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[E96]Eating Healthy Fast Food

by James D. Clark, Jam

Most of us today have very busy lives dealing with our careers, families, friends, etc. This often leads to most of us living very unhealthy lives when it comes to other parts of our life, ESPECIALLY diet and exercise. During the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States.* Everyday you turn the tv on or every magazine and newspaper article you read, you hear of the increasing numbers of those dying everyday from health related conditions (diabetes, heart disease, stroke...the list goes on and on)

Making time to make sure we take care of our bodies and health should become the number 1 priority. There are many excuses (believe me, I have used them all!) that can prevent us from even taking 30 minutes a day to devote to our bodies. Think about that...there are 24 hours in a day. Most people work a 9 to 5 and may avg around 5-6 hours of sleep. That leaves 10+ hours per day that the AVERAGE person has available to them. When most think of getting a workout in, it can seem overwhelming, especially when that "big" project is looming or little Billy needs to make it to soccer practice on time. These are all valid reasons to devote extra time to but no excuse to hit the "drive thru" day after day. After all, the body you have is the only one you will get this lifetime.

I like to tell clients that you have to treat your body like a baby. A baby is totally dependent on the parents to make sure they get adequate rest, proper food and stay active and take care of them. Likewise, our bodies depend on us in this same aspect. We are amazing beings if you really look at how the body works but it truly depends on us as individuals to provide it with the proper fuel and exercise to operate at peak performance. You would never put garbage in the gas tank of your $60,000 sports car...why would you load your body with it??? There are fast food places on every corner in America, which makes it no wonder we have such an obesity problem in the US. While we all have the need to indulge and have our little treats here and there, too many in America have turned to fast food in PLACE of balanced, home cooked meals. Following these tips below can help you get on the start to whittling down your waste line and feeling better!

1. Prepare meals in advance. This will help "commit" to eating what you make and not eating something quick and unhealthy.

2. Pack lunches for the entire family. Make it something all members of the family can help with. This helps control exactly what you eat instead of letting the Drive Thru dictate it!

3. Make a grocery list in advance and try to stick to the outer portions of the store. Most processed and fatty foods are located on the inner portion of the store. Pay attention the next

time you are grocery shopping and you will notice the fresh produce, fresh meats, dairy are all on the outer perimeter of the store.

4. Pay attention to Fat Free and Low Fat. While some foods may indeed be fat free, they can compensate for that with extra sugar, which is just as bad and in some cases, worse.

5. The fresher your selections, the healthier and better!

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/trend/maps/index.htm

People's lives have become so busy and rushing around, that we no longer eat the way we should. In some places, there is a McDonald's on every major corner, if not some other fast food restaurant. Watching TV, you see a commercial for some kind of food place almost every time commercials are on, urging you to eat there because it's good and you can get it fast and cheap. With so many distractions and obligations, families have these days, how do you eat healthy in a fast food world? It's not an easy thing to do but is possible with planning and knowing what to look for. This isn't to say fast food can't be consumed occasionally, but it should be less often than people are doing it now. Not to mention that our food is so processed that it takes five minutes to cook and has high carbohydrates among other things that are not digested quickly. This is leading to obesity in the population.

The Truth About Whole Grain

Because food is so processed these days to make it faster to cook, as well as more convenient for the way our lives have become, it is actually not as good for you as it once was. Recently the food administration even changed the food pyramid to coincide with how we eat these days and food is made. They are suggesting more whole grains than ever before, as well as vegetables. This may sound like what has been told to children for years, but even whole grains are deceiving on packaging these days. With all the new diets out there for low carb, no carb, low fat, no fat, etc., foods are coming out that say whole grain but are just as processed as its white counterpart. They are made with enriched wheat. This process takes out all the nutrients and other things that take time to digest for a healthy life. Reading the ingredient is a good way to find the real whole grain product. They are now more expensive than the over processed product because manufacturers could make the enriched version cheaper and faster. To eat healthy you have to read the labels of everything you consume.

Healthy Choices at Fast Food Eateries

The truth is that you really can't eat healthy at any fast food restaurant. They aren't designed for those trying or needing to watch what they put in their mouth. But you can make better decisions. Don't? eat the bread if you can stand not too. It's along the lines of the South Beach Diet but that's where lots of your weight gaining properties are. Don't get anything fried, this includes French fries, onion rings, or even fried chicken. Get a diet pop, tea, or water. Avoid the desert and the salad, both have sugar in them and I don't just mean in the toppings. Watch ?Super Size Me? for a real eye opener. The show is on McDonald's but you can bet that all fast food restaurants are basically the same. Limit how often you eat fast food to once per week, if that fast. Get a wrap at Subway instead of a toasted sub. Less bread and just as filling with all the fixings you want. When you get pizza, get vegetables on it so you aren't just eating bread, sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. Remember just how bad fast food is for you, your waistline, and your cholesterol. Even if you are fifteen, you should be thinking about how it will affect you later in life. Starting early will make it easier on your body as you age.

Eating at Home

The best thing to do is find a way to cook meals most nights of the week. This can take planning and team work. Have at least one non-meat dish every week. It doesn't have to be fish or seafood either. Don't use fast cooking rich to go with your meals. Those are again loaded with carbohydrates, which take your body longer to break down and will make you hungry sooner than you should be. Plan weekly meals so that you can cook casseroles and other easy to reheat dishes early in the week for days you will not have time to cook. Utilize your crock-pot and get a recipe book for it. You can make just about anything in a crock pot these days and have a good meal when you get home. Have salad a few times a week with dinner, but watch how much dressing you put on it. Have desert, but make it Jell-O. Indulge once in a while to though and it won't feel like you are depriving yourself of anything.

Article Source : Lose Weight Healthy

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Both James D. Clark & D. David Dugan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

James D. Clark has sinced written about articles on various topics from Lose Weight. James ClarkIndependent Beachbody Coach404-293-7744www.beachbodycoach.com/jamesclark. James D. Clark's top article generates over 1900 views. to your Favourites.

D. David Dugan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Life Insurance, Computers and The Internet and Networking. D. David Dugan is a supporter of , a site devoted to promoting good health, and. D. David Dugan's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.