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This article was co-written by Lyssandra Guerra. Lyssandra Guerra is a holistic nutritionist & mindset coach and founder of Native Palms Nutrition in Oakland, California. She has over five years of experience in nutrition counseling, specializing in helping clients overcome digestive issues, food sensitivities, sugar cravings and other dilemmas. She received her certificate in holistic nutrition from Bauman University: Total Nutrition and Culinary Arts in 2014.
There are 20 references cited in this article that you can see at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 9,486 times.
Fast food has become popular in many people’s diets. With the recent controversy over the unhealthy effects of fast food, many people have started looking for effective ways to change this eating habit and switch to healthier options. [1] X Research Source Regardless of why you choose fast food, you need to understand that habits can change. Use these tips to reduce your fast food consumption and form better healthy eating habits.
Steps
Understanding Food Addiction
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Gather information about food addiction. If you really feel like you have an eating disorder, it will be very helpful to understand what an eating disorder is and how it affects your life.
- Food addiction can be a serious problem. Foods high in sugar and fat are especially delicious. When eaten, they stimulate the production of dopamine to the reward center of the brain, making you want to eat more to get that feeling of euphoria again. [2] X Research Source
- People with bulimia feel compelled to take in larger-than-normal amounts of food in a short period of time. [3] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source Although they may be disgusted with their own eating habits, they still cannot control them. [4] X Trusted Source National Eating Disorders Association Go to Source If you feel the need to eat large amounts of fast food, even if it makes you feel bad afterward, consider seeing a health professional. psychology to discuss the possibility of bulimia. This is a highly treatable disease.
- Spend some time learning about food addiction online. There are many online resources that can help you better understand your own eating habits.
- Buy or borrow from the library a book on food addiction. Take some time to read and research.
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Rewrite your food problem. As a result, they become more real. Write about how often you use fast food, your feelings or cravings for fast food, and how difficult it is to give up.
- To understand the severity of your food addiction, ask yourself if you can’t control yourself around fast food or what emotions or situations drive you to them. [5] X Research Sources
- Also, rate your grind from 1 to 10 (1 being low and 10 being exceptionally high). This rating can vary depending on your mood, but it helps you identify times, events, or people that might influence your rating.
- Write down specific foods you feel addicted to. Is it just fast food? Or are you addicted to “junk food” like candy, chips, and soda? [6] X Research Sources
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Don’t start dieting, change your lifestyle. Traditional diets often don’t work in the long run, especially with food addiction. [7] X Research Sources
- You will either give up, stop buying diet products or get bored and stop. Set goals for lifestyle changes related to binge eating and don’t go on a diet.
- Prepare a menu that does not include fast food or junk food. Make sure portion sizes and snacks are consistent so you don’t go hungry at any time of the day.
- Eliminate any “trigger” foods from your home if your addiction includes junk food. If you still eat a lot of fat and sugar (the main ingredients of fast food) at home, it will become more difficult to change your fast food habits.
Eliminate Fast Food
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Prepare healthy meals and snacks. It’s a great way to reduce your fast food intake. Instead of going out, you’ve got healthy meals pre-prepared and ready to go.
- Buy a small lunch box or cooler if needed. That way, you can avoid going to a fast food restaurant. Filling them up with healthy options like yogurt, fresh fruit or carrots, and hummus can help you stick to your meal plan or control hunger until it’s time to go home and eat your main meal.
- Keep a convenient, healthy snack like a piece of fruit or park it in your bag, briefcase, or car.
- Eat throughout the day. Don’t skip meals. Have a healthy snack if you feel hungry. When you’re extremely hungry, you’re more likely to make worse choices.
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Stop drinking soda. This will probably be the biggest challenge for many people. Avoid all sodas. Even diet soda needs to be minimized in your diet. Diet soda can confuse the body and make you feel hungry even when you don’t need to eat. [8] X Trusted Source Cleveland Clinic Go to Source[9] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source
- Aim for 2 liters of clear, sugar-free drinks per day. It could be water, fruit and herb flavored water, unsweetened iced tea, or unsweetened decaffeinated coffee.
- If you find it difficult, proceed slowly. Start cutting back on soda by using a healthier option (like water or unsweetened tea) instead at one time or another. Continue to gradually replace soda with other beverages until the soda is completely eliminated.
