Fast food has become a mainstay in many people’s diets due to its affordable costs, ease of accessibility and delicious flavor. Unfortunately, though, fast food can also contribute to numerous medical conditions as well as become habit-forming; by eliminating its influence and substituting better alternatives with faster ones you may be able to significantly decrease or even stop your fast food consumption altogether.
1) Make A List Of Reasons For Why It’s Necessary For You To Forego Fast Food
Your motivations may range from improving health, losing weight or saving money; simply remembering why you stopped may help when cravings arise.
Prepare an explanation or reasons for stopping fast food consumption and post it somewhere where you will see it when tempted (e.g., your vehicle) so it will have greater effectiveness.
By being more deliberate and thoughtful with your approach to fast food withdrawal, you can address what drew you toward it in the first place.
2) Recognize And Avoid Your Trigger Foods As Much As Is Reasonably Possible
If certain fast foods, like burgers, fries or milkshakes, make you crave fast food more frequently, it’s wise to limit their exposure as much as possible. By doing this, less temptation exists for eating fast food.
Your best option may be to restrict all trigger foods until your fast food consumption returns to normal.
When in company of others who need to consume your trigger foods, let them know it would make you uncomfortable and perhaps they can accommodate by choosing another course of food instead.
3) Plan Meals Ahead To Avoid Becoming Overwhelmed And Stressed Out
Frustration can make selecting healthy fast food increasingly challenging when timed with hunger and options are limited. To prevent yourself from falling into this trap, create an advance dinner schedule for the coming week to help ensure all of your suppers will meet the standards you expect of them.
Start planning dinner as early as possible. For multi-step dishes like marinating meat before it goes in the oven, plan this preparation early on in the week and freeze or refrigerate ingredients until it comes time for dinner preparations.
Bring nutritious snacks that you can snack on throughout your supper rushes to prevent falling victim to fast food’s seductive appeal. If your bites are durable enough, leave some in your office so they can be eaten later on!
4) Recognizing Your Stress Triggers To Avoid Eating Fast Food Can Help
Fast food can often provide relief during times of great pressure, and so eating it becomes an attractive solution to manage stress in more effective ways. By eliminating stressors or finding alternative strategies for handling tension more effectively, your desire for fast food may decrease significantly.
Methods for relieving pressure include yoga, reflection or consulting a specialist.
If you find yourself overwhelmed with work or another undertaking, remind yourself before eating fast food that eating it won’t decrease how much work is on the agenda.
Fear, sadness, and fatigue can hijack the body’s hunger signals; to distinguish real physiological hunger from feelings like these.
5) Sleep At Least Seven To Eight Hours Every Night To Strengthen Your Self Control And Keep Stress At Bay
Studies have demonstrated that when you don’t get enough rest, your appetite for less-than-healthy nourishment increases significantly. Aim to get 8 hours of peaceful rest each night so as to remain alert and avoid falling prey to fast food.
Be sure to head off for bed at an appropriate hour every evening – this will not only ensure adequate restful slumber, but will also reduce late-night cravings for fast food.
6) Find Effective Methods Of Handling Stressful Topics Without Resorting To Food As An Escape Route
Like when we’re worried, fast food can often become our go-to solution when we feel dismal, desolate, or experiencing other negative emotions. Instead of turning to fast food for relief when experiencing negative feelings, consider alternative solutions you can use to address them instead.
Effective strategies for managing emotions include journaling, working out or engaging creatively in new activities. If your emotions become overwhelming to deal with, professional help may be required in order to treat them.
Eating Healthier
1) Include An Array Of Healthy Food In Your Daily Meal Routine So As To Not Become Bored With What’s Being Served Up
One of the more frequent complaints from those switching from fast food to quality cuisine is that good food is either monotonous or boring. To prevent falling into this pitfall, explore various avenues that provide nutritious but engaging cuisine options.
Examples of invigorating yet delicious foods could include BBQ chicken chopped salad, Sriracha fish tacos or cinnamon prepared yams.
There are numerous cookbooks and sites devoted to healthy cooking, like Eating Well and Whole Heartedly Healthy, that you can turn to when looking for new plans to give a try in the kitchen.
Try mixing up your meals by adding fresh flavors and sauces – like Sriracha sauce to seared rice or Asian noodles for an exciting bite! For maximum excitement, spice it up by trying new combinations.
2) Opt For Natural Products Such As Vegetables And Nuts Over Fast Food As Snacks
Nuts are an incredible source of protein and will help keep you feeling full when hunger strikes while providing energy throughout the day. In contrast, leafy foods provide essential nutritional elements for good health every day.
Consuming natural products like apples and bananas will be helpful in satisfying your sweet tooth when craving fast food pastries. Bring along nuts in a plastic container or small baggie so they are always on hand when needed.
Food prepared ahead of time may make your home more conducive to staying nourished without needing fast food from outside sources.
3) Replace Soft Drinks With Water To Manage Your Desires More Effectively
Staying hydrated by drinking enough water each day can help combat those feelings of longing that arise during periods of lack of moisture, and may help ward off feelings of yearning for food that you no longer crave. Men should aim for about 3.7 liters (130 fl oz), while ladies are advised to consume approximately 2.7 liters (91 fl oz). Switching out soft drink with water will also limit sugar intake, and decrease cravings for sweet treats such as fast food desserts.
As much as possible, diet soft drinks should also be avoided as much as possible. Even though they do not contain sugar directly, research suggests they can still create an addiction to it.
Maintain access to water wherever you are with a refillable water bottle in your pocket or bag. Drinking water shouldn’t be restricted by geography – bring a water bottle everywhere with you for convenient hydration on-the-go.
4) Allow Yourself A Small Treat From Fast Food Chains From Time To Time In Order To Make Stopping Easier
Experience is common when it comes to quitting fast food suddenly; if this occurs for you, consider having cheat meals from time to time in order to ease off of fast food more gradually.
Limit yourself to only eating fast food on one or two evenings each week, in small amounts at each dinner. Try as best you can to limit how often fast food is eaten.
Try your hand at creating healthier versions of your favorite fast foods at home and you may find this allows you to still experience its flavor while minimizing health concerns associated with its consumption!
5) Choose Healthier Fast Food Options If You Can’t Give Them Up Completely
Although no fast food option can be considered completely healthy, some are more grounded than others. When selecting fast food options that may affect your health negatively, select dishes of greens or barbecued dishes over seared or breaded items to limit the impact on your body.
Whenever selecting salad as your main course, be mindful when topping it off with too much dressing or cheese; these extra toppings can add unnecessary calories and sugar into an otherwise healthy meal.
If there aren’t any appealing choices on the menu, don’t be intimidated into asking for more or different ones – the eatery staff might accommodate your request if asked politely!
