The Linked Between Weight Gain and Drive-Thru, Fast Food Eating

No foods around the world are eaten thoughtlessly and quickly as fast foods from a drive-thru window. Drive-thru foods and fast foods can be prepared and served quickly. It’s particularly popular because it’s convenient, inexpensive and it tastes good. However, these foods are often made with ingredients that are high in calories, high in refined grains, high in fats and added sugar.

Are drive-thru foods bad?

There’s no such thing as bad foods but there are foods that you should not eat regularly because of its unhealthy ingredients. Eating too many of unhealthy foods for over a long period can lead to health issues like heart diseases, high blood pressure, and unwanted weight gain. The unhealthy ingredients can quickly add to the calorie burden for the day. This everyday build-up of unwanted calories is converted into belly fats and is deposited around your body. Without a proper weight loss plan, you could end up being overweight or worse, obese.

Currently, obesity has become a public health problem for almost all nations as it is liked with several health conditions and illnesses. Studies have shown that the rise of obesity is attributed to physical inactivity and an increase in calorie intake due to wrong food choices and drive-thru eating. Obesity is a complex disease that is not simply caused by physical inactivity and poor diet but also of complicated environmental and lifestyle factors such as eating out and drive-thru eating.

Why drive-thru foods cause obesity?

There are basically 4 reasons why fast foods and drive-thru food is linked to obesity.

1. Unhealthy, not HCG Diet-friendly ingredients

Drive-thru foods, as well as fast food, contain a large amount of sugar, carbs, fats with lesser vitamins, minerals and other nutritional value.

• Sugar– The suggested calorie from added sugar is only between 100 to 150 calories a day or 6 to9 teaspoons of sugar. However, fast food drinks alone contains around 8 teaspoons of sugar.
• Fat-The so-called manufactured fat “Trans fat” created during food processing are commonly found on pizza dough and fried pies. This unhealthy fat can increase bad cholesterol and lower the good cholesterol in your body.
• Sodium– The sodium content of drive-thru foods and fast foods is higher than home-cooked foods. When combined with sugar and fats, foods can become tastier but can also make you gain weight. The high sodium content of the drive-thru foods you’re eating can lead to water retention making you feel bloated, puffy and swollen after eating fast foods.
• Lower cost

It’s one of the main reasons why many people can’t stop eating at fast foods or can’t stop buying from a drive-thru. It cost much lesser than a normal diet of healthy calories making it more affordable than going in for healthy foods.

• Larger portion

The unhealthy ingredients on drive-thru and fast foods are further intensified with an increased portion. The portion sizes are becoming larger but you will still eat the complete meal regardless you’re full or not leading to weight gain.

• Convenience

Drive-thru and restaurants are much more convenient than cooking at home. You can always find one near you or have it delivered to your place. Fast foods and drive-thru foods have increased at alarming rates for the past decades and are the leading cause of obesity not only in the US.

Tips when eating drive-thru foods and fast foods after the HCG Diet

• Drive-thru foods and fast foods are food meal on the go and many will eat while on their cars. The first step in beating the odds is to get out of the car and go inside the restaurant. Sit down on the table, pay attention to the calories on each meal before ordering and enjoy your meal.
• Go light on the toppings by not overdoing your salad dressings. Avoid creamy salad dressings such as ranch or blue cheese which are high in saturated fat. Use ketchup or mustard instead of special sauces and mayonnaise.
• When ordering pizza, choose vegetables for toppings instead of meat and get a thin crust.
• Use veggie toppings for your sandwiches instead of extra cheese or bacon.
• Do not add salt to your ordered meal.
• When eating out, know what you order. Choose steamed, broiled or grilled foods over fried ones. Choose soups that are not cream-based. Avoid ordering foods labeled as pan-fried, deep-fried, breaded, creamy, scalloped, basted and crispy as they are usually high in calories, sodium and unhealthy fat.
• Practice portion control when eating out by ordering smaller portions. Instead of ordering large sandwiches, try the small one with low-fat dressing and a side salad or a piece of fruit.
• Pack half of your meal in a to-go box for your next meal. Setting it aside can keep you from picking at your meal when you are already full.
• Choose water, diet soda or low-fat milk instead of regular sodas, milkshakes or fruit drinks.