Really, there is no such thing as healthy fast food. Yup, I know that most of the fast food chains are letting salads, baked potatoes, and other healthy sounding stuff creap into their menus. However, a little research will show you that even those healthy menu items are loaded with fats, calories, and toxic food additives… and the other stuff on the menus… well forget it. You’ve just got to get out of the habit of running for fast food when you get hungry. Here are a few tips that can help.

A lot of fast food eating is the result of social pressure, particularly around lunchtime. The gang wants to go for burgers and fries. Really, most of this is just habit. Burgers and fries pops into people’s minds because they’ve poped in there before. What you need to do is a little homework. Check out the restaurants in your area that can offer a healthy choice of foods and serve them in a reasonable time. Then suggest those restaurants to the gang. Most of the time people are happy to try new restaurants and unless everyone is just dying for burgers and fries — not likely — you’ll probably get to go to the place where you know you can get good food. Another trick is to simply opt out when everyone insists on going to a place that you know is off your list. If you do that once or twice people will get the message that if they want to include you in lunch, they’ll need to go for good, healthy food. You don’t have to make any kind of big deal of this. People are pretty smart when it comes to subtle messages. And by the way, it’s a pretty good idea to pack your lunch too. You really never know what a restaurant uses to prepare its food (unless you ask). Sometimes a healthy looking dish may be full of toxic additives.

A second secret to deal with the gang at work is to figure out the kinds of foods that people really have got to have and then find the restaurants in your area that can give them the food they want but also are able to give you the healthier food that you want. You don’t need to become a social outcast.

Another secret is to make friends with the 10 items or less lane is super markets. The grocers are catching on that people are much more health conscious and they are offering more and more organic items. In addition, many super markets now offer delis with soup and salad bars. In my neck of the woods both Whole Foods and Fresh Market are great quick lunch alternatives. They even have tables outside to enjoy lunch at. I’m sure you can find a store in your area if you hunt a little. The 10 items or less lane is a vastly superior alternative to the fast food chain or the sandwhich and coke at the convenience store.

What exactly is healthy food? You can make simple choices about the foods that you eat that will significantly improve the way you feel and your long term health. Here are a few things to consider that are universally agreed on.

• Limit or eliminate sugar and white flour. That means no cokes, no pasteries, no white flour hamburger buns, etc. See why it’s tough to eat at a fast food place!
• Eliminate fried foods and foods cooked in heated oils. There goes the fries and fried chicken.
• Limit dairy foods. Oops, the ice cream just vanished!
• Don’t overeat.

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