Super Size Me

[Mark Wein]

Watch it free on Hulu.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/63283/super-size-me

Part of my personal "Scared Straight" campaign to get off the junk food. I've been watching it a bit at a time at work when I can find the time. Seems to be working.

[Kerouac]

Unfortunately even the gross-out factor hasn't completely broken the hold on me. Still an excellent movie though.

[Gary Blanchard]

I've got a hangup with movies like that. The message is good, but the approach is so extreme it just turns me off.

[Mark Wein]

Unfortunately even the gross-out factor has completely broken the hold on me. Still an excellent movie though.

My perspective has changed considerably after playing a memorial concert for a woman my age who leaves behind a husband and 3 young children.

[Mark Wein]

I've got a hangup with movies like that. The message is good, but the approach is so extreme it just turns me off.

Just about anything like this has to be extreme to make a point. I think they played up the health issues towards the end to give the story some "zing".

[Phil513]

I watched it on Hulu quite awhile ago. It didnt really tell me anything i didnt know already. If every bite of food that you eat comes from McDonalds for a month straight, i'd expect that to be pretty bad for you.

[Kerouac]

My perspective has changed considerably after playing a memorial concert for a woman my age who leaves behind a husband and 3 young children.

I had an easier time quitting smoking and kicking regular drug use than I have with losing weight.

[Kerouac]

My perspective has changed considerably after playing a memorial concert for a woman my age who leaves behind a husband and 3 young children.

I had an easier time quitting smoking and kicking regular drug use than I have with losing weight.

[gibby mcfender]

Definitely worth watching.

[reverend1]

You mean fast food is bad for you?



I thought it was full of vitamins and shit. I've tried to cut out fast food but it's tough when you're on the road alot.

[Mark Wein]

I watched it on Hulu quite awhile ago. It didnt really tell me anything i didnt know already. If every bite of food that you eat comes from McDonalds for a month straight, i'd expect that to be pretty bad for you.

I had an easier time quitting smoking and kicking regular drug use than I have with losing weight.

We all know eating like that is bad. It's also hard to stop. Sometimes I personally need my nose rubbed in the obvious to start making changes, though.

[Gary Blanchard]

Just about anything like this has to be extreme to make a point. I think they played up the health issues towards the end to give the story some "zing".

Anyone that needs to see someone overeat daily for a month probably won't get the point that even eating like that to a lesser degree is not healthy.

[cfgsteak]

Anyone that needs to see someone overeat daily for a month probably won't get the point that even eating like that to a lesser degree is not healthy.

no need to kick Mark in the balls though.

[reverend1]

Anyone that needs to see someone overeat daily for a month probably won't get the point that even eating like that to a lesser degree is not healthy.

I think portion control is just as big of an issue as the quality of the food it's self. THat is what I struggle with the most. I eat healthy but I still eat to much.

[Coda]

...they made us watch that in High School Health Class...I remember that guy had a show in FX after that, it was pretty interesting...

[Mark Wein]

I think portion control is just as big of an issue as the quality of the food it's self. THat is what I struggle with the most. I eat healthy but I still eat to much.

That is. I've been working on that especially this week. My doctor just told me recently that if I just ate half of what I normally would I'd be in pretty good shape.

[Phil513]

That is. I've been working on that especially this week. My doctor just told me recently that if I just ate half of what I normally would I'd be in pretty good shape.

That can't be easy.

[Gary Blanchard]

no need to kick Mark in the balls though.

True, and I seriously doubt this movie alone would cause a change in his eating. My experience tells me that change will not happen until a person sees a need for change.

[Mark Wein]

True, and I seriously doubt this movie alone would cause a change in his eating. My experience tells me that change will not happen until a person sees a need for change.

My perspective has changed considerably after playing a memorial concert for a woman my age who leaves behind a husband and 3 young children.

I'm trying.

[cfgsteak]

True, and I seriously doubt this movie alone would cause a change in his eating. My experience tells me that change will not happen until a person sees a need for change.

