I guess Ms. O "stepped in it" taking on childhood obesity as the corner-stone issue of her term as First Lady.  Now everything she eats or serves at a whitehouse function is going to be scrutinized. 

I am trying to think what if she had a function and she served brussel sprouts and fish grilled without oil to the various dignataries and VIPs?  She would be blasted for that too, making the esteemed guests of our nation suffer through rabbit food.

I think the point is we can all eat more healthfully but we don't have to live like nuns during lent.  Look around for some easy positive changes you might make that won't be too difficult and make those.  

For the record, I like those BOCA burgers, not crazy about the blackbean burgers - I like black beans but I don't like the texture of those bean burgers.   

Jul 15, 2011 -- 1:17PM, rabello wrote:

Jul 15, 2011 -- 1:16AM, solfeggio wrote:

arielg -

Thank you for expressing my thought.  As usual, you and rabello were the only ones who 'got' it.

The foolish responses from everybody else are par for the course, I guess.  If fast food isn't at least a big part of the problem of growing American obesity, then I don't know what is. 

What is truly ironic (and funny) is the fact that there is a concurrent thread on this very board wondering what America do about the growing number of its obese children in its social-darwinistic midst.  

Yes, but is eating a burger and fries the reason for obesity? Or is obesity caused by a pattern of behaviors that include eating a lot of unhealthy stuff and not exercising?

Condemning Mrs. Obama for haviing a burger and fries (and, if she's like many women, she didn't eat all of it anyway) isn't really the answer is it?

What I wonder is why people who have no problems with the American diet or what Mrs. Obama eats bother to post in a thread like this anyway.

If you're not interested, why are you here?

Do I think that the vegan diet is healthiest?  Yes, I do.  And many studies have proved it.  Do I think that even a vegetarian diet is better than a diet that includes meat?  Yes.  So friggin' what?

Do I worry about the disastrous effect the animal agriculture industry is having on the destruction of the rain forests?  Absolutely.

Do I have great sympathy for the farm animals as they are prepared to be made into food?  Of course.  Who wouldn't?

Am I concerned that people everywhere in the industrialised societies are growing fatter and fatter by the minute?  Hell, yes.

Do I find it very strange and counterproductive when the wife of (arguably) the most powerful man in the world goes out in public and eats a burger and fries and says she wouldn't want to live a life without thenm?  I'd be barking mad if I didn't think it was the wrong thing to do or say.

And yet, with those notable exceptions I've mentioned, everybody who responds in this thread gets on their bandwagon to defend the burgers and fries as if eating them was the American way.

But, hell, the latest news is that the U.S. is in meltdown, so maybe none of this matters anyway.

Jul 15, 2011 -- 4:20PM, solfeggio wrote:

What I wonder is why people who have no problems with the American diet or what Mrs. Obama eats bother to post in a thread like this anyway.

If you're not interested, why are you here?

Do I think that the vegan diet is healthiest?  Yes, I do.  And many studies have proved it.  Do I think that even a vegetarian diet is better than a diet that includes meat?  Yes.  So friggin' what?

Do I worry about the disastrous effect the animal agriculture industry is having on the destruction of the rain forests?  Absolutely.

Do I have great sympathy for the farm animals as they are prepared to be made into food?  Of course.  Who wouldn't?

Am I concerned that people everywhere in the industrialised societies are growing fatter and fatter by the minute?  Hell, yes.

Do I find it very strange and counterproductive when the wife of (arguably) the most powerful man in the world goes out in public and eats a burger and fries and says she wouldn't want to live a life without thenm?  I'd be barking mad if I didn't think it was the wrong thing to do or say.

And yet, with those notable exceptions I've mentioned, everybody who responds in this thread gets on their bandwagon to defend the burgers and fries as if eating them was the American way.

But, hell, the latest news is that the U.S. is in meltdown, so maybe none of this matters anyway.

Do you hope for a US meltdown?

People can follow whatever eating regimin they choose.

You CHOSE to diss our First Lady for something pretty innocuous to most of us. We answered and had some fun with "burgering" along the way. Having the occasional burger and fries is pure Americana. We like an occasional waffle with butter and syrup and perhaps a piece of bacon or two. I enjoy Waffle House scattered and smothered (onions) hashbrowns with an over-easy egg, but not on a regular basis.

If you get cantankerous expect some flak.

The US is not in meltdown, solf. It has some troubles currently which may become a meltdown in due course (and the Congressional GOP seems hellbent on ensuring it does) but right now, there's nothing which can't be corrected in time.

As for Mrs. Obama's remarks: Yes, it was a silly thing to say. But it's also not the end of the world. Every politician, even politicians I greatly admire (and yes, there are one or two) has choked on their own foot on occasion.