Japan, Seeking Trim Waists, Measures Millions

[darksyndrem]

Originally Posted by ozkai

Nothing is more appealing than a Japanese girl with a "Trim Waist"
http://lh4.ggpht.com/apple.Albums/SI...jpg?imgmax=512

I your posts

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Artvampire

Unfortunately our government works us like dogs, and are are enslaved by credit cards because it's difficult to keep up with bills, so we live a fast paced life with high stress.

But... No one is enslaved by credit cards. No one is having a gun held to their head and being told that they need to buy that flat screen tv or whatever else they`re putting on that credit card. It is possible to "live within your means". So many people seem to be trying to keep up with expectations, while ignoring the reality of their income. It has been shown time and time again that the majority of credit card debt isn`t utility and food bills - it`s electronics and so-called "luxury" items. (Except in the case of college students or the 3 years immediately following graduation, when the majority is textbooks)
I understand society pressure to have all these things, but if you cannot afford them - do not buy them. If you are not sure whether you can afford them, do not count on future magical money appearing - save up the amount. Deal with the lack of anything not required for life, and put "payments" in the bank toward the purchase. No one is MAKING anyone use a credit card beyond their means.

If healthy food was cheaper, and we had more time for our selves in our daily lives then maybe Americans wouldn't so fat.

Raw ingredients are not that expensive - at least outside of very small areas in large cities where people lack the ability to travel to a grocery store and depend on corner markets. In other words, for 99% of the US, you can get reasonably priced raw ingredients.
Nor do people really seem to have as little time as they like to say they do. No time to cook, but yet plenty of time to sit down and watch that tv show...? (Likely on a tv that was paid for by adding to the credit card debt.) People sacrifice their health for something as unnecessary as keeping up with the latest episode of that show everyone is watching.

Processed "light" foods aren`t healthy and they are just cashing in on people who do not realize that the "processing" in itself is unhealthy.

If America's idea of "fast food" was healthy sushi maybe we'd be as thin as Japanese. When I have sushi I feel energized, even a little giddy. When I have a hamburger my stomach feels heavy.

While I agree that sushi is much healthier per calorie than a fast food hamburger, due to the low level of processing and additives... To say it`s great and healthy is a bit of a stretch. I`m sure sushi has a lot more calories than you think. A McDonald`s hamburger is 250 kcal - A single piece of sushi (just one, not 2 in a set!) runs around 50 kcal. 5 single pieces and you`ve already hit hamburger calorie territory. I`ve seen people say sushi is so great and healthy, etc etc, then sit down and eat 15 plates of the stuff (2 pieces per plate). That`s averaging 1500 kcal... Fewer calories from fat and other crap, but still fattening in the end.

Unless you cannot afford to pay your reasonably priced housing costs, your normal utility bills (cable is not included, nor is the net unless you require it for work or school!!), and cannot afford raw ingredients to prepare your food... you do not HAVE to be in debt. No one is FORCING anyone to go into debt. Society makes it easy to go into debt, credit cards present themselves as magic money that you can use without worries, etc... But no one needs the majority of things they are in debt for. And if you ARE paying bills and food with your credit card, and that alone, because you cannot afford it each month while not wasting your money elsewhere... Then it is time to look into what is wrong and try to correct the situation.

[ozkai]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

But... No one is enslaved by credit cards. No one is having a gun held to their head and being told that they need to buy that flat screen tv or whatever else they`re putting on that credit card. It is possible to "live within your means". So many people seem to be trying to keep up with expectations, while ignoring the reality of their income. It has been shown time and time again that the majority of credit card debt isn`t utility and food bills - it`s electronics and so-called "luxury" items. (Except in the case of college students or the 3 years immediately following graduation, when the majority is textbooks)
I understand society pressure to have all these things, but if you cannot afford them - do not buy them. If you are not sure whether you can afford them, do not count on future magical money appearing - save up the amount. Deal with the lack of anything not required for life, and put "payments" in the bank toward the purchase. No one is MAKING anyone use a credit card beyond their means.



Raw ingredients are not that expensive - at least outside of very small areas in large cities where people lack the ability to travel to a grocery store and depend on corner markets. In other words, for 99% of the US, you can get reasonably priced raw ingredients.
Nor do people really seem to have as little time as they like to say they do. No time to cook, but yet plenty of time to sit down and watch that tv show...? (Likely on a tv that was paid for by adding to the credit card debt.) People sacrifice their health for something as unnecessary as keeping up with the latest episode of that show everyone is watching.

Processed "light" foods aren`t healthy and they are just cashing in on people who do not realize that the "processing" in itself is unhealthy.



