Everyday Eating

I eat many of my meals from fast-food restaurants

Damage done

Significant. A diet of double cheeseburgers and fries washed down with an oversized fizzy drink or milkshake often leads to a bigger waistline and other related health problems. When
University of Minnesota researchers tracked 3,031 women and men for 15 years, they found that those who ate fast food twice a week compared to less than once a week gained 5 extra kilograms (10lb) and were twice as likely to have a pre-diabetic conditon called insulin resistance.  What's more, people in the UK are even more attached to fast food than those in the USA, according to a BBC survey of 9,000 people in 13 countries, in which Brits topped the table for their junk food addiction.
  Because fast food is extremely calorie-dense, it fools people into consuming more calories than their body needs, according to a study by the UK's Medical Research Council. The average fast food meal has 1.5 times as many calories as a typical British home-cooked meal, and 2.5 times as many as a traditional African meal. But our bodies are not geared to recognising the excess energy and fat content, and smaller portions are rarely available. It;s all too easy to consume extra calories, creating weight gain and, ultimately, obesity from regular fast-food  consumption.
   Another risk is from the content of harmful 'trans' fats that until recently predomianted in most of the oils used in fast-food frying. Trans fats raise levels of the 'bad' blood fats - LDL Cholesterol and triglycerides - that contribute to hardening of the arteries and fire up inflammation, an immune-system response that's involved in the build-up of fatty plaque in artery walls. They also lower the 'good' HDL cholesterol that could mop it all up, and add to the abdominal fat that is most associated
with diabetes and heart disease. Consuming just 5g of trans fat a day may raise your risk of heart attack by 25 percent.

Can I undo it? Yes, with commitment

It will take permanent lifestyle changes that won't be easy at first. Fast food is super-convenient, surprisingly inexpensive and, thanks to all its fat, salt and sugar, undeniably tasty. Healthy eating takes more time an thought and, in some cases, more money. But the health benefits are immediate and substantial.

Plus benefits

In addition to losing extra weight, slimming your waistline and protecting yourself from heart disease and diabetes, you'll save money if you make your own meals instead of buying fast food.

Repair plan

• Wean yourself off slowly Most people cannot end a habit could turkey, and that holds true for fast-food consumption. Cut back a little each week, and each time you go, buy a little less than you used to and start ordering the healthier choices such as fruit slices or yoghurt.
• Start off by cutting out the fizzy As discussed earlier, fizzy drink consumption really hurts your health. And fast-food restaurants love to serve up monster-sized cups of it. Switch to milk, coffee or bottled water to save hundreds of calories.

• Switch from burgers to chicken In particular, switch to grilled chicken, which is one of the healthiest choices on a fast-food menu. Get dressing on the side and use just a tiny bit.
• Switch from fries to salad Those fries are cooked in pure fat and are covered in salt. Fast food salads may not have the rof a French fry, but they are more satisfying than you might realise, and they are considerably more healthy.
• End the impulse visits The worst health sin is to spot a takeaway restaurant and impulsively go in for a quick burger, even if you aren't all that hungry or it's not meantime. Put a firm halt to these kinds of mad meals.
• Switch to supermarkets On the road and need a fast meal? Go to a supermarket and get some fruit, a oot of yoghurt, a prepared salad or maybe even some sushi. EVery major supermarket chain has responded to the need for fast meals with lots of healthy choices. You are likely to eat a greater volume of food and consume fewer calories.
• Make your own You can eat with confidence in your own kitchen. How about leftover roast beef on a crusty roll, a handful of plump cherry tomatoes, crunchy carrots and a juicy orange? Wash it down with unsweetened iced tea.
• Get your health tested Eating frequent fast-food restaurant meals in indicative of a generally unhealthy lifestyle. If you want to switch to the healthy side, ask your doctor to check your blood pressure and cholesterol. Finding out the damage that has been done can be a strong motivation for ending your fast-food restaurant visits.

It's all too easy to consume extra calories, creating weight gain and, ultimately, obesity from regular fast-food consumption