I'm really not loving it.

October 27, 2009 5:14 PM

Did you quit fast food? How?

I'm beginning to think that I'm addicted to McDonalds. I'm overweight (surprise) and have been working out 4 times a week (an hour each) for about 2 months. I feel a lot better, BUT I haven't lost any weight. I eat healthy breakfast and lunch, but I'm having A LOT of trouble not grabbing McDonalds on my way home from work. I've struggled with this for years. I basically grew up on fast food, having been raised by a single father who did not (but does now!) cook. Basically it's a habit I've had since I was a kid.

I've googled extensively about this, and what I've found has helped, such as thinking of the effects the McDonalds corp. has on the environment, their workers, farmers, etc. I've tried picturing my no doubt clogged arteries, calculated what I'm spending, to no avail. Which sounds horrible, I know. Each of those things should be a pretty strong deterrent, yet apparently not strong enough to overrule my fast food impulse.

For the record, I'm female, 27 years old, and Canadian if that makes any difference whatsoever.

So, anyone been in a similar situation or have any ideas that may help me quit this? Any help/advice is appreciated. I'm sick and tired of seeing my hard work at the gym nullified by my fast food intake.

posted by heavenstobetsy to health & fitness (77 comments total)

Maybe read Fast Food Nation? Or, every day you *don't* go to McD's, take the money you would have spent there, and hide it away. Once you reach a personal weight loss goal, reward yourself with a non-edible prize!
posted by spinturtle at 5:20 PM on October 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

It's a habit, not an addiction. The solution is planning. Planning planning planning. Are you bringing food from home to the gym with you? Bring something with a 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein (chocolate milk is perfect) and consume within a half hour of the gym for optimum utilization. Having food with you should work as a deterrent, at least sometimes.
posted by liketitanic at 5:20 PM on October 27, 2009 [6 favorites]

well, I never was addicted really, but I substitute by making salty foods at home which satisfy any desire I have for their fries. maybe it's a question of energy? is it that you just don't feel like cooking when you're done with work/ working out? If so, maybe you need to look into creative ways of preparing healthy meals in advance
posted by Think_Long at 5:21 PM on October 27, 2009

Can you bring a healthy, filling snack to have about an hour before you leave the office? Maybe a nut butter sandwich or something else that will help ward off low blood sugar and aid you in driving past the drive-thru. Also, what are you eating for lunch? I know you're trying to slim down, but if your breakfast and lunch calories are too few then it's inevitable that you will be craving a fat and sugar rush by the time you're ending your workday.

On preview, I obviously agree with liketitanic.
posted by chihiro at 5:23 PM on October 27, 2009

If money isn't a significant issue, how about finding a good place on your route that does take-out (a higher-end grocery store should have a deli with tasty, healthy foods). That way you won't be able to use the "I don't feel like cooking" excuse.
posted by you're a kitty! at 5:25 PM on October 27, 2009

Wow, I was just thinking about posting a similar question about quitting fast food. The McDonald's breakfast menu is my downfall, as is Sonic's happy hour, ugh.

What has helped me some in the past is whenever I get the urge to hit the drivethrough, I go to the grocery store and try to pick out something healthier, like fruit or whatever. Or I look at the pretty vegetables (that I don't know how to cook yet, unfortunately). I just really like buying food, I guess.

I also try to think about the wasting money aspect, and I try to make it one day at a time without buying fast food, working up to weeks at a time.

Oh, and congrats on the exercising! Would it be possible for you work out right after work? I'm usually never in the mood for something gross and greasy right after a workout. Exercising after work might help break the drivethrough pattern.
posted by mesha steele at 5:30 PM on October 27, 2009

Rent and watch Fast Food Nation and/or Food Inc.

I used to find fast food a fun indulgence every now and then, but the more I've been exposed to the realities of the industry, the less I want to eat the food. I'm at the point now where even if it seems to smell or sound good, one quick remembrance of what's in that food, and what it represents, actually puts me right off it.

Get to where you know too much.

I'm having A LOT of trouble not grabbing McDonalds on my way home from work.

So this is really a planning issue. I can recommend a couple of things from my own weight loss experience:

First, make this not an option. Say to yourself in the morning, during the day, a couple times a day, whenever: "I will not follow any plan that includes stopping at McDonalds." You just have to begin with a firm decision that acknowledges you might feel weak and want to make a last-minute pit stop. Even if you want to, you have to decide that you will not be doing that, and decide it well ahead of time.

If it's overwhelmingly appealing to you as you drive home, look at your afternoon nutrition habits. I tend to get absolutely famished right after work...if I don't eat something about 4:00. I've read that a snack of carbs and protein is ideal for that time of day: something small but substantial to carry you through the remaining hours between you and dinner. The difference is amazing: if you're not aware of hunger pangs, you don't start longing for a quick, hot, delicious treat that is bad for you. You feel fine and you just keep going.

Make sure you DO have a plan for dinner, so you can be picturing an alternative to the tempation of Mickey D's. Stock your fridge with good stuff to eat. Look forward to cooking. Make stuff you really like and look forward to eating, that fits into your diet. If you feel really short of time, then start planning ahead - for instance, take part of your weekend to think of some ideas for the week's suppers. Maybe you can make some things ahead, like casserole-style meals you can just pop in the freezer, or chicken breasts you can grill up and then slice and store for quick use in salads or wraps or stir-fries. Maybe you just make sure you have good ingredients for quick healthy dinners that you like, such as whole-grain pasta and sauce with good veggies or chicken breast. Or, stock up on things for great dinner salads, like really good salad greens, gourmet-ish ingredients like olives and artichoke hearts, pre-shredded carrots, walnuts or almonds, and good dressings. When you feel tempted, think of your plan for dinner and how good it's gonna be.

Recognize that a big part of the attraction is that fast food is your comfort food. You mentioned eating it a lot growing up. It probably gives you a feeling of stability and security - and heck, no surprise, it's always the same. Once you've recognized the need you're trying to fill, maybe you can deal with it more directly. Yes, you'd like to feel secure and comfortable. But you probably don't need to fulfill that with a food that is far more nasty and bad for you than it was even 15 years ago, and getting worse all the time. Nor do you need to sabotage your goals, because that will make you more INsecure and UNcomfortable. Think through the meal to how you'd feel on the other side of it - as you know, it doesn't feel good. So try to find things you will look forward to doing in the evening that will give you real comfort - whether that's meditating or yoga, a workout or a hot bath, writing, calling a friend, reading for a while, doing something crafty, listening to music...you get the idea. Find other sources for the comfort you are afraid you might miss.

Finally, if you feel really deprived and backed into a corner and just want a cheeseburger dammit, go somewhere decent! Your diet can sustain an occasional indulgence in a burger-and-fries or chicken-strips meal. But see if you can find a place that uses decent meats (not so easy to do) and cooks from scratch. Enjoy the taste of real, clean food. Get a lot of satisfaction from it. Pay attention to it and really enjoy it. It makes fast food pale in comparison.

