Nov
5
I watched Supersize Me last night. It’s an older movie (2004) but still very valid. For those unfamiliar with it, it’s the story of a man who decides to eat nothing but McDonald’s for 30 days. Each day, Morgan, the movie’s maker, eats McDonald’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner. His diet can include nothing that’s not on the McDonald’s menu and he has to go through every single item on the menu within the 30 days. He supersizes only if asked by the counter person. Morgan also changed his activity habits to reflect those of the average American. He didn’t exercise and only walked a half mile to a mile every day.
Professional Help
Morgan enlisted the help of a cardiologist, a hepatologist, a dietitian and a general practitioner to help track his health. They tested Morgan for a variety of things, including cholesterol, weight, heart pressure and general fitness. Throughout the 30 days, they update their findings and monitor Morgan’s health while reporting on the changes to his body.
Disclaimer
Before we go on, let’s have a moment of sanity. Most people do not eat McDonald’s three times a day. However, quite a few of us do eat junk food for most of our meals. Morgan’s 30 days may be a stunt, but they’re not that far off from many American and Western diets. Morgan rarely bought multiple items for a single meal, which many people do. Morgan did not binge on candy and soda between meals, which many people do. Morgan even had a few of the lower calorie options McDonald’s has, like fish or salads. Never mind the fact that many of these options are almost as bad as a Big Mac. So while Morgan’s 30 days are not exactly an accurate representation of the American Diet, I personally think he’s not that far off.
Results
As expected, Morgan’s health and body crash at an alarming pace. In 30 days he puts on more than 20lbs. His cholesterol levels shoot up to a dangerous level within two weeks and his doctor is warning him of permanent liver damage 20 days into the movie. I think we all could see this coming, but it is a bit frightening to see it happen at such a rapid pace.
Obvious Lessons Learned
- Fast food is bad - The obvious one is that fast food, and McDonald’s specifically, is bad for you. I think we all knew that one already.
- Calorie Counts - Listen carefully to what the dietitian is saying. Morgan’s diet of three McDonald’s meal deals per day provides him with 5000 calories. FIVE THOUSAND! I don’t think most people are aware of just how many calories are in those meals. If you’re going to have one, at least don’t drink those giant sodas and forego the fries.
- Sodas - Again, most people don’t think about these but they come up again and again during the movie. At the end of the movie, the dietitian shows Morgan just how much sugar he had during those 30 days and it’s a scary sight. Most of it came from sodas. In fact, she even asks him repeatedly during the movie to stop drinking them.
- Exercise Is Good - This movie is mostly about what we eat, but note that one of Morgan’s life changes for these 30 days is limited his activity level. Remember, it’s not just about your diet, it’s also about getting and keeping your body moving.
The Less Obvious Lessons
- Parenting Tips - If you’re a parent, get involved in your child’s diet. They’re getting bombarded by advertisement at home, at the movies and even at school. Get their school to start offering healthier meals. Eliminate junk food from your family outings. There’s quite a bit of evidence that shows healthier eating means better test scores, less behavior problems and better long term health.
- Political Issues - Yes, politics does enter into the picture. I dislike people who think the government should regulate everything. I believe in personal responsibility and allowing people to make their own decisions. However, at the moment, our government is doing all it can to make things easier for food companies, not us. Get involved. Educate yourself about the issue and drive towards change.
- Fast Food Is Addictive - This is true of most bad food. Our bodies get addicted to it and make it very difficult for us to quit consuming it. Your body is quite literally addicted to the sugar, fat and caffiene in those fast food meals. Admit it and then do something about it. And don’t tell me you can stop anytime you want. If you could, why haven’t you? Get help, get a plan together, get whatever it is you need to but do something. You know you have a problem so start working on solving it.
I’d highly recommend this movie to anyone interested in health, diet and modern American culture. It should not be used as a scientific study, but it’s interesting nonetheless.
For more information on it, look here. If you wish to purchase it, here’s the Amazon link: Super Size Me
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2 Responses to “REVIEW - Super Size Me”
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I saw this a year ago. It totally blew my mind away. While he did overdose on that stuff, he did prove a point. Afterwards I saw the part where he stores the fries and burgers and time elapses. It freaked me out how after a week or so the darn fried wouldnt decompose!
I love Super Size Me! I get a lot of motivation for staying on the healthy track just by watching it.
It’s also great to watch it again if you’re ever missing your old ways of eating fast food.