Don't Blame It On The Bossa Nova . . . or McDonald's

     One of the most unsettling movies I've ever seen was a documentary called "Super Size Me," made by Morgan Spurlock in 2004.  In it, Mr. Spurlock vowed to eat only from the McDonald's menu for 30 days in an effort to prove the dangers of fast food.  Prior to his endeavor, he was thoroughly examined by his physician and underwent comprehensive blood testing, all of which determined that he was of normal weight and in reasonably good health.  By the end of the 30 days, according to his doctor and the follow-up blood work, he was 25 pounds heavier and just barely clinging to life.  

     But here's the rub:  One of his stipulations was that he had to eat one of each featured item on the menu every day.  Do you have any idea how much food that is?  Secondly, if the friendly McDonald's representative behind the counter or the squawk box asked him if he wanted to super size his soda, fries, or meal, his automatic response was "Yes."  In addition, he displayed a map of one square mile of Manhattan showing how many McDonald's restaurants were clustered there and then suggested that it was virtually impossible to avoid them.  Apparently, some kind of magnetic force field simply propelled you through the door against your will and forced you to eat a Big Mac.  Finally, in the scene that finally drove me up out of my seat and after which I spent the remainder of the movie pacing and ranting and raving around my living room (to the unending delight of my husband, who was still trying to watch the movie), Mr. Spurlock was eating a meal in the front seat of his car and speaking to the cameraman sitting on the passenger side.  At one point, he said," I feel like I'm going to throw up if I eat any more of this, but I have to finish."  He then took two more bites of his sandwich, opened the driver's side door, and leaned out and threw up.  Pleeeeeeeaaaaaaaasssseeee!  How many of us eat to that point?  Okay, how many of us eat to that point more than once in our lives?  Could there be anything more ridiculous?   Only watching a grown man do it to himself in front of God, cameras, and everyone, as far as I'm concerned. 

      Mr. Spurlock suggested that not only is fast food (particularly McDonald's) harmful, but it is practically impossible to avoid it, and once you start eating it, you are helpless to stop.  Oh, honestly.

        Apparently, I wasn't the only one who was incensed by the movie.  High school science teacher John Cisna was too, and he recently set out to disprove Morgan Spurlock's misleading results.  Making reasonable and healthy choices, he proceeded to lose 37 pounds while eating exclusively at McDonald's for 90 days, and his cholesterol dropped from 249 to 170.  In addition to making wise food choices, Mr. Cisna walked 45 minutes per day, a regimen that Mr. Spurlock reportedly also had planned, though he never followed through.  For the most part, he was sedentary during his 30-day experiment. 

        So we can continue to blame our extra weight or poor health on our mothers, our tyrannical bosses, or the food industry, but the bottom line is that the only one in control of what I put in my mouth is ME.  I can keep doing what I'm doing and make the situation worse or I can make a few changes, smarter food choices, and move a little more, and I can change it.  I have the power.