Why Eating Healthy Is So Hard... Posted: 08-23-04 02:39am
Forgive me - this isn't a question, it's a
rant
.......
My health class had a huge discussion
about healthy eating habits this past
school year, and while I wasn't outside of
the local mcdonalds picketing and
screaming, it got me thinking, not about
my own diet, but about how this society
has made people think that the doritos and
mountain dew diet is the norm.
....
Yes, obesity is a growing epidemic in this
country. Why? Because america is the
biggest producer of junk food in the
world. You can go to the supermarket and
there will be an aisle dedicated solely to
potato chips and soda. Restaurants make
it a point to serve huge portions. Fast
food, which has hundreds upon hundreds of
calories in a small amount, can be
super-sized. A person probably gets their
complete daily requirement of calories,
fat, sodium, cholesterol, and saturated
fat in a super sized order of mcdonald's
french fries.
.........
Here's why so few people want to eat
healthy:
1) health food can be very expensive; they
wouldn't make a special store separate
from the supermarket for it if it was as
cheap. Some people who want to lose
weight i'm sure are not rolling in the
dough, and they figure it's easier to
spend $2.50 on a bag of chips than it is
to spend $xx on whole bran cereal and soy
milk.
2) most health food doesn't suit the
tastes of some people...In other words, it
more or less can taste like crap. Going
with the first reason, why would someone
spend so much cash on something that
tastes like cardboard when they could
spend but five dollars and buy themselves
a bag of chips and a 2-liter of soda?
............
I'm sorry, but just thinking about this
country's obesity epidemic and the way
businesses and producers take advantage of
it makes me sick. Companies like wise and
little debbie and such are probably having
a field day because they will sell more of
their product as a result of the
population's obesity. While some people
try to take control, some just can't and
they indulge. And when a diet doesn't
yield any results, the person will binge
eat out of depression and will feel worse
in the end.
In my opinion, the situation needs a good
smack and should be turned around - health
food should be made cheaper (perhaps a
little better tasting), while junk food
and fast food should be made more
expensive. This could persuade people to
eat healthy and avoid the bad stuff.
.......
Now am I saying that eating health food is
the only way to be healthy? Haha, that is
the impression I have given. But no, you
don't need to solely eat plain yogurt and
carrot sticks to be healthy. A simple
cutting back and a change in diet can make
the biggest difference in a person's
life.
.......
I apologize for all this mess - I just
wanted to rant my guts out ^-^
...
Scaredbaka - sure ain't no skinny minny!
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2ferano
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Dec 2003 Posts: 3717
Posted: 08-29-04 01:08am
Healthy food is less convenient. I mean,
they don't have fast-health food. Yes,
mcdonald's and such have salads but they
put so much crap on them that you may as
well eat a darn bigmac.
A lot of it comes down to america's
laziness. And yes, I can say that
because I am american! (no, we are not
all lazy, but majority rules) everything
is all about convenience instead of taking
the extra freakin minute to take care of
ourselves. It makes me sick
especially when I see overweight children.
There is no, and I mean no, excuse for
it! If you want to eat crap and become
obese and put your health in danger then
fine, but take care of your kids!
Plus, we have created so much yummy food
that is terrible for you and made it the
"norm" craziness.
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PattyV
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 May 2004 Posts: 1103 Location: Chicago area
Posted: 08-29-04 13:10pm
Both of you are right.It does take a
little thought and planning to eat
correctly.I'm not a total health nut,but,i
have learned a few things.If you don't but
junk food,you won't eat it!I will only buy
snack foods like chips and stuff like that
for a party or i'll buy the smallest size
possible.That way,when it's gone,it's
gone.I cut fruit and veggies up whem I get
them home.If they are ready,i will eat
them,if not they don't get eaten.Light
sour cream is not much different in taste
than regular.Learn what a portion is
supposed to be.What we are served in a
restraunt is really enough for 2-3
meals.Have half of your meal packed up to
go before it gets to the table.I might
still be hungry,but too self-concious to
start digging through the container.It
takes 20 minutes for your brain and
stomach to register fullness.Stop before
you are bursting ,in 20 minutes,you will
be miserable.Don't be embarassed to ask
for something broiled or grilled instead
of fried or sauteed.It never hurts to ask
if you can substitute baked for fried
potato.Don't get me wrong,i still pig
out,just not all the time.My family is
from the south,they can fry anything and
cover it in gravy!I try to save my
pig-outs for the weekend or vacations and
get back on track during the
week.Sometimes it works,but if I really
want something,i have it.I don't think any
food is totally bad for you.Everything in
moderation.Patty
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2ferano
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Dec 2003 Posts: 3717
Posted: 08-29-04 14:38pm
Oh, that is a good idea with the fruit! I
always buy it and then throw it away after
it is rotten. It is just so sticky and
messy that I keep putting off cutting it
up. I really don't even like potato
chips. Once in a blue moon I will get
them, but even then I may eat 1-2 servings
and then someone else here eats them all.
