Dine-in or pick-up? Take-out or drive-thru? What’s coming soon to a location near you other than a whopping two new fast food joints.

However, with all things comes a twist. The contradiction lies on 1205 Lamy Lane in the heart of Monroe.

Popular pick-up joints, Zaxby’s and Whataburger, are being built dangerously near new Planet Fitness Gym. Convenient? May be for some.

When it boils down to the facts, what benefit are two new fast food restaurants for every fitness center built? The ratio is backwards.

Statistics show that America holds the number one spot on the chart for obesity. An unfortunate 74 percent of U.S. citizens are obese.

What could be worse? Thirty-four percent of our population is classified “obese” adults.

The explanation is simple. Every time we leave the gym feeling that great workout- you just put an hour or two in and there’s oddly a convenient fast food restaurant next door and the smell calls your name.

What’s a 24/7 gym membership to two new fast food drive-thrus? It may seem easier to pull in and pick up breakfast, lunch or dinner for under $5, but is it really worth the extra calories?

The struggle is real for college students to maintain healthy eating habits while juggling crazy hours between classes, work and extracurricular activities. But the importance of self-control is essential.

Instead of bringing an organic food market or whole foods store to Monroe, it seems as though the fast food industry just won’t cut students a break.

Scary enough, the fast food industry is smarter than you think. Is it a coincidence that two new drive-thru joints have landed their way near campus?

Not at all. They use college students as a gateway for more business.

Falling victim to their spell of what might taste like heavenly fried goodness at first will later send students running to the toilet along with an unnecessary calorie overload that won’t look so hot on that spring-break body you have in mind.

So think before you take that turn into Zaxby’s or pull into Whataburger for a greasy heart attack, and ask yourself if the calories and the fast food trash is honestly worth putting into your body. Kick those fast food cravings to the curb.

Pay the gym a visit instead of the drive-thru and feel phenomenal.