How did I miss it before?!?!!
Ok, I’m back in Canada…Been here for a week or so…After 6 months of living back in Europe one thing caught my eye!!! Watching TV I noticed almost EVERY commercial was offering some kind of greasy, salty, carb loaded, sugary fast food or frozen microwaveable product or just something disgusting in general!!!!! I kid you not!! Living in here you might overlook that fact but its a cold truth!!! I didn’t see any supplement advertisements, or gym commercials…Occasional Bowflex add, where they offer a workout lasting 10mins for killer body in convenience of your own home so you don’t have excuse of ever going out that front door again!!! Of course its easy to store and "takes almost NO space" so u can put it away and forget abt it till they get you to buy something even more useless…God!!! It made me sick!!! Then you have this commercial where two kids are sitting in the living room being pulled in and levitated by TV beams and Dad walks in and calls them out to kitchen saving them from sure disaster only to find out he brought doughnuts for them all glazed and yummy and nothing less but 24 pack?!?!?!?! "America runs on Dunkin!!! Keeping families together!!!" WHAT A HYPOCRISM!!!! HOW DARE THEY?!?!?!?!?!!? It made me want to throw up!!!!! Wake up people!!!! They are poisoning you with CRAP!!!! If you see food commercial 500 times a day, chances are you WILL give in to some kind of cheat!!!You cant help it!! I’m sure a huge team of psychologists is behind all that telling them exactly how many times they should run it for optimum public addiction!! And they are targeting children and teens mostly!!!! Shouldn’t that be an offense?? Shouldn’t someone be held responsible and pay for all that?? I guess not!!!! And once our kids are all fat and sick they’ll offer a miracle fat burning pill at more than affordable price with many but acceptable side effects(cuz ANYTHING is healthier then being fat and in risk of many things that lifestyle is bringing to you) so again they WILL use their board of experts to sell you this product…And Again they’ll get rich!!! And again no body will get punished… Till someone has enough and goes on a rampage shooting 20 ppl or worse but then they’ll say he/she was a terrorist…Or mentally unstable…Or was using products their competition is selling…And darkness will cover everything soon…And it makes me want to scream!!!!! Pls, let me know how you feel abt this issue and let us be heard somehow!!!!! We can be the change we want to see in the world!!!! Us, fitness freaks!!!! Wake up and smell the roses and do SOMETHING for crying out loud!!!!!
April 4, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Totally understand how you feel. In the US its the drug commercials too. It is so disgusting. It’s amazing the plethora of junk and mixed messages out there. It’s a wonder any of us are able to get fit!
April 4, 2009 at 5:13 pm
wooowww - was your heart rate up writing that one? I totally agree with you. Now that I am learning more and more on what is best for my body - clean eating, exercise, stretching, meditation, sex, vitamins, self love, etc…I am noticing the media, schools, work place, etc.. are consumed in selling or offering children & adults poision (junk food/processed food, etc..). But you know what? We, as human beings, are learning everyday how important our health is and you will notice a HUGE change in the future. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I am glad to see that others feel as strongly as I do about PROPAGANDA. ~Nesha
April 4, 2009 at 5:14 pm
I hate it! On the channels made for kids it seems like every commercial is about processed food. Nasty. I hate processed food. Not only does it make kids fat it messes with their moods. We do our best to keep our kids away from it. Whenever my kids see McDonalds they call it CrapDonalds.
April 4, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Easy, do like I do - don’t watch TV at all.
April 4, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Yes, I totally agree with you…Sugar and fat mixed together is a deadly combination! Not to mention the increase in diabetes type 2 in childeren…and you are right, I am sure they put together multimillion dollar ad campaigns with the help of psychologists that know how to hit those triggers. Too many people are looking for the quick cure, easy diet pill, etc…unfortunately the only way to know true health is to eat clean and do a little work! And they call us "nuts"…..
April 4, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Love this blog. It screams "Truth" in every word and exclamation point. As someone who once studied public relations, I’m acutely aware of how manipulative the media can be - especially with regard to children. Remember this - the truth is too powerful to be overcome. Eventually, we bodybuilders will change the world. Keep spreading the word.
April 4, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Oh darlin…I hear ya!!! I spent the afternoon at the baseball game where its fatty, greasy junk food and beer everywhere…like people cant have a good time without it. But even if you are going to have a ‘treat’ have just that ONE thing…not 5 hotdogs, fries and ice cream!!! then they just keep feeding their kids to keep them quiet. I am babysitting my neice tonight, which means watching kids shows and EVERY commerical is for junk food, sugary cereals ect and she keeps saying "i want that" unfortunately most parent now just give in. We just have to keep setting positive examples and educate those around us!!!
April 4, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Well… yep! Gee… Wonder how the GLOBAL CHILDHOOD OBESITY EPIDEMIC STARTED!???? *touch of sarcasm*
I work for the health Dept in Australia and this is our fight - against commercialism of food products and advertising during children’s popular viewing time! I actually work on population physical activity, not nutrition. physical activity promotion about the national physical activity has similar issues - play stations, x-boxes, computers, tv babysitter etc etc and just lazy arse kids and parents - what happened to play time - taking the kids and dog to the park for a picnic and throwing the frisbee around??? That’s how I grew up! OMG and I never said that I was bored. My Mum still tells me that.
