The general decline in standards today

[C-dot]

Since when is what's good EASY?

Once again, this is the key point here! It's easy to eat fast food. It's easy to pick up bad habits. It's easy to stay in the same unhealthy cycle, instead of making changes to improve yourself. It's easy to do what everyone else does.

Exercising willpower is not easy, and nobody ever said so.

It's interesting to note that many dictators throughout the world initially came into power as part of a popular uprising or movement.

And those movements came about because people were desperate for things to change.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

It's easy to eat fast food.

There's no law of Nature dictating that fast food has to be unhealthy. It's that way because of choices made by those who produce it. Nor is there any law of Nature dictating that unhealthy fast food be cheaper and more easily accessible than healthy fast food. It's the result of choices made that favor the suppliers' best interests ... at the expense of their own consumers' health.

 

[PoohBang]

Easy. I didn't like the way I looked or felt. I have finished (not technically, just the BIG piece) raising three kids and have been married for 20 years this month. I am a big guy - 6'4", 220lbs. I was 252 pounds at the end of last year, and my blood pressure for the first time was beginning to rise.
Between the stress of kids, a house, career, economy in general, three+ hours a day commuting, and less time exercising, I got out of my good routines. I just hit 50 in March and said, OK, time to get back to how things were, health-wise.
Nothing magical. Just made a decision...no gub'ment needed

that's great. and good for you. It takes a lot to get out of a comfort zone.

So was it your decision to be overweight and feel lousy for the first 50 years (like some here argue) or was it you didn't realize it was going on, and when you did you did something about it?

so it seems for you and Ted, the fear of death is what made you change. Maybe that is what's needed instead of just labels.

 

[jamespowers]

There's no law of Nature dictating that fast food has to be unhealthy. It's that way because of choices made by those who produce it. Nor is there any law of Nature dictating that unhealthy fast food be cheaper and more easily accessible than healthy fast food. It's the result of choices made that favor the suppliers' best interests ... at the expense of their own consumers' health.

Again, if there was a demand then there would be a supply of healthy fast food.
I can see it now---Marc's Healthy Fast Food. Chez Marc with a drive thru window.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

On that note.... why is it we need calorie counts on everything? If you're on a diet, you know you shouldn't be eating fatty stuff and you shouldn't need to look at a package to find out if it is. I get the ingredients part, because of special diets and things, but if I'm going to eat a bag of chips or some cookies, I'm going to eat them no matter what the calorie count is. I feel like we're being treated like morons.

Well, I eat very healthy really, I do not eat too much that is not healthy. In fact, I have found that treats like fruit and veggies with a small bit of cheese goes a long ways.

I am guilty however, of the calories counting ordeal. I had to lose some weight (not much just 12 pounds) and it only took me about 15 days to do so. I am happy about what my choices are in life when it comes to food.

 

[jamespowers]

that's great. and good for you. It takes a lot to get out of a comfort zone.

So was it your decision to be overweight and feel lousy for the first 50 years (like some here argue) or was it you didn't realize it was going on, and when you did you did something about it?

so it seems for you and Ted, the fear of death is what made you change. Maybe that is what's needed instead of just labels.

Yeah, that's going to work. If it did then there would be no Tobacco industry. Someone once said that you could sell cigarettes in coffin shaped packs with the brand name Death on them and it still wouldn't deter the smoker.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Again, if there was a demand then there would be a supply of healthy fast food.
I can see it now---Marc's Healthy Fast Food. Chez Marc with a drive thru window.

It would have to be, "Sir Marc's drive through, for those driving a Packard or better only"!

 

[ButteMT61]

...In fact, they get in bed with it. The agents of liberating change become guardians of myopic, corrupt entrenchment. Right or left, it always happens.

Can't let them get comfortable enough to jump in the bed. That is the key. Lifer politicians are our biggest hurdle to a better future. I truly believe that.

 

[jamespowers]

It would have to be, "Sir Marc's drive through, for those driving a Packard or better only"!

Kind of like the Grey Poupon commercials. lol

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Again, if there was a demand then there would be a supply of healthy fast food.

Well, McDonald's doesn't help when it sues a healthy fast food restaurant like McDharma's. (I guess McDonald's didn't want its name associated with healthy food.) http://www.dharmaland.com/history/imageextra.html

 

[LoveMyHats2]

There's no law of Nature dictating that fast food has to be unhealthy. It's that way because of choices made by those who produce it. Nor is there any law of Nature dictating that unhealthy fast food be cheaper and more easily accessible than healthy fast food. It's the result of choices made that favor the suppliers' best interests ... at the expense of their own consumers' health.

This is so very true.

The great McDonalds when first opened did not have much of a menu, just cooked hamburgers, fries and pop all waiting ready to be tossed into a bag. If no one wanted it that way, they would have folded.

 

[TidiousTed]

so it seems for you and Ted, the fear of death is what made you change. Maybe that is what's needed instead of just labels.

Actually no, it was the love I have for my daughters and later for my girlfriend and the which to stay with them as long as possible. Death doesn't scare me much, it comes in so many forms and many of them are impossible to prevent.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Kind of like the Grey Poupon commercials. lol

Perhaps. But as much as a honest "class act" that Marc is observed being, I am sure if he actually ventured into it for a business, it would happen with some great success.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

It would have to be, "Sir Marc's drive through, for those driving a Packard or better only"!

Aw, tell us what you really think.

 

[jamespowers]

Well, McDonald's doesn't help when it sues a healthy fast food restaurant like McDharma's. (I guess McDonald's didn't want its name associated with healthy food.) http://www.dharmaland.com/history/imageextra.html

What did they think was going to happen? lol lol That is too much like McDonalds. It reminds me of McDowell's in coming to America. lol lol

 

[Gregg Axley]

No, the goth crowd would just smoke more.
C-Dot you're right. Making the right decisions aren't easy and they DO require effort.
I think this is part of why we see a decline.
Making no logical decisions at all take less time, because there is no thought involved.
And you can't tell me it's not more acceptable these days. (I know, started off with a preposition, Lizzie will shake a finger at me for that LOL).

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Once again, this is the key point here! It's easy to eat fast food. It's easy to pick up bad habits. It's easy to stay in the same unhealthy cycle, instead of making changes to improve yourself. It's easy to do what everyone else does.

Exercising willpower is not easy, and nobody ever said so.



And those movements came about because people were desperate for things to change.

I cannot say it any better than what you just did. However, some times people do "go along" with such a great hope and then are fooled by the real results. It happens here in the USA all the time, with those in power, (no names needed).

 

[C-dot]

So was it your decision to be overweight and feel lousy for the first 50 years (like some here argue) or was it you didn't realize it was going on, and when you did you did something about it?

Key phrase: He did something about it. You just supported our point again (what do you know, common ground does exist.)

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Aw, tell us what you really think.

I did. If anyone else on this entire forum is got it more together for details then you, toss them forward, please!

 

[PoohBang]

Actually no, it was the love I have for my daughters and later for my girlfriend and the which to stay with them as long as possible. Death doesn't scare me much, it comes in so many forms and many of them are impossible to prevent.

No, I didn't mean your death, but death and how it would affect your family. Still the fear of death.

and James, these two guys here changed their tunes so yes I think it would. Pretty much every smoker who finds out they have lung cancer quits that day.... usually it's too late, but they do.