From Junk Food to Healthy Meals, How ?

A diet consisting of junk food has too much saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. These increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and other health conditions. Becoming a junk food addict is easy with the convenience of pre-packaged and fast foods. Kick your junk food addiction and start cooking healthy meals to improve your well being.

• Toss The Junk : Go through your pantry and throw away all the junk food. Do not eat it to avoid waste; this is feeding your addiction. If you can't stand throwing it away, give unopened foods to a charitable organization. Get rid of junk food at your place of work, in your car and anywhere else you have a stash. Keeping junk food out of sight is the first step to beating your addiction.
• Preparation: Cooking healthy meals is a challenging task without the right ingredients or recipes. Browse cookbooks and online sources for meals that focus on healthy ingredients. Recipes based around vegetables, fruits, lean meats, legumes and whole grains are ideal. Select seven recipes, make a list of the required ingredients and head to the grocery store. Stay focused on your list, avoid the snack aisles and leave with only the ingredients required for the meals. Repeat this process when you run out of ingredients and recipes to prepare. Save recipes you particularly enjoy -- having personal favorites makes cooking and eating healthy meals more rewarding.
• Cooking: Prepare the recipes as needed for the next week. When you cook a meal, taste it as you go and adjust the seasonings to your preferences. Enjoying healthy food is an important element of switching your diet. If you do not like what you're eating, you're more likely to revert to bad habits. Package leftovers in airtight containers and refrigerate them for later. Having leftovers on hand substitutes for quick junk food snacks. Make meals to take to work as well. Having prepared food ahead of time will keep you away from the vending machine and out of the drive-through.
• Eating Out: Avoiding junk food doesn't mean you must turn your friends or family down when they invite you out to eat. However, you should plan your meal before you get to the restaurant. Locate the restaurant's website and pick the healthiest meal option. When you find yourself in front of the menu, set it to the side of the table and stick to your preplanned dish. This prevents you from making unhealthy, impulse decisions. When your meal arrives, ask the waiter to place half of it in a to-go container. Most restaurant portions are too much for one sitting. The leftovers make a nice treat for later, relieving you from cooking your next meal. Taking a break from cooking every now and then keeps you from getting burnt out.

References:
MayoClinic.com: Nutrition and Healthy Eating
Reuters: Junk Food Addiction May Be Clue to Obesity
MayoClinic.com: Heart-Healthy Diet