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Use another route. Sometimes, just driving past (or knowing you’ll pass) your favorite fast food restaurant is enough to pull you back. Using a different route to get to work or home can help you break the habit of popping into a fast food restaurant.
- Check out the map online. Many programs allow you to set the start and end points of the journey and give many suggestions for the route.
- If there is no other way, try putting an encouraging note on the car. “You can do it!” or “Focus on the goal!” are great sentences to get you straight home.
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List the benefits of eliminating fast food. Giving up fast food may not be easy. However, a list of positive points to refer to each time you are intrigued can help you overcome the temptation.
- Take an hour (this can be part of your journaling activity) and make a list of all the benefits of giving up fast food. These can include losing weight, saving money, boosting energy and health.
- Keep a copy in your bag or purse, car or at work. Review every time you want a quick meal.
- As you continue to abstain from fast food, write about your progress and notable positives in your lifestyle, health, and diet. Thanks to that, your list will be expanded.
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Dine at healthier restaurants. Eating out is a common activity in the workplace. You can take a break and leave your desk for 30 to 60 minutes. If you often visit the fast food restaurant with colleagues, make suggestions for better health.
- Find places to eat near work. Check out the menus and see if they’re a better choice for you and your co-workers.
- Let your coworker know you’re trying to break the fast food habit. Who knows, maybe they want to join you too! Let the people around you know your goals, so that, instead of having negative effects, they will support you.
- Agree to have lunch out only once a week. If your friends don’t want to change places, eat out only once a week. Thereby, minimizing temptations.
Strategy development
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Set realistic goals. Setting a long-term goal to work towards can make it easier to get over your fast food habit. Make sure your goals are realistic, specific, and achievable.
- Break long-term goals into smaller goals. You can start by changing your route on Mondays or planning to have breakfast at home. Trying to achieve multiple goals at once can be difficult.
- Being realistic in goal setting is very important. If you feel like it’s impossible to never touch fast food again, aim for a limit on the amount of fast food you eat. You can allow yourself one quick meal a month.
- Monitor performance over time. This helps you stay motivated and keep striving for long-term goals.
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Buy a notebook or diary. Keep a diary of your meals and snacks for a few days (ideally a few days of the week and a few weekends). This allows you to better understand your fast food intake and frequency. [10] X Research Source
- Also, document the situations that often lead to fast food choices. For example, do you stop by a fast food restaurant and buy breakfast on your way to work? Or do you have a long commute to get home and decide to drop in for a quick and convenient dinner?
- Make a note of any moods or emotions that might prompt you to consume or want fast food. You may notice a lot of days when you don’t eat fast food at all. Fast food is often chosen at times of stress, anger or frustration. Recognizing the relationship between food and mood can help you better understand these eating habits of your own.
- No time for a diary? Download food diary software for a convenient version. It’s easier for you to have software accessible on your phone at all times.
- Think about why you eat fast food. Trying to pinpoint the root cause of your fast food addiction is an important step towards changing this eating habit.
- Record how you feel after eating fast food. You may feel regret, guilt, or shame. When you note and write down your negative emotions, you can refer to them later before deciding to repeat them. Remembering how bad you felt after eating can help you stop.
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Calculating calories. If you’ve never tried counting calories when using fast food, you may be surprised by your own actual consumption. Take a day and take an inventory of all the calories included in your typical quick meal. The number obtained will probably be large enough to motivate you to stop. [11] X Research Source
- Try to calculate the length of distance you have to run or bike to burn off all the calories that meal brings. Usually, a quick meal requires a significant amount of exercise to burn off all the calories. For example, you would have to cycle for an hour at high speed to burn 800 calories, equivalent to half a pizza…
- Compare the calories in a quick meal and a similar meal prepared at home. That will help you discern the calorie difference that comes from a quick meal.
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Track expenses for your fast food habits. One of the benefits of fast food is that they are quite cheap – especially with menu items for 20,000 VND or less. Even with these dishes, the costs can still add up and become substantial.
- Keep receipts and add up to see how much you spent on fast food in a week. It may be more than you think.
- Set aside 200,000 to 400,000 coins in cash and see how long it lasts within a week. Swiping a card makes spending easy. Cash will sometimes help you weigh more.
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Make a weekly menu. Preparing your menu for the whole week can help you stay focused and in control for the whole week. [12] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to the source You won’t have to worry about what to cook for lunch or dinner – they’ve been decided!
