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.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Let's focus on the trend, not on the day
Or on the week, or maybe even the month. If our weight is trending down over time, does it really matter what we weigh today? A lot of people, myself included, can have a tendency to get hung up on that number on the scale. It's my belief that it's actually counterproductive to our success to focus on our exact weight day to day, for a few reasons.
First thing's first - you'll go crazy if you weigh daily. As a Weight Watcher, I'm a big fan of the weekly weigh-in, but I think jumping up on the scale once a week can benefit just about everyone. If you have a scale at home, you may have found (as I have) that it's not easy to avoid it throughout the week, but I promise it's worth it: as soon as your poundage becomes an obsession, you've begun moving away from healthy weight loss towards something a little darker. I think that once weekly is a magical interval - its often enough to keep track of your meaningful progress, and it's a little more removed from the craziness that can happen with our weight day-to-day.
That's another thing I realized about the number on the scale - I'm not sure it's the best representation of our weight from the perspective that we care about. There are lots of factors that can effect our weigh in - what we've eaten, what we're wearing, how much water we've had, what time of day it is, how much salt we've ingested, and whether we've exercised recently, just to name a few. Any or all of these factors and others can cover up a great weight loss, discouraging and disappointing us in the process. If a salty cup of soup can obscure success from the scale, then why place so much stock in it?
On my journey to a thinner me, I've found the scale to be one great way to keep an eye on my progress, but it's only one of many: how my clothes fit, how I look, and how I feel are much more important to me than some number on a dial or a screen.
First thing's first - you'll go crazy if you weigh daily. As a Weight Watcher, I'm a big fan of the weekly weigh-in, but I think jumping up on the scale once a week can benefit just about everyone. If you have a scale at home, you may have found (as I have) that it's not easy to avoid it throughout the week, but I promise it's worth it: as soon as your poundage becomes an obsession, you've begun moving away from healthy weight loss towards something a little darker. I think that once weekly is a magical interval - its often enough to keep track of your meaningful progress, and it's a little more removed from the craziness that can happen with our weight day-to-day.
That's another thing I realized about the number on the scale - I'm not sure it's the best representation of our weight from the perspective that we care about. There are lots of factors that can effect our weigh in - what we've eaten, what we're wearing, how much water we've had, what time of day it is, how much salt we've ingested, and whether we've exercised recently, just to name a few. Any or all of these factors and others can cover up a great weight loss, discouraging and disappointing us in the process. If a salty cup of soup can obscure success from the scale, then why place so much stock in it?
On my journey to a thinner me, I've found the scale to be one great way to keep an eye on my progress, but it's only one of many: how my clothes fit, how I look, and how I feel are much more important to me than some number on a dial or a screen.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wait ... I didn't REALLY want that!
Have you ever fallen victim to the "allure of food?" If you struggle with your weight, I'm sure that you have - those delectables that you just can't keep your hands off can often seem too appealing to pass up. But what about when you're on track, trying to make good food choices - can we still get fooled by an outwardly glamorous, healthy sounding menu item?
Earlier today, I decided to eat lunch at my favorite grilled chicken place. Towards the end of my order, the cashier asked if I would like a whole wheat pita. Now, I usually pass on the regular pita. Today was different. "Ooh!" I thought to myself, "whole wheat huh? Sounds healthy and delicious." Famous last words.
What was I thinking? I know better than that. Your average whole wheat pita is only marginally healthier than your average white flour pita - slightly higher fiber, barely lower calories. And I know that whether I eat the pita or not doesn't really effect my satisfaction with my lunch. Those were empty calories that I jumped on because of two words that sometimes aren't easy for the calorie-conscious to pass up: whole wheat. I didn't REALLY want that pita, but, for some reason, I still said yes anyway!
One of the things that I love about maintaining my weight loss is that I'm constantly reminded of my fallibility. Just when I think I've mastered the whole "weight thing," something like a whole wheat pita reminds me that my ongoing vigilance is key to my ongoing success.
So this is what it boils down to: only when we are consistently present and aware in our decision making can we consistently make sound choices about what goes in our mouth!
Earlier today, I decided to eat lunch at my favorite grilled chicken place. Towards the end of my order, the cashier asked if I would like a whole wheat pita. Now, I usually pass on the regular pita. Today was different. "Ooh!" I thought to myself, "whole wheat huh? Sounds healthy and delicious." Famous last words.
What was I thinking? I know better than that. Your average whole wheat pita is only marginally healthier than your average white flour pita - slightly higher fiber, barely lower calories. And I know that whether I eat the pita or not doesn't really effect my satisfaction with my lunch. Those were empty calories that I jumped on because of two words that sometimes aren't easy for the calorie-conscious to pass up: whole wheat. I didn't REALLY want that pita, but, for some reason, I still said yes anyway!
One of the things that I love about maintaining my weight loss is that I'm constantly reminded of my fallibility. Just when I think I've mastered the whole "weight thing," something like a whole wheat pita reminds me that my ongoing vigilance is key to my ongoing success.
So this is what it boils down to: only when we are consistently present and aware in our decision making can we consistently make sound choices about what goes in our mouth!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
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.
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.
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