No More Happy Meals: "Lose The Calories or Lose The Toys" Says NY Councilman

A New York City councilman is introducing a bill which would "... limit any meal that comes with a toy to under 500 calories". The hope is that fast food chains will begin offering healthier meal options to their pint sized clientele.

As health conscious as I try to be, I would be remiss if I didn't admit to frequenting a McDonald's or Burger King, every now and then, just because one of my kids was enamored of their latest toy offering. And, I have no doubt that millions of other parents have done the same.

While there should never be an objection to seeing healthier choices offered by such places, to say that "...the child wants the toys. Not that fries and nuggets", borders on idiocy. I mean, if all they wanted were the toys, would we really need to have this conversation? The toy is a nice prize for the little ones, but they are eating the food as well—and they would do so even if the toy wasn't offered. 

 

The problem now, as it always has been, is the parents who overindulge said children with said  unhealthy food choices. There isn't enough education happening inside the home about what's good for the body and what isn't. 

 

These days it's simple to request apple dippers in lieu of french fries, low fat milk or apple juice instead of soda, or to order a plain hamburger or cheeseburger as opposed to the default version—often slathered in ketchup—who needs all that high fructose corn syrup? Kids aren't born with any knowledge of these health dangers so they look to us to make those decisions. 

 

We are responsible for taking them to these establishments, ordering their food, paying for it, and allowing them to eat it. So, if the cycle of obesity amongst children is to stop, it starts with us—not the lawmakers.

That said, removing a toy in order to force fast food makers into making a decision that is ours to begin with, may seem well-intentioned but, in the end, it doesn't really address the problem. The food companies are trying to make a dollar. They're just doing their jobs. 

 

It's time that we, as parents, did the same.

Related articles

• McDonald's on a 50,000-job hiring spree (msnbc.msn.com)
• Overweight councilman wants fast food toy ban (nydailynews.com)
• Fast Food That's Not Fat Food (fyiliving.com)
• Breaking: McDonald's Opening "McFarmers Markets" in 1000 Locations (fooducate.com)

Breaking Down The Wall

Living a healthy lifestyle is a change I undertook a while ago—only getting serious about it in the last year—by educating myself on good nutritional habits and making proper food choices at the grocery store. As a person who shunned the reading of nutritional labels, it was amazing for me to come to the realization that I wasn't nearly as healthy as I thought I was. I ate far too many processed foods and was much too lenient where indulging in fast food was concerned. 

Those realizations led to the setting of two goals: 1) change my eating habits (less meat, more whole grains, and little, if any, fast food) and 2) make more of an effort to maximize and diversify my workout regimen (yoga, pilates, and cross-training were all added to the menu).

I started down the road of better living and, for a time, felt better about myself mentally, spiritually, and physically.

However, what I didn't account for is what happens when you hit the healthy living wall and suddenly, either through circumstance or frustration, decide you don't want to do it anymore. What are you supposed to do then?

In my case, a familial obligation led to my "fall off the wagon". I made commitments that wreaked havoc on my fitness schedule and made room for some uncharacteristic eating behaviors on my part.

I indulged myself in several slices of cake, as well as a few trips to Chick-fil-A (that Spicy Chicken Sandwich is sinful) and Burger King and, although I felt an immense amount of guilt each time I broke ranks with what I knew was the right thing to do, I still managed to rationalize the behavior.

However, the problem with rationalization is that it allows you to start down a slippery slope of acceptance that can eventually lead to your returning to old, familiar, behaviors again, and that has its own set of problems.

So, how do you break through the rut?

Well, I have to tell you, for me, it starts with reaffirming my original goals—eating better and maintaining my workout regimen. I have made a lot of progress over the last 9-months and I don't want to allow a few days of regression to set me permanently off track. So, I've resolved to find my groove again.

We are all human—capable of making mistakes—but that does not mean you can't get back on track. Perhaps that wall is just your subconscious' way of telling you to take a break. It is possible to get burned out if you don't take the time to reset.

Do you have to go on a binge to do so? Of course not, but don't forget to allow a little room to indulge yourself every once in a while.

Related articles

• Day 268 - The Habit of Healthy Living (iwillpower.wordpress.com)
• Week 5: Let's Talk Excuses and Results (cleanfoodexperiment.wordpress.com)
• Do You Think of Yoga as an Intense Workout? (fitsugar.com)