scrymettet wrote:
But the real culprit to the obesity epidemic is not the fast food industry but the fact that American are always ingesting calories. Soda,snacks,candies all day

I'd blame it more on our aversion to exercise.

Sha-Lynne wrote:
I thought Europe and Canada were supposed to be much better?

And yes, for anyone who hasn't been living under a rock I think the above is well-known.

Canada ? nope.
Europe have a ban on growth hormones in cattle. That's why no American beef is imported there.
And the slow food is cultural there.

Damon Banner wrote:

I'd blame it more on our aversion to exercise.

both.
to much in
not enough out

weight gain

Russian Katarina wrote:

That food is chemically designed in a lab to be addictive, the same way drugs are. Which is why most people "can't help it", the same way many people can not handle drugs for purely occasional, recreational use.

That is why we ban drugs. Not so much with fast food and tobacco, although the principle is the same.

I've had plenty of fast food throughout my life...but I still manage to have it only once in a blue moon.  If it weren't so darn convenient I could easily do without it for the rest of my life.  Pretty sure junkies can't say that about their addiction.

(Though I do agree that some crap should be banned/better regulated)

Russian Katarina wrote:

Others have a similar craving towards fast food. It depends on many factors, our genes, the bacteriae in our stomach, internalized eating habits from childhood and so on.

Many people do not stand a chance against this industrialy designed, deeply unhealthy food that makes them fat, ill and will kill them many years too soon.

I crave foods all the time, doesn't mean I'm addicted to it.  Pregnant chicks crave pickles and ice cream (etc), doesn't mean they're laced with anything...

The main thing is convenience and taste...and people with self-destructive tendencies that just don't give a....

scrymettet wrote:

Canada ? nope.
Europe have a ban on growth hormones in cattle. That's why no American beef is imported there.
And the slow food is cultural there.

I thought that Europe had something similar for crops too?

Damon Banner wrote:

I'd blame it more on our aversion to exercise.

Honestly, I think a lot of it is likely linked to depression/apathy or a feeling of invincibility.  And, yes, convenience...but I feel like that's not enough for obesity to exist.  There has to be something else, whether it be the person's fault or nature's.

Sha-Lynne wrote:

Honestly, I think a lot of it is likely linked to depression/apathy or a feeling of invincibility.  And, yes, convenience...but I feel like that's not enough for obesity to exist.  There has to be something else, whether it be the person's fault or nature's.

I agree.  And time. 

Time and stress are two of the biggest drivers of unhealthy habits in the US imo. 

There seems to be this myth that Americans are lazy when it comes to exercise.  And while I'm not going to say that's never the truth, again, (lack of) time drives many American habits.  Especially families. 

E.g. if I've got 2 - 3 available hours at the end of a day, where you put that time matters.  Yes, you could spend half of it going to a gym working out and coming home.  But that might take away from genuine family time, hobby time, side business time, etc. 

Don't mistake me.  Ultimately, the onus for one's health is on one's own shoulders. But brushing everyone with the lazy brush is not always accurate.

Compass Rose Studios wrote:

I agree.  And time. 

Time and stress are two of the biggest drivers of unhealthy habits in the US imo. 

There seems to be this myth that Americans are lazy when it comes to exercise.  And while I'm not going to say that's never the truth, again, (lack of) time drives many American habits.  Especially families. 

E.g. if I've got 2 - 3 available hours at the end of a day, where you put that time matters.  Yes, you could spend half of it going to a gym working out and coming home.  But that might take away from genuine family time, hobby time, side business time, etc. 

Don't mistake me.  Ultimately, the onus for one's health is on one's own shoulders. But brushing everyone with the lazy brush is not always accurate.

You do some type of activity with your family.  Yet, we would rather watch TV.  So I would call it lazy.