Good luck! Food habits are tough to break without conscious thought and planning. So go for it - you'll find that the desire for this stuff really wanes after you're away from it for a time. Eventually it really doesn't look like food anymore.
posted by Miko at 5:32 PM on October 27, 2009 [12 favorites]

If you drive by fast food places that are on the route you take to drive to/from work, try driving a different route. Not seeing it is a big step to not craving it.

Also, consider reading "Omnivore's Dilemma." It makes you think A LOT about the role fast food plays not just in terms of being bad for your body and bad for the animals, but bad for the whole economy and environment on a large scale.
posted by np312 at 5:34 PM on October 27, 2009

Mr./Ms. Bento. You'll save money, limit your portion sizes, and by having this handy device - you'll be able to eat food easily that does not fit between two pieces of bread. Here's some Bento ideas on flickr.
posted by bigmusic at 5:35 PM on October 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

I used to weigh 285 lbs, I now weigh 195. I haven't given up anything, I just cut down on everything, including fast food. I mean, who needs a quarter pound of meat? Plus a bun, plus cheese, plus sauce, and all that junk... Add fries and a drink, and maybe dessert - that's A LOT!!!

Whenever I eat fast food, I get a kid's meal, or a hamburger (cheeseburger if I'm feeling frisky) and no fries. After all, a serving size is a hamburger. If I *do* get fries, I get a child's fries or small fries (serving size of fried french fries is eleven I think). If I go for breakfast, it's a sausage biscuit and coffee.

I also agree with people who suggest bringing a snack so that the urge to hit McDonald's after work isn't so strong.
posted by patheral at 5:35 PM on October 27, 2009

Get a part-time job at McDonald's. I guarantee, you won't even want to go in there for a Coke ever again.
posted by adamrice at 5:40 PM on October 27, 2009 [3 favorites]

I'm sick and tired of seeing my hard work at the gym nullified by my fast food intake.

Stop eating it. It's not magic, hypnotism, no feelgood phrase is going to help. You are wasting your time exercising and the food you are eating is stalling your progress - you are in control here, stop eating it.
posted by fire&wings at 5:40 PM on October 27, 2009 [2 favorites]

Take a different route home from work - avoid that temptation.

Rent Fast Food Nation & Food Inc.

Don't think about the health consequences, think about the taste and cleanliness.

If that doesn't do it - take a part-time job for one week at McDonalds - just work a shift or two and quit. Observe. Afterwards, that shit (literally) will never cross your lips again.

Good luck.

(p.s. - a few youtube doc's about "factory farming" will do the trick, too. It's very difficult to enjoy sad, inhumanely raised and slaughtered animals as food once you know the truth.)
posted by jbenben at 5:42 PM on October 27, 2009

A few things that have helped me eat considerably less fast food than I otherwise might:

- Keeping food I like, that is relatively easy to prepare and satisfying to eat in my refrigerator at home, especially some really good stuff that I'll look forward to on my way home. I plan my meals for the week so I always know what's waiting for me.

- Remembering the summer I worked at a movie theater concession stand with a bunch of teenage boys. Nothing like imagining my former coworkers--whose grasp of hand-washing and food safety was shaky at best--behind the counter at McDonald's to deter me from buying a Big Mac. (No offense to any teenage boys or McDonald's employees.)

- Being hyper critical of the fast food I do eat. McDonald's fries? Eh. Not worth it to me. Big Mac? Worth it. (Once in a great while.)
posted by Meg_Murry at 5:43 PM on October 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

I had a similar problem where I'd go somewhere bad after doing something good, thinking I was rewarding myself. It's a terrible, terrible habit.

A little like np312 above suggests with the different routes, once I stopped driving, I stopped eating fast food. I'm not sure how feasible this is for you, but as soon as my car hit the garage for the season and I was walking everywhere, I only felt like eating lighter meals, I was getting exercise and with everything combined I felt much better about myself.
posted by june made him a gemini at 5:46 PM on October 27, 2009

I used to eat a lot of fast food when I was just out of high school. I had no idea how to cook, I was used to fast food, and I had a hard time saying no to my impulses. What did it for me was eventually learning that I could make delicious and relatively healthy food without becoming a master chef or spending hours in the kitchen.

Sometimes it's still hard to justify making a full meal, but what keeps me from just getting fast food for dinner now is having a good stock of rice and beans at home. Pop some white rice in the rice cooker, some black beans in a pot, maybe microwave some leftover chicken and put that in, and it's ready to eat. I don't even have to go out anywhere!

Also reading Fast Food Nation is not a bad idea; the fast food industry is disgusting.
posted by malapropist at 5:46 PM on October 27, 2009

I have found that with those craving/habit/addiction-ish things that substituting a healthy alternative makes no difference at all. It's not about hunger, it's about habits. My weakness was sweet treats on the way home, and they're usually less than a dollar, so not enough to use a debit card for. So I just stopped carrying cash, period. With the exception of Fridays, when I get cash for my kids' allowance, I just don't carry cash at all. Combined with keeping a spending log, it really has helped with the impulse-sweets as well as general impulse spending. Other people find spending cash harder than swiping a card, but for me cash is much easier to part with, so I'm less likely to indulge if I don't have cash on me. So take a different route, don't carry money, make it really inconvenient to stop there.
posted by headnsouth at 5:47 PM on October 27, 2009

Stop bringing money or equivalents to work. If you break the habit for a week, it will be easier not to go back to it. You should also change your route home to avoid driving by the McDonald's. Be sure to have some of your favourite non-McDo treats at home for yourself. Inasmuch as possible, you should have something you'd like to rush home to these evenings as well.
posted by jeather at 5:50 PM on October 27, 2009

I'll echo a lot of the advice in this thread (watching "Fast Food Nation".. reading "Omnivore's Dilemma",etc)... but for me it basically just came down to:... willpower. You just have to stop. You have to retrain your brain so that everytime you think "Zomg McDonalds!(drool)".. that the next thing your brain thinks is: "YUCK!, crap-food!, not-good-for-me!" and also "I'm not going to reach my health/beauty/body goals if I continue to eat crap."

Go get yourself a blender. Everytime you get the craving for fast food, throw a variety of fresh fruit into a blender and make yourself a delicious smoothie. While you are drinking this delicious fresh beverage, enjoy it, slow down for a second, and try to become aware of how good it makes your body feel. (sometimes it actually makes my body tingle).... Try it once or thrice. Now everytime you have a fast food craving, remind yourself: "I can have something (fast food) that is crappy quality and adds to my waistline and clogs my arteries------OR----I can have something fresh and healthy that makes my body glow.

