jbooma Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4078903/ WEB EXCLUSIVE By Brian Braiker Newsweek Updated: 1:16 p.m. ET Jan. 28, 2004Jan. 27 - Sometimes inspiration strikes in the unlikeliest places. After gorging himself on Thanksgiving dinner in 2002, Morgan Spurlock was watching TV with his belt unbuckled and his pants unzipped. On the news was a report about two girls in New York who were suing McDonald’s because, they claimed, the food made them overweight and sick. At one point in the report, recalls Spurlock, a representative for the fast food chain claimed its food was, in fact, nutritious. It was at that precise moment that Spurlock, who runs his own production company, says “the bells went off.” He decided to make a documentary—his first feature-length film—in which he would, in an attempt to explore why Americans are so fat, eat at McDonald’s three times a day for 30 solid days. advertisement One year, thousands of fries and millions of calories later, Spurlock has an award-winning film in the can. Titled, tongue planted firmly in cheek, “Super Size Me,” his documentary was a surprise hit at Sundance last week, winning Spurlock the Best Director prize in the documentary competition and drawing comparisons to the work of “Bowling for Columbine” auteur Michael Moore. With regular visits to the doctor, interviews with experts on fast food and chats with regular folk on the road, the viewer gets a front row seat as the formerly fit filmmaker eats everything on the menu, packing on the pounds, and looking—and feeling—worse in each successive frame. McDonald’s’ response? The home of the Happy Meal declined to comment in the film but has released statements saying that its menu offers an array of choices, some healthier than others. Spurlock, 33, spoke with NEWSWEEK’s Brian Braiker about his wild, fattening trip since that moment of tryptophan-induced inspiration. You ate three meals a day at McDonald’s for 30 days for this film. What happened to your body over the course of that month? My body just basically falls apart over the course of this diet. I start to get tired; I start to get headaches; my liver basically starts to fill up with fat because there’s so much fat and sugar in this food. My blood sugar skyrockets, my cholesterol goes up off the charts, my blood pressure becomes completely unmanageable. The doctors were like “you have to stop.” Julie Soefer Want fries with that? Director Morgan Spurlock -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You saw more than one doctor? I was seeing three different doctors over the course of this, just so I would really have a fair balance between all the people so nobody could say “oh, it was doctor bias; it was physician bias.” Each of these doctors was doing their own blood tests and each of the blood tests were going to three different labs so there was no way lab error could be an issue. Everything that happens to my body over the course of the film was caused by this diet. And everything that happened to my body was caused by this food that I got at this restaurant. I didn’t eat anything—no gum, no candy, not even a Tic Tac—everything that I put in my mouth came from over the counter at McDonald’s. Even the water. I wouldn’t even drink water from outside, that way there would never be a question that “oh there was probably something in the water somewhere else when he was traveling around.” I only drank bottled water from McDonald’s. How much weight did you put on? I put on about 25 pounds in a month. How did you feel at the end of the month? [Laughs] I felt terrible! I felt so bad because I put on this weight so quickly my knees hurt. I was so depressed. I would eat and I would feel so good because I would get all that sugar and caffeine and fat and I would feel great. And an hour later I would just crash—I would hit the wall and be angry and depressed and upset. I was a disaster to live with. My girlfriend by the end was like “you have to stop because I’ve had it.” It really affects you in so many ways that I think a lot of people don’t realize, very subtle little things. Over the course of the film you see my transformation and it’s not pleasant. Why McDonald’s specifically? Why not Burger King; why not Subway? McDonald’s is an icon, a cultural icon, a cultural phenomenon and nothing represents America and the American fast food way of life more than McDonald’s. The chain has 30,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries on six continents around the world. It has truly influenced how we eat, how food is made and how, really, other cultures are starting to eat. All these other food companies have started to follow suit, from franchising and how they manufacture and distribute their food, McDonald's is a trendsetter. So for me, the idea of picking McDonald's was, one, to pick it as the icon for what it represents. It represents every food, in my opinion; it represents every company. Also in my opinion it represents the one company that more than anybody else could really make a difference. McDonald's could institute change that everyone else would also follow. It could do away with super-size portions and everyone else would say “wow, you know what? We don’t need to do this anymore either. We need to make a difference.” If they would truly champion a change for healthier menu option—it would happen across the board. But doesn’t