Wait a minute...WAIT A MINUTE! Everywhere I go, I see people hauling around entire reservoirs of water, folks essentially eating nothing more than rabbit food, fancy bottled sports drinks, vitamin waters, rice cakes and worse. Everyone is either going to, or coming from, the gym. I see thousands of exercise equipment infomercials, diet plans, diet foods.
Now I'm sitting in the doc's office the other day, and the reading material on the tables is littered with countless articles about the national obesity epidemic.
Mention McDonald's, people will screw up their faces and say something like, "Ugh, I never eat there..." No one eats pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, cake or ice cream anymore, despite the fact that some of the companies producing this kind of stuff are doing quite nicely on the bottom line. And I can assure you that White Castle isn't making $25 million dollars off of me alone. The typical American Daily Diet seems to consist of sawdust for breakfast, some lawn clippings for lunch, and a nice can of steam for dinner.
Week after week, People magazine has amazing stories of amazing weight losses, the airwaves are full of shows like "The Biggest Loser". It seems like every single human being on earth is on a diet.
So where is this "epidemic" coming from? Who's fat, for crying out loud?
We get no help from The Nutrition Gurus, folks. Remember a few years ago when they told us that eating eggs was only slightly less dangerous than eating the muzzle of a shotgun? EVERYONE EAT MARGARINE, they told us. Then trans-fats happened. They made a valiant attempt with artificial "fat" (Olestra, anyone?) but that made people poop their drawers, so scratch that. Although they're still making meals unappetizing, having transformed "meat and potatoes" to "protein and starch". Yum.
I'm thinking somewhere, somebody is either full of you-know-what, or there are a lot of people who are "closet eaters"!
All this organic food...is it being treated with the organic fertilizer generated by all the phony dieters?
I need to understand how, with this national obsession with caloric intake, we're now fatter than ever!
Talk to me, people.
I did lose 7 pounds since Christmas, by the way. Think I'll celebrate with some pie a la mode now...
You got me! I keep claiming I'm going on a diet, have I yet? Heck no! There is too much yummy food out there to diet. HAHA. I, however, don't view dieting as eating cans of steam or lawn clippings as you mentioned. I think It's more about portion control. Eat what you want, just a little less of it. Oh and a side comment about Olestra...when that stuff came out and started causing everyone to poop themselves, my family kindly named any food with it in it "drippy butt syndrome" food. HAHAHA Just thought you might get a laugh out of that one. :)
ReplyDelete~Tiffany
McDonalds and Burger King make money off me - I won't deny it. However, I try to watch how much of it I eat. I'm overweight and I don't want to gain more ... I can hold steady. This year I'm trying to lose some and yes, I'm going to the gym ... mostly cus I love to swim. You know you don't get sweaty when you swim! LOL Yeah, I'm not much for that sweating thing obviously.
ReplyDeleteMonica
Congrats on the weight loss, and in answer to your questions, I have absolutely no clue whatsoever. How vague is that?
ReplyDeleteExcuse me but am off to the gym with my bottle of designer water.
Think I must be a little shallow
Yep, hubs and I celebrated at Pizza Hut yesterday. And we eat from McDonald's dollar menu occasionally, when we're out on the motorcycle. We keep the calories right, and we drink water. We're cheap, what can I say?
ReplyDeleteI keep hearing about child obesity, but I really don't see very many 'obese' children at school; ok, a few. But not the 1/2 or whatever they claim to be obese. Problem is, what is considered obese, to me is just a little overweight.
ReplyDeleteI think part of dieting is eating healthy foods, cutting out the really bad stuff, and controlling the intake of everything else. All in moderation.
The reason is right in front of you hon. Too many spend hours in front of a tv, computer, video game. It doesn't matter how well your eating, or the fact you may excersize 10-20 min. a day. There is still too much down time , not moving working those muscles you excersized. Add in the percentage of people who snack before bed, eat after 8 at night, it adds up.
ReplyDeleteTake the tv for example, when was the last time anyone got up off the couch to change a channel? Technology is making it easier and easier to sit back and do absolutely nothing. I think people are not entirely honest about their eating habits.....So ask exactly how much down time do they have in a day, with tv., computer, etc.....You may get a more honest response there. (Hugs) Indigo
Well, I know I've spent my share of money at McDonald's and BK, not to mention a few others. But, I have acknowledged I have a food problem. I joined WW just a couple of weeks prior to Christmas. Everyone was saying, why now? How about after the holidays? I lost 4 pounds during the holidays. It just made me THINK about what I was eating! (I've lost almost 7 pounds since I started!!)