Best of LUCK!!!
posted by jmnugent at 5:54 PM on October 27, 2009

You know how you drive the car- turning its wheel and all- into the McDonald's? Don't do that. That's all.
posted by xmutex at 5:56 PM on October 27, 2009 [2 favorites]

Buy a copy of Fast Food Nation. Read it. (You don't have to read it straight through cover to cover; each chapter is standalone, so pick the ones that interest you first.)

Keep a copy of the book in your car. Every time you get to that point when you're close to a Mickey D's, put your hand on the book and chant the mantra "There's shit in the beef."

And, as mentioned above, eat something else right before you leave work.
posted by jabberjaw at 6:01 PM on October 27, 2009

It's really quite simple: find somewhere else to eat that offers something as equally appetizing to you but is healthier.

Where most people end up failing is when they try to create some drastic change which is unfeasible to keep up like making a healthy meal at home every night. You're eating at McDonald's because it's a habit, it's instant-gratification and it's convenient. You need to explore your other options; scope out some local places to stop by and have a nice sandwich instead. Take a different way home to avoid the temptation. I suffered from the same phenomenon - my vice was Chipolte. But you need to find that gem of an eatery where you can call home and make better choices. Five months in and I'm seventy pounds lighter (individual results may vary). Similarly, you need to avoid those little hiccups along the way that throw off your efforts -- that piece of cake at a coworker's birthday, the Frappuccino while passing by the Starbucks, the couple of cookies you'd eat while watching Conan.

One personal tip that I can recommend is to become an avid researcher of the nutritional facts and then do the math. Perform an honest evaluation of what your vice meal is worth to you. On the relative scale, you'll notice that the 540 calories and 29 grams of fat that are in that Big Mac just aren't worth it for the three minutes it takes to eat it and the 3 miles you'll need to run to burn it off -- and that's just the burger. A turkey sandwich on wheat bread (full-size) will net you about 8 grams of fat, far fewer calories, offer tons more protein, and be far more filling so that you don't need a side with it.

Oh, also - no soft drinks. Ever. Do you like Sprite? You'll love San Pellegrino mineral water. But you'll love the fact that are no calories, no 29 grams of sugar per service (12oz, so if it were from McDonalds, triple that). You need to find ways like this to simply substitute what you enjoy for something better. Small changes, big results.
posted by cgomez at 6:03 PM on October 27, 2009

I really know where you're coming from. In addition to everything everyone else has suggested - I assume you're hitting the drive-through? In that case, put your wallet in the trunk of your car before you leave work.

I often find that thinking about that added layer of complication (park the car, get out, get the wallet, then get back in, and THEN go to the drive through) is enough to "snap me out of it."
posted by ErikaB at 6:13 PM on October 27, 2009 [5 favorites]

You are wasting your time exercising and the food you are eating is stalling your progress - you are in control here, stop eating it.

It's never a waste of time to exercise, no matter your diet; this kind of line of thought is just as likely to lead you to give up on exercising, which would be even more detrimental to your health than an occasional Big Mac would be.

Go get yourself a blender. Everytime you get the craving for fast food, throw a variety of fresh fruit into a blender and make yourself a delicious smoothie.

This is really, really hard to do on a car ride home.

Instead of defaulting to extremist attitudes about food, I'd focus on, first, cutting back on the fast food, rather than eliminating it. Pick one day a week for the next week when you're allowed to have McDonalds. For the other days, stock your car with bottles of water and snacks--if you're having fast food, I'd bet you're probably craving something salty during the day, so a half a handful of salted nuts and some dried fruit might do the trick. Keep healthy snacks available in both your car and your desk, so that you're not starving on the way home. If that works well, try cutting back to every other week, and later once a month, for your fast food stops. You might also try analyzing nutritional information on the web before you stop for your rare McMeal--make informed choices about what food you're going to get before you're at the drive through, hungry and half-braindead.

Honestly, though, I don't know if I'd eliminate fast food completely if it's something that you genuinely enjoy. It's not alcohol, and an occasional burger is not going to destroy your diet, but making it totally verboten can lead to fast food binges later.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 6:19 PM on October 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

This is all good advice, but I have a little different angle, I think. What kind of exercise are you doing? I ask because for years, I did moderate cardio workouts, and it didn't have much effect at all on me, except to 'break even' and not gain weight.

I feel weird that I'm veering towards sounding like a weight-loss testimonial, but I've lost 20 pounds in the last three months after a friend lent me a workout book with intervals training, and I tried it. Even though at the time I thought the book was super cheesy, I weighed more than I had ever weighed before, so I thought that I would try at least some of what it said.

The thing that surprised me about the more intensive workouts (for less time than I had been spending before--20 minutes for cardio) was that it got rid of my cravings and made it much easier for me to eat better portion sizes.
posted by umbú at 6:25 PM on October 27, 2009

but I'm having A LOT of trouble not grabbing McDonalds on my way home from work.

Stop grabbing McDonald's and grab Subway instead, as a first step. Or try the Healthy Choice brand of frozen meals, particularly the Steamers. The problem is that you have this ingrained habit linked to a necessary process (eating) so it's hard to quit, but because you can't quit eating, right? And after a day of work, the last thing you want to do is spend an hour cooking a meal. So keep the habit (for the moment) and try changing what you eat. Going to somewhere healthier, like Subway.

Long term you'll have to work on planning for meals and there's a lot of great stuff, delicious stuff on that subject in this previous AskMe but for now, just try to triage the reaching junk problem by reaching for something other than McDonald's.

A crock pot is a GREAT tool. Throw a whole frozen chicken in it in the morning with some veggies and potatoes and by the time you come home from where you'll have a meal literally waiting for you. I'm a big fan of sandwiches as they're easy to make and keep healthy and the variety is endless. Soups are also good and can be done up in a crock pot.

A wok is also great. Cut up meat and veggies in the morning, come home, light the wok and throw the meat and veggies in and BOOM, 15 minutes later you have a meal.

Finally, make a note of this link, EatMe, which is a great compilation of various food related AskMe questions. There's tons and tons of useful info in there on your problem, and the general art of cooking, which should definitely be one of your long term goals.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:26 PM on October 27, 2009 [2 favorites]

Don't give it up forever. Just commit to giving it up for the next 30-90 days. Count the days if you need to. After a significant break like that, fast food tastes like shit.
posted by milarepa at 6:26 PM on October 27, 2009 [2 favorites]

Something that's worked for me--check out your local supermarket. I can get a deli sandwich with mustard--no mayo, turkey, whole grain bread, a container of fresh cut fruit or a fistful of grapes, and a bottle of unsweetened iced tea and get back out the door fast, just as fast as fast food. And cheap!

Supermarkets have become my #1 eating choice on road trips, they're easy to find in any decent-sized town and have so many more healthy eating choices than fast food chains.

Downside: may not work for you if you can't resist, say, a giant display of snack cakes. You still have to exercise some self-control.
posted by gimonca at 6:30 PM on October 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

Super Size Me and Food, Inc.

