Drive-Thru Junkies
In this four part series, Good Men Project columnist, Taylor García invites you to examine what you eat to better understand who you are and how you function
When I was about 8-years-old, my hometown’s second McDonald’s opened less than one mile from my house. It was…a miracle. In very short order, we found ourselves visiting the store by car, on foot, either dining in, or driving through, no matter the meal time. We became heavy users. But over time, the usage waned, and thankfully it did, otherwise I might be in worse health had we kept up the volume.
But, the damage was done, of course, because having a major fast food chain so close to home turned on the junk food tastebuds at a very young age. The ease at which McDonald’s can reproduce its food, at which it can replicate its addictive flavors is why the place is so successful. It’s also part of the reason why the US of A is full of drive-thru junkies.
I’m not a junkie the way I once was. I visit a McDonald’s maybe three or four times a year. I also hit a few others. Del Taco. Shake Shack. Carl’s. In-N-Out if I have to.
And that’s generally the operative word: have to. If it’s the only thing that’s available or open, I (read: we) all have to make a pilgrimage to the temples of grease at one time or another.
Do these pilgrimages kill us? Not the ones that happen every so often. In fact, they’re kind of an American way of life. But, if those stops happen 2-3 times a week, that’s when the problems start. I hate to say it, but I see it in my kids. Like me, they were exposed in early life (the pandemic didn’t help), plus, we live in bustling Southern California where there is….a McDonald’s less than a mile from where we live!
Point is, we cannot escape fast food. They’re like cell phones and the internet and AI. They’re here and they will always be, and they’re going to tempt us and lure is in one way or another.
So, how do we fight them? One way is to embrace them, but with limitations. My kids love In-N-Out Burger. So much so, that we have a strict, once-a-month-only visit rule. Sometimes two months go by, which is the entire point; they soon forget.
Another way is to create an anchor, preferably a negative one. At a health and wellness workshop I attended years ago, the guru said curbing bad food habits means creating an association with the food or the place it comes from. For example, when you pass by that beguiling drive-thru, remind yourself that the food there is yucky, terrible, and bad for you. Make sounds, stick your tongue out, shake your head. Over time, your brain follows the pattern. (There’s a certain very famous chicken place that’s not open on Sundays for which I have an awful association, and it’s not because of the food…)
Another idea is to simply modify, if and when you visit a fast food joint. Get the gluten-free bread, ask for double or triple the lettuce or vegetables. Avoid the fried stuff. Skip the desserts or shakes, and definitely bring your own water, and drink a ton of it before you even set foot in the place.
One other helpful hint is off-setting the indulgence. So, you grabbed a fast food meal for dinner on the road one night? The next day, fast a bit in the morning. Double up on water. Drink some chamomile tea for the gut. Eat berries and greens and don’t forget your supplements. Remember: it takes the body about six to eight hours for food to pass through your stomach and small intestine, and about 36 hours for food to move through the entire colon. (Source: Mayo Clinic) So, if you had the super excellent burger and fries for lunch, love your gut by giving it something not fried and salty for the next meal, so that bad stuff has a buffer.
And lastly, read the nutritional information. For one, it will shock the hell out of you, but it will also create another association in your brain. If I eat that, I get these “nutrients.” It helps to note the overall caloric content, specifically the carbohydrates, fat, and protein, so that you can make informed decisions at the restaurant, and after.
In closing, you’re going to pass by a fast food joint and you’re going to stop in. You’re going to eat it and love it. Remember to love yourself while you eat. Remind yourself that it’s a treat, not an every day thing. Remind yourself that your next meal won’t be so fast.
◊♦◊
This Post is republished on Medium.
—
Photo credit: Unsplash