Sha-Lynne wrote:

I thought that Europe had something similar for crops too?

yes, partial ban of genetically modified food

Caperucita Roja wrote:
Oh here's another thing I noticed. You all live in palaces 8/ the houses were huuuuuuge!! In poorer areas and richer areas! Houses in the UK are muuuuch teenier!

Nope.  That one's not true.  At all. 

Maybe that was where you were.

Compass Rose Studios wrote:

Nope.  That one's not true.  At all. 

Maybe that was where you were.

Really? I went around Atlanta and Florida...

Caperucita Roja wrote:
Really? I went around Atlanta and Florida...

Atlanta and Florida aren't very good measures of the rest of the US imo (on many levels).  In fact Atlanta has more suburban sprawl than any other state and one of the biggest single 'planned' suburban communities in America. 

That doesn't mean McMansions or most new development suburbs aren't a little ostentatious (imo), or that they aren't in every state.  But there are plenty - in fact far more humble dwellings in the burbs and rural areas and tiny spaces in urban areas where most Americans live.

Caperucita Roja wrote:
Oh here's another thing I noticed. You all live in palaces 8/ the houses were huuuuuuge!! In poorer areas and richer areas! Houses in the UK are muuuuch teenier!

That's only certain areas of the country. People in the South, and Midwest -- areas where there is still a lot of space -- often live in larger homes.

People in rural areas are more likely to live in large houses than people who live in urban areas.

My family are southerners and consider it inappropriate, and weird if you live "too close" to someone else. My mother considers one acre to still be cramped living. She also believes it's degrading to live in an apartment, because for some reason, that's just not classy.

It just depends on where you grow up, and generational attitudes.

immateria wrote:
In the twenty years that my parents lived in the United States, they would go to restaurants and order an appetizer and an entree for two people. Problem solved.

That's what we do. Sometimes not the appetizer. And if we can't decide on a dish we like, we'll go ahead and order two and then take half of each home.

Koryn Locke wrote:
My family are southerners and consider it inappropriate, and weird if you live "too close" to someone else. My mother considers one acre to still be cramped living. She also believes it's degrading to live in an apartment, because for some reason, that's just not classy.

Kinda reminded me of Hoyt's mom from True Blood there...

scrymettet wrote:

yes, partial ban of genetically modified food

Thought so...would be nice to have.

Koryn Locke wrote:
The fast food industry is sort of weird thing for me, now that I work in the fitness industry.

1. I hate it, because clients come in, thinking that there will still be "healthier" options on the McDonald's menu, stuff they can have while trying to lose 30, 40 or 50 pounds. Nope. You can't have any of that shit. If you're working out with me, you're making your meals at home, and you're packing all your fucking lunches for the next six months I own you, via contract.

2. I can't hate it that much, because fast food industry is part of the reason I'm making a living -- at least partially from overweight people.

From the perspective of a trainer, I LOVE people who can say NOOOOOOOOOO to fast food and soda (even if most people are addicted to it, and believe they can't live without it), but the reality is - if it was hard to find fast foods and sodas, there might not even be a "fitness industry."

Likely...and while that would suck for you, it would also be a beautiful thing.  When I was in Italy every single fat person I saw was American.  And there were a lot.  A few of them almost killed me on a spiral staircase with no handrail and a mighty long fall.

immateria wrote:
In the twenty years that my parents lived in the United States, they would go to restaurants and order an appetizer and an entree for two people. Problem solved.

Not entirely, in many restaurants that would still be your entire caloric and/or fat intake for the day.

Koryn Locke wrote:
for the next six months I own you, via contract.

I'm guessing it would be inappropriate to take the above completely out of context in order to fap to it, right?

Thought so.

OK, never mind.

kickfight wrote:

I'm guessing it would be inappropriate to take the above completely out of context in order to fap to it, right?

Thought so.

OK, never mind.

That's fun as long as you're not the Private Pyle of her unit.

Caperucita Roja wrote:
I mean, how do you eat all that stuff?

