shame. If you experience a negative feeling and write it down, you can refer to the note before buying ready-to-eat food in the future. Remembering how bad you feel after eating it can help you avoid it.
Step 3. Count the calories
If you haven't counted the calories in the ready-to-eat foods you eat, you'll be surprised how many calories there are. Take one day and count all the calories from the ready-to-eat foods you usually eat. The number may be enough to generate motivation to stop the habit.
- Try to figure out how far you have to run or bike to burn calories from these foods. It usually requires a fair amount of exercise to burn calories from a ready-to-eat meal.
- Compare the calories in ready-to-eat meals with foods you can make yourself at home. This will help you realize how many calories you are getting from ready-to-eat foods.
Step 4. Track costs for prepared meals
One of the advantages of ready-to-eat meals is that they are quite cheap - especially with a menu that costs Rp. 15,000 or less. But even at these low prices, the cost of ready-to-eat meals can add up.
- Keep your receipts and add up how much money you spend in one week. Maybe there are more of them than you think.
- Just prepare $100 or $200 in cash and see how long it lasts all week. Swiping a credit or debit card is very easy. Cash is sometimes harder for you to let go.
Step 5. Write a weekly meal plan
Having a definite meal plan can help keep you organized and focused throughout the week.. You won't have to wonder what to make for dinner or take with you for lunch - it's all set!
- Take an hour or two in your spare time to write your meal plan. Be sure to include breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for each day.
- Consider including recipes or ideas for quick, easy-to-prepare meals to help you with your busy lifestyle.
- Once your meal plan is complete, write down an appropriate list of ingredients. You can buy only what you need.
Step 6. Go grocery shopping
Having a healthy diet is the key to giving up ready-to-eat foods. Shop for food and snacks on a weekly basis so you always have other, healthier and more convenient options.
- Stock up on lean protein, fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.
- Buy ready-to-eat products that require little or no cooking time and can be eaten on the go. Examples include whole fruits (such as apples or bananas), packaged yogurt, washed/cut lettuce or vegetables or cooked lean protein.
Method 4 of 5: Applying an Addictive Survival Strategy
Step 1. Build a supportive network of friends
Any dietary changes can be difficult - especially if you're giving up a habit like a food addiction. Having a supportive group of friends can help motivate and encourage you in times of difficult change. Research shows that many people hold on to positive change longer if they have a supportive group.
- Ask family members, friends, or coworkers to support you. In addition, you'll be able to find out if someone else wants to go through a program to leave ready-to-eat food with you.
- Look for online support groups and forums that you can join online throughout the day. This is a great way to have support any time of the day.
Step 2. Talk to a registered dietitian and licensed therapist
These health and nutrition experts can play a major role in helping you understand and address your eating habits. They have training to help you stop eating junk food, help you plan healthier meals, and give you ways to survive your food addiction.
- Ask a dietitian to help with meal planning, cooking skills, or basic knowledge of nutrition so you have the skills needed to break your fast-food habit.
- Talk to a licensed therapist about your food addiction and other emotional food problems that may arise.
- Ask your primary healthcare provider for recommendations from a registered dietitian or licensed therapist or other doctor. They may know or work with someone around you.
- Visit EatRight.org and use the "Find an Expert" option to find a nutritionist near you.
Step 3. Write down a list of activities that calm you down
When you feel stressed or a craving for fast food sets in, it's important to have a list of things you can do to distract yourself and calm yourself down. Keep it in a practical place in case the urge arises.
- Try to get involved in mentally and physically active activities. For example: walking, cleaning drawers filled with junk, calling friends or family members, keeping a journal or reading a good book.
- Sleeping for longer periods of time or being immersed in TV shows probably won't make you feel any better. You won't handle the problem at hand that way. On the other hand, problems will only be ignored or forgotten by sleeping.
- Try to stay away from alcoholic beverages. Drinking alcohol is not the right way to survive addiction.
- Write down your feelings. Get out a notebook or journal and write down your feelings and how they affect your cravings or hunger.
- Journaling can help you clearly identify between emotional eating and physical hunger.
- Journaling can also act as a mental outlet, allowing you to put your emotions and feelings on paper.
Step 4. Meditate
Research shows meditating for a few minutes can help calm your mind, help your mind focus and help overcome addictions. This can be an easy way to help calm your mind.
- Start by meditating for 5-10 minutes a day - especially if you've never tried meditation before.
- Search the internet for free meditation audio with tutorials. This can help you dive into meditation by following gentle instructions on his guidance.
- Try active meditation that allows you to focus on a small object - a stone, a small fruit, or a small piece of jewelry. This can help give the brain "something to do" while trying to stay focused in the present.
