Super Size Me
I've wanted to see this movie for a few years now, because I've heard so much about the movie. It was received well among audiences and two months after the movies release McDonalds announced they would no long offer a 'Super Size' option on their menus.
After having watched the movie:
(Possible spoilers below)
I can't say that I'm surprised to find out that during the 30 day experiment Morgan would end up gaining 24.5 pounds and drastically increase his cholesterol level as a result of his McDonalds only diet. Of course with any kind of controversial documentary there are going to be opposing opinions. There are those who have gone on record disputing some of the things Morgan did as well as some of the guidelines he set up for the his 30 day experiment. The majority of the disputes include his decrease in activity and the large consumption of sugar he took in during the experiment.
Some more of the shocking information from the documentary was the average number of times a person eats fast food a week. Terms like "Heavy User" and "Super Heavy User" were upsetting and seemed a little derogatory when I first heard them. I sometimes joke with friends about how I shouldn't be allowed to make decisions like what I eat for dinner every night, but with the exception of the last two weeks (and my new pasta trend) I tend to think I make wise food decisions. I don't eat read meat, and I try to avoid fast food. I would say on average I eat fast food like McDonalds, Chick-fil-A, Burger King, Wendys, or Taco Bell two or three times a month.
My brother on the other hand would easily be considered a "Super Heavy User" and it has started to show. Zachary has always been considered a big boy, he's 6'1 and wrestled in the heavy weight division in high school. I was able to go to a couple of his matches while I was home on holiday one year and Zachary wasn't just heavy, but he had muscle tone. When I went home to visit family over Labor Day this year I saw Zachary. He's still big, but his muscle tone that he once had is gone and now he's a little flabby. Zachary use to be able to substantially outrun me, but he got short of breath after helping The Boyfriend carry a chase (chair) down a flight of stairs. I realize there are more factors involved, but the biggest reason behind this kind of change in as little as three years is Zachary's Whopper diet. Zachary stops by Burger King three of four times a week and I wouldn't be surprised if the employees knew him by name at this point.
Final Thoughts: The hardest part about watching the movie was seeing what Morgan experiences in his sudden decline of health and then being able to apply the same ideas and principles to Zachary. It took 30 days to put on 24.5 pounds. It took 5 months to loose 20 pounds and an additional 9 months to loose the remaining 4.5 pounds. It worries me a little to think about what health problems Zachary might have in the future, because of his love for the Whopper.
OFFICIAL COUNT 105 DOWN 260 TO GO
Next up: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
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