Whole books have been written about that, but this is the short-hand.  Discover the art and joy of cooking and eating a diet containing plenty of vegetables, using olive oil, and limiting white (refined) carbohydrates and especially sugar.  Even simple, unambitious, dishes that are easy to cook, can quickly prove to be tastier than fast food, and if you’re sensitive to what your body’s feedback, you’ll feel less sluggish, less hungry and probably have more energy.  And – with moderate regular exercise – you should see your weight virtually managing itself.

Many people face significant difficulties in finding the sort of food that provides maximum nutrition for relatively few calories.  Many isolated areas and the more marginalized areas of big cities can be “food deserts” where fresh vegetables and fruit are miles from home.  However, most of us can reach a supermarket selling affordable green groceries.

I’m not picking on any particular source of fast food.  Some chains offer a number of healthier dishes, including garden salads, with meal packages.  But the nutrition you’re getting in return for the “cost” in calories as well as money does not represent a good deal, especially when you have a supermarket within walking or cycling distance and a kitchen at home.

A fairly typical Big Burger outlet’s medium value meal could include a burger (around 500 calories), and a medium-sized pack of fries and regular Coca Cola (also around 500 calories).  Even for a young adult that’s about half his or her calorie requirement for the day, and far more than half of the amount of saturated fat that is healthy.  But it contains a much lower proportion of the nutrition, fiber and phytochemicals (one of the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant ingredients of fruit and vegetables) that you should be having.