Fact: Fast foods can be part of a healthy weight-loss program with a little bit of know-how.

Tip: Avoid supersize combo meals, or split one with a friend. Sip on water or nonfat milk instead of soda. Choose salads and grilled foods, like a grilled chicken breast sandwich or small hamburger. Try a “fresco” taco (with salsa instead of cheese or sauce) at taco stands. Fried foods, like French fries and fried chicken, are high in fat and calories, so order them only once in a while, order a small portion, or split an order with a friend. Also, use only small amounts of high-fat, high-calorie toppings, like regular mayonnaise, salad dressings, bacon, and cheese.

Questions to ask

How many times a week do you east out? Fast Food? Combo Meals?

Fast food chains target business lunches with their convenience, fast time, and low prices. They even offer special deals, such as five dollars for a Dominoes pizza to share at the office. As tempting as a four-dollar Burger King value meal may be, it contains at least half of the average person’s daily caloric intake. Pizza for breakfast and lunch, Burger King for dinner, and more fattening goodies in between (which is the diet for many people on the go) are bad eating habits. Reviewing the menu and asking questions about how a desired entrée is cooked can improve the grizzly side effects of eating fast food. There is almost always a healthier choice. It may not be the cheapest or the fastest route, but I think that overall nutrition is more important than the thickness of my wallet. I usually wait until I can get back on campus and eat a salad or a bagel. If fast food eating is unavoidable, I recommend Subway. Cost, convenience, and lack of time all contribute to the bad eating habits college students have. Basic knowledge of a good diet and learning to read nutritional guides are important steps in avoiding bad eating habits. Planning what to eat can eliminate impulse and over eating, which, as stated earlier, are major problems for college students. Inevitable snacking and fast food eating can be bettered. I have stated just a few ways bad eating habits can be changed.

When it comes to making lifestyle changes to improve health, focus on skill-power rather than willpower. Many people start down the road to better health with good intentions of eating healthier and moving more. Within a matter of weeks, good intentions fall by the wayside. It is easier to be successful at lifestyle changes when you set small, attainable goals and learn new skills that will help you succeed at adopting new health habits permanently.

People often believe they fail at losing weight or exercising more because they don’t have enough willpower to succeed. However, for permanent lifestyle changes, it is important to learn skills that will help you overcome obstacles that block your way to better health. Learning to set smaller, doable goals rather than relying on willpower leads to improved health habits.