How much junk do you eat?
Discussion
I’m in the process of beginning to cut out junk from my diet. It’s gone on far too long - mainly fast food and takeways. So on average I have around 2 or 3 takeaways a week. This includes curry, burgers, chips etc.
I guess I’m fortunate that I’m pretty active and have a fast metabolism so it takes me ages to gain weight (I’m 25) but I am starting to get a belly so now is time for a change.
(Sounds dumb but is there any way to find out how ‘clogged’ up one’s arteries are? )
Anyway, I’d like to hear of your stories and how people have successfullly battled junk food addiction
I guess I’m fortunate that I’m pretty active and have a fast metabolism so it takes me ages to gain weight (I’m 25) but I am starting to get a belly so now is time for a change.
(Sounds dumb but is there any way to find out how ‘clogged’ up one’s arteries are? )
Anyway, I’d like to hear of your stories and how people have successfullly battled junk food addiction
Kudos for starting to do something about it at the beginning of noticing a belly emerging, seems loads of people nowadays just buy bigger clothes and carry on as normal. 
If like you say you're active your arteries and other blood vessels at your age should be okay statistically speaking! An angiography is performed to diagnose or at least look into any issues. If you don't have any symptoms a cardiac stress test may be more applicable if you're worried about your heart health generally.
I'm not sure if these are available on the NHS if a person is asymptomatic? May have to go private.
As for dealing with the junk, for me it helped to realise I was somewhat a comfort eater. Additionally checking my Justeat account for one year a little while back was a jolt - I spent almost £3k!
If like you say you're active your arteries and other blood vessels at your age should be okay statistically speaking! An angiography is performed to diagnose or at least look into any issues. If you don't have any symptoms a cardiac stress test may be more applicable if you're worried about your heart health generally.
I'm not sure if these are available on the NHS if a person is asymptomatic? May have to go private.
As for dealing with the junk, for me it helped to realise I was somewhat a comfort eater. Additionally checking my Justeat account for one year a little while back was a jolt - I spent almost £3k!
I've definitely got a sweet tooth, and at times in the past I probably ate something sweet almost every day, and with little concern as to how many calories it might contain. In my 20s for example, I would think nothing of staying at my mates house, ordering a big pizza, mixed kebab, sharing all that and then eating a whole tub of ice cream afterwards. Along with all the booze, it's not difficult to see why I ended up being a bit fat bloater!
Now I still treat myself but mainly try to keep to weekends, no junk food at all at work during the day, and now I will watch the calories. I will often avoid anything that is much higher than about 300 calories because it often seems a waste of calories to me. I've had sweet treats in the past that, no lie, can contain ~ 500 calories and yet they are gone in just a few mouthfuls. When you think of how much it would take to burn it off, it puts you off.
The other important thing for me now is portion sizes. I pretty much eat as I please, although I try and keep it relatively healthy, but I do find you can, within reason, eat whatever you like as long as you're mindful of how many calories it is in relation to how many you think you may burn during a usual day.
Fad diets would never work for me so moderation is the ultimate key. I am not hugely overweight, and am still losing it slowly, but the difference between this and the way most people do diets, I'm almost certainly going to keep the weight off once it drops off, because I am eating the same things I enjoy and always will. Many others eat food they don't enjoy to lose weight and return to the habits that turned them into chubsters in the first place, and wonder why they keep going in circles!
Now I still treat myself but mainly try to keep to weekends, no junk food at all at work during the day, and now I will watch the calories. I will often avoid anything that is much higher than about 300 calories because it often seems a waste of calories to me. I've had sweet treats in the past that, no lie, can contain ~ 500 calories and yet they are gone in just a few mouthfuls. When you think of how much it would take to burn it off, it puts you off.
The other important thing for me now is portion sizes. I pretty much eat as I please, although I try and keep it relatively healthy, but I do find you can, within reason, eat whatever you like as long as you're mindful of how many calories it is in relation to how many you think you may burn during a usual day.
Fad diets would never work for me so moderation is the ultimate key. I am not hugely overweight, and am still losing it slowly, but the difference between this and the way most people do diets, I'm almost certainly going to keep the weight off once it drops off, because I am eating the same things I enjoy and always will. Many others eat food they don't enjoy to lose weight and return to the habits that turned them into chubsters in the first place, and wonder why they keep going in circles!
okenemem said:
shotta287 said:
So on average I have around 2 or 3 takeaways a week.
i dont think that is that bad, for me i find when i go cold turkey i find that the crave starts to go .
I guess I average 1 a month but I can go 2 months without one.
My diet is pretty good, I don't really have a sweet tooth, most of our meals are made from scratch, I have a home made salad for lunch. Occasionally at work I'll give in and pop to the shop for a Coke and a packet of crisps, but this is every couple of weeks or so.
My weakness is booze, I love a drink and I know I drink too much.
k in no time. I'd guess anyone doing it as long as they're not starving themselves the other days will be the same. Whether they admit it or not. Takeaways are utterly horrific if you're trying to lose weight. I'd probably say it's the first thing to drop. I have, and I can honestly say its had a big effect on weight loss and probably health too.
It's not unheard of for curries and pizzas to be a full day or more's worth of calories. Just one a week could ruin a whole weeks worth of calorie deficit. Plus, I find there's alternatives that are just as nice or better, that you can make yourself, and wont derail any progress on this front.
Of course, if you don't care, then feel free to ignore this entire post
It's not unheard of for curries and pizzas to be a full day or more's worth of calories. Just one a week could ruin a whole weeks worth of calorie deficit. Plus, I find there's alternatives that are just as nice or better, that you can make yourself, and wont derail any progress on this front.
