There’s nothing worse than spending the whole day being good and sticking to your new, healthy diet and then hitting the late hours of the evening and undoing an entire day’s work by snacking on junk food. All of that willpower and strength you showed throughout the day is completely erased by that late-night Jack in the Box run with your friends or the gummy bears you simply can’t stay away from.
But we’re here to help!My Fit Foods has some of the most helpful strategies for avoiding junk food in your everyday life, so you start taking the first steps on your way to a healthier lifestyle.
What Is Junk Food?
Junk food refers to anything that doesn’t contain many important vitamins, nutrients, and minerals or is actively bad for your overall health, and they’re a huge contributor to problems with obesity these days. Many people judge a food’s nutritional value solely by its caloric content (meaning that foods with a high caloric density are worse for you), but that doesn’t give you the whole picture. There are plenty of foods with a lot of calories that are still healthy, like whole grains, rice, and nuts.
Conversely, there are junk foods that don’t have a ton of calories, like popcorn. Just because they don’t have many calories doesn’t mean that they provide anything of value to your body, and once you start adding butter and cheese, the calorie count skyrockets.
Plus, highly processed foods and beverages like this can come with their own problems—just take a peek at the labels. Eating too much junk food can contribute to all kinds of problems, from type 2 diabetes and heart disease to increased risk of high blood pressure and heart attacks. When you really think about it, it’s worth skipping the burgers to protect your arteries and the rest of your body. When you resolve to improve your diet and make healthier choices, it’s important to be able to correctly identify junk food and healthy food so eating right becomes second nature.
Keep Healthy Snacks Nearby
If you know that you won’t have time to make dinner until late or you like to snack on something while you watch TV in the evenings, make sure to have healthy snacks nearby. If you eat a few more snacks than you meant to during the day, that’s not the end of the world. Just try to factor your snacking into your dietary plan.
However, your body will really appreciate it if yourextra snacks come from healthy foods like fruits and vegetables instead of simple carbohydrates like ice cream or candy bars. You don’t have to worry as much about eating more when you know that your snacks are full of protein, fiber, potassium, antioxidants, and other things that are good for you and not just empty calories and high-fructose corn syrup.
The flip side of this tip is to not have snack foods that aren’t so good for you lurking around. When you have to leave the house or order something online and spend more money, that’s extra effort contributing to getting junk food. When things are right there on the table, in the fridge, or in the pantry, it’s much easier to mindlessly start eating them. You might not even realize you’re doing it—it’s seriously an addiction.
If you live with other people, try explaining to them that you want to start a healthier diet and see if they’re willing to live without junk food too. If they aren’t, ask them to store their food in a separate fridge or a different room, so you won’t have to be tempted by it when you need a snack. Sometimes it’s as simple as skipping the potato chips or dessert and trying some yummyblueberry muffins instead for something satisfying.
Ensure You’re Eating Filling Meals
One of the biggest reasons why people turn to junk food is that they get hungry in between meals. It’s normal to get hungry every four to six hours, but if you find yourself hungry an hour or two after consuming a meal, that probably means your body isn’t getting enough to eat at the meals. You might also need to eat more than just a plain salad or a cup of plain yogurt—there’s a happy medium between that and an extra slice (or two or three) of pizza.
Feeling hungry is common when you start a new diet or restrict your caloric intake, but if this persists for more than a week, that could be a sign that you need to rethink your meals.
Avoid Tempting Situations
If your friends are all making a McDonald’s run, don’t take a ride with them. It’ll be depressing, especially if you don’t have any food in your belly. When you get there, your friends may ask you if you’re sure you don’t want something and tempt you into getting something small or sharing their fries with them.
While it may be annoying to spend less time with friends or family, if you want to avoid eating junk food, you’ll have to stay away from blatant temptations and situations where nothing else is happening other than eating it.
