The 30 Days Challenge: No Fast Food

22 days ago I started an endurance test of my willpower and cravings: Absolutely no Fast Food for the next 30 Days.

I do so not only to save me $50-100 per month in extra expenses, but also to make me feel better. For the past six months I have been ill due to stomach problems more times than necessary, and I was getting tired of feeling so terrible all the time.

I’m not really bad about the fast food in the first place, at most I would eat out maybe two or three times a week. McDonald’s, Whataburger, Sonic, Taco Bell/Taco Cabana, on and on. Those couple of times a week eating that food would make me ill practically every time, so I decided to do the “30 Days” challenge and cut myself off from the land of greasy crap.

What’s the result? 22 days later and I feel better than I have in years. I have more energy, don’t feel as exhausted, and my health has certainly improved. My horrible stomach problems are all but nonexistent, and I look forward to cooking a healthy meal every evening.

Instead of a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, I have chicken pasta with steamed vegetables. I’ve expanded my cooking skills, learning how to make chicken nuggets and chicken fried steak. I found a recipe for some delicious hamburgers that require shredded cheddar cheese to be cooked inside the hamburger. You don’t get that at Wendy’s.

So 8 days left of this challenge, a little over a week. I’ve already decided to keep it going, but be a little lenient with it now and again. I’ll still cave and have a Whataburger every couple of weeks, but I’m going to avoid the really nasty places like Taco Bell and Jack in the Box entirely from this point on. More Quizno’s, less burgers.

One thing I’ve learned more than anything else about myself during this trial: I have a lot more discipline than I gave myself credit for. What else am I capable of?