Fast Food Fallacy

The more and more commercials that come on during whatever show or sporting event I'm watching, a pattern develops and becomes extremely evident. It's really quite subtle when you only think of each individual thirty second ad, but when you consider all of them together, it's clear they are using a tame type of propaganda. That word may be a little strong, but people do seem to be easily swayed by what the commercials show them, or at least what they imply.

Taco Bell Grade D commercial...just like their beef. True story.

My personal view on fast food is pretty simple. Most of it tastes great. Some of it not is not even appetizing enough to consider. Giving up that part of my diet (for the most part) has been difficult, as I'm sure you could imagine. Here are some things I considered in making that decision. First the Pros:

• Speed: It's fast. Duh.
• Price: It's relatively cheap.
• Convenience: These locations are everywhere, easy to find and clearly marked.
• Taste: As previously mentioned, it's delicious. Super delicious.

Then the Cons:

• Physical health: Fattening, high calorie options leading to consistent weight gain.
• Contents: Mass production requires the use of steroids/preservatives/hormones to make the product available faster/more abundant.
• Unhealthy 'healthier' options: Hidden factors in so-called healthier choices on the menu. I'll touch on this more in a bit.

After working nine months at Hardee's, I gained a considerable amount of weight. My overall health was declining, my wardrobe was not fitting well and it was only getting worse. When I finally quit, I had to re-evaluate my dining options. Soon, all of the cons far outweighed the pros. So did my fat ass. 

Not actually Dan. This is just a reenactment.

The pros all speak for themselves, so I won't really waste time delving into that. The cons are incredibly overwhelming. I already mentioned the physical changes I experienced. This was brought on by a couple of factors. First, the location I worked at was nowhere near any other healthy options. Second, we were allowed a non-taxable $5 of food off the menu per eight-hour shift during breaks. It was extremely convenient and irresistible to deny. Then you have to consider what goes into the food you so readily eat. The previously mentioned additives might be what enables this food to be abundantly available for consumption, but they are major contributors to changes in peoples' bodies. The steroids and hormones in fast food are one of the main reasons kids are experiencing puberty and weight gain so much faster. It's not just kids it's affecting, but it's most evident in them. What about those 'healthy menu options' they promote? Salads, vegetables...you name it. Guess what? They need to be mass produced as well. They have the same chemicals in them as the other options. What's the difference? Well those additives are cooked out just a little in the preparation stage on the grill. You don't cook the lettuce in salads. You're getting all of the additives in those leaves without a second thought. Might make you rethink going for the greens as your next lunch option.

Fast food poison. These should have biohazard labels on them.

Why is this all relevant to my original point? Just look at these commercials these fast food chains put out there. Look at all those fit, healthy, attractive people devouring their fast food. Look at all of their fit, healthy, attractive friends eating with them, enjoying their company. You don't see a single overweight, unappealing soul on these advertisements. Why is that? Well they wouldn't want to promote what they are actually selling to you. And what are they selling? Larger waist sizes and poorer health. They're happy to show you the exact opposite so they profit off of some peoples' subconscious perceptions. Not everyone falls victim to these tactics, but it's fair to say some do. McDonald's, Taco Bell, KFC, Burger King...the list goes on. Their dishonest commercials with the trendy clothes and background music only show people what they want to see: that it's the right place to have good food and a fun time doing so.

Promoting those horrid salads. Notice that's not Dave Thomas' daughter Wendy.

They had to sex it up a little with a more attractive female. Pretty sad.

I'm not saying we all just quit eating at these venues. Hell, the likelihood is greater that people will not only continue to go, but those pros I mentioned earlier will cloud their judgment in making a better choice. All I can suggest is to give your breakfast, lunch or dinner choices some more consideration (if possible). At the end of my time at Hardee's, I was the heaviest I've ever been. Since making better decisions, I have lost nearly sixty pounds, I'm rarely sick and I've never felt better. My wardrobe has dramatically changed again, but for the better. I think I can make peace with that, knowing I'm not filling myself with things that will reverse those positive changes. It would be nice to not have to sit through these fraudulent commercials, but they need to sell their product somehow.

Alright, I'm off to Chik-Fil-A for a large #4...want anything?

D.