It works out for me!
They need to start having vending machines
with fruit/veggies/and nice deli
sandwiches!Lol. Then we could all eat
healthy on the go!
I know some people who do eat as healthy
as possible during the week and then have
one weekend day to "splurge" if you will.
No, not binge or overstuff themselves,
but just to eat out or order pizza if they
want to. They are all really darn skinny
and healthy looking so I guess it works!
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PattyV
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 May 2004 Posts: 1103 Location: Chicago area
Posted: 08-29-04 16:35pm
Okay this is a true story and I never get
tired of telling it.One day I came home
from work and found my husband and stepson
sitting at the kitchen table with a
watermelon between them.They were tapping
on it and commenting on how good it would
be to eat it.It was like watching a couple
of neanderthals!I said to them if they cut
it up,they might find out how good it
was.You would have thought I said it to
them in swahili!They just looked at me
like I had three heads.If I don't cut it
up,it does not get eaten!Okay,you had to
have been there.I just think that its
funny.They eat the fruit or veggies if
they are cut,if not,they turn into science
projects!Patty
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ScaredBaka
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 Jul 2004 Posts: 175
Posted: 08-31-04 18:58pm
My boyfriend refuses to even touch fruit.
One day I tried for three hours to get him
to taste a little scrap of a kiwi, but he
still refused. He said it looked too much
like a testicle x) x)
but I agree with hotasfrick - if they
served fruits, vegetables, healthy snacks,
etc. In vending machines instead of
cookies and candy bars, people might start
to forget about junk food.
I admit I like junk food...Once I get my
hands on doritos, there's no stopping me!
But I tend to shy away from candy bars and
holiday chocolates. Once in a while i'll
have fast food or pizza, but not all the
time. I usually indulge at home in a
salad or semi-healthy cereal.
...........
Four years ago, I weighed 204 pounds...Now
I weigh 127. You know why I was so huge
in 8th grade? This is why: my school
served fast food for lunch every
day. That's right - they never
made their own food. They would order
from mcdonalds, kfc, taco bell, and pizza
hut. Every week it was the same stuff to
pick from. And then they served extra
bags of chips and ice cream, and had the
occasional bake sale. I usually ordered 3
times a week...Some kids ordered every
day!! It's sick! It's like that school
is trying to send kids to an early grave.
This school, mind you was a k-8
school...And getting mcdonalds food for
school lunch is probably every little
kid's dream come true.
Thankfully I lost most of that mess I
gained when I was younger. I went to that
school for 9 years...So all that fast food
got to me. Now if perhaps if the school
hired some lunch ladies that could make
salads and what-not, some kids might be
persuaded to eat a little healthier. But
nooooo...They would rather watch these
kids become overweight. *sigh*
and it was a catholic school too...Such
sins they commit!
..........
Scaredbaka - now knows the value of a good
ol' salad
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Alicia Star
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9 Location: Hawaii
Good Food Posted: 10-31-04 16:02pm
It comes down to convenience, doesn't it?
We are all so busy, running from a to b
and not much time to shop, peel, chop,
cook, and savour our food.
I work from home but still am a bit lazy
to go shop for food. I prefer to have a
small vegie garden where I know it is
organic and can pick at my leisure.
Gardens don't require much attention.
One thing is certain, the us is lacking in
nutrition with 65% of the population being
overweight and malnourished!