I absolutely agree.

[Gary Blanchard]

I'm trying.

I was not tring to imply that you didn't want to change. You had other experiences and an awareness that makes you open to the point this movie makes in a clumsy way. And I agree about the portion control; that is a hard one for all of us trying to lose weight.

[Help!I'maRock!]

That is. I've been working on that especially this week. My doctor just told me recently that if I just ate half of what I normally would I'd be in pretty good shape.

That can't be easy.

it's not.

i have this problem. if i order it, i'm going to eat the entire thing. so if you bring me a rueben from Stage Door Deli, which is a heaping pile of corned beef and saurkraut smothered in swiss cheese, hiding two pieces of rye bread; i'm going to eat every last bite. this whole "well i'm only going to have half" thing just doesn't seem to work.

i have an appointment with a nutritionist on Friday morning.

[Gary Blanchard]

it's not.

i have this problem. if i order it, i'm going to eat the entire thing. so if you bring me a rueben from Stage Door Deli, which is a heaping pile of corned beef and saurkraut smothered in swiss cheese, hiding two pieces of rye bread; i'm going to eat every last bite. this whole "well i'm only going to have half" thing just doesn't seem to work.

i have an appointment with a nutritionist on Friday morning.

I have recently been able to leave food on the plate at a restaurant, though mostly I try to control the portion before they bring it. Will power is a bitch.

[cfgsteak]

Portion control is a bitch. Most of us grew up expected to "clean our plates"...last week i was out on business and I had a chicken pasta dish at J. Alexanders that could have fed my entire family. Then i only ate as much as i could (way too much, but still less then half the portion i was served) and i felt guilty not taking it back to the hotel with me...

But then, if restaurants served small portions god knows we would be bitching about that...its a vicious cycle...

[Kerouac]

Portion control is really pretty easy for me, although I've been slipping a lot more since I started having health issues again. It becomes more about convenience than it does craving food that's bad for me. After 7 straight hours of lessons with nothing to eat my instant gratification trigger is pulled.

[OGG]

News Flash:

Eating a strict diet of massively unhealthy food is massively unhealthy.

It's a good thing somebody made a movie to point this out.

[Dew Knot Hump]

News Flash:

Eating a strict diet of massively unhealthy food is massively unhealthy.

It's a good thing somebody made a movie to point this out.

Funny how that works out isn't it. I have eaten at a fast food burger joint more than six times in the past five years and exercise on a regular basis.

I'm totally in shock that I'm not overweight and don't have high cholesterol.

I remember trying to watch that movie and only making it halfway through because it was so disgusting.

[Gary Blanchard]

I think of these type of movies as "preaching to the choir" movies. People who agree with the viewpoint will rave over it and those who disagree will rant against it, but no one will have their mind or heart changed by it.

[Dexter Inferno]

it's not.

i have this problem. if i order it, i'm going to eat the entire thing. so if you bring me a rueben from Stage Door Deli, which is a heaping pile of corned beef and saurkraut smothered in swiss cheese, hiding two pieces of rye bread; i'm going to eat every last bite. this whole "well i'm only going to have half" thing just doesn't seem to work.

i have an appointment with a nutritionist on Friday morning.

And there's a lot of the problem.
Something I've noticed when I've been to the US, is that portions at restaurants and such are really fucking huge (almost double of what you'll typically get over here).
You guys get accustomed/used to eating way more than you actually should. Eat slower and less, and after a few days you should get used to eating smaller portions.
A good trick here is cooking and eating at home rather than restaurants.

That, and typically at least one thing in a course will be fried (Scots are worse though, they'll deep fry anything). For a lot of the stuff you typically have fries with, we here up in Scandinavia-land will often have boiled potatoes and boiled veggies instead - way healthier, and most times every bit as good.

