Did you see the story that another person collapsed while having one of the huge calorie- and fat-laden burgers at the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas? I’m not blaming the Heart Attack Grill for this; I place the responsibility solely on anyone who is already not very healthy, and then supersizes their risk by scarfing down a giant burger. Am I the only one who thinks this is insane, and to be honest, kind of gross?
I love food, and I love a good burger. I just had one on Tuesday—it wasn’t a huge one, and I ate three-quarters of it. But what is this bizarre compulsion to eat so much of something that you feel miserable, and sometimes even collapse? How is this healthy? Why is it desirable? What is WRONG with people?
I know that as I’ve gotten older, my metabolism has changed. I used to be able to pack away a lot of food and gain almost no weight. I definitely put on weight easier now (especially since I quit smoking), but I don’t want to eat as much, and honestly feel very uncomfortable—to the point of feeling ill—if I eat too much. It’s not unusual for me to be able to eat only a half of an entree. I take plenty of boxes of food home!
I really don’t get it. It’s no wonder that we have an obesity problem in this country, and diabetes is running rampant. You don’t get to stuff a two-pound burger down your gullet and then wonder why you get a shitty checkup from your doctor, or wonder why your cholesterol is sky high, and you definitely don’t get to bitch to me about it. But really...how can people eat that much? How is that enjoyable for them? The uncomfortable feeling of a too-full belly is bad enough, but it makes me feel headachey, sluggish, and generally unpleasant. Seeing someone shove their pie hole full of food is not a turn-on, believe me. You will never hear me say, “Wow, look at that guy eating a three-pound steak! Gimme some o’ that...and I’m not talkin’ about the steak!” Ugh.I eat steaks, burgers, ribs, plenty of stuff like that. Heck, we’ve got a side of beef on the way. But I know when to stop, and I know my limits. I try to focus on a little protein, lots of veggies and salads, and an occasional bowl of pasta (I would have a really hard time giving up pasta). I don’t eat a perfect diet, but I also don’t gorge myself to the point of being vomitous. I may dabble in the some of the Seven Deadly Sins once in a while, but Gluttony is no longer one of them for me.
