Don't Supersize Me

I never saw the movie "Supersize Me."  I might get around to renting it at the video store one of these days, but then again, with such a predictable outcome, it's probably not worth plunking down $2.49 to see it.  You eat a lot of junk, you gain weight.  You eat a lot of anything, you gain weight.  You eat less and move more, you lose weight.  It's about as easy to understand as figuring out that it gets dark when you turn off the light.

No need to sue anyone because they make a lot of food available to you.  Even if they entice you.  Have you noticed the size of food portions that restaurants serve up these days?  It's incredible.  Actually, it's disgusting when you consider that a) many people can eat that much or b) much of it gets thrown in the garbage.

Last week, five of us went to the Macaroni Grill.  Three in our party were teenagers, notorious for having hollow legs and eating tons of food and bankrupting their parents with the grocery bills.  Anyway, we ordered five entrees. The portions were so large, that not one of us was able to finish the meal.  We brought home enough to prepare another meal for two, and we probably left behind a third full portion. So in effect, we got almost twice as much food as we needed.  I suppose I should look at it as a bargain and I would if in fact I made use of all the leftovers I've brought home from dinners out.  Most of the time, though, I bring it home to the fridge, and throw it away three days later unsure about whether it's still "safe."

Anyway, it's a chicken-or-the-egg problem as I see it.  I don't have any idea if portions are bigger because people are eating more, or if people are bigger because the portions are and they think those are normal?

My son and I went out to breakfast last weekend.  He ordered a side of home fries.  The plate he got was oval-shaped, and the serving of home fries was bigger than a football. No, he didn't finish them.  Between the two of us, we couldn't have if we even wanted to eat that much starch.

I know, I know. I'm ranting.  But it really alarms me when I look around at people at the mall, at the movies, in restaurants, even at my gym.  Most Americans are overweight.  Most of them. And a significant percentage fit the description of obese. When Americans travel to other countries, people can tell where they're from even before they look at their clothing or hear their accents.  They can tell by the size of most of them.   The super-size of them.

I think it's an area ripe for legislation or regulation or taxation somehow.  I am not saying I support that concept, but it's going to happen.  When one group of people is affected by the actions of another group, someone is going to complain about it eventually.  Just the way banning cigarettes in public places is now becoming common.  Yes, there's a difference in that second-hand smoke can cause health problems for non-users of tobacco and no one's got the right to do that.  But obesity often goes hand-in-hand with having health problems.  Those health issues mean that the obese, as a class, are making more use of the health care system which in turn, hits everyone in the pocketbook.  I read somewhere recently that more hospitals are having to install special beds and special chairs and special equipment to handle the growing (hah, no pun intended) number of people who weigh over 400 pounds.  I just won't ever be surprised if, one day, we're all paying "weight taxes" in addition to federal, state, sales, and sin taxes. 

By the way, I'm not bashing overweight people in case you've got your finger on the "comment" button below ready to sling words of protest at me.  I know weight is only one facet of a person and has nothing to do with personality or talents or intelligence or whatever.  I am really just alarmed at the growing (whoops! there goes another unintended pun!) weight problem in America. 

I have no idea how to wrap up this rant. I guess I'll just continue to eat my-sized portions, and no more, when I go out to eat, and try to make better use of the leftovers.  Getting two or three meals for the price of one is a bargain, and the financial savings just might offset increases in my health care premiums.  Which are super-sized already. 

Comments

[CNL]

Two comments:

I've seen the movie, I have not eaten at McD's since (almost 3 years). In fact, I rarely eat at any burger-based fastfood places since I saw the movie. Taco Bell and Subway are it for me - but I will break down and head to Wendy's for a cheese burger about once a month. Wendy's because I used to work at BK, I can't eat there. Please. Watch the movie.

I'm with you on the portion size, it is out of control. Usually, when we go out to eat I end up ordering an appetizer for my dinner with a salad - or I'll ask if I can order off the kid's menu because I can't bear to waste food. I grew up being told if you waste food by not eating it, you're taking food out of somebody else's mouth. I have visions of entire villages in Africa starving because I didn't finish a french fry. :-/ (Thanks mom for that guilt trip.)

[scorpy]

Not seen the move, and wish that I could be more like you and CNL and eat only what I need. Unfortunately, I don't know if it's mental, subconscious, or just gluttony, but I eat what's there when it's good. That's not to say I haven't ordered from the kids' menu at the drive-thru (hey, I drive a mini-van! how are they to know I'm not taking it home to the kidlets?), but overall, yes, if I eat out, I try to finish what I order, and that's not a good thing.
I need to rework my wiring, huh?

[Lu]

If it's any help in making use of leftovers, they almost certainly are fine after only three days, unless you keep your refrigerator warmer than the norm.