it boil down to individual choice? I think there is a level of personal choice. In the film it’s not like I’m saying fast food is the sole problem. In the film we examine a multitude of issues that cause the obesity epidemic, personal choice being one of them. McDonald’s every day feeds 46 million people worldwide—that’s more than the entire population of Spain. You’re talking about one company that has a huge impact. I think that sure you can argue personal choice, but on the same point, if there aren’t healthy menu options available and there isn’t nutrition information available to people who come there to make a choice about what they’re going to eat, you’re really limiting your argument on some levels. Their marketing and advertising from the very beginning really targets kids. Children from such an early age are just so washed over with the idea of the happy clown and the Happy Meals and oh look, there’s a playground, let’s go there for fun. I know kids whose parents have never taken them to McDonald’s, but if you ask them what their favorite restaurant is and they’ll say McDonald’s—and they’ve never even been in one! That’s pretty scary. This sounds a lot like “Fast Food Nation.” Did you read that? “Fast Food Nation” is a tremendous book and was definitely something that we referenced while we were making the film. [Author] Eric Schlosser and I were e-mailing one another back and forth but never really connected and that was not really an influence on my doing the film. I read “Fast Food Nation” when it first came out two years ago and it’s a great book. And you had this idea over Thanksgiving in 2002? Yeah, what an amazing year. From the time that I got the idea to us getting into the Sundance Film Festival was exactly one year. I came up with the idea on Thanksgiving. And it was the day after Thanksgiving, I was in Oregon with my girlfriend [Alex Jamieson] at her parent’s house. We were leaving her parents house and I got the call on the phone from [sundance’s senior programmer] Trevor Groth and he says “congratulations, you got into the festival.” It’s like “oh my God, are you kidding me?” This is everything that you work for, especially in America where this is the marquee film festival; this is the top. It doesn’t get any better than this in the United States. It’s an amazing feeling to have your film viewed as something that people believe in and ever since we’ve come here the film has been so well received from reviewers to just regular folks. God, it’s been such a ride. You mentioned your girlfriend. She’s a vegan, right? [Laughs.] My girlfriend is a vegan, yeah. How ironic is that? We’ve been together about four years now—she was there from the beginning. She was in the movie. How did she handle it? She wasn’t pleased. She wasn’t real happy. But she was so supportive and she’s always been very supportive of me and the things that I do. This was one of those things she didn’t really like—she didn’t really agree with me eating the food—but she was like “listen, I understand what you’re trying to do.” And she was great. She was very funny in the movie. McDonald’s has argued that the premise of your film is unfair, that its stores offer a wide array of food. It’s a very extreme route I took. That’s the other argument that’s made: nobody’s supposed to eat this food that often, no wonder all these bad things happen. But the thing is, there are people who go to these restaurants and do eat very heavy fat laden foods and sugar-laden foods every day. Maybe not every day but six days a week or five days a week. And while they may not get the dramatic impacts that I had—things may not happen at such an exaggerated rate—these things will happen over the long run if they don’t exercise, if they’re not taking care of themselves. You have to exercise a lot to run off a super-sized Big Mac meal. You’re talking about 1500 calories. You eat 1500 calories, you have to run for three or four miles, for 45 minutes to an hour. People have been comparing you to filmmaker Michael Moore. Yeah, and you know, what better thing to have happen to a first-time director? But someday they will be calling Michael Moore the first Morgan Spurlock. [Laughs] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted January 29, 2004 Author Share Posted January 29, 2004 who is the first to join the McD's diet now :thud: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J33Edwards Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 i will it can't be any worse then the atkins diet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John0397 Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 HA HA HA, i know how he feels about gaining weight, but i sorta had a different reason. When i finished my chemotherapy i was approximately 35 pounds lighter than when i started. I started to put on weight when I started working full time again (office job) but I couldn't exercise because my body was still recovering from the therapy (gaining back what i lost and 10 more). But I digress, eating fast food everyday for a month is not a wise option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 That is just a disturbing idea... okay, I'll admit it... this kind of art, documentary art... I don't think the government should support even though it's educational in its way :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 Looks interesting. I'd see