Do something Friday ... the FourthMeal

I just came across Taco Bell's Fourth Meal campaign.  Maybe it's time for us to start voting with our dollars.

 

Here's the thing:  We don't know very much about what drives obesity.  Yes, we know our portion sizes have grown (and so have our waistlines).  Yes, we know high fat, high sugar, high salt food have similar brain stimulation patterns as cocaine.  Yes, we know there are a number of hormones that work together to drive our hunger, satiety, fat accumulation, etc.  What we don't know is how all of these components (and many more work together).

 

We also know a couple really important things:

 

We can't keep eating what ever we want whenever the whim strikes us without eventually gaining weight.

 

Behaviors associated with weight gain are the same behaviors associated with diabetes, heart disease, cholesterol problems, high blood pressure, metabolic disorders, (and I could go on but hopefully you get the picture).

 

Food companies (i.e. Big Food -- just like Big Tobacco and Big Pharma) make money by helping us believe:

Large portion sizes of low quality food for relatively small amounts of money is a good thing.

But...

• If we are chemically driven (think addiction) to eat their foods -- they make money.  The more we can't help but eat their food, the more money they make.
• Food companies won't help you.
• The government can't help you.
• You are the only one who is actually in charge of what you put into your mouth.

So back to the Taco Bell Fourth Meal...

 

The tag line for the ad is:
"You're out.  You're hungry. You're doing the Fourthmeal."

 

This is clever.  They're making it normal to eat because your out and because your hungry.  Not both -- it could be one or the other.  You're out....better go get some food....can't ride in the car without eating something.  Or... you're hungry...don't wait until you get home (you know -- in 30 minutes) ... you have the ability to stop feeling the tiniest bit hungry -- better do that right now!  Before you starve to death while you're driving!!!

 

Are either of these ideas going to benefit you?  Nope -- I don't think so -- I think they're only helpful to Taco Bell...and McDonald's...and Subway (yes, yes, I know Subway's supposed to be healthier -- but if you're eating when you're not hungry or just because you're out, this is not the best choice for you).

 

When you eat at Taco Bell, you are literally funding this ad campaign.  You are creating the world you live in -- right now with your lunch choices, dinner choices, vending machine choices.

 

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." -- what's your plan for doing that this weekend?