You're making me hungry.

<<I just saw the movie 'Supersize Me' >>

Is this the Michael Moore film that Disney/Miramax refused to distribute (at least here in the US)?

Brett

Unfortunately the people that need to see the movie won't and will keep on eating crap and getting bigger and bigger.

Andrew

No, that's Moore's 9/11 flik.

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Proud member of Team Tooth Pick (TTP): like a leaf in the wind.

No, this is the movie about the guy (who made the movie) who decided to eat nothing but McDonald's food for 30 days. He had three doctors and a nutritionist following his health, and one doctor was worried he might do permanent liver damage. He gained 18lbs. http://movies2.nytimes.com/...7/movies/07SUPE.html

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"Go yell at an M&M"

There used to be a time when I liked having a Big Mac once a month or so - not anymore! Although I really do not need a documentary to tell me just how bad an effect that food from places like McDonalds can have on a person, there was a pretty humorous review of that documentary on NPR over the weekend! I especially liked the part that described how the films subject got to the point where he would actually throw up shortly after consuming a Big Mac (which was illustrated during the film). They also mentioned that during the course of filming, the film's subject gained 25-pounds as well as had a 60-point spike in his cholesteral level over the same period (yikes)!



Michael

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In my long road to becoming the svelte athlete I am today, I dropped about 150 pounds (weighed 340 in 1993 when I graduated from college, by '96 I was down to about 190... today it fluctuates between 185 and 200-ish).

My basic philosohpy was simple: eat less and do more. But I feel one of the most important things I did was simply stop eating fast food. There is no doubt in my mind that the garbage they pass off as food and the way they market it (to your kids, mainly) is a prime accomplice in what we're now calling a worldwide epidemic of obesity.

I haven't eaten a fast food burger or fries in years. I do give kudos to Wendys, though, where I stop by every now and then (in a pinch, a baked potato and a little salad makes a good lunch).

I hadn't eaten at McDonalds in a few years (after reading "Fast Food Nation") but was trappen in Ohare airport with vouchers for food. I broke down and got the grilled chicken salad at McDonalds. It was damn good. Nice green romaine lettuce with fresh tomatoes, carrots and cukes with non fatty non fried grilled chicken served with Newman's Own organic italian dressing on the side. A very healthy offering. That salad was better than I've had at a lot of nice restaurants. Since then I've gotten the salad a couple of times and it has been consistently good. Maybe there's some hope for that industry.

Saw the movie as well. He gained 25 pounds actually. Don't know where the Times got that 18 lb figure.

The movie is probably best viewed in conjunction with reading "Fast Food Nation" to get a sense for the larger picture, and how McDonalds is just a cog in the wheel.

Actually, ABC ran a documentary a couple of months ago about food and obesity. Fascinating. Their contention was that much of this has to do with the corn lobby. Basically, it works like this: the corn lobby is so strong that it has successfully garnered something like over 80% of the overall agricultural subsidies in this country. As a result, we highly overproduce corn, which is then extremely cheap. The vast majority of corn produced in this country is not consumed by people directly. Rather, it goes to two other uses: cattle feed and the manufacture of high-fructose corn syrup. Fast Food Nation details all of the ills that arise from using corn in cattle feed instead of grass, so I won't go into that other than to say that it is simply a matter of money vs. health. In terms of corn syrup, it provides food companies with a plentiful and cheap sweetener, which they then have incentive to use in everything and in large quantities, as they advertise it on afternoon children's TV.

If you look at the density of calories we eat now as well as portion size, it just dwarfs what we used to eat, as well as what we need. Combine that with the fact that its generally less nutritious and built to addict, we've got a problem, Houston.

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"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" - Benjamin Franklin
"Don't you see the rest of the country looks upon New York like we're left-wing, communist, Jewish, homosexual pornographers? I think of us that way sometimes and I live here." - Alvy Singer, "Annie Hall"

There is an article in the April/May issue of "Mother Earth News" and it talks about how they use machinery (aka the Advanced Meat Recovery System") to "strip" the meat off the cows (which by the way, some of them can't even walk or move at all they have to be drug with heavy equipment). This process is so "efficient" at ripping the meat off the spinal cord that there is a 35% chance that nervous system tissues come with it. But that’s not the worst part, what they are feeding the cows is even worse. They grind up "chicken litter", all the crap from the bottom of the chicken coup, feathers, bedding, excess feed, and you guessed it, chicken shit. They say this chicken shit is a good source of protein for the cows. That’s why free range lean turkey costs so much and you can feed an entire family on hamburgers from McD’s on $10. .

-Erik in CT

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-Erik

"I don't half-ass anything. For me its either whole-ass or nothing." -elake

Try reading Fast Food Nation. That book will change your mind about fast food eating. Not that many of us actually eat fast food. I can't do it anymore. Since going to culinary school and reading that book it just doesn't make sense. Anyways, it's cheaper to eat properly when you cook than to eat poorly when they cook. SUCKERS ARE EVERYWHERE! AMERICANS ARE LAZY WHEN IT COMES TO COOKING!

David J
ASU SUN DEVILS!!!!

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david
asc-arizona state cycling
tribemultisport.com

Documentary, but a very funny one.

Currently playing in theaters.

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Where would you want to swim ?

You want some really good fast food? Go hunting! Venison! YUM!