it if became available. Personally, I have found that I cannot eat McDonalds anymore. At all. when I was younger I ate fast food all the time and it never bothered me. Since I hit 30, though, one extra value meal from McDonalds makes me ill for the rest of the day. I probably haven't had so much as a fry from McD's in a couple years. I can't imagine eating there three times a day for a month. I seriously think that would kill me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted January 29, 2004 Author Share Posted January 29, 2004 Originally posted by Henry Since I hit 30, though, one extra value meal from McDonalds makes me ill for the rest of the day. I probably haven't had so much as a fry from McD's in a couple years. I can't imagine eating there three times a day for a month. I seriously think that would kill me. I am the same way. Even though not yet at 30 but a year ago I decided to go get Popeye's chicken for lunch and man it was not a good reaction If I do eat fast food say McD's or Burger King I tend to order just chicken products not hamburgers anymore, except the whopper of course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 I'm just like that too Boom. The Whopper at BK and possible some Chicken thing from Wendy's is all my body can handle anymore....otherwise I'm hunkerin' down in the john with a Maxim for the rest of the evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedskinRob Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 I know what this guy is saying in that you get a quick high off of it but then crash. I feel the same way about an hour after eating a vlue meal of any sorts. Must be the getting old thing/slower metabolism, who knows! I am like Frank the Tank in "Old School" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbear Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 One thing is not right in this story: "You have to exercise a lot to run off a super-sized Big Mac meal. You’re talking about 1500 calories. You eat 1500 calories, you have to run for three or four miles, for 45 minutes to an hour. " He's either really off on the number of calories or on how much it takes to burn 1500 calories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted January 29, 2004 Author Share Posted January 29, 2004 Originally posted by gbear One thing is not right in this story: "You have to exercise a lot to run off a super-sized Big Mac meal. You’re talking about 1500 calories. You eat 1500 calories, you have to run for three or four miles, for 45 minutes to an hour. " He's either really off on the number of calories or on how much it takes to burn 1500 calories. What he is saying if you eat three of those meals a day you have to run 12 miles just to work it off. 1500 calories for one meal is upsurd, the normal daily amount is 2000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlinginSammy HOF '63 Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 Hopefully this would help prove to these retarded chicks that McD's didn't make them fat. They made themselves fat by going there to eat constantly. :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 Originally posted by jbooma What he is saying if you eat three of those meals a day you have to run 12 miles just to work it off. 1500 calories for one meal is upsurd, the normal daily amount is 2000 Big Mac: 590 calories, 34 grams of fat Super Size Fries: 610 calories, 29 grams of fat Super Size Coke: 410 calories, 0 grams of fat Total Big Mac Super size EVM: 1610 calories, 63 grams of fat Now imagine eating that three times a day ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted January 29, 2004 Author Share Posted January 29, 2004 Originally posted by Henry Big Mac: 590 calories, 34 grams of fat Super Size Fries: 610 calories, 29 grams of fat Super Size Coke: 410 calories, 0 grams of fat Total Big Mac Super size EVM: 1610 calories, 63 grams of fat Now imagine eating that three times a day ... It is like eating just good old plain saturated fat :puke: dam a fry is clost to a 1/3 of your daily calorie intake :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 In fairness to McDonald's, they have grilled chicken sandwiches and salads on the menu. You could eat fairly healthy there if you wanted to. I'd like to know what this guy's menu was like. Sounds like he did 3 squares of Big Mac/Super Fries/ Tub o' Coke per day. Who wouldn't get sick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlinginSammy HOF '63 Posted January 29, 2004 Share Posted January 29, 2004 about 2000 calories would be normal for a 175 pound male. It's amazing that one of those meals has almost that amount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted November 12, 2004 Share Posted November 12, 2004 http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1516&ncid=1516&e=2&u=/afp/20041111/od_afp/afplifestyle_skorea_041111172520 South Korean activist ends risky diet of junk food Thu Nov 11,12:25 PM ET SEOUL (AFP) - A South Korean environmental activist who tried to live for 30 days on junk food has abandoned his diet after doctors said he was risking his life. Yoon Kwang-Yong, 31, began his diet on October 16 in an attempt to re-enact "Super Size Me," an US documentary showing the effects of fast food on the human body. But he stopped Wednesday on the 24th day after doctors said his health was deteriorating so rapidly that his life