Another thread got a little heated over the fact that it's still considered okay to make fun of fat people. (By some) Certainly, they are still a group that is marginalized.

And of course, the thread went on to get a little prickly. Part of the reason is because as a culture we Americans are getting fatter and fatter and our habits worse and worse.

Has anyone else out there read "Food Rules" by Michael Pollan? It is an amazing must read, especially if you are raising children in this culture. It's basically a common sense road map, which, as he says can be boiled down into seven words:

"Eat food. Not too much. mostly vegetables."

common sense and i are total strangers when it comes to food. :lol:

don't get me started on the subject of exercise. i burn more calories avoiding it than anything else. :lol:

I have to tell you about my DGD. She lives with me and we have lots of fruits and veggies for snacks. The grocery store we shopped at would give the little ones a free cookie at the bakery. She would gladly take one and eat maybe two bites, til we would get to the produce aisle. She tried to trade her cookie for an apple. The produce manager said she could get an apple (free) instead of the cookie. Whenever we shop now we hit the produce aisle first and she is happy with that apple all the way through the store. Sadly enough, I would have taken the cookie. :lol:

Kids eat to much junk and processed food. Cooking has gone the way of quilting, not enough time for many, but still enjoyed by a few.

In addition to eating well, I think we need more excercise. Kids don't play outside as they use to. When they do play, it's organized, very little spontaneous play.

I was just in Michigan in my hometown for almost a week. Other than my nephews I saw 2 kids outside! That is it.

We did not have AC when I was a kid, we played outside. We would leave in the morning, ride bikes all day long, swing in for lunch and be gone again. We would just drink out of someone's hose when we got thirsty. No one cared as long as the water was turned off.

When we got older we baled hay for the neighboring dairy farmer and milked cows (25 cents an hour). Alas, I am no longer to busy to be fat.

I just keep telling myself that I'm eating to live - not living to eat. My good friend thinks my meals are boring, but I'm determined to stall off medication by diet & exercise. It scares me just to read the side effects of all those medications seniors are taking. And my yard & house are my gym. I can turn dusting, etc. into exercises - reach high, reach low!

The best thing to do is to prepare and cook al your meals yourself. Don't use anything that is prepared because you don't know whats in it. If you'd like to eat a hamburger, thats fine but buy the meat and make it yourself. I used to make my own bread but I honestly have to say that I can not always find the time making home made bread.

Taking care of my mom takes a lot of our time and now and then we ordered a pizza but we do know thats not the healhty way.

I'm on some medication so I gain some weight too. Try your best watching what you eat, thats all you can do.

If only we would take the time to prepare and cook we would be healthy but it is so much eaiser to just order out or make some boxed meal. I have health issues and feelo much better when i eat right.. Wish i would do it all the time.

One of the food rules is "Eat food, not edible foodlike substances."

I've been making huge salads. I get a huge box of organic mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumber, whatever raw veggies look good- and add fruit- cherries, apples, and then I buy a bag of already cooked chicken breast strips. (cheating, but nothing in them but chicken breast- no breading or weirdness- like fajita chicken- comes in a 1/2 pound bag fresh) and I use half of that, and make my own dressing. It fills me up, and takes alot of calories to eat. Mmmm. When Jim is away, this is my fall back. And when he's home, we have it at least once a week.