So, you get that phone call, you know, the one where your buddies invite you to go grab a quick dinner with them at the local fast food joint. Not wanting to be a stiff, you decide to go and just get a small burger, and you promise yourself you will only eat half of your fries. After consuming the meal, you realize that was a big mistake – not hanging out with the besties, but forcing yourself to eat that great-tasting, but horrible food.
Or at least that’s my story from last weekend. Really, it just solidifies the story I told a few weeks ago: eating fast food after weeks of eating healthier foods is really a waste of time. My body hates it when I do that. I feel gross, even to the point where I feel I’m going to be ill.
It made me wonder; what are we consuming after we pull through the drive thru at our favorite fast food joints?
After some research, the answer really surprised me. Multiple sites I went to explained the types of processed foods that we choose to choke down. One site in particular said that the same people who come up with perfumes and paint also come up with the chemicals that make our food taste good and are akin to the perfect fix for a drug addict.
Even the lettuce has chemicals added to it to make it stay fresh and crispy, which is frightening.
And if you think going to a certain popular fresh-fit sub shop will be a nice alternative, I will let you in on a little secret: the food at that particular eatery isn’t as fresh as you might think. The meats are vacuum-sealed and can last for up to a year inside that little plastic shell; same with the vegetables that can sit in their high-sodium processed juices.
Their “whole-wheat” bread also has high-fructose corn syrup and processed flour in it to give it that color and taste.
Our addiction is fast food; and why wouldn’t it be? It’s fast and not too expensive – especially the dollar menu that many restaurants are taking part in these days. But the key to avoiding these places is to not let yourself be lured in by their flashy advertising tactics or their delicious-looking but highly processed deserts. My weakness is chocolate shakes. But after reading what kinds of chemicals go into making things taste amazing, I am reconsidering.
So what do you do when it’s lunch time and you only have a small amount of time to eat? Take your own lunch. It’s not for little kids at school anymore. Make yourself a nice salad or sandwich, top it off with some fruit and veggies and maybe some dairy – gotta keep our bones and teeth strong, after all – and just relax. It will take the same amount of time, perhaps even less than it would take you to jump in your car and drive. If you can’t make it in the mornings before work or school, do it before you go to sleep. It’s not that hard, is it? What’s a few minutes compared to a hospital visit or extra time in the bathroom?
Well, it’s been a month since I started down this road toward healthier living, and you know, I really am starting to see results. They aren’t major, mind you, but they are results and they were met by just shifting around my lifestyle. I’m gonna keep it up, and I hope you guys can too.
Eat to live, not live to eat.
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