High on LDL

I have a fast-food addiction. Since my teenager years, I have been enamored with the idea of a quick, tasty meal, made cheap by mass production and known by relentless advertising campaigns. McDonald's was one of my first loves, like many innocent, ignorant children fed by hasty working parents with no time to feed their noisy bunch of rugrats. As I grew older and got small jobs, providing me wit some minimal source of income, my fast-food tastes expanded. Taco Bell, Burger King, Wendy's, Pizza Hut, Carl's Jr., various local chains and such. I loved to eat, willing to try almost anything and everything. Every time a new item menu was introduced, I was sure to be there, cash in hand for a taste at what was 'New' in the health vacuum of the fast-food industry.
Whatever came into popularity in the restaurants, I was sure to try it; ancho/poblano, chipotle, "fresh", spicy, whatever. It was cheap, tasted good, and great for socializing. We all went out, be it for Taco Bell, Wendy's, Del Taco, Carl's Jr., Taco Time, Pizza Hut, even McDonald's, the ultimate in fast-food.
But I eventually began to learn things. Like, fast-food wasn't good for you. We expanded to other, sit-down chain restaurants. Denny's, Outback, Village Inn, anything that said 'buffet'. It wasn't fast-food, so it must have been better. There were a few local favorite holes-in-the-wall we would frequent, but not many. The next six or seven years would remain pretty much the same. Eating out far too often, with very little quality food. It was cheap, and we were relatively poor. We experimented with better, foreign foods, Japanese, Thai, Indian, but the regulars were still staples. Burgers, fries and a Coke.
I also learned a great deal more about fast-food and the fast food industry. I own a copy of Fast Food Nation, I watched Super-Size Me, and have Morgan Spurlock's book, Don't Eat This Book. I contribute to a blog dedicated to finding drinks that are better for you. I know better, but I still have problems eating that which is not good for me. I have tried to stop, but it lasts about a week, and I relapse. I think to myself, 'It's only a burrito. It can't be as bad for me as a cheeseburger. Yes, I will have the sour cream and guacamole.' 'I'll just get a burger, no fries and a lemonade or some tea instead of a Coke.' I made a few baby steps. I don't order soda nearly as often as I used to at restaurants. I'll go for the chicken, pork or fish instead of the beef. I cook at home more often. I work out 2-3 times a week. But I still crave that cheap, easy food.
Me and my equally fast-food addicted girlfriend have begun to make a concerted effort to eat less fast-food, buying groceries and cooking at home instead of going out. It is often cheaper, more fun and interactive than sitting at a restaurant. We do go to restaurants though, but try to avoid fast-food. We often aim for foreign cuisine, since it is usually healthier. It was Japanese this weekend, along with two home-cooked dinners and some quick breakfasts in the kitchen instead of the drive-thru. We've been over a week without ingesting something from that came to us through a small window. We're just taking it day by day.
I am an addict, like many of you, whether or not you realize it. Fast food is not good for you, far from it. Watching Super-Size Me was a great eye opener, and helped to bring about the end of my McDonald's visits. Trying to eat a McGriddle sealed the deal. I never ate there again after ingesting that sin against food. But I found many other sources for my drug. Carl's Jr. and Del Taco remain some of my weak points. Although, after a recent attempt to eat breakfast from Burger King, I believe it will join my list of places I will never eat again. I"m a recovering fast-food junkie, and I know I will always be at risk of relapse. I have easy access to Subway food, though it isn't much better for than any other fast food. I make my own lunches whenever possible, and visit small, local joints when I need a lunch. As long as I have support and a strong will, I may become fast-food free some day. Here's hoping.