Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Too much TV

I guess I watch too much TV. Not daytime TV but at night. Too tired to read and just want to veg out. This is not the reason I'm fat, though. I'm fat because I eat too much so let's just end that part of the conversation right there.
Two TV shows this week "affected" me:
On Sunday night I watched Jamie Oliver's show about trying to revolutionize school lunch in the US. I did not like what I saw. I'm trying to remind myself that they edited it for dramatic effect and that hundreds of hours of footage ended up not being used but I didn't like what I saw. He referred to the cooks as "girls" (they're about twice his age) and called them "lunch ladies" which we all know is a pejorative term. He dissed pizza for breakfast for the kids which I think shows how little he respects OUR culture. The pizza served at the school is not the best for health but he was dissing pizza for breakfast in general. Nothing at all wrong with pizza (cold or hot) for breakfast or meatballs and spaghetti or whatever. It's the quality of the food being served that is in question not that it is necessarily "approppriate" to the meal or the hour of the day. His attempt at serving the kids baked chicken, rice and veggies. Stupid. It's not food that these southern kids eat or are accustomed to eating. They want their chicken nuggets, fried food, etc. Not rice! Truth is that kids don't sit long enough at lunch time to finish food. They're more interested in getting outside to play and/or embarrassed to be eating the food if the other kids are not. Peer pressure. In addition to improving the quality of food served, we have to give kids more time to eat and encourage them to spend more time at the table eating. Because they don't even finish what they like! Anyway, not a fan of the show but will watch to see how it progresses. And where are the dietitians in that school district? And who says that "bread serving" has to actually be "bread"????
The Biggest Loser. My love hate relationship with that show continues. Today it's love. So impressed with how fit these big people have become. Even though some have lost over 100 pounds, they're all still pretty big and yet their fitness inspires me and amazes me. That's what it's about. Not wearing a slinky dress or walking bare chested on the beach but becoming healthier. And I was excited to see them at home, in street clothes for once, feeling good about themselves. The temptations are great and they still all have such a long way to go. This is not going to be a group of svelte beauties when the show is over but they've all made amazing changes. No idea who will win. Usually I have a favorite by now. I'm rooting for all of them. Mike is growing up. Away from his mother and his family. Sunshine has become a very strong (emotionally and physically woman). The cousins are a little too dour for me but their determination and focus is impressive. Looking foward to the finale. Always love seeing how they've changed. I just hope they learn enough to keep it going because this group will have to work hard long past the end of the show.
So last night I loved the show. Not too much product placement last night (blackberry apps notwithstanding).

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