Grocery Shop on A Full Stomach
It’s amazing how much of a difference having a full stomach can make on your subconscious when it’s time to make a Target run for groceries and ingredients. Even if you aren’t conscious of the hunger, it can subtly influence your choices, causing you to buy more food than you need or to make impulse purchases of your favorite comfort foods, especially junk food.
You don’t have to eat a full meal before you get in the car to go to the grocery store, but we recommend having a light snack while you’re out or before you leave, so your own hunger isn’t motivating your choices at the store. It’s easier to make healthy choices when you’re full and satisfied since you aren’t walking down aisles and aisles of inexpensive junk food on an empty stomach.
Track Your Hydration
Another reason why people tend to reach for junk food is that your body isn’t always great at identifying the difference between hunger and thirst. Some people can tell that they’re thirsty because of a dry or itchy throat, but most people feel normal hunger pains when their bodies are actually just thirsty.
Even if you’re pretty sure you aren’t actually thirsty, it’s a good idea to drink more water to help your body flush out toxins and regulate everything. Smartwatches and apps on your phone can help remind you to periodically take a drink or record how much you’re currently drinking, so it’s easier to keep track of how much water you’re getting.
Liquids fill your belly up just like food does, so if you’re looking to lose some weight, drinking more water (and less juice and Coke) is also a good way to feel full and be less likely to eat as much at meals.
Maintain a Good Sleep Schedule
When you don’t get enough sleep at night, most people know that it can lead to crankiness and a harder time focusing. But it can also lead to increased hunger and cravings for junk food. Most people start thinking about junk food in the evenings, and the later you stay up, the more likely you are to binge on the sugary breakfast cereals you have in the pantry.
Find Your Triggers
Similar to avoiding tempting situations, it’s easiest to avoid junk food when you know what makes you reach for it. Instead of only worrying about social situations where you might be tempted, it’s important to realize that people get into habits. If you’re used to grabbing a bag of Cheetos when you sit down to watch a movie with the kids at night, try substituting something else in place of them. If you find that you’re craving something, pay attention to your emotions and the sensations you’re feeling at the time, too.
By finding and identifying your triggers, you’ll be able to predict when those junk food cravings will hit and have a healthier alternative at the ready. Pulling out a banana is far better than heading over to the vending machines for an afternoon pick-me-up or grabbing some chicken nuggets when you need to power through the last few hours at work.
Manage Stress
Some people turn to junk food when they’re stressed out. It’s easier said than done tomanage your stress, but finding other ways to minimize the stress you’re under can make a big difference when it comes to avoiding junk food. Take time for yourself during a busy day to meditate, take a walk outside, or cuddle your pets. Whatever you need to do to center yourself, and take a deep breath instead of reaching for your favorite candy.
Discover New Favorites
Part of the reason why junk food is so hard to give up is that it tastes so darn good. When you’ve finished an important project at work, finally turned in that school paper, or done something else worth celebrating, there’s a reason why most people go out to celebrate with junk food or alcohol. It’s your favorite, and you deserve a treat—but crazy amounts of sodium and sugar aren’t the only way to get the flavor that you’re looking for.
When you find tasty healthy foods that you reserve as treats, it will make it feel more fun when you want to celebrate some big accomplishment but don’t want to turn to junk food. Alternatively, if you use healthy food as comfort food to alleviate stress, it won’t be so bad when you need some comforting on bad days. Of course, if you really need to satisfy your taste buds, a little dark chocolate is widely considered to be okay—in moderation, of course.
Wrapping Things Up
If you need extra support from like-minded people in avoiding junk food, join ourFit Club to get support and advice from people who want to live healthier lives too. When you feel tempted or bummed out about your friends jetting off for fast food, it’s nice to talk to other people who are having similar struggles and keep each other accountable on the path to healthy eating. Avoiding junk food is easier when we do it together. So, join us on our junk food free journey!
Sources:
How fast food affects the body | Medical News Today
How to Stop Eating Junk Food: 10 Tips to Control Your Cravings | Healthline
11 Ways to Stop Cravings for Unhealthy Foods and Sugar | Healthline