Friday, May 13, 2005

"SUPERSIZE ME"

No I sure don't need supersized. However yesterday I watched the Movie "SUPERSIZE ME". I originally said I would not watch that movie. However on the advice of Tim Brady, (Harrison County's answer to Rush Limbaugh).I watched the movie. While I am glad I watched it and I did enjoy it. I have really not changed my opinion of it.
I did not learn anything in general about the eating habits of Americans that I did not know. Yes we eat at fast food restaurants to much, yes it is not good for us. But it is our choice. According to Mr. Spulock, we Americans are ignorant, easily influenced people who can be led around by the media advertising.
Mr. Spurlock purposely overate and cut out his exercise. Yes he gained weight and had other health problems. However I had heard on the radio, last year, a lady out west LOST weight only eating at McDonalds. While Mr. Spurlock did not lie, he sure "spun" things. He says a chicken salad with Ranch dressing has more calories than a hamburger. That is true, however if you don't use dressing or use low fat or lite dressing you can cut the calories almost in 1/2.
I go to Weight Watchers, yes I am overweight, I am now working on losing again. While there are many factors contributing to my weight problem,I was an only child, my mom fed me good(me, my dad & mom had a weight problem), etc., the bottom line is I am overweight and at age 55 it is MY FAULT.
While watching the movie, I took one of my Weight Watchers books out(it gives the point value(that's what WW uses for their program)for restaurant chains)and figured up a days meal eating only at McDonals. I can have 39 pts. a day. I had a plan for 37 points which included two hamburgers. But I drank either tea, coffee or diet pop or water. I would be willing to go on an all McDonalds diet to show I could lose weight, If anyone wants to finance it.
About 1/4 of the movie talks about how unhealthy the school lunch programs are and how inadequate the PE programs in most schools are. There have been several articles about this thru the years, that is nothing new. Plus this sure isn't McDonalds fault, it's our governments. But even with that if the young people or their parents want to eat responsible they can. They don't have to eat everything the lunch program provides and they can exercise on their own.
At the end Mr. Spurlock did allude to the fact that it is up to us. But that was ONE statement.
There were several other individual statements I took exception to, but it is not worth going into.
I have not had the time to talk with Tim and he said it really opened his eyes. Now I realize I'm a lot older than Tim, but I still can't believe in general he learned anything new.
I did enjoy watching the gastro by-pass surgery. That made me more sure I don't want to have the surgery. Surgery didn't make me fat.
Mr. Spurlock made a lot of money and he still is, knocking McDonalds and the food industry in general. More power to him, but the bottom line they are doing nothing illegal and when we come to McDonalds, they don't have a giant electro magnet that pulls us in. We also can say NO to our kids. mine are raised I took them to Mc Donalds, but a lot of times I didn't.