We're Getting Fatter! ! !

tropicalgirl said:
Seriously! When we come back from Japan the portion sizes in the US and the lack of healthy choices is always a shock. When it comes down to it though it's up to us to decide what to put into our bodies and for consumers to reject unhealthy foods and portion sizes. If people were not buying it the stores wouldn't be selling it.
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So true! it really is a personal choice to eat healthy or to eat fast food, though there is still the point of the serving size, take MOS burger in Japan, the burgers are tiny, when I first came here and ordered one I was like "What the hell is this little thing" but over time you adjust. after being here for a few years I went to Oahu and ended up ordering from the kids menus in most place I went, I just had no hope of eating an adult size meal. I think it would be good if most places offered a smaller meal and a larger meal option, do they do this in the states, not having lived there for a extended period I am not sure. My buddy is a bodybuilder and even he had a hard time adjusting to the serving sizes in the states or Australia.
So I guess my question is are consumers given the option to reject the serving size?
I remember watching TV in San Clemente in Jan 07' and this ad for a sub sandwich was on every few minutes it seemed, where the main push was, it is so much bigger than Subway and for the same price, so it comes down to, are we eating these oversized meals because we want to or need to or because it seems like a better deal?
 
inform team said:
So true! it really is a personal choice to eat healthy or to eat fast food, though there is still the point of the serving size, take MOS burger in Japan, the burgers are tiny, when I first came here and ordered one I was like "What the hell is this little thing" but over time you adjust. after being here for a few years I went to Oahu and ended up ordering from the kids menus in most place I went, I just had no hope of eating an adult size meal. I think it would be good if most places offered a smaller meal and a larger meal option, do they do this in the states, not having lived there for a extended period I am not sure. My buddy is a bodybuilder and even he had a hard time adjusting to the serving sizes in the states or Australia.
So I guess my question is are consumers given the option to reject the serving size?
I remember watching TV in San Clemente in Jan 07' and this ad for a sub sandwich was on every few minutes it seemed, where the main push was, it is so much bigger than Subway and for the same price, so it comes down to, are we eating these oversized meals because we want to or need to or because it seems like a better deal?
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They are starting to serve smaller portion options in more restaurants in the US now but usually it is limited to certain items on the menu. I think you are right about people wanting more for their money and thats why the sizes are usually so huge.
 
the book that's been out for a bunch of months, but has lately been getting a lot of press - called Mindless eating - by Brian Wansink - he conducted a study about portion sizes and how much people do eat ..it's an interesting read... and a lot of truth to it...

One ofhte points that he makes in the book is product sizes, and he says it doesn't matter what type of product whether it's food or shampoo - if you have a larger size bottle of anything, you are going to use more...

I think it was applebees a family style restuarant that introduced a weight watchers menu - and people complained that the portion sizes were much smaller than the regular portions :D
 
I'm sorry I cannot focus on the topic at hand, I'm still crying over Mal's avitar! Too funny :rofl:.

OK, I'll try harder. What happens with these larger portions is that people start thinking, through peer pressure of a sort, that its normal and therefore OK to eat so much in one sitting. I personally always leave something over on my plate when I've been served a huge portion, possibly because I've already filled up on all that bread :)rotflmao:), but also because I'm getting full and I know I need to watch my weight. Dont think when possible I dont take it home and scarf down the rest, but at least at another meal. You need to mentally take note that these portions are not normal and that its not acceptable to eat everything you've been served.
 
All of the blame can only be placed on yourself. It's naive to think that just because McDonald's, Wendy's etc are advertising when they don't have to is a reason we are getting fat. We are getting fat because we have become lazy. It is a vicious cycle that these corporations are capitalizing on and good for them. What happens when you get heavy? You slow down, you get tired more easily and lazy so you look for something quick and easy to eat. Frozen foods, processed foods and fast foods are such an easy and convenient alternative. I know, I've fallen in to that trap. I'd rather sleep in the mornings so I just buy something to eat for my lunch near my work. Is that the fault of the marketing team at Subway or Pizza Pizza? No. It's my fault for being lazy and not waking up an extra twenty minutes early to make my lunch or do it the night before.

