I gave up fast food two months ago..

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

I gave up fast food two months ago.

I know this may sound dark, but I didn’t do it for health reasons. I don’t mind eating food that is bad for you, as long as it tastes good. I finally got to the point where I could no longer justify spending 100 plus a month on crap food.

I have no idea why it took me so long. Lazy I guess, couldn’t be bothered to make my own damn lunch.

Even though I did not give up FF for health reasons, I am absolutely floored by the health benefits occurred.

(TMI)… It just dawned on me that I haven’t had the shits or heartburn for the entire past two months. I’m amazed! Before, I’ve always thought the above mentioned ailments were just a part of getting older. I feel a little stupid that it took me this long to make the connection between FF and my ‘problems’.

I guess I put too much faith in our health department.

#2

I don’t understand what you mean by this.

#3

I suspect** Shakes** means that food regulation might be expected to protect people from crappy food. It doesn’t, though the postings of nutitional info goes a long way.

And congratulations! Yeah, as I get older I have found I can deal with fats less easily, too. I don’t normally eat ff much, but the other day I had mcdonald’s fries, 'cause those are just awesome, but also had their spicy chicken bites. Those were just gross, neither spicy nor, that I could tell, chicken. :dubious: It seemed like just deep fried breading. Anyway, the combo was too much, yuck.

#4

If that is what he means, it’s completely ridiculous. Regulation requires listing ingredients, and protects us from adulteration, but it doesn’t mean that all the food we buy is good for us. I’m under no illusion that the ice cream i ate after dinner last night was a healthy option.

#5

Mt logic stems from the fact that I still eat ‘unhealthy’ foods at home. Burgers (no fries), home made chicken fingers and the other day I made a home made alfredo sauce that was to die for

All these foods I’m sure are going to shave a few years off my life but at least they taste good and most importantly, they are not giving me the problems I mentioned in my OP.

The only conclusion I could come with is that these fast food joints aren’t giving me the cleanliness of foods. They have to be riddled with bacteria or something.

Why else would they be making me sick?

#6

Additives, maybe. All those tasty things that are supposedly food safe but who knows who was lobbying who for what when they were tested.

But I agree that improper food handling is likely to happen. If you can find a list of restaurants in your area that have failed public health inspections in the last few years, it would make for interesting reading. Those are only the ones that slipped up while someone was watching.

#7

$100 a month?

Dude, that was a lot of fast food. Good for you for reducing spending.

#8

Feeling better could also come from simply reducing the junk food load. Meaning, if you kept restaurant FF but ate healthy at home, you’d feel equally better.

Alternatively, the food at the FF joints meets health standards for quality, but the products you buy for home exceeds it.

#9

Grats? Why are you sharing this?

#10

I was just curious if anybody else had a similar experience.

#11

Not hard to believe. If I recall, a McBurger and fries and liquid candy bar to drink runs about $5. Do that every workday and there’s your $100 plus.

Ayup.

When I moved to Asia, the pounds dropped with almost no effort. Well, I’m sure part of that is the hot environment. But I attribute it mostly to the change in my diet. Sure, McBurger and KFC are here (although not as many as in the USA), but there are so many other better-tasting, healthy and CHEAP alternatives here (mostly in the form of fresh fruit and veggies) that I simply don’t have the desire for a McBurger any more. On the rare occasion when I do get a McSomething here, I always end up feeling bloated and logy.

#12

The last fast food I had was in June at the airport in Guadalajara at a place called Johnny’s Burgers. I had a cheeseburger, onion rings and a chocolate shake. It tasted good, but it was a gut-bomb for sure. I eat fast food maybe 3 times per year, and that is more than enough. Good for you, Shakes!!

#13

I eat it rarely enough so that when I do indulge, I fuckin’ love it. It’s a treat.

#14

I must say that that burger at Johnny’s was mighty tasty!

#15

fast food is not good for your health.

#16

Good start.

Now to extend that into all ‘convenience’ food. Or at least anything with HFCS or added sugar.

#17

^ Ditto that. If you can also ditch sodas you will only augment your success with FF. I gave up soda in college and never have regretted it. They are both expensive and terrible for your health in many ways. It is tough tho, as the media and advertising drill it into us that unless you are drinking their brand you are not living.

Agree - FF is a once-in-a-while treat.

Congrats! You are doing a great thing for your health and your life!

#18

Like the OP, the main limiting factor for FF for me is the cost. The health factor is an increasing concern for me as I age, but it’s really the thought of paying so much for lunch that is uppermost in my mind.

This has had the effect of making a FF burger into a greasy gutbomb if I do get one. I have trouble handling them now.

#19

[QUOTE=Hypno-Toad;15358340 it’s really the thought of paying so much for lunch that is uppermost in my mind.[/QUOTE]

$5 is “paying so much”? :confused:

#20

This is my issue. For reasons that appear to be genetic, I am very sensitive to chemicals and it threw my body off kilter for years. Finally, under the guidance of my doctor and a nutritionist, I went with organic, home prepared food so we could try to pinpoint my problems.

Giving up my beloved diet soda was hard, but now I’m so glad I did. I feel much better. As someone here pointed out, I can still make fattening, bad-for-me foods at home. But, they seem to be less bad for my system because they aren’t as loaded with salt, artificial flavors, artificial colors and preservatives that don’t occur in nature.

I’ve even gotten to the point where I don’t like the taste of cured bacon as well as the smoked, uncured stuff.

My body gives me far fewer issues these days. I haven’t had a migraine in years now. Back aches are no longer a constant issue, nor is bowel function. I do occasionally eat fast food or junk food because there is not always an alternative available when I travel but I refuse to let that stuff creep back into my everyday diet.