Our children shouldn't be doomed. . .

Yes, obesity is an epidemic.

Yes, it is something that we can consciously change.

Yes, we can make as many excuses as we'd like.

I watched this tonight. Take a look, especially if you feel like bringing children up in this world.

And for god's sake, teach your children to like vegetables. Yes, they'll say "I don't like spinach!!!" And then you give them carrots. And the next week, you make a salad, with spinach mixed in. And they'll love it. And you'll bring it up the next time they complain. And while you're at it. . . . . take a family bike ride.

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

And have a glass of red wine. I here that "French Diet" thing actually works

You know what would be awesome? If whole grains and veggies were cheaper than or comparably priced to processed white flour snack crap.

If pure fruit and vegetable juice were cheaper than or comparably priced with sugar-laden pseudo juice and Kool-Aid. (Hello, latent affect of corn subsidies and the sugar quota.)

If I could buy my family lunch at the hot health food store bar instead of resorting to Costco hot dogs when we're out and about and low on funds.

If every health care plan got their heads out of their asses and offered nutritional counseling and family YMCA memberships.

If corporations could contribute to the wellness of their workers by providing on-site meal prep services and otherwise flexing a bit so that a full-time work schedule didn't make it so hard to feed your family right.

Or you know, parents could stop being so assholish and start trying to get their kids to eat vegetables. I'm sure that's exactly what's causing this whole thing.

And whoever is about to come in here and tell me that poverty isn't a factor in obesity, shut it. Yes, it's possible to eat healthy on a limited budget but it's definitely a hell of a lot harder to do it on a consistent basis.

PRockGirlScout said:

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

You know what would be awesome? If whole grains and veggies were cheaper than or comparably priced to processed white flour snack crap.

If pure fruit and vegetable juice were cheaper than or comparably priced with sugar-laden pseudo juice and Kool-Aid. (Hello, latent affect of corn subsidies and the sugar quota.)

If I could buy my family lunch at the hot health food store bar instead of resorting to Costco hot dogs when we're out and about and low on funds.

If every health care plan got their heads out of their asses and offered nutritional counseling and family YMCA memberships.

If corporations could contribute to the wellness of their workers by providing on-site meal prep services and otherwise flexing a bit so that a full-time work schedule didn't make it so hard to feed your family right.

Or you know, parents could stop being so assholish and start trying to get their kids to eat vegetables. I'm sure that's exactly what's causing this whole thing.

And whoever is about to come in here and tell me that poverty isn't a factor in obesity, shut it. Yes, it's possible to eat healthy on a limited budget but it's definitely a hell of a lot harder to do it on a consistent basis.

+ FUCKIN' 1

This is exactly my point!!

I really don't buy a lot of the excuses that I hear. My mom was a single working mother with three kids. She managed to get a balanced, home-cooked meal on the table almost every night. Sure...maybe it wasn't organic, locally-grown cuisine....but it was always the standard meat, starch & vegetable.

I don't think we're expecting parents to provide the latest in dietary excellence....just...basic nutrition.

was it that bag of frozen veggies or what?

PRockGirlScout said:

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

You know what would be awesome? If whole grains and veggies were cheaper than or comparably priced to processed white flour snack crap.

If pure fruit and vegetable juice were cheaper than or comparably priced with sugar-laden pseudo juice and Kool-Aid. (Hello, latent affect of corn subsidies and the sugar quota.)

If I could buy my family lunch at the hot health food store bar instead of resorting to Costco hot dogs when we're out and about and low on funds.

If every health care plan got their heads out of their asses and offered nutritional counseling and family YMCA memberships.

If corporations could contribute to the wellness of their workers by providing on-site meal prep services and otherwise flexing a bit so that a full-time work schedule didn't make it so hard to feed your family right.

Or you know, parents could stop being so assholish and start trying to get their kids to eat vegetables. I'm sure that's exactly what's causing this whole thing.

And whoever is about to come in here and tell me that poverty isn't a factor in obesity, shut it. Yes, it's possible to eat healthy on a limited budget but it's definitely a hell of a lot harder to do it on a consistent basis.

So true. I'd love to be able to feed my child healthier foods, if I could afford it.

Gamecube, PS3, X-box and Wii were the death of running around in the neighborhood. Take the chocolate chip cookies out of Jr's hand, kick him outside and make him run around and use his imagination, rather than letting a game console do it for him.

I'm absolutely in agreement that eating healthy and getting exercise are necessary things, and a lot of people aren't doing enough of them. But a lot of the rhetoric about the obesity epidemic makes me nervous - b/c there is a distinct element of its proponents that are working for drug companies and dieting companies. So, I'm not disagreeing with the premise that people need to be healthier - just suggesting that we should be careful that whatever the "cure" might be, it's actually a solution to the problem of *health* and not about beauty, thinness etc.

I agree. Many times did a piece of tree limb become a ninja sword for me. Sometimes when no-one's looking it still is.

You got it all wrong.

