11.14.2004 - 10:04 pm

A good friend of mine watched it a few weeks ago and was horrified. Nick and I had a quasi-debate about it yesterday. He is of the opinion that eating anything for 30 days straight is going to have some drastic effect on your health (when going to extremes) The example I threw out there was eating only iceberg lettuce for 30 days (my former eating disordered self says) Yeah, that could have bad reaction on your insides and outsides. One of Nick's points was about capitalism, that McD's is out to make a buck, not provide the most nutritionally responsible product on the market.

Having watched the movie, I have to say that the writer/director went way extreme. He didn't particularly eat a normal meal. Often having two sandwiches, large (or super sized) fries and soda. Had he done the meals more rational, I don't know if it would have made a difference. And yeah he was healthy to start, but maybe his genetic make-up is predisposed to liver problems. I definitely agree with the depression and cravings, I'm a chocolate addict, I don't think anyone could really deny that aspect.

He did talk about alternatives, showed other points of view, people that ate it regularly (like the guy that eats at least a Big Mac a day) and don't have the negative effects that he did. I thought the segment on school lunches was interesting, and could probably be a documentary in itself. I think it's horrible to see what the cafeteria has become. When I was in school we didn't have the option to buy only one item in the hot meal line, like fries or cookies. You got the whole deal. And yes there was a snack bar with tastykakes, "juice" and ice cream. I don't think I remember soda being available at all. It's appalling to see the food served to children. And to see the choices that kids make. I can only hope that my daughter will make good choices and not end up with an eating disorder like her mom.

I remember not having cookies or soda or a lot of chips/etc growing up. These things were treats and only given about once a week. If we were hungry, it was fruit or pretzels. I remember going off the deep end in high school when there wasn't anyone to monitor what I ate. Always tastykakes every meal, sometimes the double lunch (I do remember the double lunch) hiding food in my room that was "bad" for us. And it got even worse when I went to college. I don't think it was until I was mostly done with my eating disorder that I started eating normally, fruit instead of chips, oatmeal instead of a scone, etc. Of course, I'm still addicted to the sugar, I don't think I could ever totally cut it out. Definitely reduce it, but not cut it out. I'm rambling, or at least I feel I'm rambling.

I think Fast Food Nation was a much more compelling, researched, factual and real account for why you shouldn't eat fast food than Super Size Me ever will be. If you want a reason to stop eating McD's, Taco Bell or even Subway - read it. And leave Super Size Me for the horror factor of what a person can do to themselves when getting caught up in making a point, and not protecting their own well being.

And that's my two cents.

last - next