could be in danger. "I learned through my diet that putting on weight is just part of the harmful effects caused by fast food," he told AFP. The US film directed by Morgan Spurlock, who ate at McDonald's tree times a day for a month, will be screened in South Korea (news - web sites) this week. "The toxic effect my eating had on my body was apparent, and doctors told me to abandon my experiment because it's too dangerous," Yoon said. During the 24 days, Yoon put on 3.4 kilograms (7.5 pounds) despite daily exercise he said he took in order to ensure that the experiment was fair. His body fat increased from 16.7 percent to 21.9 percent. Doctors who have tracked Yoon's health said the experiment caused a variety of health problems associated with poor nutrition including a lack of minerals and vitamins. "The most critical problem was a rapid decline in his liver," said Green Clinic doctor Yang Kil-Seung. "His liver was severely punished, plus were found signs of heart problems." Psychiatrist Lee Jong-Hun said Yoon was also suffering from headaces, depression and a lack of energy. "Just five days into my experiment, my liver went wrong, and I began suffering from headaches and fatigue as time passed by," Yoon said. The activist from the Citizens' Movement for Environmental Justice in Seoul immediately started detoxifying his body with vegetable-oriented food. He said he would make a documentary showing his experiment. "I hope my experiment will scare people, especially children, off fast food or warn them of its dangers," Yoon said, pointing to the rapid growth of fast food outlets in South Korea. "My group will step up a campaign against greedy business tactics which were only interested in getting people addicted to fast food," he said. He urged television stations to restrict fast food advertising, which has a massive influence on children. For his part, Yoon said he would go back to a traditional Korean diet based on rice and vegetables. He said South Korea's economic development plus the booming fast food industry was prompting a change in dietary habits. His group said about 15,000 South Koreans eat fast food three times a day and 300,000 people once a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerm Posted November 12, 2004 Share Posted November 12, 2004 This movie is available on Netflix. The reviews are mostly positive but there are some detractors. It’s kind of like a Moore movie. Many argue that he went out of his way to pick the highest calorie stuff. You could probably put together a diet at McD’s and lose weight if you tried hard enough etc... Other reviews basically say “DUHHH... is there anyone out there that doesn’t know fast food is bad for you?” I guess McD’s stopped the “Super Size” options about the time this came out. Sounds like most people who watched the movie thought it was pretty good overall. The consensus seems to be that it is entertaining and somewhat educational. I may rent it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whtchink Posted November 12, 2004 Share Posted November 12, 2004 The Korean dude just had a slow metabolism...damn koreans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLiNT0N P0RTiS Posted November 12, 2004 Share Posted November 12, 2004 Wow... I love Mcdonalds but gez if it does do that to your body than I must stop and go on the Subway diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Posted November 13, 2004 Share Posted November 13, 2004 Originally posted by Dan T. In fairness to McDonald's, they have grilled chicken sandwiches and salads on the menu. You could eat fairly healthy there if you wanted to. I'd like to know what this guy's menu was like. Sounds like he did 3 squares of Big Mac/Super Fries/ Tub o' Coke per day. Who wouldn't get sick? Exactly. In my opinion, it's guys like this, in conjunction with the stupid Center for Science in the Public Interest, that will end up limiting our diet like they've restricted our freedom on other issues. McDonald's has other options and only a complete moron would recommend eating the worst choices there 3 times a day. But it wouldn't just be McDonald's. If one were to only eat lettuce for a month, the effects would be disastrous. Or just soy or just beans. You need variety in your diet to meet your nutritional needs. The idea for the movie is kind of stupid, frankly. It seems like nothing more than an alimentary Moore-film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsHokieFan Posted November 13, 2004 Share Posted November 13, 2004 Originally posted by Whtchink The Korean dude just had a slow metabolism...damn koreans Your just on fire with these posts aren't you? :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codeorama Posted November 13, 2004 Share Posted November 13, 2004 I kid you not, I have said to my wife on many occasions that the whole Jared subway thing was BS. Anyone could lose weight, provide pictures and lie about how they lost the weight. I even said specificially, someone could easily say they lost weight eating at McDonalds... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselPwr44 Posted November 13, 2004 Share Posted November 13, 2004 McDonald's version of Jared??? Well, he's been around for years.....isn't his name Grimmace?? or it could be...the Hamburglar!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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