I would say there is only one group who can not be responsible solely for being over weight and that is children. I'm disgusted with how many children I see on a daily basis that are chubby, fat and obese. Not only are we killing ourselves but we are killing our children too. Children obviously look to their parents for guidance when it comes to establishing eating habits and when their parents are showing them it is o.k. to be lazy with meal choices and instead of exerting a minor amount of effort to fresh and healthy, it is no surprise that more than half of the continent of North America is over weight. I see the life expectancy of North American's dropping very rapidly over the next 30-50 years.

For the rest of us, we can continue making excuses and placing the blame some where else but ultimately it is up to the individual, as many of you have previously said.

There are two kinds of people in life; those who give you results and those who give you excuses.
 
Jewels said:
All of the blame can only be placed on yourself. It's naive to think that just because McDonald's, Wendy's etc are advertising when they don't have to is a reason we are getting fat. We are getting fat because we have become lazy. It is a vicious cycle that these corporations are capitalizing on and good for them. What happens when you get heavy? You slow down, you get tired more easily and lazy so you look for something quick and easy to eat. Frozen foods, processed foods and fast foods are such an easy and convenient alternative. I know, I've fallen in to that trap. I'd rather sleep in the mornings so I just buy something to eat for my lunch near my work. Is that the fault of the marketing team at Subway or Pizza Pizza? No. It's my fault for being lazy and not waking up an extra twenty minutes early to make my lunch or do it the night before.

I would say there is only one group who can not be responsible solely for being over weight and that is children. I'm disgusted with how many children I see on a daily basis that are chubby, fat and obese. Not only are we killing ourselves but we are killing our children too. Children obviously look to their parents for guidance when it comes to establishing eating habits and when their parents are showing them it is o.k. to be lazy with meal choices and instead of exerting a minor amount of effort to fresh and healthy, it is no surprise that more than half of the continent of North America is over weight. I see the life expectancy of North American's dropping very rapidly over the next 30-50 years.

For the rest of us, we can continue making excuses and placing the blame some where else but ultimately it is up to the individual, as many of you have previously said.

There are two kinds of people in life; those who give you results and those who give you excuses.
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I agree whole heartedly! yes the advertising does have an impact, yes we have been driven to believe that more = better, and then there is the mentality that well I paid for it so I am not gonna waste it. BUt we do decide what we choose to eat, therefor it is our responcibility, and taking that respocibility is the first step to changing your station. I have recently heard a lot of people talk about how fast food is a convienient option a cheap option etc, from single working mothers etc, and in responce to that I have started writting down recipes for simple cheap and quick meals and posting them on my site, only have one up at the moment on an easy sushi dish that anyone can prpare in 30mins tops, and will add more over the next few weeks. I think Japan can really serve up some great ideas on this healthy propotionate meal front (I love puns!), and since I have been living here for 9 years I guess I may as well put it all down and make it available.

On the children front, I had a discussion with a mother last week about that, how a combination of too much arse time with TV/Games and too much junk food is putting childrens lives in great risk, she replied that the area they lived was too dangerous and she preferred her kids be at home, it really is a tough call when it gets like that, but neither option is any safer. so does anyone have any ideas or thoughts on how to get kids up and active while keeping them safe, bar watching them 24/7 which for many people isn't a real option.
 
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Blancita said:
I'm sorry I cannot focus on the topic at hand, I'm still crying over Mal's avitar! Too funny :rofl:.

