Normally I post a recipe pre-weekend, but Georgie will be putting up a pork steak special tomorrow (so get some from the supermarket and stand-by) but this story is so big it had to be talked about - Reports in Australia yesterday, that Weight Watchers has signed a deal with McDonalds in New Zealand which will see several of the menu items of the fast food chain with the weight loss company's logo. They are endorsing the filet of fish, chicken nuggets and chilli chicken wrap as healthy options in the restaurants. This is a contentious issue at best. As a Weight Watchers member, I can see the reasoning that "the philosophy at Weight Watchers is that all food can be part of a healthy, balanced diet taking into account portion control and frequency". You can choose to have one piece of mud cake for 18 points and then eat vegetable soup for the rest of the day - they don't recommend this.....but it definitely for me sends the wrong message to everyone be they WW members or not.
One comment yesterday, regarding the new relationship is that it papers over the cracks in terms of diet and healthy lifestyle. Instead of ordering a "healthy option"at McDonald's people with a weight issue need to sit down with a professional and work out a what they should be doing in real terms to achieve a healthy weight forever. The problem is simply that people eat too much and do too little exercise. Eating healthily is not just a good idea for your life now. In your twilight years, eating healthy and exercising as a habit from young will give you a huge advantage in terms of health benefits - cholesterol, heart, lungs, joints, blood. I'm not talking about living for as long as you can, but about having the best quality of life you can out of the years that you have.
I've been to the movies recently and I looked around at people eating SO MUCH FOOD. I went to a multicultural festival last weekend and I stayed for about 4 minutes. Everywhere I looked, there was a stall selling some kind of high sugar, high fat junk and exactly the type of people who should be looking at their lifestyle EATING IT...... The average person eats too much processed food. Our bodies are not designed for it; sitting at a desk all day, sitting in a car, sitting on the sofa.....we don't move enough to be inhaling waffles or eating a bucket of popcorn bigger than my arse. It's no wonder that 75% of adult aussies are overweight.
The message has gotten lost - cook from raw, plan your meals, sit down with your family and ask how their day was. Teach your kids to cook, buy a new recipe book/magazine. Yes, it is hard work. The Bingham girls advocate adopting a lifestyle change, healthy eating and exercise. We are NOT angels (me especially) but I for one can say that eating fast food is not a way to lose weight. It is about creating new habits and getting rid of old, bad habits. Standing in a queue (or worse going through the drive through; yes, I have done it) looking up at the pretty pictures prior to placing your order and then receiving something in a paper bag, that neither resembles the picture you saw or tastes as good as you'd expect, is cheating yourself of the health you deserve. How many times have you gone to McDonalds and actually thought that what you'd eaten was delicious and you felt good after eating it? If you feel like a burger, make one at home.
Feel free to post comments on the McDonalds/WeightWatchers tie up below or send them to us at binghamgirls@gmail.com and we'll post them up over the weekend!
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