Tips for eating healthy. As summer arrives, many Americans are looking forward to their favorite summer foods. Whether that is a big, fat, juicy cheeseburger with extra bacon and all the fixings or greasy french fries from the drive-thru, it is easy to pack on the pounds before you know it. This is why eating healthy in a fast food nation that loves burgers is so important.
Tips for Eating Healthy
To help you, we have put together some tips for eating healthy and avoiding fast food temptations.
Avoiding Fast Food
One of the most important things you want to do is avoid the fast food drive through as much as possible. While it is easy to slip in and out and be on your way, the “Food” you are consuming may make you feel full, but when it comes to giving your body what it needs, you are probably not getting it. While fast food restaurants have come a long way over the years by adding “healthier choices” to their menus, it is still easy to slip up and eat too much junk food when eating out.
We don’t think the government should go as far as banning super sized drinks (like they tried to do in New York City recently), but it is a good idea to practice self-control when you are passing the “Strip” of fast food restaurants while you are out and about in the car. Even if you go with a diet drink, that is not going to make up for the fat filled burger or fries that you consume.
Counting Calories
If you need a little inspiration for avoiding fast food restaurants, one thing you can do is actually do the research to find out how many calories you are consuming when you eat out. You may be surprised at just how many calories are in those small fries or “healthy chicken sandwich.” When you see in black and white how many empty calories you are consuming at fast food restaurants, it should open your eyes a little.
However, as we said, it is super convenient to pull in the drive-through and ease your hunger a bit. If you take the time to plan for this and come up with solutions and substitutions, you are going to find it easier to resist the urge to eat unhealthy fast food. If you can cut down the amount of food you eat from the drive-thru, you are going to find it is easier to lose weight and stay in shape in the first place.
Fast Food Substitutions
If you want to make sure you avoid the fast food lane and get tempted into a large Orange Cream shake or something else that’s not good for you, here are some tips for eating healthy for coming up with substitute foods so you can resist the urge to eat unhealthy at the drive-thru.
- Preparation: If you can prepare healthy snacks ahead of time and have them on-hand, it is going to be quite a bit easier to avoid pulling through the drive-thru at Burger King, McDonalds or some other restaurant that may not have the healthiest food for you. When you have an alternative prepared, you are going to be more likely to go with that instead of the unhealthy junk food.
- Results: If you are trying to get in shape – or even just stay in shape – when you can track and see your progress (or lack of gaining weight) it is going to be easier to avoid the fast food drive-thru altogether – or at least not pull in as much, which is a good thing too. When you see the results of avoiding fast food, you are going to be more motivated to keep going with your weight loss plans.
There are many other things you can do to make sure you avoid unhealthy fast food, but these tips and suggestions should help. When you put your mind to it, you can avoid becoming part of the Fast Food Nation and learn to give your body what it needs to be healthy and happy. Also we need know Benefits of Self Care
Eating Healthy and Avoiding Fast Food Help
If you have any tips or suggestions about avoiding fast food, leave a comment below or let us know. We love when our readers share their wisdom with the rest of us. Together, we can make Health Courage the best place to come for ideas on how to live a healthy lifestyle.