That said, obesity is becoming quite a big problem here as well these days. Most of it due to the combination of eating more and more fast food and little to no exercise.
Which again in most cases is because of too much work/leisure activities and just plain laziness. Guilty as charged (although I'm nowhere near overweight yet).

[Phlat Phive]

And there's a lot of the problem.
Something I've noticed when I've been to the US, is that portions at restaurants and such are really fucking huge (almost double of what you'll typically get over here).

Yeah, that's it. I had trouble cleaning my plate when I was in NYC last year. I didn't find it very difficult to find places where I could get tasty and reasonably healthy food, but damn, it really does seem like Americans have made a sport out of stacking as much onto a plate as possible.

[telecaster911]

Here's my daily "diet".

First break at work...banana w/ some peanut butter.

Lunch...salad with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, etc thrown in. Balsamic dressing. Sliced egg and a little grilled chicken on top.

2nd break...yogurt with a 1/4 cup of ground flaxseed mixed in.

I'm not really hungry at dinner time, so I eat whatever it is the Mrs cooks...a pretty small portion of it. No seconds and no snacks from then on. Sometimes I cave and have some chips n salsa.

repeat mon - fri.

Weekends are way less structured, but I do try to keep the portions small. We don't eat out much at all, so that helps.

I've lost 15 lbs in the past 2 months.

[Calum]

"(Scots are worse though, they'll deep fry anything)"

[jbj]

"(Scots are worse though, they'll deep fry anything)"

I reckon the abuse we put our bodies through can actually be a good thing. I'm the only person in the whole school that hasn't taken a day off through illness this year.

I reckon our systems take such a battering that when you're eating semi healthilly they're untouchable

[Calum]

I reckon the abuse we put our bodies through can actually be a good thing. I'm the only person in the whole school that hasn't taken a day off through illness this year.

I reckon our systems take such a battering that when you're eating semi healthilly they're untouchable

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

[pmc100]

All this talk of portion control needs more detail. It's not just the size of the portions that the problem, it's the content. Remember that most fruit and vegetables are virtually fat and calorie free. Even meat isn't too bad as long as it's lean and not deep fried. The BIG problem is all the carbs we surround them with. All that bread, rice and pasta. Also cheese.

You can eat a huge portion of stir fried chicken and vegetables. Eat until you can't force anymore down. It'll still be less calories and fat than a couple of slices of pizza. And whoever stops at just a couple of slices of pizza?

Cutting out carbs is the biggest challenge for me. Mostly bread, Having a sandwich for lunch is just too convenient. Whenever I do completely stay off bread, rice and pasta for a few days I lose weight even if I do no exercise at all.

[Help!I'maRock!]

All this talk of portion control needs more detail. It's not just the size of the portions that the problem, it's the content. Remember that most fruit and vegetables are virtually fat and calorie free. Even meat isn't too bad as long as it's lean and not deep fried. The BIG problem is all the carbs we surround them with. All that bread, rice and pasta.

You can eat a huge portion of stir fried chicken and vegetables. Eat until you can't force anymore down. It'll still be less calories and fat than a couple of slices of pizza. And whoever stops at just a couple of slices of pizza?

Cutting out carbs is the biggest challenge for me. Mostly bread, Having a sandwich for lunch is just too convenient. Whenever I do completely stay off bread, rice and pasta for a few days I lost weight even if I do no exercise at all.

it's a rare occasion that i eat more than two slices of pizza.

[pmc100]

it's a rare occasion that i eat more than two slices of pizza.

I forgot, American pizza's are fucking huge. Still, my point stands

The other biggie is dressings. I'm sure we're all guilty of having a nice healthy salad then smothering it in dressing

[Phlat Phive]

I forgot, American pizza's are fucking huge. Still, my point stands

I had a pizza in NYC that was about the same diameter as one you'd get in Holland (or Italy, or elsewhere in Europe), but it was just dense. I can eat a whole pizza without difficulty over here, but I couldn't even eat half of that one.