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Alicia Star
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9 Location: Hawaii
Good Food Posted: 10-31-04 16:52pm
It comes down to convenience, doesn't it?
We are all so busy, running from a to b
and not much time to shop, peel, chop,
cook, and savour our food.
I work from home but still am a bit lazy
to go shop for food. I prefer to have a
small vegie garden where I know it is
organic and can pick at my leisure.
Gardens don't require much attention.
One thing is certain, the us is lacking in
nutrition with 65% of the population being
overweight and malnourished!
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Justin_Toronto
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Jan 2005 Posts: 418 Location: Toronto, ON
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
Posted: 01-30-05 21:05pm
You notice the overweightness in america.
Everytime I go there I can't help but to
feel good about myself. Lol... However,
I think another issue is portions! When
you go to a restaurant there they load the
food on you... An unhealthy amount. You
should never eat to the point where you
feel "stuffed"... And that's what the
meals are like there. Personally, I eat
like an animal.. (i'm a 223 / 6'2"
bodybuilder.. Can ya blame me?) so I
love it... But to the average person, all
those extra calories packed into single
meals is just asking for obesity.
As for convenience, there are lots of
convenient healthy places to eat too...
Sub places.. Wrap places... Greek
take-out restaurants... Even if you go to
mcdonalds, it doesn't take a lot to ask
for "no seasonings", and "no sauce" on the
burger, and "no salt" on the fries. Also
doesn't hurt to ask to double the tomato,
add some pickes or whatever other
vegetables tickle your fancy. Mcd
burgers aren't all that unhealthy once you
take the sauce, loads of salt and
seasoning off... And actually tastes
good.
Of course, fruits, veggies, chicken, tuna,
wholewheat breads and rice, etc. Are
still the best way to go. :)
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Justin_Toronto
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Jan 2005 Posts: 418 Location: Toronto, ON
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
Posted: 01-30-05 21:05pm
You notice the overweightness in america.
Everytime I go there I can't help but to
feel good about myself. Lol... However,
I think another issue is portions! When
you go to a restaurant there they load the
food on you... An unhealthy amount. You
should never eat to the point where you
feel "stuffed"... And that's what the
meals are like there. Personally, I eat
like an animal.. (i'm a 223 / 6'2"
bodybuilder.. Can ya blame me?) so I
love it... But to the average person, all
those extra calories packed into single
meals is just asking for obesity.
As for convenience, there are lots of
convenient healthy places to eat too...
Sub places.. Wrap places... Greek
take-out restaurants... Even if you go to
mcdonalds, it doesn't take a lot to ask
for "no seasonings", and "no sauce" on the
burger, and "no salt" on the fries. Also
doesn't hurt to ask to double the tomato,
add some pickes or whatever other
vegetables tickle your fancy. Mcd
burgers aren't all that unhealthy once you
take the sauce, loads of salt and
seasoning off... And actually tastes
good.
Of course, fruits, veggies, chicken, tuna,
wholewheat breads and rice, etc. Are
still the best way to go. :)
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bounce
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 12 Jan 2005 Posts: 15 Location: scotland
Fat Tax! Posted: 02-05-05 04:41am
It is hard to eat healthy sometimes,as you
say there is alot of yummy things on
offer.I find that if I do eat to much of
these things even though it fills me up it
doesnt really do much for my energy
levels.I feel kind of sluggish and
heavy.Im overweight not massively but
enough to feel unfit.I remember a couple
of years ago I heard on the news that they
were thinking about bringing out a tax on
fatty foods(bit extreme!),the goverment
did a survey on people in the street and
it was 50 50.There are some people out
there who dont really care about their
health or weight,but the other half want
to lose weight but cant afford the healthy
stuff ie:fresh fish, chicken,tofu, soya
products.Its cheaper to buy a pound of
mince to feed the family than it is to
feed them on salmon and vegetables every
night.So I am eating healthy at the moment
mainly chicken and lots of veg,not too
many potatoes or bready products.I have a
treat once a week(takeaway) and im
exercising aswell which is gonna help.Ive
found that you do just have to rearrange
your thinking and eating habits,not
dieting just eating healthy.