20 years ago I was hooked on McD's cheeseburgers... mmmm... but now I'm a vegetarian and lovin' it.
posted by porn in the woods at 6:37 PM on October 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

If you're like me, Fast Food Nation will make you go "eeeurgh" and then leave you pretty much where you are already but a little more emotionally conflicted. I've found knowing how fast food does what it does to be quite helpful.
posted by flabdablet at 6:42 PM on October 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

I think you can be addicted to this stuff. The caveman part of your brain craves fatty meats and sugars. Some McDonald's items have MSG in them, and that effects your brain directly. If you eat poorly you're most likely getting a sugar or carb rush, crashing, and being hungry 2-3 hours later. If you eat well you can avoid this kind of crash.

I think you just need to go cold turkey, preferable with a turkey sandwich.
posted by damn dirty ape at 6:42 PM on October 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

Avoid the restaurants. I ate Wendy's 3-4 nights a week every week in high school, but went to college at a campus whose nearest fast food restaurant was 20 mins away driving (and I had no car). As soon as I got out of the habit, I don't crave it nearly as often... and when I do, I have it so seldom -- no more than once a month, if even that -- I feel okay giving in.

So change your driving route.

Also, investigate things that can be set up in the morning so that food is ready and waiting for you when you get home. A crock pot is a good suggestion; I also recommend a rice cooker, and maybe a breadmaker. If you know you have that to look forward to at home, it may be easier to skip the Big Mac.
posted by olinerd at 6:46 PM on October 27, 2009

Have food at home that is healthy and easy to prepare.

Track your calories from food. Track the calories lost from exercise. It takes a lot of exercise to burn off most fast food.

I don't eat fast food very often. If I do, it is usually a submarine sandwich.

I'd like to tell you there is a magical way to stop, but you just have to do it. It takes willpower, but not a lot compared to quitting many other things. If you have the right food at home it'll be harder to convince yourself that you'll save a ton of time by eating out.
posted by backwards guitar at 6:46 PM on October 27, 2009

The physical enjoyment you get from your MickyD visits is probably a significant source of pleasure for you, so it's understandable that it would be hard to give up. Beyond that, certain ingredients in fast food are actually addictive.

What to do? You'll conquer this when the pleasure you get from refraining exceeds the net pleasure you get from indulging.

1. Have you tried as a first step making Mon, Wed and Fri McDonalds days? This will give you the practice of exercising discipline (on Tue and Thu. Certain ingredients in fast food are actually addictive. Knowing on your off days that you're only a day away from your next fix might give you the oomph you need to fight through. Next step would be going to Tue and Thu as your on days. And so on. Break the addicition and the habit slowly; learn the joy of refraining over time. Every time you successfully refrain, revel in your discipline and the benefit to your body and your workouts.

2. You'll find it easier to give up this vice if you can substitute something else enjoyable (hopefully something better for you!) in its place. What might that be for you? Could even be a small piece of chocolate to chase down a healthier meal.

Good job on your new workout habit - an hour 4 times a week is awesome!!!

P.S. Going from someone who is oveweight to someone who isn't opens up doors - that's great, but it can be a very scary thing! That may be worth looking at, as well.
posted by c, as in "kitchen" at 6:49 PM on October 27, 2009 [2 favorites]

Ah everyone has their vices. Don't fight it, embrace it. Stay with a strict diet for six days a week, and then give yourself a day off. No gym. Eat what you please.

The payoffs are a) it gives you something to look forward to every week b) you'll feel like you earned it, and c) you'll start seeing results from the gym if you are indeed eating properly portioned and nutritious meals.

Good luck.
posted by helios410 at 7:05 PM on October 27, 2009

Here's what works for me when I'm seriously hungry and "need" to stop for fast food. My personal menu allows only: a regular burger, premium salad (no dressing); Egg McMuffin (egg and muffin only), coffee, water, 1% milk. Sometimes I allow the low fat vanilla ice cream cone if that's all I need to tide me over till I get home. (I rationalize that it has 4 grams of protein and the milk in it keeps the sugar from being absorbed quickly).

If those don't appeal to me, then I must not be hungry enough, and I drive home. But usually I buy just enough, because the allowable foods aren't yummy enough to chow down on.

My aim is to eat less and eat healthier. I don't have to be completely virtuous... if I did, I'd be back to Big Macs every time.
posted by wryly at 7:06 PM on October 27, 2009

After a significant break like that, fast food tastes like shit.
This was certainly true for me. I stopped eating fast food while I was in college and didn't have any money... but I had a meal plan. So I ate in the dining hall.
One day I decided to splurge with the few bucks in my pocket, and had Mickey D's... and felt really ill that night and into the next day. I'm not saying I ate healthy great stuff in the dining hall, but it certainly wasn't fried MSG with fat and some protein.

I like the idea of giving yourself a time limit (over a month) and sticking to it. If you can avoid the binge when you finally allow yourself a taste, then you should be ok.

That said, I really think the best advice on this thread relate to not being hungry when you drive past the drive-thru. You have to plan ahead, maybe even using one of your days off to prepare meals for the week, including snacks for the ride home.
posted by purpletangerine at 7:07 PM on October 27, 2009

Yay to your working out, I know it's difficult. My no-McD's plan was basically to cut back so far that I basically never go anymore. So, when I get back from a long trip and I'm exhausted and cranky and need some sort of food pill that is somehow calming and also full of calories so I can sleep for the next 12 hours, I go to McDonald's. This means I go maybe once a month, twice tops. And I'm not allowed to go any other time, unless I get salad.

I live in a town where it's actually the only place that serves food that is open past 9 pm [quickie-mart type places don't count] so this is sometimes a headache. I've gotten better at being proactive about having something tasty in my house at all times and working to make sure that the tasty stuff I do have isn't a total diet-killer. So, things like popcorn, fresh fruit, yogurt with misc tasty things to put in it, cocoa. When I do go to McD's I tell people who are likely to look at me with that "you did WHAT?" look and that usually puts me off of it until next time.
posted by jessamyn at 7:12 PM on October 27, 2009

Two things helped me. First, I really thought about what things tasted like and how they made me feel. It started with Coke, which I used to drink a lot. One day I was drinking a bottle, and I was thinking about how I would describe the taste other than "sweet." And I couldn't. It tastes... like... Coke. And I suddenly realized that I didn't like the taste at all, it was just a habit I had fallen into. Later on I made a similar realization about doughnuts -- I don't like the taste that much, and I really don't like how I feel an hour after eating one. So I stopped.

I quite fast food a few years ago when I was really depressed after a relationship had failed and I watched Super Size Me. The combination of my bad mood and that movie left me unable to eat for three days, and I haven't bought chain fast food since. And I don't feel much of a craving either. Not sure the trauma was worth it, but, hey.