- Take an hour or two in your free time to plan the menu. Make sure you also include breakfast and the day’s snacks in it.
- Include recipes or ideas for quick, easy meals that will help your busy life.
- After the menu is finished, list the corresponding ingredients list. Thanks to that, you can buy nothing but essentials.
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Go to the market/supermarket. Having healthy foods available is key to giving up fast food. Go to the market/supermarket every week to prepare meals and snacks. As a result, healthier options are always available.
- Stock up on fat-free protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.
- Buy ready-to-use products that require little or no cooking and can be used when busy. For example, whole fruits (like apples or bananas), yogurt, cut and washed salads, and pre-cooked fat-free vegetables or proteins (like grilled chicken).
Strategy Execution
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Build a support network. Any change in diet can be difficult – especially when it comes to giving up a habit that causes addiction. A support group can give you the motivation and courage to make tough changes. Research shows that many people sustain positive changes longer thanks to a support group. [13] X Trusted Source American Psychpogical Association Go to Source
- Ask a family member, friend or co-worker to support you. Also, try to find out if someone would like to join you on your fast food elimination journey.
- Find out which online support groups or forums you can log into during the day. It’s a great way to get support at any given time.
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Talk to a registered dietitian and licensed therapist. These nutrition and health professionals can play a key role in helping you understand and overcome fast food habits. They are trained to assist you in giving up fast food, develop a healthy eating plan, and provide you with coping strategies for food addiction.
- Get help from a nutritionist with menu planning, cooking skills or basic nutrition knowledge to get the skills you need to kick the fast food habit.
- Talk to a licensed therapist about your food addiction and any emotional eating issues.
- Check with your primary care physician or other physician for referral to a registered dietitian or specialist. They may know or work with a number of people in the area.
- If in the US, go to EatRight.org and use the “Find an Expert” button to search for a dietitian in your area.
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Make a list of activities that can make your body feel good. When you’re stressed or have a strong urge to eat fast food, it’s important to have a list of activities that distract you and calm you down. Keep them within reach whenever tempted by fast food.
- Try participating in physical and mental activities. For example: going for a walk, cleaning out the closet, calling friends and family, journaling or enjoying a good book.
- Sleeping or burying your head in the TV probably won’t make you feel any better. You do not solve the root of the problem but choose to ignore or sleep. [14] X Research Source
- Try to say no to alcoholic beverages. Alcohol has never been the right choice for dealing with addiction. [15] X Research Source
- Rewrite your feelings. Use a notebook or diary and write down your feelings, and how they affect hunger or cravings.
- Keeping a diary can help you discern situations and distinguish between emotional eating and physical hunger. [16] X Research Source
- Journaling can also help with mental release, allowing you to pour your thoughts and feelings into the pages of paper. [17] X Research Source
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Meditation. Research shows that just a few minutes of meditation can bring focus and calm, helping you to overcome temptation. [18] X Research Source It can also help you to gain inner peace easily.
- Start with just 5 to 10 minutes a day – especially if you’ve never meditated before.
- Find free guided meditations online. They can help you meditate more easily by following the gentle commands of the tutorial.
- Try dynamic meditation, which allows you to focus on a small subject – a stone, fruit or jewelry. Thus, the mind is filled while you try to be present.
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Fill your pantry, fridge and freezer with healthy food. Always stock up on healthy items at home. Thanks to that, you can cook nutritious meals without having to stop by the store on the way home.
- Stocking a lot of food at home will help you reduce the stress of cooking or preparing meals. You’ve got the basics.
- Key ingredients in the food compartment can include beans, unsalted canned vegetables, canned fish, whole grains (like brown rice or wholemeal pasta), and nuts.
- Freezers can include frozen protein (like chicken or fish), frozen vegetables, frozen cooked grains (like brown rice or quinoa), and frozen low-calorie meals (for those evenings where the cooking is impossible).
- Refrigerator staples can include pre-cut vegetables and fruits, low-fat sauces, eggs, low-fat yogurt, cheese, and cooked protein (like grilled chicken breast).
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Prepare a new dish. Whether you’re bored with cooking or need help with a healthy meal, trying out new recipes is a great way to explore the variety of healthy foods. Try one or two new dishes every week.
