Supersize Me

There was a very funny cartoon in the New Yorker this past week that I pulled out. 2 women talking to each other and the one woman said to the other one, "you are what u eat". So true.

I have had a weight problem my entire life. I always wished I was one of those thin girls who could eat whatever they wanted. I was what my Grandmother used to say, "a minute on your lips, forever on your hips". So, in essence, I have been on a diet forever. I think about food when I wake up and think about what I ate over the course of the day when I go to sleep. It is a never ending journey. Believe me, if I let myself and didn't care about my health or comfort, I could weight 200 lbs. I love to eat.

I have taught our kids the benefits of eating in moderation. You can certainly enjoy the finer things in life but at a minimal. No Supersized chocolate cakes on a nightly basis. Don't consume 4 pieces of chicken, try to stick to once piece and balance it out with some vegetables and if you are still hungry, how about a piece of fruit. Understand what a calorie is. What fat content is. Ice cream is delicious but how about a low-fat treat instead. Again, a never ending battle.

We went to see Supersize Me last night. A clever documentary on the horrors of fast food. The movie made an impact on me. As I am walking through the airport today and seeing these huge fat tushies. The consistent theme of the movie is the food industries desire to have us eat more food. Not vegetables and fruit but supersized sodas, supersized potato chips, supersized processed cookies, etc. The media is coming at your stomach too.

I'd love to see more non-profit organizations take a stand on overweight Americans which will end up costing all of us more than smokers. Obesity has long term effects more severe. Heart disease, diabetes, liver problems, etc. But, Americans continue to consume. We are after all the consumate consumers. This movie should be edited down to show to schools across the country. Education is in order. Just like we have trained every kid in America that smoking is bad, we need to do the same thing with unhealthy eating. People need to take charge of their own health instead of sucking down a supersized cola.

I am absolutely going to show this movie to our kids. This is a movie that touches on a theme that I believe will be one of the most talked about problems in our society over the next couple of years. At least I hope so.