Friday, August 1, 2008

Oh, well, when you put it that way . . .

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/8224/6-worst-things-to-eat-at-the-movies/

I always get suckered into looking at this guy's column on Yahoo! It's the "eat this not that" guy. Who is, I must say, very cute going by the pictures. David something. And really, I'd like to pound him like a railroad spike. And not in the good way.

He seems to be one of those eminently logical people who feels that if he simply explains the facts about calories and fat and sodium and all those nasty things, that you will suddenly have an epiphany and say, "Why, yes, you're absolutely right, David Something. I did not know that a fried entree covered in cheese, gravy and ranch dressing would be bad for me. I'll have fruit and flax seed instead." As if food is a solely logical decision. As if knowing that the waffle fries soaked in cheese sauce and bacon and sour cream will kill me makes it not taste good. As if dark chocolate dipped Oreos don't sing to me like a siren looking at the last Greek sailor in town. Yes, I'm appalled at the calorie glut that we face at nearly every chain restaurant. But anyone who says that nothing tastes as good as being thin feels has never had a Braum's Black Forest Sundae.

Knowing the facts is good. But it's no silver bullet. Knowing that my favorite treat is more calories and fat grams than I should have in a day does not magically erase it's power over me. Millions of people know the dangers of smoking (printed in English right on the pack), but still light up. And I wish cutting the junk out of my diet was as easy as just making a valued judgement based on a reasoned dissection of the facts. But it's just not that easy. Watching your diet is a battle against scary yet delicious monsters each and every day. Some days you beat the monster. Some days you eat him.

2 comments:

Desiree' said...

I have to agree. I know what not to eat, and what to eat, I just can't stop myself. It's not that I am ignorant, I just have very little will power.

FirePhrase said...

There is one reliable test. "Hmm. Smack. Smack. Tastes good." That means I probably shouldn't be eating it. If I liked tofu and sprouted wheat germ, I'd be skinny. I like fried food. I like sugary food. I like booze. I like ribs. See anything there that Mr. Eat This would recommend? Me neither. But that's my demon. And I have to fight it. Telling me that demons are bad doesn't help. Demons. Bad. Got it.

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