Super Size Me

It's official. I am done with my first semester of college at the University of Florida and I made straight A's! Pretty good way to start this whole college thing I think! As Gainesville no longer provides me with a reason to stay here any longer, I will be heading home tomorrow for Christmas. As you all head home for the holiday break, drive safe and have a wonderful time!

Now enough of that college talk, the semester is over. I recently watched a movie called "Super Size Me" and for those of you who have not seen this movie, here's a quick run-down. A New Yorker decides to eat McDonald's and only McDonald's for 30 days and examine the effect it has on his health. This movie is actually a documentary, and generally speaking, I hate documentaries. I get bored really easily, and although this movie was no Bourne Identity, I was certainly intrigued. I always knew that fast food wasn't good for you, and that it causes obesity and all the jazz, but I never had any idea of the magnitude of these problems.

More than 20% of people eat out at fast food at least twice a week, and many of these people eat at McDonald's two or three times a day. By eating at McDonald's every day for one month, the New Yorker in this documentary gained over 15 pounds, and his cholesterol, fats, and sugars shot through the roof. He became depressed and lazy as the sugar and fat infested food took over his body. It's nearly impossible to say that the amount of fast food that one consumes has no link to the growing obesity rate It does. In the next ten years, obesity is predicted to overtake smoking as the leading most preventible cause of death. The rest of the statistics found in this documentary are staggering, and rather startling. If you haven't seen this movie, I'd strongly recommend it. But eat all the fast food you want first. You might not want anymore after watching it.

Watch "Super Size Me" Here

So what does this all mean? Are we supposed to completely forgo fast food? Researchers say yes. I say no, it's not realistic. I have a special place in my heart for Chikfila and Zaxby's, both fast food restaurants. For some reason, I qualify them as "high-end" fast food restaurants...but they still serve fast, fried, (delicious) food. Fast food is fast food. I think the key is to eat a well balanced diet and exercise regularly so that you can splurge on fast food every now and then. There's no denying the convienence and appeal for road trips, and in the mornings, there's nothing better than a hot Chikfila chicken biscuit. Just watch the frequency I suppose. Since watching the movie, I have tried to start eating healthier and become more physically active. (We will see how long this lasts..) I am drinking Bolthouse Farms veggie juice (looks gross, tastes delicious), cutting back on the Zaxbys (*tear*) and just trying to be more physically active. I am hoping to get a pedometer soon to track my steps each day. The average number of steps the average American takes a day is around 5000, significantly less than the 10000 recommended.

So get pumped. Get active. And join me in Walk with Walgreens as millions of people across the nation try to live a little bit healthier life. After all, you only get one. (As far as I know)