Trying to Eat Better in a Fast-Food World

Today was the day. The start of my new work week. The plan? Eat better. Eat earlier. Ease up on the coffee. Pack healthier lunches every day. Add more good options to dinner, no matter what I’m eating.

And then, the old urge caught up with me.

It wasn’t planned. I was just running late and didn’t have time to prep a healthy breakfast before leaving for work. And as it goes in modern life, McDonald’s is never far away.

Now, I’m totally on board with eating less fast food. But if you know me, you know that the Egg McMuffin has always been my go-to for breakfast on the run. It’s got a decent protein to carb ratio, doesn’t wreck my calorie budget, and feels like the least guilty of the guilty pleasures.

Anyway, on to the story.

I pull into the first McDonald’s on my route, only to find both menu lanes packed. I could already tell it would be a 10 to 15 minute delay, which I technically had time for, but I wasn’t in the mood to risk it. So five miles down the road, I try another McDonald’s. Same deal, maybe slightly fewer cars, but still a line of people waiting for food to be run out to them. Nope.. not happening today.

A few more miles down, I spot a Bojangles. And that little voice in the back of my head starts whispering that I’m going off the rails. Here I was, supposed to be starting a healthier path, and now I’m pulling into a place known for its buttery biscuits and heavy breakfasts that I absolutely love, but whose nutrition numbers scream of their excesses.

Those numbers were fresh in my mind because I just wrote a blog post breaking down how healthy or unhealthy major fast food breakfast sandwiches really are. So as I sat in line, eyeing the cars pulled off to the side waiting for their orders, I took it as a sign from the universe. I’m not meant to be eating fast food this morning.

Sure, I felt a little void from skipping breakfast, but I’m also the kind of person who can go either way. I can eat a huge breakfast every morning, or skip it entirely and still fast 16 to 18 hours without much trouble. Guess I’m a freak that way, or maybe it’s a superpower. Who knows?

Either way, I’m glad things unfolded the way they did. Life has been a bit off balance these last couple of years, and my eating habits show it. In the end, my overall health has paid for it.

Here’s to turning that around.

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