I’m guilty. Although I’ve tried to eat healthy for the past several years, I still eat fast food on occasion. I live in America. There’s a fast-food joint on every other corner. When you’re busy, it’s so easy to stop and eat a cheap, quick meal. But what’s the real price to eating junk?
Cheap food blamed for America’s obesity crisis: Is that really news? Don’t we all know by now that fast food and sugar are bad for us? I’ve known the stuff is bad for me since I was a kid. My kid knows it’s bad for her. But that’s where it stops. We still eat fast food in America, every day.
Knowledge is one thing. Creating healthy habits is another.
Most of us don’t eat bad food out of ignorance. We do it out of laziness and convenience. Here’s the problem that I’ve discovered. It’s a slippery slope: Eat one meal out and you’re more likely to eat another meal out within the next week. It’s an addiction.
3 Ways Fast Food Reels Us In
- They’re in your face, all over the place: In most towns in America there are fast food restaurants on every other corner. Add oodles of advertising, billboards, signs, and jingles, and they’ll make sure you’re always aware that they’re there.
- The smell that drifts: We’ve all experienced this. We’re driving or walking up the street of Anytown, America, when something catches our attention. It smells good. What is it? It’s the smell of the flame-broiled burgers at a fast food joint. It lingers. It stimulates.
- They use addicting ingredients: Refined carbs, fat, salt, and sugar: the four primary ingredients in fast food. Studies have shown that these ingredients have addictive qualities. Take one bite and you’re hooked. It’s the American way.
Sugar Has A Sour Reality
Like fast food, sugar is in almost every processed food that we eat. But did you know that one can of soda is just as harmful to your liver as a bottle of beer? That’s right. Refined sugars raise havoc on our health. Here’s some more articles on the dangers of sugar:
Okay, so we know fast food and sugar are out of control in America. But how can we overcome the habit of eating too much of it? You’ve got to be honest with yourself:
- Why do I eat fast food? It might be out of laziness or convenience. But some people eat when they’re feeling negative emotions.
- What can I do to stop? Believe it or not, starting a new habit is really as easy as one less teaspoon of sugar a day.
- Do I have to go on a diet? No. Just minimize the fast food and sugar. Replace them with healthier choices.
Come On America, Let’s Kick Fast Food & Sugar
Start today: Don’t stop for fast food on your way home. Buy some fresh fruits and vegetables. I used to eat out at least a dozen times a month. Over the past few years I’ve improved. I might still eat fast food two or three times a month, but I’m also eating a lot of good stuff at home. I encourage you to eat more of the good stuff.