Of course, if you don't care, then feel free to ignore this entire post
I have a sweet tooth that would put Draculas thirst for blood to shame!! For me I have to cut it out totally. Small portions/occasional treats don't work for me. Its no treats....or ALL the treats**.
I now try to avoind anything with sugar and too much bread/carbs. I'm not against carbs but it's very easy to eat to many, not use the energy they give and have it sit jump on as love handles. I've always been active and a lover of strength wiork, though this has lacked the last two years due to work. New job started in Jan give lots of tinme to train and the weight is now moving in the right direction. I'll nebver be light, 16st and I look and feel small (18.5 at the moment). I've been as high as a little over 21st when eating lots and lifting heavy and still managed a sub 10.30 (just) 1.5 mile "BFT".
Lifting weghts and eating right, for me, shifts the weight better than the generic cardio. Heavy weight with high reps will get my heart thumping better than any run.
I now try to avoind anything with sugar and too much bread/carbs. I'm not against carbs but it's very easy to eat to many, not use the energy they give and have it sit jump on as love handles. I've always been active and a lover of strength wiork, though this has lacked the last two years due to work. New job started in Jan give lots of tinme to train and the weight is now moving in the right direction. I'll nebver be light, 16st and I look and feel small (18.5 at the moment). I've been as high as a little over 21st when eating lots and lifting heavy and still managed a sub 10.30 (just) 1.5 mile "BFT".
Lifting weghts and eating right, for me, shifts the weight better than the generic cardio. Heavy weight with high reps will get my heart thumping better than any run.
- Moderation is for cowards
My weight fluctuates between two limits, which are about 6kg apart. I know full well that if I hit the higher end of the weight scale, cutting out booze and takeaways will see me at the lower end in no time.
I work away a lot, so for me, it’s not takeaways, it’s meals out. Usually in pretty decent places, but ultimately you don’t know what’s going into the dishes, and of course you’ll mark the occasion with a couple of glasses of wine and a G&T...
Oh well..
I work away a lot, so for me, it’s not takeaways, it’s meals out. Usually in pretty decent places, but ultimately you don’t know what’s going into the dishes, and of course you’ll mark the occasion with a couple of glasses of wine and a G&T...
Oh well..
Chocolate is my big downfall, can easily eat 2-3 ''sharing'' bars a day and always have to eat some after a meal.
The daft thing is I barely even like most chocolate these days, given that it's now mostly just a bar of sugar, palm oil and hydrogenated fats... I just seem to be psychologically addicted to it.
The daft thing is I barely even like most chocolate these days, given that it's now mostly just a bar of sugar, palm oil and hydrogenated fats... I just seem to be psychologically addicted to it.
Like you op, I am also 25.
I started the gym almost a year ago due to not liking what i saw in the mirror, i've never been fat but i wanted to gain some muscle and tone up.
Food plays a massive part in this but I do enjoy eating, just needs to be a case of moderation. I eat out quite regularly at pubs and restaurants (maybe 2 or 3 times a week) and have a cooked breakfast every Saturday morning after the gym. I'm lucky in a sense I’ve never been a savoury fan, never eat crisps etc. It's the chocolate and biscuits I struggle with!
I started the gym almost a year ago due to not liking what i saw in the mirror, i've never been fat but i wanted to gain some muscle and tone up.
Food plays a massive part in this but I do enjoy eating, just needs to be a case of moderation. I eat out quite regularly at pubs and restaurants (maybe 2 or 3 times a week) and have a cooked breakfast every Saturday morning after the gym. I'm lucky in a sense I’ve never been a savoury fan, never eat crisps etc. It's the chocolate and biscuits I struggle with!
Generally not too bad though last week was not good due to being on holiday for the week. We treat the kids to a chippy tea at the end of term, the rest followed on...
Friday - End of term chippy tea
Saturday - Subway in the M4 services whilst on our way down to the New Forest
Monday - Chippy tea by the beach
Friday - Scampi and chips from a cafe
Saturday - MickeyDs in the M3 services on the way home. Takeaway curry when we got home as couldn't be arsed cooking.
Plus ice creams, BBQs when we weren't eating out, other junk and too much beer + wine.
Normally we'll only have a takeaway maybe once a month and rarely ever eat out. Try to eat fairly healthy food at home though we do have the odd supermarket pizza night etc. I don't really have a sweet tooth so little by the way of chocolate etc. and try to keep things like crisps down to 1 or 2 bags a week.
I would happily consume much more bad stuff but I know how bad it is so better to keep it for treats. Drink too much though
Friday - End of term chippy tea
Saturday - Subway in the M4 services whilst on our way down to the New Forest
Monday - Chippy tea by the beach
Friday - Scampi and chips from a cafe
Saturday - MickeyDs in the M3 services on the way home. Takeaway curry when we got home as couldn't be arsed cooking.
Plus ice creams, BBQs when we weren't eating out, other junk and too much beer + wine.
Normally we'll only have a takeaway maybe once a month and rarely ever eat out. Try to eat fairly healthy food at home though we do have the odd supermarket pizza night etc. I don't really have a sweet tooth so little by the way of chocolate etc. and try to keep things like crisps down to 1 or 2 bags a week.
I would happily consume much more bad stuff but I know how bad it is so better to keep it for treats. Drink too much though
Define 'junk'.
I'm mostly pretty good, my meals especially. I struggle with sweets/chocolate and more especially; alcohol.
Avoiding processed/manufactured rubbish is pretty simple once you get used to cooking proper food, and not buying food in packets.
Undeniably, it takes more time and effort but it's worth getting your priorities right.
I'm mostly pretty good, my meals especially. I struggle with sweets/chocolate and more especially; alcohol.
Avoiding processed/manufactured rubbish is pretty simple once you get used to cooking proper food, and not buying food in packets.
Undeniably, it takes more time and effort but it's worth getting your priorities right.
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