[goodusername]

The other biggie is dressings. I'm sure we're all guilty of having a nice healthy salad then smothering it in dressing

Also, name a vegetable that is not improved by a quick sauté with garlic and bacon.

[jbj]

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Until it kills you

[paulskirocks]

Just walk into any fast food establishment and look at the people and what they are eating... The sight of a 400 pound person eating a super sized meal is enough for me...

[Chihlidog]

I've seen this movie. It freaked me out. Every time I eat at McDonald's I think about it, and I have to say that yes, it really did have an effect on the amount of fast food I eat. Not like my diet is in any way healthy, but I really watch the amount of fast food I eat. I had McDonald's yesterday, first time in months. I only eat there 5-6 times a year now, it used to be more like 1-2 times a month.

[Help!I'maRock!]

I've seen this movie. It freaked me out. Every time I eat at McDonald's I think about it, and I have to say that yes, it really did have an effect on the amount of fast food I eat. Not like my diet is in any way healthy, but I really watch the amount of fast food I eat. I had McDonald's yesterday, first time in months. I only eat there 5-6 times a year now, it used to be more like 1-2 times a month.

i guess the question is, what's the difference between eating McDonalds, or an entire lunch platter from the Indian food place you like so much?

[jrockbridge]

I thought it was a decent movie when I saw it. Of course, it is heavily agenda driven and therefore more of a propaganda piece and less of a true documentary. Luckily, I was already sympathetic to the message, so it was easy to get on board with hating McDonald's.

We used to eat at McD's about once a week because my son loves the toys and the play area. I always ordered the same thing, Grilled Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad. I actually think they have one of the better fast food salads, but I don't get the appeal of the rest of their food. I managed to break that habit for my family since January. Now, if we want a good burger, fries and shake, we go across the street to Rosie's Diner.

[Chihlidog]

i guess the question is, what's the difference between eating McDonalds, or an entire lunch platter from the Indian food place you like so much?

Like I said, I know my diet isnt exactly healthy. However, the real problem with my lunch is the portion size rather than the actual content. The food itself isnt bad, I just eat massive amounts of it. Keeping in mind, however, that I dont eat dinner for the most part, most of my calories for the day come from my lunch, and whatever soda I consume during the day (which is lately getting to be too much), my lunches really arent as terrible as the photos make them seem.

Im not in GREAT shape, but Im not much overweight, and my blood pressure is good.

[Coda]

...Portions in this country are waaaay to big...I can usually get two or three meals out of a single restaurant serving...and I totally agree with the to much dressing thing...people will tell me they eat salad all the time, and they havnt lost any weight...but they use half a bottle of dressing...besides, eating right is only half the battle, the other half is exercise...and knowing, of course...

[Kerouac]

Now I want McDonalds you bastards.

[Gary Blanchard]

I thought it was a decent movie when I saw it. Of course, it is heavily agenda driven and therefore more of a propaganda piece and less of a true documentary. Luckily, I was already sympathetic to the message, so it was easy to get on board with hating McDonald's.

We used to eat at McD's about once a week because my son loves the toys and the play area. I always ordered the same thing, Grilled Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad. I actually think they have one of the better fast food salads, but I don't get the appeal of the rest of their food. I managed to break that habit for my family since January. Now, if we want a good burger, fries and shake, we go across the street to Rosie's Diner.

I hated McDonalds way before that movie. Now I hate McDondalds and propoganda films. I sometimes wonder if movies like this will be the "Reefer Madness" of the 2050's.

[Dew Knot Hump]

I forgot, American pizza's are fucking huge. Still, my point stands

The other biggie is dressings. I'm sure we're all guilty of having a nice healthy salad then smothering it in dressing

I'd say I eat my salads plain about 98% of the time, every once in a blue moon I'll have some vinagrette. I don't eat mayonaise either. It disgusts me.

[Jake S.]

McDonalds is nasty anyways. I'll take a ham sammich before 90% of the food on their menu.