ReplyDeleteJackie
Congratulations! I think losing weight is SO hard. I love to eat!! Nothing closet about it for me. I try (sort of) to prepare good foods for my family, but if something really tasty is right in front of me...I just can't say no. My one saving grace is that I also really enjoy exercising. So far, I've been able to balance the two pretty well. The more kids I have though, the harder that gets :(
ReplyDeleteA couple years ago, I was over 200 pounds...
ReplyDeleteI've struggled with compulsive eating much of my life, and only in the past year or so have found my cravings lessen and my will to change increase. I've had to really pay attention and try to figure out the reasons behind my unhealthy habits and face them head on.
I no longer eat like a horse, and I could live on fruit alone, but it's not easy, when you've been an emotional eater for so long. I'm not making excuses for anyone who overeats or dines weekly (or god forbid, daily) at the fast food joints, but just empathizing I guess...
Initially, I wanted to change for my children's sake. I didn't want them to use food the way that I did, and I was ashamed whenever they saw me in front of the t.v. with a bag of chips. They're proud of mom's weight loss... and I'm proud of me, too.
( NOW, if I could just take off the 10 lbs I've gained since the holidays... :o/ )
~ Michelle
Have you ever seen that commercial with the woman talking about going on a diet, and how her husband keeps losing? She gave up pop and lost two pounds. She gave up other things and lost her breasts. Nothing else. Well that's me! I've dieted and dieted and dieted, and stuck with it. I'll lose two pounds, and while still dieting, gain back three. I'm not crazy about McDonalds, although I will eat it in a pinch. I don't eat all day, and I allow myself sweets like cake and ice cream occasionnally. I do not have a chronic eating problem. Dieting is a way of life with me. And I'm still FAT! According to my doctor, this is because people who come from a history of famine are making up for past generations. This, he said, is why American Indians and Hispanics now days have a greater number of diabetics than before. This is why the Irish have a great number of diabetics. There's more to weight gain then pointing at someone and .... Okay, screw this.... I'm going to do an entry in my own blog about this subject. Give me time to build to it. Then watch out. So, Jimmy, have a good one. Take care.
ReplyDeleteJude
http://journals.aol.com/jmorancoyle/MyWay
"Die" is in every "diet"...diets set people up to fail. If people would just be sensible, eat fewer calories than you take in, and MOVE, MOVE, MOVE, every chance you get. You can eat lots and lots of food, just choose wisely. You can have ONE scoop of ice cream, or a huge bowl of apples and grapes. I think people's tastebuds get warped from all the trans fats and sugar, so that real, UNprocessed food pales in comparison. (and I am one of those people who HONESTLY!!!...does not eat fast food! lol) Have some cookies if you really have to have them, but then go take a nice brisk, 20 minute walk. Depriving or starving doesn't work, it harms the body and puts into famine mode. Grazing,& eating healthy choices every 3-4 hours keeps the metabolism revved. I'm rambling...congrats on the weight loss!
ReplyDeleteI eat like a 5th grader whose parents are gone for the weekend. And I am slowly trying to repair the damage I have done. Exercise helps alot...and I love to sweat. Who knew? lol I will never be the poster child for healthy eating...but I hope to eat more sensibly. I just started eating Special K for breakfast...it's not too bad. So far. : )
ReplyDeleteTracie
I saw a t-shirt years ago with this on the front: "Eat right, exercise, DIE ANYWAY!" lol Life is terminal.
ReplyDelete~Jill
It's not me...I don't closet my eating. I LOVE food. Steak and potatoes...yes please! Cupcakes with sprinkles...gimme more! :)
ReplyDeleteLove ya babe!
Gillie
I don't understand that either. With all the diet books plans and home gyms why people are still so big. But honestly so what. So what if you gained 5 pounds over the holiday season, so what if your over weight. It really shouldnt matter to anyone unless your having health problems. Yea I'm trying to loose weight because cancer and dietbeties does run in my family. But I'm also doing it b.c I want to shop! hahaha
ReplyDeleteI think people who REALLY diet are on a constant diet.. so thats y we see a lot of that gym,water,small greens stuff often. On the other hand, yes Lippy Americans are more likely to be fat. We are either lazy or we work too damn much to cook healthy meals! Fast food is the easy way out for us. I want to live in Europe they have nap breaks & with what is it..??.. 5 weeks a yr of vacation?!!? Not to mention everyone is depressed here and needs valum right? sigh. Cass
ReplyDelete