Tree limbs were lightsabers.

aleksa said:

PRockGirlScout said:

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

You know what would be awesome? If whole grains and veggies were cheaper than or comparably priced to processed white flour snack crap.

If pure fruit and vegetable juice were cheaper than or comparably priced with sugar-laden pseudo juice and Kool-Aid. (Hello, latent affect of corn subsidies and the sugar quota.)

If I could buy my family lunch at the hot health food store bar instead of resorting to Costco hot dogs when we're out and about and low on funds.

If every health care plan got their heads out of their asses and offered nutritional counseling and family YMCA memberships.

If corporations could contribute to the wellness of their workers by providing on-site meal prep services and otherwise flexing a bit so that a full-time work schedule didn't make it so hard to feed your family right.

Or you know, parents could stop being so assholish and start trying to get their kids to eat vegetables. I'm sure that's exactly what's causing this whole thing.

And whoever is about to come in here and tell me that poverty isn't a factor in obesity, shut it. Yes, it's possible to eat healthy on a limited budget but it's definitely a hell of a lot harder to do it on a consistent basis.

So true. I'd love to be able to feed my child healthier foods, if I could afford it.

I just went to the Safeway / Vons website to check prices. Here's what I found (put in my zip code here in Los Angeles):

Fresh Bananas - 33 cents each
Fuji Extra Large Apples - 81 cents each
Bosc Pears - 72 cents each
Grapes - $2.49/lb
Navel Oranges (4lb bag) - $3.99

7 Grain Whole Wheat Bread loaf - $2.99
-- Wonder Bread White loaf - $3.49

Broccoli - $1.79/lb
Green Leaf Lettuce head - $1.69/lb
Large bunch of fresh spinach - $1.69/lb
Large bunch of fresh carrots - $0.99
Canned Del Monte sweet no-salt peas - 69 cents
Canned Del Monte cut green beans - 69 cents


However, I know PRockGirlScout lives in Hawaii, and food is a hell of a lot more expensive there. However, I can't imagine the prices in Tacoma, WA are comparable to Hawaii prices.

Nu-uh! But then, I was more influenced by the Michael Dudikoff martial arts epic American Ninja than the trilogy.

You're both wrong, sticks and tree limbs were shotguns to stop the Zombie invasion

I am a single mother, working full-time, who is providing for a nine year old with no financial support from her father. For the most part, we eat very healthy, but there are occasions where, after paying bills, I'm buying food at the 10 for $10 sales just to get us through the two weeks until that next check.

Perhaps I'm just being overly sensitive, but frankly, I find your implication that I just don't know where to shop insulting.

And your taking into the fact that my daughter would actually look at broccoli, green leaf lettuce, spinach and 7 grain Whole Wheat Bread and want to eat it?

If she doesn't want to eat it, i am not going to force it down her throat. She's got her tastes just like anyone else. My daughter is like any other kid, she could live on PB&J served on Wonder Bread every day. I just make sure to stick healthy snacks like Bananas, apples and oranges in there to make sure she gets something healthy.

I also take her out and get her running around too.

I ate that stuff when I was a kid, and yes my parents made me, and no, I'm not scarred for life because of it, and yes, I still eat that stuff today.

No, I'm not implying that you don't know where to shop, I just always find it astonishing that people say fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grain breads are too expensive. I can make a huge salad that feeds several people for a little more than the price of a package of hot dogs and a package of buns.

I am trying really hard to eat healthier on a whole, and Im finding that it's costing me MORE money

Here is a secret I learned about eating lots more fresh fruits and veggies: shop more often, and buy less. That way you are more likely to actually eat the fresh food you buy and less likely to have to throw it out because it spoiled. It's a hard habit to get into, but it's really rewarding health-wise. I stop by the grocery store on my way home from work 2 or 3 times a week and spend $15-20 each time to feed myself and Bean for the next few days. I know it won't work for everyone, but it works really well for us.

Seriously parents, stop buying your kids all the cool toys so they'll actually be in stock when I go looking for 'em

My parents "made" me eat a brussel sprout once, i puked. They never made me eat anything again, they just made sure i wasn't eating junk everything.

Of course the brussel sprout was covered in melted butter and salted, so at that point it wasn't even healthy.

I'll put it in front of her and suggest she try it, but i myself am very picky about the vegetables i eat, so i can imagine her only being worse.

I won't argue that. I stop by it with my daughter in hand and make her pick out fruits that she either likes or wants to try. Kiwi scared her, but in the end she liked it.

She also eats iceburg lettuce salads with carrots and cucumbers like a rabbit. I am waiting for her to grow a cotton tail and start hopping around.

I don't worry about my real one getting fat, either. In fact, she loves veggies. But the fact is, it does cost more to eat healthily.

I'm not going to get catty, that seems pretty unproductive. Is there a local farmers market in your area? If so, you could try going towards the end of the day. You run the risk of them being out of a few things, but they are also eager to get rid of what they have left and you can get the best deals.