| EATING
HEALTHY WHEN EATING OUT |
 We
live in a fast-paced society, everyone is always in a rush to get to where
they are going, and no one stops to smell the roses anymore. Sounds cliché,
but its becoming more and truer by the day. And with this shift towards modernity,
a major problem that has arisen is the habit to eat at fast food restaurants.
These restaurants offer fast meals at a small price, which are convenient
when needing to eat while needing to stay on the go. The low cost is a main
drawing feature, since "trios" are offered typically for less than
$5, and can fill someone up for a few hours. But the habit of eating out is
only successful if you are ignorant to the truth about eating out, and that
the "normal" people that are shown eating at these restaurants in
commercials are an illusion; it is very difficult to eat out regularly and
stay healthy.
What makes a fast food meal? Typically they include a sandwich, a side dish,
and a drink. Obviously you can pick and choose more or less, but generally
the prices are set up to induce customers to choose a trio. A major player
in fast food is the burger, which is the most commonly served fast food item
in the world. But the sandwich is not the main culprit in the meal. There
are many versions at most fast food restaurants such as grilled chicken sandwiches
and such. The main way to avoid major calorie consumption with the sandwich
is to avoid beef burgers, processed cheese and creamy sauces.
The side dish has been a culprit for most of the bad eating done in fast food
places, as for decades it has been fries. French fries are not a part of healthy
eating at all, as they provide deep fried potatoes rich in saturated and trans
fats, two of the worst materials to consume. High in calories and low on proper
nutrition, fries are tempting and delicious but also terribly unhealthy. Luckily,
due to high pressure from consumers to provide healthier choices, restaurants
are providing options to the typical fries. Small garden salads, baked potatoes,
some cases chili and soup, all give a better option to fries. However, just
because you choose a salad, putting two dressing packets on it kind of defeats
the purpose. Baked potatoes don't mean you can dump sour cream on them. Choose
sensibly and make the right decisions for toppings.
The last piece of the trio is the drink which, like fries, has been a soft drink
for decades. "Fries and a coke" has been said so many times over the
past 40 years, they have become American staples in the fast food industry.
However, the drinks they serve are highly sugar-rich, and provide no good nutrition
as well. A typical large soda contains almost all sugar and about 330 calories.
That is a huge intake, and does nothing to promote healthy living. The soft
drink should be avoided at all costs. Choosing "diet" varieties is
not all that good either. Even "zero calories" sodas are trouble,
as research shows that the body replaces the calories missing with other calories
(although this will be covered in a future article). You should aim to drink
either water, low-fat milk, and if you have to, get juice which at least has
some nutrition compared to soft drink since the sugars are wrapped in vitamins
and minerals as opposed to being refined sugars and glucose-fructose.
Here are a few rules to live by that will help limit your negative effects of
fast food eating. By imposing certain rules on yourself, you can control how
much impact fast food will have on your life.
When it comes to choosing a main dish, try to stay away from pork and beef as
they tend to be higher in fat than other meats. Burgers are typically not great
choices, and adding cheese is a big no-no. Always try to choose grilled, baked
or broiled meats; never fried, battered or deep-fried. Avoid the typical side-dishes,
fries and onion rings are terrible for you. Don't take soft drinks, and whatever
you do, do not super size!
Another tip is to avoid eating in the restaurant whenever possible. This can
allow for substitution of side dishes to things like baby carrots, steamed veggies,
or sweet potato french fries. Don't go to buffets as they encourage you to overeat,
and make sure your portion control is in check. Order your sauces on the side
of the meal, so you have some control over the amount. Many places rely on sauce
for the flavor, and can really pack it on! Keeping this in mind, remember that
your success is completely relative to your control and your mindset when choosing
dishes. Keep our tips in mind and you should be able to manage your fast food
habits. Over time, the cravings to pig out on fast food will subside.
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