Idk I get yelled at for wasting food all the time and when I have an option I order small/medium anything:P but hey maybe a less stubborn person would just learn to finish what they have.

I never understood that. I mean, telling little kids to eat vegetables I can understand. But I'm full, don't complain that I don't wanna shovel food down my throat..

Presley ONeil wrote:

Idk I get yelled at for wasting food all the time and when I have an option I order small/medium anything:P but hey maybe a less stubborn person would just learn to finish what they have.

I never understood that. I mean, telling little kids to eat vegetables I can understand. But I'm full, don't complain that I don't wanna shovel food down my throat..

What I don't like is if a kid won't eat something healthy, parents will cave and give them a cookie.  Making them eat, I can understand.  I hated eating as a kid and if I were given the option I'd probably have half a fishstick per day.  From what I've seen, a lot of kids don't particularly like eating.  But that whole "finish everything on your plate" thing is a bit much.

Laura UnBound wrote:

yes.



The first time I went to a mcdonalds in canada, I ordered a large drink, because I intended for it to last me like...the whole day.

When my order came up they handed me a medium sized cup. I checked my receipt and told the guy I was sorry, but I ordered a large and tried to hand the cup back to him.

He stared at me for a moment like I grew another head, and then smiles and goes "Youre an american, arent you?"

"uh..yes?" Whats that got to do with why you wont give me the large drink I paid for?

He laughed and pulled out two more, smaller, cups. I was holding a large. I asked if there was an extra large, he said no.

I first time I went to the states and went to mcdonalds and ordered a meal I got a large sized drink with it (thinking it would be the same size as here) and when they handed it to me I looked at it like O.O and I said to myself 'in the fuck did I just order?'

I find that the portion sizes are way bigger down there too and groceries are A LOT cheaper.

NicoleNudes wrote:



I first time I went to the states and went to mcdonalds and ordered a meal I got a large sized drink with it (thinking it would be the same size as here) and when they handed it to me I looked at it like O.O and I said to myself 'in the fuck did I just order?'

I find that the portion sizes are way bigger down there too and groceries are A LOT cheaper.

Depending where you go we CAN have a lot more options for groceries. When I lived in Sacramento there were a handful of big chain stores, plus another handful of different kinds of bulk and/or discount stores, so I cut hundred of dollars out of our grocery bill by going to multiple places, buying bulk when we could, and freezing. At home all we really have nearby is a couple of the big chains, if I want to drive another 45+ minutes I can get to the bulk/discount grocers but Ive never been terribly fond of their selection/quality


On a whole I find toronto more expensive in everything, but thats the same way NYC, LA, San Fran, etc would be, its a city...

Caperucita Roja wrote:
When I was 15 I went to a Denny's in Florida, (probably shit for you, but a real treat for me as a tourist to go to an American diner).

Me and my pa ordered a $3 burger, and when it arrived we were super shocked to see it was practically the size of our heads!

So I'm sat  here watching Man V Food and I'm wondering if you guys just have scarily big portions of everything compared to here in Europe 8/ I mean, how do you eat all that stuff?

Well... this is why the panty sizes of the Americans are also a tad bigger... to match the burgers...

But what I hear... is that since I left Europe over 20 years ago... the German waste sizes starting to get supersized American style... a lot of the food processing and engineered non-foods have entered the shelves more than ten years ago... and they are much fatter now, then they were when I grew up there.

Stephen Dawson wrote:

I remember this with the caption:

    "Paris, France"                 -          "Paris, Kentucky"


                                 

Sha-Lynne wrote:
What I don't like is if a kid won't eat something healthy, parents will cave and give them a cookie.  Making them eat, I can understand.  I hated eating as a kid and if I were given the option I'd probably have half a fishstick per day.  From what I've seen, a lot of kids don't particularly like eating.  But that whole "finish everything on your plate" thing is a bit much.

It is too much. &i can't stand when parents cave. There's so many easier ways-.- find out what the kid WILL eat that's healthy and put together a balanced meal.

