Why I LOVE Fast Food

I'm a college student, so it almost goes without saying that I end up in a drive-thru now and then. It's cheap (I'm broke), it's open late (I like to have a good time!), and it's quick (sometimes I've only got a couple minutes to spare) - all pluses in my book. Aside from economic and temporal concerns, however, I think there's a lot of benefit for the weight-conscious to gain from the occasional visit to their favorite fast foot eatery.

First off, I'm a big fan of the a la carte menu. Plenty of restaurants have them, but they usually constitute the basis of the menu at fast food places. I almost never get combos, preferring to pick and choose the most enticing (and healthy) menu items - I get exactly what I want, nothing more, nothing less.

As you may have noticed, the quality of the average fast food menu has improved dramatically over the last several years. In their text, Persuasion, Social Influence, and Compliance Gaining, Robert Gass and John Seiter attribute this to all the bad press these establishments have gotten. Makes sense to me - I have trouble believing that these most companies really have our health in mind when creating their menus. Whatever the reason for the change, though, we can now reap the benefits - from Taco Bell's Fresco Menu to the Healthy Indulgences (including their tasty Sinless Sans Fat flavors) you can now find at Coldstone Creamery, it's certainly easier now than ever before to be kind to your waistline with fast food. Plus, most chains post their nutitional info on the web, so you can do your homework beforehand - knowledge is power!

As far as I'm concerned, the best things about grabbing fast food are the portions - I love to make meals out of a bunch of random menu items. I'm a big fan of the value menu at El Pollo Loco (reviewed by Cheap Eats here), and two of those little Honey BBQ KFC Snackers make a satisfying (and healthy) lunch on-the-go. Plus it's so cheap!

I think it's time folks think about letting fast food back into their lives - like everything else, in moderation, it can be a part of your successful weight loss. Plus the time- and money-saving benefits speak for themselves.

So next time you stop by Taco Bell to order a Bean Burrito Fresco Style, tell them Ben sent you - they know me over there.

when food becomes HUGE

No, I don't mean mega portions. Or tons of calories, loads of fat, or a giant mound of carbs. I'm talking about when we turn a piece of food into a virtual monument - when a cookie, or a slice of pizza, or anything goes from a want to a must have. Sometimes, those "must have" foods don't just loom large in our minds - they loom huge.

That can make it way more difficult up on that morsel, even if we know it's bad for us. What's worse, if too many treats turn into must haves, our weight can hang in the balance - we risk gaining weight instead of losing or maintaining it.

Ask yourself this: "How many times have I regretted NOT eating something?" Chances are, it hasn't happened too often. Maybe even never, in fact. People struggling with their size often feel bad about eating all kinds of things, but usually feel good about passing on a treat. And, take it from me, that pleasant sensation that comes from passing on an Oreo feels better than that Oreo would taste, and it lasts longer, too.

So how do we keep foods in perspective? For sure, it's easier said than done. But it helps to keep in mind that the satisfaction that we get from food never lasts as long as the happy feeling you get from being good to yourself. Knowing that truth makes it easier to pass up goodies for a mere momentary "food high."

The bottom line? If you want to avoid being huge yourself, you've got to keep your view on your favorite edibles in check.