Super Size Me

[calichillout]

So, this journal entry has two different topics. First off, I want to talk about the movie Super Size Me. I just got back from seeing the movie with my best friend Mike. It was extremely thought provoking. As a medical student, I already knew the consequences of high cholesterol and a lack of exercise. Very bad stuff! You would be amazed at how

Comments

[scootermark]

Very sad. And Americans wonder why they're ally fat, because of the disconnect between the beautiful people we see on TV and the real world.

[calichillout]

Hey man,
Thanks for replying to my journal. Introduce yourself! I agree that there is a disconnect between the people on TV and those of us in the real world. What people in the "real world" don't realize is that these people have access to world class personal trainers, cooks, dieticians and the like and therefore look gorgeous all the time! The average American can't afford that and thus we are just made to feel bad about ourselves without being given a true way to get more fit.

[scootermark]

Hi, I'm Mark, I'm a grad student living in New York City. Er... that's it, really.

I think you're right about that, but advertising and marketing have induced us to think of McDonalds--and even fried food you buy in the grocery store--as the normal American diet. And corporate indifference means the food they sell us is not healthy unless healthy is trendy and therefore a marketing perk. Oh well. I don't know who I'm more down on: the stupid companies who sell us crap, or the stupis Americans who are suckered into it.

Maybe the gay community had the right idea. If you can't get laid unless you have a six-pack, more people will work out than would have otherwise... :)

[stilsonkidd]

I SOOO wanna see this movie! Now... think about this... Isn't it a coincidence that while this movie was being produced, McDonald's started putting out more salads and "healthier" options? Hmmm....

[calichillout]

Yeah, at the end of the movie they talk about McDonald's new options (and lack of a supersize option) going into effect the day before the movie was supposed to open. And then they say that McDonald's has said that the movie had no influence on them changing their menus. That's pretty fucking laughable to me.

[dudepower1982]

Now, I know that for a lot of us gay kids gym was a terrible place to be.

It was absolutely dreadful and orgasmic at the same time!!! hehehe *evil grin*

This is one movie I *DON'T* think I'll be seeing anytime soon....I'm not willing to give up my occasional (i.e. once a week) breakfast at McDonald's.

Although I would like to read the book Fast Food Nation.

And what happened to all those Ronald McDonald & Friends commercials that used to be on? (unless they only air them during the Saturday morning cartoons...) I really miss seeing Birdie, Grimace, and the Hamburgler on my TV.

[calichillout]

hehehe, dreadful and orgasmic are definitely the right combination! I used to just revel in seeing the hot guys change. However, the bad times in the locker room and in the gymnasium definitely overruled the good in seeing the guys partially or fully naked. Yeah, breakfast at McDonald's is soooo good and like I said, it'll be hard giving that up. But, I refuse to support an industry that fucks over the health of consumers. I need to read that book too....if you read it, let me know how it is. What did happen to all those commercials. You know, McDonald's used to have such good commercials and slogans but now they suck. They definitely need to bring back all those characters! Although, maybe it's good that they don't so that kids aren't even more tempted.

[dudepower1982]

Well like I said, I wonder if maybe the Ronald McDonald & Friends characters' commercials only air on Sat. morning nowadays?

Phy Ed: two words - - GROUP SHOWERS!!!!! :-) 'Nuff said!

Out of curiosity, are you boycotting ALL the fast food franchises?

[biga31]

I really enjoyed this entry. You have said alot of things that I myself think about. When I think back to my highschool days, I am sick to think that I ate fast food every day. My eating habits have changed since then, thank God, but back then, I never thought of the consequences of eating like that. Perhaps that was due to the fact that high cholesterol was only beginning to become a wide-spread issue. I would be interested to know how many kids nowadays know about it. It is also unfortunate that the kids of today are more and more becoming a "TV culture." What ever happened to reading a book?

[calichillout]

Glad you enjoyed reading this one dude! Especially glad that you actually read it all through...I know when I post long entries like this, I risk losing a lot of readers because it's too long....but I guess the cool ones stay around:-) That's sweet that we think along the same lines. Yeah, I ate fast food a lot in high school but mostly, I brought my lunch. That is until senior year, when we had open campus lunch. Yeah, that meant eating out everyday. lol. I never thought about health back then either. It's a very hard concept to get a grip on when you're a kid. That's the main problem with having kids understand why they should eat less fast food....kids think they're invicible and therefore, telling them that they may get heard disease when they're 50 really doesn't affect them. I'm not sure how many kids know about cholesterol now....it would be interesting to find out! Yes, TV culture is a little disturbing. However, there are a lot of shows on TV that can provide as much of an educational experience as reading a book. For

[biga31]

I totally agree with you, and I think those channels are the only thing "saving" some kids. It's unfortunate when the TV is used as a baby-sitter.

By the way, my favorites are The History Channel and Discovery Science :)