I don't like steak &potatoes(when I was little&they were mashed by hand, chunky was no bueno) but that's what I had to eat.

I would've eaten chicken, peas, carrots, green beans, a lot of other veggies and any other meat.
But that being Irish for ya(-:

Damon Banner wrote:
they filled their plate up with salad and shit before the actual food came.

Salad isn't food. Salad is what food eats.

NicoleNudes wrote:



I first time I went to the states and went to mcdonalds and ordered a meal I got a large sized drink with it (thinking it would be the same size as here) and when they handed it to me I looked at it like O.O and I said to myself 'in the fuck did I just order?'

I find that the portion sizes are way bigger down there too and groceries are A LOT cheaper.

Hey, stay away from our groceries. You guys have caused enough trouble with your shoe shopping this fall. I ranted about that, at the time. Don't you guys have shoe stores? What, now you want our groceries, too?

ArtisticPhotography wrote:

Hey, stay away from our groceries. You guys have caused enough trouble with your shoe shopping this fall. I ranted about that, at the time. Don't you guys have shoe stores? What, now you want our groceries, too?

Yes, we went over this, remember?

I want all your milk and cheese. Those are two of the most expensive things here. Except I want my milk in bags. Your jugs are weird.

NicoleNudes wrote:
Yes, we went over this, remember?

I want all your milk and cheese. Those are two of the most expensive things here. Except I want my milk in bags. Your jugs are weird.

Did you hear about the Canadians that were caught smuggling cheese into Canada?   

Russian Katarina wrote:

Others have a similar craving towards fast food. It depends on many factors, our genes, the bacteriae in our stomach, internalized eating habits from childhood and so on.

Many people do not stand a chance against this industrialy designed, deeply unhealthy food that makes them fat, ill and will kill them many years too soon.

I don't buy that at all. That's like in elementary school they told me that pringles had them in it. My dad did some research, he's a scientist. It was NOT true. McDonald's is the same way. I have watched the documentaries, it's your body craving sugar and such things, not chemicals. It's the same as when I am about to get my period, I want a bloody steak. You train your body in what to crave and eat. This addictive drug mumbo jumbo is just a front to give them an excuse. It's very easy to re-train your body not to want it. I ate at McDonalds 4 days ago, haven't wanted it since, same with BK a few weeks ago.

Damon Banner wrote:

You do some type of activity with your family.  Yet, we would rather watch TV.  So I would call it lazy.

I'm going to agree with Damon here again. I either wake up at 430 am, throw my happy/grumpy ass in the shower and hit the gym until 630 or I take my dog to the park after work with the hubby. I make the time to work out. Working out can easily be family time, go walk trails in a park, play outside, etc. We choose to sleep in or stay home and watch TV

Sha-Lynne wrote:

What I don't like is if a kid won't eat something healthy, parents will cave and give them a cookie.  Making them eat, I can understand.  I hated eating as a kid and if I were given the option I'd probably have half a fishstick per day.  From what I've seen, a lot of kids don't particularly like eating.  But that whole "finish everything on your plate" thing is a bit much.

When I'm on the road, I get it a lot when I stay with photographers. It's almost like they're offended I ordered this but couldn't eat it all. My mom was a Nurse Practitioner, my dad a scientist and they got food portions. I was never forced to eat more than I could handle. The fact that I had a MExican stand off with a nanny over it once probably didn't help. I sat for an entire 8 hours staring at an unfinished bowl of cereal because I wasn't allowed to leave the table until I finished it. I was a stubborn child, so I sat. She got fired for that. However, I do often feel guilty when I'm out and people give me a hard time saying there are starving people in the world and I'm wasting so much. Look, I'll take it home, or go give it to a homeless person, but I'm not going to make myself sick eating. That's not smart. The portions are gigantic compared to how I cook at home and I just won't force feed myself.