I still eat junk, and I am overweight, so my plan isn't perfect, but I would be in poorer health today if I hadn't dumped those foods.
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:32 PM on October 27, 2009

Like quitting anything else--the first step is that you WANT to stop doing this. So you're already through half the battle. All the suggestions about cutting back, or cutting it for a specific period of time, are great.

In terms of eating habbits, I find apples and peanut butter or apples and sharp cheese really satisfying when I'm either starving (especially just after a work out) or when I'm craving salty + crispy. It might help to have a snack ready to eat on your way home/just before you get in the car--if you're not starving maybe it will be easier to avoid the stop?

Another thing I like to do when I'm craving something is make it myself. The things I cook at home will be healthier than the store-bought version and usually will taste better. Obviously, this isn't going to work all the time, but I can frequently push off a craving for something sweet at 3pm by promising myself I'll make cookies that night--and then half the time I'm either no longer craving them by 8pm or I'm too tired to make them, so I end up skipping it. Another side benefit is that after some practice you'll get good at cooking and then what you make will be so much more satisfying the fast food won't be as appealing.

I haven't been able to eat fast food since I saw Fast Food Nation. There were some images in there that made it just really, really unappealing in a way that books and words didn't. So nthing the suggestion to rent that!
posted by min at 7:43 PM on October 27, 2009

What cracked for me: an extended fast from fast food, really looking forward to fast food, and then eating some that tasted really bad. (How bad are KFC fries!) Bleh.

Also, a personal vendetta against fast food- I made it a goal I had pride in, a 'nope, not eating there' goal. It was ridiculous (I was a normal weight teen) but I enjoyed reviling MacDonalds.

Also: (relative) poverty. If you aren't in poverty, fake it. Aggressively save, maybe for a really cool holiday? I saved like crazy to surprise my parents (I was living in another country from them) by arriving unannounced at Christmas. No fast food then!

I also found a place to volunteer that gave out meal tickets- then I got yummy healthy vegetarian food instead of paying for fast food.

Find someone else to cook meals for you. Or cook for someone else- it looks and feels bad if you've gorged on Maccas before hand!

nthing removing the temptation by bringing a healthy snack- plus, drink more water to feel fuller.
posted by titanium_geek at 7:44 PM on October 27, 2009

can you pack a dinner for yourself? Either something that you leave at home, but would be instantly ready when you get there (in a microwave or something), or just bring it with you like you would lunch. Are there tables to hang out at at the gym? At your work? Start eating your dinner there. Even if you only eat part of it, and the rest at home, this might sate your urge to stop off for fast food. Having a plan for a fixed dinner gives you something to look forward to, and is what helped me break this habit (although for me, it was the local gyro place -- so tasty!).

If time is an issue, you can get prepared foods from your supermarket (not the healthiest, but better than fast food). Or you can make a bunch of food on the weekends for the week. Chili or casseroles or whatever you like.
posted by bluefly at 7:44 PM on October 27, 2009

Duh, that's saw Super Size Me, sorry. I also read Fast Food Nation but found Super Size Me much more visceral.
posted by min at 7:44 PM on October 27, 2009

If you really have to have McDonald's, their snack wraps are not awful in terms of calories, although they are overpriced. I've been dieting (mostly) for a year and have lost around 80 lbs, and I still hit McD once every 1-2 weeks for a McChicken and a small fry, which is not extremely calorific and very, very cheap.
posted by TypographicalError at 7:45 PM on October 27, 2009

Ah, McDonald's. How I love their fries...

My trick to avoid overeating (or hitting fast food places on the way home - I walk past Chipotle, Burger King and McDonald's (twice) on my way home) is to eat some sort of low cal-high fiber snack around 4:30/5ish (work is over at 5:30 for me). Today, my 'snack' was an 80 calorie SoupAtHand from Campbell's. Yesterday, it was an apple.

Congrats on the working out! Just as an anecdote: I spent a year working out four to five times a week and watching what I ate. I gained weight that year. After going back to the doctor several times, I finally got medication for a syndrome that can cause weight gain/difficulty losing weight. Since then, I've dropped sixty pounds without hitting the gym or watching my food.

Since my weight plateaued for a few months, I tried the famous Points system (weight watchers). The system is well worth the time and money - and you can still fit McD's into the menu!

Good luck!
posted by LOLAttorney2009 at 7:58 PM on October 27, 2009

Perhaps try pescatarianism or vegetarianism. No, you don't have to care at all about animal suffering. No, you don't have to give up meat for the rest of your life. I would happily eat the smiling, snuggly face off a baby cow who's been chained in a box it's entire life, but I've been pescatarian for a couple of months now for health and economic reasons. Once you're not eating red meat or chicken, there's very little reason to go to a fast food restaurant.

Keeping tasty food at home is key, as well. I'll be hungry and ready to leave work and thinking "I'll go to Popeye's, and I'll just get the biscuit and the mashed potatoes," and then I remember that I have leftover salmon and 7-grain pilaf at home, and I feel like a douche settling for a greasy biscuit and some powdered potato.
posted by Juliet Banana at 8:25 PM on October 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

I have had to change my diet quite a bit due to glucose issues which meant cutting out almost all sugar and a lot of carbs; this meant I had to think about my eating patterns. As others have said, planning is so important. Have something small for breakfast, and stop before you feel full. plan on another small thing about 10 AM, like a handful of almonds. Have another small thing mid-afternoon. I didn't cut fast food out completely, because I LOVE hamburgers (sorry, hippies). So I go to In-N-Out and get a single, no fries, and take my time to savor it. And I only go there about a max of twice a week.
posted by mattholomew at 8:40 PM on October 27, 2009

Sorry, I meant to add: I also thought about what it was I love so much about burgers, and a lot of it is the ketchup/mustard/pickle combo - which I can get by putting those things on a turkey burger or Boca burger at home.
posted by mattholomew at 8:42 PM on October 27, 2009

Everyone else has given you some good perspectives on changing your habit, so I'll offer you some motivation:

After a year of not eating McDs or any other fast food at all, you'll find it far less appealing when you taste it again. This isn't going to be something that tortures you your whole life. You just have to detox. Even the "healthy options" at fast food joints taste like they've been soaked in rancid oil to me now.
posted by desuetude at 8:49 PM on October 27, 2009

I had the tv on while reading your question and saw 3 fast food commercials during one commercial break. I never eat fast food, but I started craving some after seeing those big juicy burgers on the screen. So along with all the great advice above, maybe consider changing the channel if you see any fast food commercials on tv, it might be subconsciously adding to your temptations.
posted by meta87 at 8:54 PM on October 27, 2009

You might check out the book "Eat This, Not That" if you really, really can't give up fast food. It compares calorie counts on similar foods to tell you which is the better option.

