UNITED STATES—We all want to eat healthier, but its easier said than done.  Why is that? Its simple one word: LIFE.  The everyday tasks and obstacles that we encounter makes it so much easier to reach for something unhealthy than it does for something that is healthy.  Why is that?

Well as humans we are predisposed to our taste buds and one of the most addictive is sweet.  We as human beings love things that are sweet; its a drug for the body, that at times can be difficult to resist.  The issue with sweets is they can lead to an abundance of sugar and fats in the body that can lead to complications like becoming overweight, and increasing chances for illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

If we know these things why do we continue toindulge in fast foods and eating out?  Time is of theessence. For most of we work 8-12 hour days. We spend an hour or two commuting to and from work.  Factor in the amount of time we spending sleeping and the day is just about gone.  So instead of spending an hour or two in the kitchen putting together a meal, its easier to grab a bite to eat at the closest fast food chain or a sit down restaurant.

Let’s face it we all know, fast food is not good for you because most of it is fried or loaded with calories.  Even those ‘salads’ that are marketed as healthy contains loads of excess items that defeat the veggie’s intended purpose.  The reason this issue is so important is that we’re engraining in our children at a very early age that fast-food is okay and its not.

I don’t think it’s a bad idea toindulge in the bad stuff, maybe once or twice a week, but not seven days a week, that’s not good at all.  Where are all those vital minerals and nutrients the body needs.  I also find it laughable that so manyAmericans have attempted to sue fast-food chains for making them overweight.  Are you serious?  What did you think eating fast-food every single day would do to you? Has anyone seen the documentary “Super Size Me?”  Take responsibility for your actions.

Let’s move our discussion to restaurants.  I know so many people who honestly think eating out at a restaurant is much healthier than indulging in fast-food.  I beg to differ.  Its depends on where you go, but in the long run, food is prepared in a timely frame because let’s face it no one wants to wait for food. So quick cooking techniques may be employed to get those dishes complete in a timely manner.

You can have a salad that looks absolutely healthy, but could turn out to carry more than 1000-1500 calories because of portion size.  Take a burger and fries dish and we’re talking about anywhere from 1000-2000 calories depending on the toppings, the type ofbread used and the fries.  Let’s not forget about drinks.  Its typically free refills depending on where you go, so we take advantage of that opportunity which means you can easily place between 500-800 calories into the body with 2-4 drinks. If its water no worries, but how often does everyone drink only water?  It rarely happens.

When it comes to dining out or eating fast-food we must be more inclined to decide what is best not just for us, but for our families.  Once in awhile its okay, but every single day is not.  We are already an obese country its time that we do something about it.

By Trevor Roberts