Balance of Food

TV and binge eating

In watching the reruns this month of "Ugly Betty," I have picked up a sharper sense of Amanda and her binge eating.

For those who haven't jumped on the bandwagon of the ABC-TV show, Amanda is the skinny receptionist. But if binge eating was an Olympic sport, she'd be gold.

The image in my head of Amanda as she took the roof off the gingerbread house might have a permanent home in my brain it was so funny.

In the Thanksgiving episode, Amanda was eating cashews in Wilhelmina's office. Wilhelmina (played by Vanessa Williams) wonders who at Mode would be consuming something that contains 15 grams of fat per serving.

Becki Newton (right) plays these binge-eating scenes in a hilarious fashion. It's a credit to her work that we see it as funny and yet sad.

I realize binge eating is not a funny topic, and it really is sad watching her wolf down food. She is not glorifying the binge eating, and that is good.

Amanda's episodes are triggered by stress of some kind, usually nervousness. I eat more when I'm nervous, but never a gingerbread house's roof.

I am ultimately curious as to where this is going. I admit I follow the show, and I read other reactions. Quite a few have noticed Amanda's food episodes. Many eyes will watch to see what happens to Amanda.

photo credit

Universal Studios Parks go trans-fat-free

C'mon, McDonald's. Even Universal Studios parks have taken the ax to trans fats. As of Christmas Eve, 90% of the trans fats are gone from food sold in the parks. And the rest are coming soon.

It's not that difficult, apparently. The Associated Press story noted that food scientists at Universal experimented for months to find alternatives. Funny, McDonald's has been trying for years, and still hasn't done it.

I loved the quote from 12-year-old Jack Xu (as reported by the AP) about the new French fry. "It tastes drier and not too salty," he said, then added: "I still like it."

Disney is making similar moves in its parks.

I also love how every story (including my blog entry) mentions that the average American eats almost 5 pounds of trans fats a year. I know I'm not eating my full share anymore, so someone is topping that 5-pound mark.

Some readers have asked me why I pick on McDonald's. True, those fast-food chains that have been silent deserve scorn. But they also haven't been telling us for 4 years that they will do something.

So stand up, McDonald's. Resolve in 2007 that you will stop using trans fats. Also, don't have a huge transition period. You have done everything from a goodwill standpoint to not earn a transition period.

Truth in advertising?

Discussions over the holiday period ...

We were comparing Canada vs. the U.S. It was brought up that Kraft Macaroni & Cheese in the U.S. is called Kraft Dinner not "Kraft Macaroni & Cheese." Someone else noted that CoffeeMate is labeled as "coffee whitener" in Canada, and not a creamer.

So why are the U.S. labels misleading and the Canadian labels truthful? Seems to me if it doesn't have cheese, it shouldn't be called "cheese." If it doesn't cream, it shouldn't be a "creamer."

The more I think of it, the more I like the Canadian way.

The conversation over Kraft Dinner turned to how to enhance it. There were a few votes for cut-up hot dogs in the meal. Someone else mentioned ketchup. I had a puzzled look; he said, "to make a tomato sauce out of it." The orange of the "cheese," the pale red of the hot dogs, and the bright red of the ketchup would have made a nice sunset.

(Trying to) resist the holiday goodies

Is it possible to resist the holiday goodies? I am in an office situation that has really kicked into the "if it's December, it must be chocolate" season.

Cakes, brownies, chocolate candies — so much sugar and chocolate, especially in a place with stress-related deadlines.

On my own, I do a lot better than when I'm surrounded by treats in the office.

I say to myself I'm saving room for my mom's chocolate chip cookies. I am doing that, but saying "No" at the office that many times is not fun.

Having a little won't hurt. And if you are in a part of the world where the weather is decent, take an extra walk with your chocolate.

No, the nurses aren't real at the Heart Attack Grill

I discovered the Heart Attack Grill while reading a story where there were protests from real nurses over the waitresses dressed as nurses in the restaurant.

Sounds like a fun place.

The place offers a Quadruple Bypass Burger and Flatliner Fries, which are cooked in pure lard. The burger has four 1/2-pound patties with plenty of bacon and cheese (plus annoying healthy stuff such as lettuce, tomato, and onion).

Alas, you can only get this food in Tempe, Arizona. But since many head for the desert this time of year, consider this a travel trip. And let us know what you thought.

As for the "nurses," you couldn't mistake them for actual nurses based on the uniform.

I love the idea of huge burgers, but you couldn't fit this burger in your mouth. The fries cooked in lard sound appealing. While lard has lots of saturated fat, it is trans-fat-free.