Also, what are you getting at McDonalds? Don't get fries, don't get soft drinks with calories, hold the cheese, hold the mayo and you'll be taking in far fewer calories.
posted by croutonsupafreak at 9:15 PM on October 27, 2009

Lots of great advice here. The one thing I'd single out is: Take a fast-food break. Quit for 30 days, 90 days -- some specific period of time. The idea of quitting something FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE is kinda terrifying so start there. It feels much more manageable. You really will be shocked at how crappy that stuff tastes after eating reasonably healthy stuff long enough to break your body's habits.

In addition to "Fast Food Nation," you also might want to read The End of Overeating. The author is a former FDA commissioner and he details how structural changes in our economic and food-delivery systems have led to Mickey D's on every corner, offering salty fatty stuff that we come to crave.

I'd also recommend In Defense of Food over "An Omnivore's Dilemma." (Both are great but I think the former would be more interesting and useful to you.)
posted by dogrose at 10:27 PM on October 27, 2009

Quit because your worth it. Think more of yourself. Plain and simple.

Good luck.
posted by Taurid at 10:53 PM on October 27, 2009

I'm overweight (surprise) and have been working out 4 times a week (an hour each) for about 2 months. I feel a lot better, BUT I haven't lost any weight.

Weight does not matter at all !!!

Sorry for shouting.

Muscle weighs more than fat by volume. So if you're exercising, and staying the same weight, you're actually shrinking. Which part of what the exercise is about, yeah? So you're doing pretty fine!

I am immensely respectful of what you're doing, The first two months of exercise are the hardest, as you don't see your weight go down on the scale, and it's really after a couple of months that you can start to SEE it. Watch your complexion, muscle tone and posture improve. These come first. Then, you'll reduce somewhat in volume. Finally, after some significant time, you'll actually start losing weight once you've built your muscles up to the plateau defined by your exercise schedule, while the fat continues to burn off.

Re. the topic: Don't sweat the McDonalds *too* much. Try to get hooked on good food - e.g. practice DO-EAT more than DO-NOT-EAT. The palate will accustom itself to nutritiousness, especially if physical exertion starts demanding it.
posted by krilli at 12:11 AM on October 28, 2009

I used to work across from a Burger King in an area with no other restaurants, and I'd eat breakfast and lunch there almost every day. So I know what you're talking about.

My number one suggestion? It's a multi-parter.

1) buy "The Joy of Cooking" (any comprehensive, basic cookbook will do, but this is a good one)
2) flip through it and pick two dinners - just two - that you'd like to eat and that look simple to make. Pasta with red sauce, quesadillas, whatever.
3) go to the store and buy the ingredients you need in advance.
4) two nights a week, cook dinner instead of going to McDs. If you need extra incentive, you'll know that the veggies and meat you bought need to be used, and are waiting for you.

As you get into this routine, increase the 2 nights to three. Start making larger meals and saving or freezing the leftovers. Soon, you'll be healthier (less crud in your food, fewer calories), and eating a wider variety of tasty food.

Godo luck!
posted by zippy at 12:31 AM on October 28, 2009

good, not godo
posted by zippy at 12:33 AM on October 28, 2009

Good for you in keeping up an exercise routine! Since the knowledge about the effects of fatty foods on your health has helped motivate you, what about making an appointment with a nutritionist who can give you a clearer picture of what different foods can do for your health? If you have an EAP at work you make be able to get a free appointment; otherwise there is the public health dept shopfront on Main St that has helpful staff that can direct you. And yeah, take a different route home with snacks in the car - Guelph St is a killer at rush hour anyway.
posted by saucysault at 12:39 AM on October 28, 2009 [1 favorite]

I've got a different tack here, since I think cutting out foods completely can backfire and make you want them more, and you probably already know all the gross things involved in making (and subsequently ingesting) a McDonald's hamburger, so it might be difficult to shock, disgust, or intellectualize yourself out of the addiction.

When you do find yourself turning in to the McDonald's parking lot, slow down. Park, or go in and sit in a booth, for five minutes and give yourself a little time to cool down from the OMG MCDS NOW CAN'T STOP impulse. And kind of think, "okay, what do I really want to eat? How much of it do I want?" Sometimes when you pause you might realize that what you would most like to eat right that second isn't on the menu, and you've just been getting Big Macs because they're satisfying enough.

So you've paused, and decided you do want the burger. So go in (probably better to go inside than to use the drive-through), order your stuff, plop it in the back seat so you can't munch on fries as you drive home, and when you're finally home, put everything on a plate. Essentially the goal is to slow down the impulsiveness you feel and make yourself feel like you're making a conscious decision.

Then - you know how the first couple of bites are always the best, and you don't really taste much afterwards? Eat about a quarter of whatever you've got, and then get up and do something else for a while. If you're still starving, eat a piece of fruit to cleanse your palate. After maybe twenty minutes, come back to your dinner and see if you're still interested. If so, eat another quarter or so - just to the point where the initial satisfaction fades. Whatever is left over you can wrap up and put in the fridge for another time. (And yeah, leftover fast food is never very good, but it can scratch the itch).

The whole time, if you feel obligated to get the large fries, or you feel like you have to finish everything because you bought it, remind yourself that you are under no obligation to do anything whatsoever. If you've parked and gone in, you don't actually have to order. You can still change your mind. Sometimes the first impulsive action can set off a chain reaction of "fuck it, my diet is ruined, I'm going whole hog" reactions; if you view each decision as a deliberate choice, rather than a foregone conclusion because you made that one left turn twenty minutes ago, you'll find you have more control over the process, and you might find yourself enjoying the food more because you're actively choosing to eat it.

The thing is, McDonald's is fucking delicious. Fat and salt and sugar are things we're hard-wired to crave, and many fast foods are engineered specifically to be addictively delicious. I think it's absolutely possible to be psychologically if not physically addicted to junk, so don't beat yourself up over this. Reading about emotional eating may help you more than the shocker-how-food-is-really-made books, though they are worth reading as well. Good luck!
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:45 AM on October 28, 2009 [2 favorites]

heavenstobetsy, I did this, for pretty much the same reasons you state.

My method? I stopped eating meat. I made it a hard and fast rule, and stuck to it.

(note that I made this decision for no other reason than it is pretty much impossible to order anything resembling a meal from McDonald's, Burger King, Wendys, etc... if you don't allow yourself any meat. You can't exactly say "I'll have the HONKIN' ASS FRIES, and the HUGUNGOUS milkshake, but skip the Big Mac - I'm on a diet." with any kind of seriousness, after all.)

It seems to have worked (for me), as I haven't eaten any drive-thru in 16 months.

Now, if I could only find your commitment to exercise...
posted by namewithoutwords at 5:23 AM on October 28, 2009

Avoiding McDs is not going to help you if you simply replace it with the same number of home cooked calories.

If you eat at McDs order no cheese and no mayo and throw away half your order of fries.
posted by dzot at 6:40 AM on October 28, 2009

Oh, and most importantly -- Diet Soda only. No beverages with calories whatsoever.
posted by dzot at 6:41 AM on October 28, 2009

Avoiding McDs is not going to help you if you simply replace it with the same number of home cooked calories.

