EAT & GREET

For the past five years what
news angle have PR pros tapped into
the most?  Obesity.  Headline after headline about the “fat Americans.”  It’s made the papers, radio and TV.  It’s gotten such great press it’s even triggered
a whole reality TV craze with shows like “The Biggest Loser” and “Dance Your
Ass Off.”

The message has come across
loud and clear, Americans are fat and unhealthy which can cause Diabetes, heart
problems, etc.  So, with all the air time
why don’t these campaigns actually succeed in fixing the problem?  Why do most Americans still choose the donut
over raisin bran or Whoppers over grilled chicken? 

For me, it’s about one
word:  comfort. It’s all about the
comfort of a muffin and piece of crumb cake at a breakfast business meeting – the
comfort of a cocktail and plate of fried calamari on a date – of food for 100
at a Thanksgiving table that seats 12.   It tastes good and gives you something to
do…a filler, a prop.

Eating fries and Mac & Cheese
is more filling and less expensive than steak, spinach and a baked potato so in
these lean times the lean have turned soft. And, while schools have tried to make
school lunches healthier by banning soda machines in favor of milk, it’s not working
all that well. And college?  Forget
it.  The freshman 15 is now the freshman
25. 

So what’s the answer?  I think, given my PR background, it’s all
about measurable results.  First you have to understand you’re
overweight and then you need a goal and some action items.

If you want those extra
calories, balance them with the gym.  As
you start to get healthier, feel better and see results, you start eating less
on your plate. It’s win-win.  And weigh
yourself daily or weekly so you always know the score. 

And the Holidays?  Give yourself a pass for a few weeks and then
stick to your New Year’s Resolution.  Too
many folks give up by February.

Listen, I’m no
preacher.  I’m a NJ native in love with
huge, greasy slices of pizza from some hole in the wall with Tony Soprano
eating in the corner booth. But, along with my pizza comes an IOU for 45
minutes on the treadmill.  And I always
try to pay up. 

Happy Holidays Everyone!

No Turkey For Me!

I guess you could call me a “healthy eater.”   I don’t love desserts and think twice about the number of fries I steal from someone else's plate (usually someone actually at my table).  I also eat a variety of foods – from pasta with veggies and salmon to a cheeseburger with everything on it. 

So, it’s Thanksgiving, and the Holidays, and turkey is naturally front and center.  I’m heading to NYC to meet with family and friends and turkey was sure high on my list…that is, until I saw the Sarah Palin/turkey slaughter plant video.  It was like something out of an SNL skit.  There’s Sarah near the camera to our left and not too far behind her on the right, in clear view, is a guy in a white coat taking bound, live turkeys and stuffing then head first into like this wood chipper metal bin.  Every now and then he would turn to the camera while Sarah was going on…smiling and saying what a pleasure it was to be there.  Turkey feet were twitching and blood was pooling and there I was…glued to this scene that looked like something from SAW V and really trying not to gag.  Was this a local TV reporter playing a joke on Palin?  Was it a PR person who just forgot to advance the scene for the shoot?  Who knows?  But the moral of the story for me is that I’m off turkey for the time being and have changed our Thanksgiving reservation to an Italian restaurant.  Pasta with basil and olive oil is looking pretty good to me about now.

Happy Holidays everyone!!!
Risë

If you want to see it for yourself, here it is but I warned you: