let's have dinner.

Warning: Further reading will result in your awareness of my healthy soapbox stance. It has been formed over the years out of my own personal struggle that is currently non-existent, which means it's inevitably biased. It's not lovely life lessons, or humorous cultural encounters. You have been warned.

The city of Los Angeles recently voted on a moratorium that will, in the simplest terms, ban the building of any new fast food establishments in the Southern part of the city, and area that is known as both an area of lower income and also heavier on the scale. If you want to read more about it, go here. With the yearlong ban, city-council members are trying to shrink the size of south LA’s residents by shrinking their unhealthy options. It’s sweet that they care, really. But in my not-so-humble opinion, I think that path they are taking with what they are trying to attain is, well silly.

This is not to say that I don’t like the idea of less fast food joints lining our streets. Let me say, first and absolutely, I hate what fast food has become in America. If you haven’t yet, read Fast Food Nation. If you don’t like to read, watch the movie. I hate the way it has effected our cattle and chicken industry, the way that the agricultural business is tied with politics, and making money is seen as a priority over the way animals are treated, and how the environment is cared for. I hate that it’s cheap and easy to attain, and arguably addictive. I hate that eating one french fry makes me want to eat twenty seven. BUT I believe, in spite of all of this, taking care of ourselves is a decision we have to make for ourselves and has little to do with the fast food industries presence in our world. It is my CHOICE how many french fries I eat, regardless of what effect the grease has on me. Which is why, despite the fact that I want less fast food in America, I scoff at the idea that not building any more in an area for a year will really have an effect of the size of that areas citizens.

A precursor to taking care of your health and your weight is a belief that you are worth the effort it takes. I firmly believe that most of America’s struggle with obesity and weight related issues has more to do with how they feel about themselves on the inside than what they feel like that should look like on the outside. Diets are impossible to keep when they are trying to help fix our perception of ourselves. Our perception of ourselves must be addressed outside of what we eat. It’s tied together - of course - but our diet will not fix our emotional and psychological issues. When we feel good about ourselves, and see reason to live in abundance and not just existence, food choices become more natural, less forced, more healthy.

On the back of a package of Baked Lay’s Potato chips, you will find this quote:

“Fitness is a journey, not a destination. It must be continued for the rest of your lives.” -Dr. Kenneth Cooper

In other words, it’s not easy. It a process. There are hills. You will plummet, even after you feel like you have reached the top of the world. For those that struggle, it’s personal. Feeling like a failure is almost constant. Granted, there are those people in the world like my father that are missing some portion of an an emotional chip which has been replaced with a mega-metabolism, and can have a root-beer float each night, followed by a bag of Lay’s potato chips (not baked) which is guzzled down with three (not diet) sprites, and still maintain the physique of a life long runner who also happens to play tennis every morning. But for so many others, it’s a s-t-r-u-g-g-l-e, and finding balance is so much more than difficult.

That’s why I think the idea that banning the presence of any new fast food establishment in an area of a city that’s statistically more obese, and also poor, which means likely more stressed, and consequently (likely possessing) a lower morale in the area of life, with the belief that it will in some way decrease the size of their waistband is, well, absurd.

The argument is that it will make room for more healthy options to reach the area, as if the (typically more expensive) healthy eateries are just itching to make their way to one of the poorest areas of the city. Supporters say more options will help people make healthier choices. Bull shit. When Jared the Subway guy went into Subway on the beginning of his weight loss journey, there were always the options of cheese, a greasy meat ball sub, or the meat lovers special staring him in the face. It was the CHOICES he made that widdled away the fat from his waist.

And these healthy choices are currently available for the residents LA is trying to make skinny. Below are four different popular fast food chains that are likely present on one corner, everywhere in America. And listed below them are at least one healthy food item that’s available, for anyone to CHOOSE at any time.

McDonalds:

Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich:
calories: 420
total fat:10g
saturated fat: 2g
trans fat: 0g
fiber: 3g
protein: 32g

healthy salads on the menu: 4

Popeyes:

one mild chicken breast with skin and breading removed:
calories: 120
total fat: 2g
saturated fat: 1g
trans fat: 0g
protein: 24g

Sonic:

Grilled Chicken Wrap:
calories: 380
total fat: 11g
saturated fat: 3g
trans fat: 0g
fiber: 3g
protein: 29g

fat free golden italian dressing:
calories: 50
fat: 0g

healthy salads on the menu: 2

Chick-fil-a:

Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich:
calories: 270
total fat: 3g
saturated fat: 1g
trans fat: 0g
fiber: 4g
protein: 28g

In my not-so-humble-opinion, once again, I think the city of LA’s time and energy would be much more effective if it took the time to help educate it’s citizens as to why they should make healthier choices. Believe me, restriction does not lead to freedom. I walked that road for years, and neither lost a pound, nor found reason to keep trying.

I think it’s great for there to be less grease-ified establishments anywhere on the earth. But saying that restricting their presence will effect the citizens of a poor income neighborhood enough to convince them that they need to put forth the effort to completely change their lifestyle in order to attain a healthy weight is insulting. City-council members, don't use your pull to paint over the issue. Use it to scrape away the layers, and help them see why they should put forth the effort to make the sometimes difficult CHOICES that are already there.