Hello, my name is (fill in the blank) and I am an addict.

The consumption of fast food has become an epidemic in our society and I am not above the rest of the playing field when it comes to scratching my fast food itch. As a matter of fact, I am probably well behind the curve as far as averages go. On average, I eat fast food probably five or more times a week (lunches and dinners). It sucks because I actually hate fast food but I love it at the same time. This is why I consider it an addiction because according to Webster’s dictionary, one definition of addiction is:

“persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful”

Yes, I am well aware of the health risks involved in maintaining such a diet, but I do it anyway. Why? I actually do like the taste of some of the places out there for one. I am not the best of cooks (read can’t cook at all) so to be able to purchase some decent tasting food that I enjoy is a huge bonus compared to my other option, eating something I cook. I guess one could ask why I don’t just pick a good restaurant to eat at so I could choose something healthier. Simple, fast food is much cheaper than any restaurant and there is no tip involved. Another very real reason in my situation is the availability of the fast food. My wife and I both work full time jobs and we have 2 children so our days are pretty much packed with a constant schedule which keeps our life pace at a grueling speed. Fast food fits into this equation nicely.

Now in my defense, most of the fast food I eat is during lunch on the week day. My wife does cook dinners during the week but we also tend to slip up on the weekend. I guess I could take a sandwich or something lame like that to work with me and eat at my desk but who the hell enjoys that? So I continue my downward spiral to an early grave clogging my arteries along the way. I have go to figure out some other way to kick my fast food addiction. It is actually quite scary because I have tried to stop eating fast food before and I actually have minor withdrawals. I crave it, think about it, possibly even became somewhat irritable due to the lack of it. Maybe the FDA should look into fast food joints a bit closer to see if they are using addictive substances, sure feels like it sometimes. My wife used to say that IN-N-OUT put crack in their sauce because their burgers were so good and they really kept you coming back for more.

Some say that fast food doesn’t negatively impact your health any more than any other food, it is just a matter of over consumption. There is some truth to the fact that everything in moderation is acceptable and anything taken in excess can be harmful. A year after I graduated Air Force basic training a trainee died from heat stroke that was severely complicated by water intoxication. Yes water intoxication. Even too much water can kill you. Even this simple truth does not convince me that a double bacon cheeseburger is as healthy for me as some celery, I just don’t buy it. I am sure that if you ate fast food say once a week or less, that you would probably not see any health issues relating to your diet. As I have already established, I am well beyond the once a week fast food eater.

So what is in store for me? High blood pressure? Heart attack? Heart disease? High cholesterol? Obesity? I know all of this awaits me and I still make that decision multiple times a week. Unfortunately I am not the only one either. I am but a single member in a club millions of members strong. Maybe I should buy a cook book and save some money and my life by learning to cook real food. Although another sad reality is that food is so expensive these days that it is actually cheaper to eat fast food, than to buy groceries and cook your own food. I can’t seem to win.

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