Fast food is a cliche on every food lover’s list; with so many delicious snacks, fast food makes everyone’s mouth water. However, as is with everything good, the same goes with fast food. Fast food is addictive, just like cigarettes and drugs. Fast food addiction affects a person physically and mentally. In this blog, we provide you with four tips that help relieve your fast food addiction. So stay tuned, and keep reading.
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1. The Science Of Fast Food Addiction
Your favourite cheese burger may be delicious. However, it is also addictive. There are many things which make fast food addictive. The fats, sugars, and salts in fast food items trigger a cocktail of brain chemicals, causing addiction.
Another reason for the addiction is the easy availability of fast food, which is why it gets its name in the first place. Look around you, and you’ll find beef burger kiosks in every nook and corner. People prefer fast food over home food because it is quickly available. After all, it only takes fifteen minutes to fry a crispy chicken burger. Hence, people order from a fast-food restaurant rather than having a can of soup. Over time, this pattern becomes an addiction, and people can’t do their work without fast food.
Fast food addiction has a highly negative impact on a person’s physical and mental health. Regularly eating food with high fats and sugars causes illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems. We have studied the reasons behind fast food addiction, and now let’s look at how we can get rid of this addiction.
2. The 4 Essentials To Get Rid Of Fast Food Addiction
Getting rid of fast food addiction is a simple yet step-by-step process that requires persistence and dedication; here are our four tips to help you combat your addiction.
1. Identify Your Triggers And Patterns
Addictions are often reactions to underlying triggers. They are an escape route from life’s problems. When combating addictions, always identify what triggers the action, and try eliminating those triggers. For example, you usually order a bun kebab or fries when you have homework. So next time, rather than ordering a bun kebab, sit at your desk and start your homework. Repeat this act for several days, and you’ll feel a change in your habits, and gradually, your craving will lessen.
2. Create a healthy eating plan.
This sounds hard, but it’s not. People go to extreme lengths when discussing healthy eating, thinking they’ll have to start taking boiled eggs, soups, and rice, which is far from the truth. A healthy eating plan means a balanced eating plan. Simply reduce the frequency of your daily “chicken kebab roll adventures” and replace them with healthy and tasty meals. You don’t have to make your meals dull; you can add spice or other ingredients that suit your taste.
Similarly, when you think of dine-outs, go to restaurants offering healthy eating options, like salads, boiled chicken, corn, or soup. Moreover, don’t think of not eating junk food forever. Go for cheat meals, starting once a week, and reduce the frequency to once a month. As they say, slow and steady wins the race.
3. Fight your cravings
Cravings are a withdrawal symptom of addiction. They are the worse that can happen to someone quitting fast food and are the reason for breaking your healthy eating streak. You’re not alone if the imagination of a beef roll tempts you; it is the same with every fast food addict. But don’t worry; there are ways to fight these carvings.
When the craving kicks in, distract yourself with a different activity. Do the next thing which pleases you most, like playing a game or reading a book. Also, you can satisfy your hunger with healthier options, like going for a veggie burger instead of a bun kebab with an egg. These techniques kill two birds with one stone, satisfying your hunger and reducing your dependence on fast food.
The fight against fast food doesn’t end here; more is underneath the tip of the iceberg. The fight requires strong will and determination. If you are low on motivation, keep reading; we will give you tips on keeping your spirits high.
4. Motivate Yourself
Consistency is the key to success, and motivation is important for consistency. On the road to recovery, you’ll bump into temptations, low energy levels, and also face withdrawal symptoms. You may also feel boredom and anxiety, ultimately triggering an escape response and tempting you to get that creamy and juicy Paratha roll with boneless chicken, but that is the real test, the test of your willpower.
When you feel low, visualize yourself, create an image of your progress six months ahead, and think of the improvements in your life after quitting fast food. To add to your motivation, start exercising. Exercising adds another motive which helps you quit fast food, the motive of a leaner and more attractive body. Think of that body type and the wonders it does for you in the form of confidence, and a good personality, that people admire. By keeping these goals in mind, you get a motivation boost, which helps you stay focused.
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The Takeaway
Fast food is tasty and tempting, which makes it a great option for food lovers. However, like with everything, its excess is bad. Nonetheless, most people are down the road of fast food addiction. Fast food addiction is pleasurable. However, it brings many health risks like diabetes, heart attacks, and lower bone density.
