Super Size Me?

Last night I watched the documentary "Super Size Me." Was it ever an eye-opener! As a result, I have decided to really make an effort to change my eating habits.

What was most affecting to me was that the subject of the documentary, Morgan Spurlock, gained 24 lbs over one month as a result of eating at McDonald's for breakfast, lunch and dinner. By eating only from the menu, he ate an equivalent of 30 lbs of sugar, a pound a day. The only items on the menu that did not have sugar in them were: iced tea, diet Coke, the sausage patty, hash browns, and french fries. Yeah, only five items. Even the salads had added sugar--I guess from the dressing.

Blech--30 lbs of sugar! He was eating such a high-fat diet that if he had continued, his liver would eventually become like an alcoholic's liver. The doctors were surprised at his condition in just one month, but said that it wasn't unexpected.

The high-fat diet also made him feel depressed and tired. I realized that that is why I feel depressed and fatigued a lot of the time--I eat too much fat! Later this evening, I will do some research, and hopefully, both me and my DH will change our eating habits. I worry about the example we are setting for our daughter more than anything else.

Whether or not the documentary is just propaganda against McDonald's, I don't really care. I know average Americans are generally too lazy to exercise, and I know they don't eat every meal at McD's, but the movie still has a valid point: high-fat food is bad for you in large quantities, and you do have the option to make better choices. You have to make the decision.

I suggest that if you are struggling with your weight, watch this movie, then educate yourself on a low-fat diet. Don't worry: I will be pointing my mother-in-law to the AHA site as well. The AHA also has a site where you can keep track of your fitness goals. Check it out.