By Theresa
I’ve noticed lately that friends on Facebook are having their “22nd birthday again” or their “21st +” birthday when I know they are almost pushing 30. As a 27 year old, I’ve not yet thought about hiding my age because in my mind and heart I am still young. But I suppose “young” is a relative term nowadays. I suppose I am an old lady in comparison to the bar-hopping 18 year olds. And at times I definitely feel old in comparison to many of my friends who are living the single life whereas I am married with a kid.
For as long as I remember, my mom has never liked to disclose her age. When I was younger, I thought that maybe all women past the age of 40 hid their age. But when did this bar get dropped? Now twentysomethings are starting to lie about their age? How old is “old”?
By Theresa
While many people have a “sweet tooth” I consider myself more of a “salt tooth.” While others dream of decadent chocolate desserts, I envision salty French fries dancing in my head. In high school after a complete physical examination by my MD, I found out I had high cholesterol.
The guilty culprit was a Ma-and-Pa fast food joint which catered to a student’s meagre budget—a “lunch box special” which consisted of a slurpie, fries, gravy and a hamburger for only $3 was the hot seller, and what I devoured a few times a week. The fact that I had high cholesterol came as quite a shock to me. My petit frame did not divulge any unhealthy eating habits; I had what some people call “a fat person trapped in a skinny body” syndrome.
Since that day, I’ve been more mindful of what I consume and am trying (often unsuccessfully) to curb my salt tooth cravings. In an attempt to discourage myself and others from succumbing to greasy deliciousness, here is a very unscientific compilation of the nutritional value of a standard hamburger and fries from McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King and Dairy Queen. Since there is a smorgasbord of bad components in every fast food item, I’ve highlighted just a few of the worst: calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium content.
So if you are like me and are trying to eat more fruits and veggies, the next time you have a hankering for fast food, remember these pictures.