Well, that's not exactly true. What's in the calories counts. There's a difference to your body between "empty" calories that provide little muscle-building protein, other macronutrients, or vitamins and calories that are nutrient-dense. There's also an important difference in what additives and contaminants may be present: in the case of McDonalds, certainly hormones, ammonias, soy compounds, and possibly nasty bacteria.

If one takes in 1000 calories of McDonald's meals, one receives far less nutrition than one would eating 1000 calories of a salad of mixed vegetables and lean protein, or whole grains with vegetables, etc.
posted by Miko at 6:48 AM on October 28, 2009

Well, that's not exactly true.

If her goal is losing weight, it is. There's not really much shortage of protein in a McDonalds meal, the problem is lots and lots of fat, sugar, and (to a lesser extent) salt with almost zero fiber.
posted by electroboy at 7:37 AM on October 28, 2009

I've been on a supervised diet program for a few weeks, and have been not only losing weight but feeling a lot better, after living mostly on fast food myself. One of the best things about the diet is that I eat five one-cup servings of fruits and vegetables a day, every day. That's a lot of fiber, and it helps keep me full--I really don't have room for much else.
posted by Halloween Jack at 7:41 AM on October 28, 2009

Most people have hit on my suggestions here. I wouldn't say I'm a fast food addict, but I do enjoy it on occasion. And it is great that you are so focused on exercise, I am perpetually lazy about getting my (fat) butt to the gym!

As Miko said, consuming 1000 cals in vegetables, lean protein & whole grains is going to offer a lot more nutrition - this is true, but also since you'll have to eat a whole lot more of these items to get to 1000 cals, chances are you're going to feel full well before you hit that mark and start consuming less calories in the long run. Just be careful with creamy salad dressings, cheeses, nuts, etc, because they will tack lots of calories right back on to your healthy salad (although nuts are great & healthy on a salad, just don't overdo it)

I have salad for lunches and dinners a lot - the salad spinner is my storage secret. At the grocery store buy a head of romaine (or spinach or whatever, just not iceberg), and whatever other veggies you like. Get a bottle of salad dressing that you like, and some croutons, nuts, wonton strips, cranberries - they have a ton of these "salad topper" items in the produce aisle of my grocery store. Cut up the lettuce and put it in the salad spinner, and for the veggies I usually cut up watery stuff such as cucumbers or tomatoes immediately before eating, and keep cut up carrots, peppers, broccoli, etc cut up in a separate container. Cook up a few chicken breasts, a small steak, tofu, pick up a rotisserie chicken and take all the meat off - whatever you like, or even frozen breaded chicken strips if you really need something a little crunchy and "fast-foody" on your salad. If you get everything prepped on the weekend, you will have at least 3-4 meals worth of salad ready to go when you get home. Even if you start adding a salad 3 times a week and getting McD's twice a week, you are still making great strides. I usually find a big salad with chicken and maybe some toast or half sandwich on the side is enough for me, but you could also have it alongside a soup or some rice or other grain.

If you are getting bored with salads here are 101 salads from Mark Bittman.

I have also batch-cooked hearty soups in the past (maybe more enjoyable that salads now that it is cold). Get a bunch of cheapo plastic containers (like these 2 cup ziploc containers) and portion the soup into individual servings. Freeze a few for later, and keep a few in your fridge for the next week. Ideas: Chili (having that tonight actually, hooray crock pot!), Pasta e Fagioli, Roasted Vegetable Soup, Sweet Potato Sausage Soup. I have made and enjoyed all of those recipes.
posted by sararah at 7:54 AM on October 28, 2009 [3 favorites]

There is a lot of great information and encouragement in this thread. I only want to add two things.

1. I have a thing for McDonald's breakfasts. My rule is I only have them when I'm traveling (which I do less-than-monthly). McD's breakfasts are consumed on road trips and in airports, period. First, you do need to first get control of your impulse, using one or more of the great suggestions above. But if it is important to you not to cut out fast food altogether, can you set up a similar rule?

2. I also have a thing for Chipotle. Looking at the calorie total of my favorite meal and looking at the calories I burn on the treadmill has me conquering my Chipotle craving on the regular. Finally understanding how to count calories taught me a lot and makes the choice less vague, going from "bad, yummy, easy food vs. good, healthy food I have to make myself" to "800 calories vs. 500 calories and I get a glass of wine later". Quantify your choices every time.
posted by juliplease at 8:32 AM on October 28, 2009

If her goal is losing weight, it is.

Yes, from a purely scientific standpoint, that's true, but from a behavioral standpoint, most people are aiming to do more - to lose weight healthfully and permanently, not to create nutrition deficiencies, to build stronger tissues, not to get sick, not to lose muscle mass, not to overly restrict the bulk of food they're eating, to get a balance of macro and micronutrients, to feel full of energy and not tired and sluggish, get enough fiber, and so on. Most people who are interested in losing weight are interested in improving their appearance and/or quality of their health, which even a restricted-calorie diet of fast foods won't do. 1800 calories a day of burgers and fries is still 1800 calories, but would deprive you of the variety of nutrients you would need to actually look better and be healthy, even it caused you to lose pounds.

As sararah notes, you get a lot more bang for the buck from eating foods other than fast food, and you take in much more (satisfying) bulk for the number of calories than you do with fast food.

As for protein: chicken breast, about 27 grams; Big Mac, 24 grams.
Cholesterol: chicken breast, 24%; Big Mac, 28%
Saturated fat: chicken breast 4%; Big Mac; 55%
Sodium: chicken breast, 3%; Big Mac, 45%
Total carbs: chicken breast, 0%; Big Mac, 16%

A calorie is a calorie for purposes of weight loss. But not all calories are created equal in terms of nutrition. So my point stands: it does make a difference whether you choose 1000 calories of McDonald's food, or 1000 calories of home-cooked food that packs more bulk and nutrition than McDonalds and lasts you much longer.

In fact, the central challenge of maintaining a permanent weight loss is getting maximum nutrition for the calories you do take in. McDonald's more than every now and then just can't help you do that.
posted by Miko at 9:20 AM on October 28, 2009

[nutrition is great but please keep this to McD's advice or go to email/MeMail thanks.]
posted by jessamyn at 9:22 AM on October 28, 2009

Well, setting aside how to maximize your intake of vital nutrients, because there's no indication she's malnourished in any sense, the key to avoiding the double whammy of convenience and temporary satisfaction of McDonalds is to give yourself other options.

If you can prepare in advance, make sure your previously prepared dinner is waiting and ready to go for you by the time you get home. Having a filling, but low calorie snack (like an apple or carrot sticks) before leaving work may help take the edge off the cravings, so you're not quite as tempted on the way home. If, for whatever reason, you can't or won't prepare dinners in advance, you're stuck with making a healthier choice from another restaurant.
posted by electroboy at 10:10 AM on October 28, 2009

I did this pretty easily.