OK, I'll try harder. What happens with these larger portions is that people start thinking, through peer pressure of a sort, that its normal and therefore OK to eat so much in one sitting. I personally always leave something over on my plate when I've been served a huge portion, possibly because I've already filled up on all that bread :)rotflmao:), but also because I'm getting full and I know I need to watch my weight. Dont think when possible I dont take it home and scarf down the rest, but at least at another meal. You need to mentally take note that these portions are not normal and that its not acceptable to eat everything you've been served.
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Yeah I second the vote on Mal's avitar, I love it!

My hats off to you BLANCITA for opting not to eat the whole meal just because it is there, you make an exellent point all round!:jump:
 
It's simple for parents who live in less than desirable neighbourhoods. To me that excuse is simply just an excuse. Drive the kids to a park in a better neighbourhood, go walk around the mall for a few hours (don't eat there), go for walks with your kids to ensure their safety, put them in after school sports programs or day camps. I may be out of line when I say that I believe her reason is an excuse but I really feel that it is. There are always alternatives, it just depends on how hard you want to work around the obstacles in your current situation and maybe that's the issue. Maybe this particular Mother feels she is too busy being a provider to supervise her children while they are active. Even though, there are friends who lives in different neighbourhoods, relatives, etc.


Again, back to the laziness concept and people making excuses for their actions regarding proper nutrition. Inform Team touched on the 30 minute meal concept. Isn't this the very reason why Rachel Ray is famous? She makes nutritious meals from start to finish in thirty minutes? I'm sure the library has books related to the same kind of thing, the net, etc. There are outlets and resources all around, again it comes down to how lazy people are. And I'm not name calling, believe me, I've been a lazy person (I don't have kids though) and I'm just working on getting out of the lazy phase now so I know it's tough. But it's just all excuses in my opinion.

This wasn't directed to anyone specifically, all general.
 
As a former 300 pounder, i appreciate a plate full of food. Only difference is that NOW i eat plates full of alkaline foods. Give me a plate full of black eyed peas, collards, fried cabbage, green beans and a corn muffin and i am in heaven.

I eat better but i am not obsessed. Now i weigh 210.
 
There was a time when food wasn't easy to get. Our nature is to eat what is in front of us, because we don't know when we will eat again. It was survival. We need to remember that in this modern world, the next meal is not going to be hard to find :)
 
To comment on the 30 minute meal thing, Rachel Ray does make 30 minute meals, and she claims that they're healthy, but she shouldn't make that claim. Occasionally she'll hit on something that could be considered healthy, but she usually manages to find some way to add some goopy, greasy sauce or somesuch to it to render it completely unhealthy. Plus, a lot of what I've seen her make looks kind of unappetizing...that's just my opinion as a foodie who values nutrition.
 
There's a rachel ray drinking game on the 'net - (google I HATE RACHEL RAY and you'll find it ) many of the suggestions were mine :) one of the suggestions is every time she says something is healthful and she's dumped 1 cup of olive oil or 2 lbs of cheese onit -DRINK :) will have you toasted pretty quickly.

her recipes COULD be considered healthy - were she to use reasonable quantities of ingredients... or actually measured once in a while.

last season on Top Chef -about the only reality show I can stomach - one of the challenges was to create a meal with a certain calorie range and most of the chefs didn't quite grasp the concept that while olive oil is healthy, it's also not low calorie and every squirt of oil on the grill - counts towards calories...
 
I didn't want to come out of my "I hate Rachel Ray" closet completely, but now I feel comfortable in doing so - Mal, I LOVE that drinking game idea! You'd get pretty blitzed from just watching half of an episode for sure - lol!

Seriously, if you look at the end-product of a lot of her recipes, it looks like, well: :puke:

Plus I don't find her "bubbly personality" to be cute or amusing...she just kinda sucks in general.

I hope I don't steer this post too off-topic with my little Ray-rant...haha
 
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That was hilarious, Mal! And she could easily do most of those things multiple times in a single episode - you're gettin' blitzed before the thing is even over! :rotflmao: Thanks for that like, that seriously made my day :D
 
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