Here’s how you know if, in your heart, you secretly are a Democrat: You approve of New York City’s ban on “sugary drinks” in containers of 16 ounces or more.
It’s beyond ironic that many of the same people who are pro-choice when it comes to abortion are totally cool with the government restricting the amount of sugar a person puts in their own body.
This ridiculous “soda ban” easily sums up why I’m a Libertarian: I believe in the right to be stupid, as long as it doesn’t hurt other people.
There’s no way around it; drinking soda on a regular (daily or even just weekly) basis, especially in quantities of 16 ounces or more, is a horrible (!) idea.
In fact, as a health nut and vegetarian, if I had to choose between smoking a half a pack of cigarettes a day versus drinking a 16 ounce soda, I would have a very difficult time in deciding which way to wreck my health.
Drinking “sugary drinks” like soda, chocolate milk, sweet tea, and even fruit juice, as compared to actually eating the fruit itself, is not good.
However, regularly drinking sugary drinks and soda is definitely more socially accepted than smoking cigarettes. (That makes it okay, right?)
We’re so culturally aware of the long-term health risks of tobacco use, but when it comes to junk food and processed foods, sometimes we need a reminder that it’s more than just that those things “make us get fat.”
Either way, I want to live in country where people have the freedom to make those bad decisions for themselves. Not just in New York City, but in every city.
It shouldn’t be the government’s job to “ban” junk food.
That’s my job:
I choose to ban “sugary drinks” in my own life, and just as important, in my young son’s life as well. I take responsibility for myself and my family.
Sure, I agree that America is experiencing an obesity epidemic and we need to do something about it.
But the “we” I’m referring to is not the government. The “we” is us.
For more intriguing pictures showing how much sugar is in drinks and food, go the awesome website they came from:
This week there has been a lot of negative buzz going on about a writer for Vogue magazine who reacted to her 7 year-old daughter’s obesity by placing her on an unforgiving, calorie-counting diet. (At 4 feet, 4 inches tall, her daughter weighed 93 pounds, placing her in the 99th percentile for her age; about 30 pounds overweight.)
I’m not even going to try to be neutral on this subject and end this article with, “What you do think, readers? Did this mom do the right thing?”
Because it’s this simple: The way this mom handled her daughter on a diet was illegitimate and a horrible example for her daughter. I’m not questioning her moral character, but her technique; because I believe it needs to be questioned:
“I once reproachfully deprived Bea of her dinner after learning that her observation of French Heritage Day at school involved nearly 800 calories of Brie, filet mignon, baguette, and chocolate. I stopped letting her enjoy Pizza Fridays when she admitted to adding a corn salad as a side dish one week.”
And I know, in American’s modern day parenting culture, it’s taboo to criticize another person’s parenting style; especially a woman’s, especially coming from a man’s perspective, especially in regards to dieting.
But I don’t care. Here’s my beef:
Weiss would restrict her daughter from enjoying birthday cakes at parties. She would not allow her to eat dinner if she had already consumed her daily amount of calories for the day. And then when he daughter finally lost the weight, she was rewarded her with new dresses.
Yikes. Not cool, Zeus.
I am extremely against counting calories in the name of losing weight. It sends the message that it’s okay to eat lunch from a fast food drive-thru as long as you make up for it by only eating celery sticks for dinner. That’s not a healthy approach.
It places the emphasis on “not being fat” as opposed to actually caring about being healthy. It focuses on superficial image instead of quality of life.
So what’s the magical alternative?
Nix soda and drinks with sugar added. Instead, drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Replace all white bread and pasta with wheat.
Reduce meat intake to 4 ounces per day.
For snacks, cut up actual pieces of fruit.
Make a point to include fresh vegetables in every dinner.
Whenever you’re hungry, eat; granted that it’s included the items listed above.
Enjoy dessert; just not everyday.
Go for a 25 minute walk everyday.
This is how I lost and have kept off my 25 pounds. This is how I helped my supervisor recently lose 33 pounds, so far. It’s a lifestyle change; not a diet, at all.
Most importantly, as a parent, we set the example for our kids. They learn from us, more than anyone else when it comes to nutrition and an active lifestyle.
Okay, so is anyone as fiery mad as I am about this?
Or instead, is there anyone out there willing to stand up for Weiss’s approach?