Step 5. Fill the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer with healthy foods
Always keep a stock of healthy products at home. This allows you to cook nutritious meals without having to stop by the store on the way home.
- A home stocked with food supplies can help relieve the stress of cooking or finding food to eat. Because you are ready with the food basics.
- Kitchen staples include soft beans, canned vegetables without added salt, canned fish, whole grains (such as brown rice or whole grain pasta) and hard beans.
- Freezer staples can include protein (such as chicken or fish), frozen fruit and vegetables, frozen cooked whole grains (such as brown rice or quinoa) and low-calorie frozen foods (for those nights where it's impossible to eat). you to cook).
- Refrigerator staples may include washed/chopped fruit and vegetables, low-fat dressings and sauces, eggs, low-fat yogurt, cheese, and cooked protein (such as grilled chicken breast).
Step 6. Prepare new recipes
Whether you're already using recipes over and over again or need help making healthy meals, trying new recipes is a great way to try different variations of healthy foods. Try 1-2 new recipes every week.
- You need recipe ideas? Try buying a healthy cookbook, search online blogs about healthy cooking, or ask friends or family for new recipes to try.
- If you don't have the time, look for recipes that require less cooking and preparation time. Often times, you can simply combine your meals instead of preparing everything from scratch.
Step 7. Make your own favorite ready-to-eat food at home
Burgers, fries or chicken nuggets are delicious - that's why it's hard to break the habit of eating fast food. Try making your favorite meals at home using healthier cooking techniques. This will help you "pamper yourself" but with much healthier food choices.
- If you like french fries, try baking them at home. Sweet potato wedges can also be a great alternative to French fries. Plus baked potatoes contain a lot of vitamins and minerals.!
- Coat the chicken in breadcrumbs and crushed corn flakes or chips, then grill it for a low-calorie version of fried chicken or chicken nuggets.
- Search online for your favorite food recipes. You'll find great ideas and a variety of recipes for making healthier versions of ready-to-eat meals. Try searching with the keyword "ready meal replacements" to find healthier substitutes for your favorite fast food.
Method 5 of 5: Eat Healthy at Fast Food Restaurants
Step 1. Look at the menu online
Any restaurant with more than 20 branch locations should have an online menu and an on-site menu that includes nutritional information. Peruse the menu to find options that contain fewer calories and fat.
- Prepare food choices before you go out to eat. This will help keep you from being tempted when looking at the menu or hearing what other people are ordering.
- Some restaurants even have a "food calculator" that allows you to take various options for your menu and provide calorie and other nutritional information.
Step 2. Choose baked rather than fried
Fried foods usually contain more calories and fat than baked goods.
Opt for grilled chicken sandwiches or grilled chicken nuggets over fried chicken
Step 3. Avoid combo menus
The calorie count can be very high when you choose the combination menu - fries, sandwich and drink. Just buy a sandwich for a lower calorie count.
- Choose foods from individual menus to avoid choosing combination menus.
- Turn down the offer of an upgrade for a super size or a larger portion.
Step 4. Buy healthier options
Many fast food restaurants have catered to consumers' desire for healthier options. They even have a special "healthier" menu that can help you choose lower-calorie foods.
- Try the lettuce with grilled chicken or grilled chicken wrap. Use small portions of light dressings or dipping sauces to keep calories low.
- If you stop by a fast food restaurant, try oatmeal, yogurt plus fruit or a breakfast sandwich with egg whites and cheese.
- Choose a sandwich with fruit or vegetables as a side instead of regular fries.
Tips
- Gradually eliminating unhealthy foods one by one is a slow way to start reducing low-nutrient foods in your diet. Stopping all consumption of unhealthy foods suddenly and at once can cause uncomfortable symptoms such as headaches and bad moods, and reduce your chances of continuing with the program.
- Consider setting your own rules that will make ready-to-eat meals unpleasant. For example, if the location of your favorite fast food restaurant is very far away, go there to buy fast food just by walking instead of using a car. Not only will you walk healthy if you give in to your cravings, but it will also make cooking your own meals a lot easier than the quick, greasy alternatives.
- Associating a number of numbers with the habit of eating fast food can make you realize the truth. Estimate or track how much money you spend and how many calories you consume each week or month on ready-to-eat meals--the results will surprise you.
- Make changes slowly and gradually (for example, start by stopping visits to the cafeteria at lunchtime, or avoiding snacks between meals). Make small but real changes, then move on to something more ambitious. Remember that you need to make this a completely new lifestyle.
- If you and your friends are addicted to fast food, you can leave it with your friends. This way, you'll have less temptation than if your friends were munching on burgers in front of you.
- Look for a group or network of people who can surround you with support in going through this important stage in life.
- The "Eat This, Not That" series compares ready-to-eat options and makes recommendations for "better" foods for you.
