Some People Take Themselves Too Seriously…

Posted By elissa on Jan 20, 2009 | 1 comment

I have to admit, I got a bit of a chuckle out of a recent article by Debora Yost, entitled “Inaugural Luncheon No Model for Healthy Eating.”  Take it away, Deb…

The nutritional toll per person for the three-course meal: 3,048 calories and 142 grams of fat – not including the wine and champagne that will accompany each course. That’s 42 percent of calories from fat – quite a bit higher than the 25-30 percent minimum the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends per day for healthy living.

It’s also a far cry from the healthy eating edict forced on conventioneers at the Democratic Convention in Denver a few months ago that banned fried foods and proclaimed meals should contain at least three of the following colors: red, green, yellow, purple/blue and white. Aside from the whipped sweet potatoes and winter vegetable side dishes, the only other color on the menu is white and it comes from lobster, cream and vanilla ice cream. There isn’t even a salad.

…In a world and nation facing an obesity epidemic, you’d think the JCCIC would want to practice what the Democrats were preaching back in August and be a bit more prudent about what goes to the hips and arteries of our national leaders. In addition to the Obamas and Vice President-elect Joe Biden’s family, invited guests include the Supreme Court, Cabinet designees, and the Congressional leadership. Then it’s off to the parade where they might want to march instead of just watch – if they want to make room for dinner.

Remind me never to invite this woman over for dinner…geez!

I work with people trying to get into shape for a living, so it’s not like I’m oblivious the need to eat healthily the most of the time.  And any member of the “Fat Loss Revealed” or “Bodybuilding Revealed” forums could tell you that I take nutrition seriously.  Very seriously.  But the one thing I refuse to do is scold – you come across as a real killjoy and run people off.  If the lavish meal being served was a regular, or even semi-regular occurrence, then I could see the point of tut-tutting about it.  But it’s a historic, once-in-a-lifetime event…definitely time to party hearty.

One meal – no matter how rich – isn’t going to have significant health and/or waistline-shattering consequences for otherwise healthy people.  Both Mr. and Mrs. Obama are fitness devotees, who will almost certainly compensate for the indulgence through more sensible eating and exercise in the following days.  So tomorrow, let ’em eat [Apple Cinnamon Sponge] cake!