While I agree that sushi is much healthier per calorie than a fast food hamburger, due to the low level of processing and additives... To say it`s great and healthy is a bit of a stretch. I`m sure sushi has a lot more calories than you think. A McDonald`s hamburger is 250 kcal - A single piece of sushi (just one, not 2 in a set!) runs around 50 kcal. 5 single pieces and you`ve already hit hamburger calorie territory. I`ve seen people say sushi is so great and healthy, etc etc, then sit down and eat 15 plates of the stuff (2 pieces per plate). That`s averaging 1500 kcal... Fewer calories from fat and other crap, but still fattening in the end.

Unless you cannot afford to pay your reasonably priced housing costs, your normal utility bills (cable is not included, nor is the net unless you require it for work or school!!), and cannot afford raw ingredients to prepare your food... you do not HAVE to be in debt. No one is FORCING anyone to go into debt. Society makes it easy to go into debt, credit cards present themselves as magic money that you can use without worries, etc... But no one needs the majority of things they are in debt for. And if you ARE paying bills and food with your credit card, and that alone, because you cannot afford it each month while not wasting your money elsewhere... Then it is time to look into what is wrong and try to correct the situation.

WOW! Your posts drain a lot of time getting through

Thanks DS: She's gourgeous ey

[JackIsLost]

Originally Posted by MMM

I think something like this should happen, especially starting in schools at a young age. In a country where people think a 64 ounce Diet Coke is a making a healthy choice, something needs to be done, and that means starting early.

Unfortunately Americans live in a country where we feel fat is our freedom, without fully understanding that obesity is one of the biggest causes of health problems (from joints to heart disease) and that besides a longer life span, it is a major drain on tax revenues, from welfare to medical costs.

thread too long, didn't read.

But against what MMM is saying. if people lived longer, how am i suppose to get a promotion? i say let people get fat so i can get ahead in my life

[darksyndrem]

Originally Posted by JackIsLost

thread too long, didn't read.

But against what MMM is saying. if people lived longer, how am i suppose to get a promotion? i say let people get fat so i can get ahead in my life

The problem is every one else is looking at it like that too.

@Oz, hehe indeed

[MoshixMoshi]

Just putting it out there but have any of you stepped inside a factory? Worked a day there, hell, a week, a month? You are all talking about office jobs...I work hard labor at a factory all day long for 10 hours, 40 hours a week, with a 30 minute lunch break. Damn, I sure would love to have an hour...it takes 5 minutes just to walk to the lunch room. A lot of the people I work with are overweight even though they work hard at their jobs that are very much like exercising. (Just my observation)

Fresh produce is EXPENSIVE. Not everyone has time to go out and shop around at food markets.

And you know what I just realized? I know lots of people that don't even know how to prepare food, or especially, healthy food. Steamed veggies are just waaaaay over their heads. I think it's important for kids to learn how to cook and enjoy doing it...Home Ec was never a requirement where I went to school and over half the kids didn't know how to prepare a single meal. It might be a contributing factor as well...

As for staying on topic..I think that the measuring of waistlines and dishing out rewards and punishments is a horrible idea.

American "laziness" strikes again. I am guilty to say the least.

[MMM]

Where are people going that fresh vegetables are so devastatingly expensive? I often by "bag salad" for $2.50 or $3.00 knowing it would be cheaper for me to buy the ingredients and chop them up myself.

[MoshixMoshi]

Originally Posted by MMM

Where are people going that fresh vegetables are so devastatingly expensive? I often by "bag salad" for $2.50 or $3.00 knowing it would be cheaper for me to buy the ingredients and chop them up myself.

MMM....when you can buy a whole banquet dinner for what you pay for one head of lettuce, or even a pre-chopped bag. It's pricey in comparison. I live off the cheap stuff. Me=starving college kid.

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by MoshixMoshi

And you know what I just realized? I know lots of people that don't even know how to prepare food, or especially, healthy food. Steamed veggies are just waaaaay over their heads. I think it's important for kids to learn how to cook and enjoy doing it...Home Ec was never a requirement where I went to school and over half the kids didn't know how to prepare a single meal. It might be a contributing factor as well...

Seconding this. Home Ec., or rather, "Food Technology" was compulsory in my school but we still learnt sweet FA about how to actually cook something. How to calculate the calcium in a yoghurt or design packaging for biscuits, sure; but to actually be able to feed ourselves safely and healthily on a day-to-day basis? Excuse me whilst I choke laughing on my wine. No wonder Jamie Oliver can go into a school waggling a leek and get kids asking him if it's a kiwi fruit. *facepalm*

I'm just lucky my family is a bunch of foodies.

Edit: Also, a lot of produce is only expensive because we insist on buying it out of season. Get in touch with what's actually growing for the time of year; it tends to be much, much more economical.

[MMM]

Today in Evansville a pound of banana is $0.49. A five pound bag of apples is $2.99. A five-pound bag of oranges from California is $3.99. Potatoes are $0.49 a pound. Two pounds of sweet onions from California are $1.99

Didn't see a price on lettuce, but these are prices people in some countries would kill for.