Mindless Eating Machines

Think about it: you are sitting at your desk – looking for just about anything to do except work – and there is this big bowl of candy. No, no, no, no, no, no, well…. just one more. That’s how it works. You could say “no” twenty times in less than a second and, on the twenty-first, lose the battle of the bulge.

Then there are the social events – today, there is not one that doesn’t somehow include food – parties, weddings, get-togethers – they all must have at least some snacks present.

The bar - once reserved for just getting drunk - now offer wings, burgers, fries and a host of salty freebies to stoke your thirst. Not only do you get fat drinking, but a torrent of fat-laden snacks are heaped on top.

How has everything gotten so unhealthy? It has to do with preference. Given a choice between a rich, fattening food and a healthier but less attractive food, almost everyone will eat the fat food. Competition between food suppliers has forced them to produce ever more attractive and fattening foods to win over new customers.

But now the wind is changing. This rich, delicious food is being recognized for what it is: a national health hazard. That’s right, fattening foods will soon be grouped with other sins like smoking and drinking.

And while controlling these things has not worked well in the past, attitudes about them are changing as well and this will probably be the deciding factor in the long run.

As more people come to realize how badly these foods treat you body, the demand should go down – just as it has for cigarettes despite multibillion dollar advertising campaigns to keep smokers smoking.

Bad food may also turn into bad business – especially from a civil lawsuit standpoint. The U.S. is just filled with lawyers who could make millions off fast food chains by proving they intentionally served unhealthy food.

Governments aren’t waiting in the wings. Already, several places in New York, including the Big Apple itself, have banned trans fats – those nasty, long lasting Franken fats used in many products - including fried foods - that provoke high cholesterol.

These local governments aren’t enacting legislation just to please a few health oriented pressure groups, but also in an attempt to save their healthcare system hemorrhaging from the costs of treating complications related to obesity. Obese people, it’s well known, suffer from a much higher incidence of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and you name it.

Will government and hordes of lawyers force you to eat greasy cheese burgers in dark alleys like a smack addict? Not likely and no time soon. If you think people get nasty when taking away their right to smoke, what do you think might happen with food choices?

More likely it will be a slow, gradual change like those with diet sodas – one that traded a sugar fix for a nasty mix of artificial flavors and sweeteners.

That means it will still be up to you, dear reader, to decide what’s the best way to take care of your body and burn the fat. Reading these articles is a great start, but does not substitute for action and intelligence on your part. Do something for yourself and for others – if by nothing more than setting a good example. Eat healthy, get regular exercise and help others to do the same. The end result will benefit us all and keep us out of the “Mindless Eating Machine” category.

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