Seriously…So many issues to tackle on both fronts but it comes down to people just living in the moment, wanting everything now, wanting materialistic life, to darn lazy, too concerned about others, not concerned enough about health and general well being, and too busy! OMG PEOPLE - too busy to take care of yourself - to prevent illness, cancers, get some positive mental wellbeing, positive connectiveity with neighbours and family…. how selfish is that!!!
So, I will plug along in my job promoting the benefits of physical activity, work with Councils and local government to put in better FREE infrastructure such as walking paths, cycleways, free programs in communities, nice shady open spaces and parks, plus proving heaps of grants to get local organsiations running programs. YEP and people will still say its soo expensive or they don’t have time.
Opps sorry this is long - but this is my rant…. this is my working life.
Oh - the commercials comes down to promoting and advocating to the government to ensure that there are specific rules and policies in place to reduce or stop unhealthy food consumption or advertising on TV in kids viewing time! Its a work in progress for most counties at the moment.
But if we can change the behaviours of just one person to being more active and healthy then at least that one more step in the right direction. If you want to help - contact your local Health Department and link in with Physical Activity Taskforces or the Health Promotion Units - we need local community voices on these committees to help advocacy and programs.
April 4, 2009 at 9:17 pm
I want to thank everybody who commented on this blog, I wrote it in moment of frustration and disgust towards the society we live in and when I posted it and view it it kinda looked like I was merely charging at another Windmill with no hope of word ever becoming so powerful to spread itself further!!
I’m glad my friends that we share same attitude toward this issue and I know that we are all doing our part, no matter how small to change it for better!!! Like we always say, if we make one person think about this and realize how dangerous this matter is becoming we did a lot in a long run!!!
I feel like army now, not as a single soldier thanks to you and I’m honored to have such ppl around me!!
April 5, 2009 at 7:24 am
i posted a blog in the forum when i was "seymourcuts"…about a book called "The Poisoning of Amereica"…i was asking if anyone has read it…..it is so true that we are shoved info down our throats about how great McDonalds is, so fun for the family! We do need to wake up! Erica;0)
April 5, 2009 at 8:52 am
Yes sir-it’s a total disgrace. My kids are 9 & 7 and I’ve tried to raise them as clean as possible but I do allow them treats from McDonads once in a while…my kids have even learned how to read labels on cereals, etc. I’ve raised the well!! LOL
April 5, 2009 at 3:03 pm
So sad and i know what you mean. I see so many pizza commercials over and over and mostly at the gym…lol. Its just crazy! No wonder a lot of people are overweight. Also taking out P.E. out of the schools is totally crazy. I remember having it every semester when i went to school and now i only see it being offered once or so in the middle schools and high school. BS!! Kids need to be active.
April 5, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Yes agreed, the media is designed to promote and sell the products that have the cheapest and most desirable ingredients to seduce the most people. What’s worse in North American society is that the physical structure (city design and buildings) of our environment, esp. in the States, is geared toward a sedentary lifestyle. In major European cities you have to walk everywhere, in the major cities of the US the strip malls (where we acquire the majority of our goods) are close, but far enough away that you have to take a car to save time. So it stands to reason that if we are so used to being in an office and the being in our car and then sitting at home that we’ll gravitate towards products that continue to promote that very same lifestyle.
A sad case and point, as many have mentioned before me, is the effect on the children of North America. My young cousin is a case and point. Her parents are obese and she is a fat 9 year old. I bought her a year membership and a beginning class to a gymnastic gym only 1.5 miles from her house. She only went to the 6-week class and complained that the tumbling was too hard. Her parents don’t want to push her to stick toward any activity. Well, at least I tried to save her from the teenage hell that will ensue for a fat girl.
The best solution is to watch less TV, walk around, and be engaged in physical activities for fun instead. It’s encouraging to see that there are many parents who are working to educate and create healthy physical habits in their children. So hopefully the next generation will move in the right direction to a healthier society.
April 6, 2009 at 7:37 am
Way to go my man. The reason I joined Beach Body is for the reason that we have got to start living healthy and getting our country to eating healthy, especially our young children. What we need to do is get a nationwide petition signed and sent to the President to re-enact mandatory physical education from all 12 grades.
April 6, 2009 at 6:42 pm
We are cattle, Prod in the direction commercials send us. If you are not the cattle then your the wolf feeding on them. I would rather Howl, than Mooooooo!
April 19, 2009 at 7:47 am
Couldent have said it better myself bro! Hypocrites is what they are. Nobody is concernd about health these days its all about making the big almighty buck! People will tell you anything is good and anything is safe as long as they get u to by their products. Wheter its supplements, food or anything else.
Keep the fire of justice and honesty alive brother
peace
May 6, 2009 at 7:40 am
No you did not say Bowflex!!! I hate that commercial!!! I was just telling hubby how that same man for over 10 years has stayed 49 years old! I did not know the blowflex stopped birthdays too!!!! I am going to get one for my 29th birthday this year so I will never get older! LMAO!!! They need a new Cmmercial!! OH!! And did you know that the Bowflew can put you in a ROCK BAND!!! It did for him!!!! Got to get me one of those!! It might make me a famous singer too!!!!! LMAO!!! That commercial drives me NUTS!!! And so does the other ones. Guess that is why I dont watch tv. And I dont have the time.