I looked at my bank account and said "Holy &^%$# I piss away a lot of money eating out!"

That was the first step to kicking the fast-food habit. I was eating fast foot 5-8 times a week. Now it's once a week, maybe twice.
posted by drstein at 1:21 PM on October 28, 2009 [1 favorite]

In college, I took a class on nutrition. The prof showed us x-rays of the arteries of a 20-, 30-, and 40-year old average American. The 20-year-old's were totally clean and healthy looking. The 40-year-old's were hardened, white, and in some places almost completely blocked.

At the time, I was 20, and every day after school I would grab a McChicken Whopper sandwich or whatever it was called at Wendy's. So when I saw those images, it felt like I was looking into my own future. I haven't eaten fast food since (12 years).
posted by Terheyden at 1:58 PM on October 28, 2009

If you just grab something at McDonald's.. why not just grab one small thing, if you must? one hamburger, or one small fries from the dollar menu. It's not like you're going to drive back once you're home, right?

I have junk food cravings sometimes & a terrible sweet tooth but I never seem to gain any weight from it, I think it's that.. junk food is sort of compartmentalized to me as something very out of the ordinary, it's never been part of a routine to get fast food on a daily basis. If I do give in and get fast food, it's a small order of fries and one burger or chicken sandwich, and that'll happen *maybe* once a month. I don't know how people eat it on a daily basis. I tend to eat a bunch of small meals and snacks during the day. One result is, if one of those meals or snacks ends up being junk food, it's still not that much of it. If I only ate twice a day and one of those meals was fast food, I'd be able to eat a Big Mac and a large fries, but I just can't, and don't want to.

Oh and uh be careful with putting a lot of toppings on a salad, once you add cheese, nuts, croutons, and dressing, that can easily add up to a lot of calories and you may as well just eat a burger.
posted by citron at 2:12 PM on October 28, 2009

More motivation: watch Earthlings. It's a free documentary about animal farming.

AskMe Meta Comment: I'm surprised by the number of informed eaters responding to this question. Thanks for the inspiration, all.
posted by Merlin144 at 3:19 PM on October 28, 2009

Just saw this article about food and addiction. It's, uh, not really good news, but something too look into and be educated about!
posted by sararah at 10:42 AM on October 29, 2009

It's a combination of things that will get you off the fast food habit. This year I stopped drinking all sods and juices and improved my diet, leading to a weight loss of 20lb with relatively little pain. Here are some tricks:
- Don't drive by the fast food place. Visual triggers like this will set you off. I don't know how many times I haven't wanted to eat something, then I see it in the supermarket or a deli.
- Switch off fast food gradually, just don't stop in one fell swoop. That's unsustainable, like all of the sudden saying you are going to work out ever day -- you will just give up.
- Start eating better foods, and if you do this long enough, the next time you try fast food you will find that it's greasy and gross and you don't like it.
- Don't blame everything on the fast food alone. What people perceive as healthy and what actually is aren't the same thing. Here in NYC they post the calorie counts now, and it's clear that things that are widely believe to be "healthy" like salads, wraps, tuna sandwiches, granola, and lowfat muffins are anything but. It's better to eat a reasonable amount of unhealthy food than a regular amount of faux-healthy food.
- Figure out what fills you up and eat more of that. For me, bread doesn't and I can end up eating a few hundred calories of bread, but yogurt, peanut butter nuts are really good and kill any hunger.
- Knowing is not half the battle - it's much less. Rationalizations, knowing, and logical thinking seem to have no effect, so forget about reading how bad it is for the environment, or logically understanding what it's doing to your arteries, or scaring yourself. Habit and appetite nearly always trump logical thinking.
- American portions are crazy huge. Get used to just eating 1/2 to 2/3 of any amount that's served you. I go to the supermarket and buy a wrap, and that's dinner for two days.
posted by lsemel at 8:53 AM on October 31, 2009

Once I read this pretty awesome article by a personal trainer who talked about giving her clients nutrition advice they were able to follow. The basic gist of it was that if she had a client who ate fast food 7x a week, and she told him to go home and eat brown rice and salmon instead, there was no way in hell he would, so he'd stick with the fast food. So, instead, she would coach him on how to make healthier choices at the fast food place, and gradually cut down the fast food visits in favor of slightly better options.

I'm thinking a similar approach might work for you. I don't know how often you go to McD's. Let's say you go M-F, so 5x a week. Mondays kind of suck, and by Friday you're tired, so maybe you'll say, I'm going to get whatever the hell I want on Monday & Friday. Okay. Tuesdays aren't as bad, plus you just had your favorite on Monday, so maybe Tuesday you can go somewhere else quick, easy, and with food you like, but that is a little better for you. I would definitely pick somewhere that's on your way home. If it's a drive through, maybe somewhere before McD's (so you're not tempted), if it's take-out, call before you leave work (that way it's ready for you, and it's too late to go to McD's). The idea is not to get something super-healthy that you don't like. It's to find something that you DO like, that can maybe become a regular thing that's a treat instead of McDonald's.

Then Wednesday & Thursday, maybe go back to McD's, but try to pick slightly better options. If you usually get a Big Mac, medium fries, and a regular soda, you could try out a regular burger, or a grilled chicken sandwich, or a small fries, or skipping the soda (or diet, or water, etc). Not necessarily all at once - you could try getting a Big Mac & small fries, or a grilled chicken sandwich & extra large fries. Maybe you'll figure out that what you REALLY want is to eat some fries while you'll driving home, and a small is fine. Maybe it turns out that you're eh on the fries, but you want the burger. Maybe you don't care what you eat, you just want the drive thru because you're too damn tired to get out of your car, and you can switch to a grilled chicken sandwich, no mayo, no fries, and have that as a snack on your way home every day.

Tweak to make it work for you. The overall idea is that going from drive thru 5 nights a week to home-cooked meal 5 nights a week is pretty much setting yourself up for failing. Baby steps are the way to go.
posted by insectosaurus at 9:57 AM on October 31, 2009

Another idea: Buying one small item from McDonald's on your way home, so you have a snack that you enjoy, and don't feel deprived, and can then take the time to throw dinner together. I was just looking at the website's nutrition facts & they have a couple sub-300 calorie items. These are US nutrition facts, no idea if the Canadian ones vary. Not the healthiest afternoon snacks in the world, but if you have a reasonable breakfast/ lunch/ dinner they can absolutely be worked into your day. Bonus is that most of these are pretty cheap.

Vanilla ice cream cone - 150 (130 if you don't eat the cone. A little more if they give you extra ice cream, which they probably will.)
4pc McNuggets - 190
Small fries - 230
Regular hamburger - 250
Cheeseburger - 300
McChicken, no mayo - 310
posted by insectosaurus at 10:16 AM on October 31, 2009