- Need cooking ideas? Try buying a healthy cookbook, reading healthy recipes online, or getting recipes from friends and family.
- If you don’t have time, look for recipes that require little preparation and cooking. In many cases, you can simply mix the ingredients instead of starting to prepare them one by one.
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Recreate your favorite fast food at home. Sandwiches and fries or deep-fried chicken nuggets are both delicious – which is why breaking the fast food habit is so hard. Try to create your favorite flavors at home with healthier cooking techniques. As a result, you can “enjoy” in a healthier way.
- If you love french fries, try baking them at home. Sliced sweet potatoes can also be a great substitute for french fries. At the same time, they contain many vitamins and minerals! [19] X Research Source
- Cornstarch chicken or toasted crackers are crunchy, low-calorie versions of fried chicken or chicken nuggets.
- Search online for a few alternative recipes for your favorites. You’ll get great ideas for healthier versions of popular snacks. Try searching for “fast food alternatives” to get better options for your favorite fast food.
Eating Healthy at Fast Food Restaurants
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Read the menu online. In the US alone, by law, any restaurant with more than 20 branches must have an online menu and an in-store menu that displays nutritional information. [20] X Trusted Source US Food and Drug Administration Go to source Look through menus, identifying options that are lower in calories and fat.
- Choose your food before you go. This will help you avoid the temptation of reviewing the menu or hearing someone else’s order.
- Some places even have “meal calculators,” which allow you to choose from a variety of dishes and provide calorie and other nutritional information.
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Choose grilling instead of frying. Fried foods often contain more calories and fat. [21] X Research Source
- Opt for grilled chicken sandwiches or grilled chicken balls instead of fried chicken.
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Avoid all-inclusive meals. Calorie counts can be very high when you have a combination meal – fries, a sandwich and a drink. Instead, order only sandwiches for a lower calorie intake.
- Choose from the “à la carte” menu (a la carte menu) to avoid the all-inclusive meal plan.
- Refuse to upgrade to “large” or larger servings.
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Choose healthier portions. Many fast-food restaurants have been responding to consumers’ desire for healthier choices. They even offer “healthier” menus, directing you to lower-calorie meals. [22] X Research Source
- Try a salad with grilled chicken or grilled chicken rolls. Use small servings with little sauce or dipping sauce to keep calories low.
- If stopping for breakfast, try oatmeal, fruit yogurt, or an egg white and cheese sandwich.
- Choose sandwiches with vegetables or fruit instead of traditional fries.
Advice
- Slowly eliminating unhealthy foods one at a time is a gentle way to cut junk food out of your diet. Rushing to cut down on every unhealthy food at once can lead to unpleasant symptoms like headaches, irritability, and make you feel frustrated.
- Consider establishing rules that make fast food less convenient. For example, if you live far away, just allow yourself to walk to the store. That way, you’ll not only get a healthy walk, but you’ll also make cooking seem easier than that quick and greasy option.
- Linking numbers to eating habits can help make the reality clearer. Estimate or track your fast food usage and calories for the week or month–you’ll be shocked at the results.
- Make adjustments slowly, one step at a time (for example, starting by ditching the food court at lunchtime or avoiding snacking between meals). Make small but practical changes and then move on to more ambitious things. Remember that you want a completely different lifestyle.
- If you and someone you know are addicted to fast food, you need to give it up together. That way, you’re less likely to be attracted to someone eating a sandwich right in front of you.
- Find a group or network of people with healthy lifestyles for support through this critical period in life.
- Read “Eat This, Not That” for fast food comparisons and suggestions for “better” options for you.
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This article was co-written by Lyssandra Guerra. Lyssandra Guerra is a holistic nutritionist & mindset coach and founder of Native Palms Nutrition in Oakland, California. She has over five years of experience in nutrition counseling, specializing in helping clients overcome digestive issues, food sensitivities, sugar cravings and other dilemmas. She received her certificate in holistic nutrition from Bauman University: Total Nutrition and Culinary Arts in 2014.
There are 20 references cited in this article that you can see at the bottom of the page.
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Fast food has become popular in many people’s diets. With the recent controversy over the unhealthy effects of fast food, many people have started looking for effective ways to change this eating habit and switch to healthier options. [1] X Research Source Regardless of why you choose fast food, you need to understand that habits can change. Use these tips to reduce your fast food consumption and form better healthy eating habits.
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