When did we get the idea that a 1400 calorie meal was “normal?” Well, it took awhile, and we can thank a great marketing genius at McDonalds back in the 60’s, who discovered that although McDonald’s customers wouldn’t think of eating two hamburgers, they had little resistance to eating a bigger one, and they didn’t mind paying proportionately more for it. Little by little, not only did the burgers get bigger, but so did the serving sizes of French fries and soft drinks. What was once a reasonable calorie count for one person soon became a calorie count for THREE people! The damage did not stop there. Once other food establishments caught on, they, too, began offering larger proportions, knowing that the cost of the extra portion was considerably less than the proportional increase in price: that it, profits began to soar! And we began to change our concept of a normal portion size.
To further this point, I want to talk about an article I read in the San Antonio Express-News a few weeks ago: “What to do about Obesity?” I was taken aback by one teen’s comment: “As I look around school, I see girls and boys who just don’t seem comfortable in their skin. I want to let them all know that it’s OK to be a size 16 or a 4.” Say what???
When we began to supersize ourselves some years ago, the enablers among us decided that “Big is Beautiful,” and that a few extra pounds were a good thing. We began to glamorize obesity and decided that we shouldn’t discriminate against obese people. I don’t believe in discriminating against anyone, but obesity has NOTHING to do with who the person is. Is has everything to do with being unhealthy.
And now we have an epidemic of obesity, which is quickly overtaking smoking as the number one cause of death in this country. All I can say is “Thank you, McDonald’s.” NOT!!!
So what is “normal”? Normal is our ideal calorie intake. For me, this number is about 1800. And if I divide that into three meals per day, the maximum calories I can consume at any meal is 600. If I want to allow for a couple of in between meal snacks of about 200 calories each, then my per meal calories become about 475. A Big Mac has 580 calories and a Whopper has 670 calories!!! And that's without the cheese!
What brought this tirade on, you ask? Well, my own journey to re-achieving my ideal weight is going too slowly, and the setbacks have been disappointing. I know it has a bit to do with getting my hormones back on track after my total hysterectomy, but I began to wonder how long I would milk this excuse. I decided to really look at my calorie intake, instead of guessing. After calculating the calories in my favorite meal, a spinach quesadilla with brown rice flour tortillas (am gluten intolerant), I was a tad shocked at the amount of cheese I used. So here is what I discovered:
2 tortillas – 130 calories each - total 260
Cheese – equivalent to 4 – 1” cubes – each cube 110 calories - total 440
Shredded fresh spinach – less than 15 calories - total 15
¼ cup Salsa – about 20 calories - total 20
Grand total 735
OUCH! I had gotten so used to larger proportions, that I really lost sight of the amount of calories I was actually eating! After cutting out one tortilla and half the cheese, I found that I was still just as satisfied. It’s a little harder to eat without the top tortilla, but the fact remains I was still full. New calorie count: 385. Now, where is that tootsie roll?
By the way, if you must eat on the run, Taco Bell is the place to go. One regular crunchy taco has only 185 calories. Remember, if you’re really hungry, eat only a small amount and then wait. You’ll be surprised at how quickly Mr. Hunger goes away. Mr. Right Now is NO substitute for Mr. Right. And if you want to eat out, it's okay to share a meal. It's not okay to eat everything on the plate, just because you don't want to waste food. No, it's not!
Next week, I'll explore the ideal combination of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
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