Is it good to lose half your body weight in 9 months?

I'm sure that's not a question you normally ask yourself. But I've been asking this to myself since "The Biggest Loser" finale on NBC-TV (and CH in Canada).

Erik was the "big" winner and yet The Biggest Loser. He went from 407 lbs. to 193 lbs., losing 214 lbs. for a 52.58% mark.

Brian won the "kicked off the ranch" top loser prize. He went from 308 lbs. to 152 lbs., a loss of 156 lbs. or 50.65%.

For the at-home players, Poppi went from 232 lbs. to 115 lbs., a drop of 117 lbs. for a percentage of 50.43%.

These are impressive and hopefully, they will keep it off. But these numbers on this show get freakier and freakier. The weight losses have skyrocketed since season 1. Are the contestants getting better at doing it? Is there pressure to lose at all costs (even if gains come later)?

Then comes the part about 9 months. How do we know the time period is 9 months? Well ... we find out on the live finale that Heather is 5 months pregnant. Assuming this is true, and that her story of getting pregnant within 2 weeks after returning home is correct, and about 12 weeks on the ranch, I get 9 months.

I know pregnant women can do more exercise than perhaps the general impression would indicate, but we saw her doing quite a bit of exercise, post-ranch. Yet there was no indication as to when she knew and how much of that intense exercise came after the pregnancy was known.

It was also noted that 9 of the at-home players lost 100 pounds or more. Throwing out Heather, I count Kai, Wylie, Jennifer, Amy, Ken, Marty, and Jaron (besides Erik and Brian) who also lost 100 pounds or more. And Jennifer was eliminated in the first week.

It took each of them a long time to reach their top points, yet in 9 months, 100 pounds or more are gone. Hopefully, they are doing it right, and will keep it off. Hopefully.

Keep eating vegetables

Don't use the e-coli scares as a reason to not eat vegetables. Be careful and wash your vegetables, but still eat them.

E-coli shouldn't be anywhere near our vegetable supply. It shouldn't be around meat either. We are way overdue for a discussion on what to do with our food supply. Books/movies such as "Fast Food Nation" have played their part on drawing attention. Then again, "The Jungle" did the same thing 100 years ago.

But don't give up on vegetables.

The price of fat-free

I confess fat-free potato chips have little appeal. Just eat fewer regular potato chips and you'll be fine.

One good reason to try that strategy, in general, is that marketers love charging a little more for something that's "healthier."

I was in a major grocery chain yesterday. I was in the potato chip aisle and noticed Pringles now has a fat-free version. They have carried a reduced-fat version I have never bought.

The price difference was startling.

Admittedly, the regular version was on sale for 60 cents off versus 10 cents off for the fat-free version. But you could have bought 3 regular containers for $2.37, 8 cents more than 1 fat-free container. Even for the regular prices, the difference is a dollar.

Even if you were obsessed with the fat-free version, the cost differential, especially among Pringles users (of which I am one), is not worth it.

Item
Regular price
Sale price
Pringles Regular version
$1.39
$0.79
Pringles Fat-free version
$2.39
$2.29

Trans-fat free can taste better

Had to link to a couple of articles on finding out whether trans fat is necessary to make food taste good. I have said you don't need them; after all, you cook at home without them and your food turns out good.

Both the article and sidebar come from the Chicago Tribune. I also should disclose that I do know Monica Eng, author of the sidebar, but not all that well.

Bob, Kim: Don't let up on school lunches

I was glad to see both Bob and Kim take off on the school lunches in last night's "The Biggest Loser" goes to high school special. Criticizing the tater tots as a "vegetable" (which the USDA allows) was a beautiful TV moment.

The "nutritional highlight" was that in the Wellness program at the Belle Plaine High School in Iowa, the new requirements were a whole grain crust with turkey pepperoni. Whole grain was good, but still too much cheese; I can imagine the turkey pepperoni is still smothered in sodium.

I realize Bob is not a journalist, but the lunch lady he talked to mentioned something about "We have to make money." That screamed for a follow-up. I would love to have seen Bob and Kim do a hour-long special just on the USDA and school lunches.

Bob and Kim were great about saying there was nothing there they would eat. Those were powerful, necessary statements.

I was disappointed about a mini-TBL in the high school realm. Watching these kids talk into the camera like a reality show participant was depressing. Though it was great to see the enthusiasm of the kids after they had some success. I thought a more general talk would have been a more effective use of NBC time.

Still, it was nice to see the time taken for an important topic. And let's see someone do an hour on school lunches and why we can't spend more money to get more nutrition into our children.