I know a guy who owns/runs half a dozen McD's franchises. He (and everyone else at McDonald's) loves selling salads. They are doing decent volume on them and their margins are way, way, way higher than on burgers. Fast food places, like all other businesses, just sell what the buying public wants. For a long time now that has been fast, cheap, good tasting but largely unnutritious food. When people want (and are willing to pay for) something else, the fast food joints will change their menu or die. It is already happening. How much more they change is up to their customers, not them.

I know its easier to demonize faceless corporations for social ills than it is to look at your kids, your friends or even yourself but we still live in a country where the people, call the shots.

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Anyone who tells you they're as fast now as they were when they were 18...
sure wasn't very fast when they were 18.

"But that’s not the worst part, what they are feeding the cows is even worse. They grind up "chicken litter", all the crap from the bottom of the chicken coup, feathers, bedding, excess feed, and you guessed it, chicken shit. They say this chicken shit is a good source of protein for the cows."
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Substitute sheep for chicken above and you will understand how we got Mad Cow Disease. Sheep waste (and sheep that were not fit for sale) were ground up as feed for the cows - and some of those had sheep scrapes which became Mad Cow Disease.

My ex-wife was at a lecture at a University in England when Mad Cow was becoming a big problem (she is a biochemist from NZ). When the lecturer explained that Mad Cow came from the cows eating sheep she asked "how could that be? Cows are vegetarian." "Ah" said the lecturer, "You're not from around here are you? We feed ground up sheep to cows as feed". She stopped eating meat after that.

"I know its easier to demonize faceless corporations for social ills than it is to look at your kids, your friends or even yourself but we still live in a country where the people, call the shots. "


I ahve to disagree with you on this point... Havign worked in advertising and following public health trends I have to say that as much as money walks and bullshit walks in the US... Advertising plays a huge role in what we want... Advertisers tell us what we want and we go "freely vote" with our dollars on what we want...

Now of course there are many people who are not so easily swayed by advertisements but if you look at the way populations react it is hard not to palce blame at least part of the blame on the corporations.

I personally do demonize these faceless coporations (it doesn't stop me from going in every once in awhile though) but I think that they represent a reflection of the unfortunate consequence of our money wins all society that we live in. Our competitive economic system has yielded great advances in society (medicine, technology, etc) but it has also lead to the situation which we have now which is where corporations have trampled over the health of our population in the search for the mighty dollar...

I guess what I am trying to say is that we may all "cal the shots" but it is wih a huge amount of outside influence.

I can't wait to go see this movie. I turned vegetarian back in 1995 or 1996 after reading a few books like "Mad cowboy" and "Better than Beef". I've also read fast food nation in the last year...good stuff. I've never missed meat, find myself to have more energy, and see other positive benefits.

This year I started in on saturated fats....I have successfully given up anything with partially hydrogenated oils in it. I suspect I get some when I dine out, but I certainly don't buy anything with them in it. Thank god for Trader Joe's and other whole foods style places. Almost everything I eat is organic now, and it really doesn't cost much more...it's a little tougher because you have to look harder for the good food (the bad food is everywhere).

I gave up the hydrogenated oils about 2-3 months ago...I've lost 5 pounds without adding any exercise -- down to 160 from 165. I eat the same stuff, but instead of buying Cap'N Crunch (loaded with partially hydrogenated oils), I now buy Puffins or something similar which is all organic.

thankfully it's not about a pizza place. I'd cry. 2 very tasty large slices and a drink for $3.50 after tax can't be beat for lunch.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Good points and before I saw the movie I would have agreed with you.

BUT, see the movie and you will learn some stunning facts about the McMachine's salads (some are worse for you than big macs with all the ingredients and dressing, in terms of nutrients, fat, calories, etc.). The filmmaker addresses this issue directly.

Also, the filmmaker graphically gives some jaw-dropping info and comparisons about the focus of and size of the advertising budgets of McDonalds and other junk food franchises and you will not believe what you see. It is truly amazing as they outspend the GNP of some COUNTRIES.

And then, of course, the director takes on the issue of the rash of suits the junk food franchises are facing for "making people fat." This part is pretty funny. He doesn't take sides, but after seeing this movie, for me this issue is not so black and white anymore.

In any case, I learned a bit, was grossed out a little, and laughed a hell of a lot!

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Where would you want to swim ?

Kanngaroo too! Bewdiful!

As far as the adveritsing to the kids thing goes I'm going to have to call bullshit on it making kids fat. It is purely the parents fault.

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customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.

yeah McDs food is usually unhealthy but it sure is tasty too.

Hadn't been there in months and just tried out thier new healthy menu and it's pretty damn good, think the chicken sandwich on wheat had less fat grams than a clif bar and was really tasty. The salads are good too as well as that mini fruit and yogurt parfait desert they have. Other stuff like apple wedges and the vegie burger (normally hate these but this one was actually okay) are great options too. Just go easy on the dressing or get the low fat vinagarette which only has like 40 calories. Of course I did break down last time and just got the good old double cheeseburger, 23 g of fat or something like that.

"yeah McDs food is usually unhealthy but it sure is tasty too."

For me, one of the most interesting things in Fast Food Nation was the discussion on food additives. It turns out that most of the food sold in fast food restaurants basically has no taste due to the freezing processes. All the flavors come from chemical additives developed in labs. Kind of creepy and kind of funny. It reminds me of the old Jetsons episodes where they would eat a turkey dinner in a pill form.