How many calories?!

Has everyone noticed lately how all the major restaurant and fast food chains have started are labeling their menus with calorie information?  The rule is part of the health care reform legislation that President Obama signed in 2010, but the regulations and who it applies to actually just came out April of this year (and there are more details to the regulations that haven't been decided yet).  A lot of restaurants have already stepped up and are providing the information, and the rest should have them out by 2012.  So with this already going for a few months, the big question is, will it work?

The whole purpose of course, is to help people made educated decisions about what they are putting in their mouths. I first saw it in action when Eric and I went with our parents to eat at Islands.  I was completely blown away to see that the burger I was going to order was around 1500 calories.  That is practically a whole days worth right there! Eric and I shared.

At first I thought, "Hmm...I don't know if I like this!"  Eric and I very very rarely eat out - maybe once every couple of months. Maybe. Did I really want to know how many calories were in those few and far between treats?  Would it ruin the experience?  But I have definitely decided its a good thing.  It has affected what I order when we do go out, and I look for the information now. And I know Eric and I are not the norm - the general population eats out a lot more than Eric and I do. So for them how much more important is it to be able to know what exactly it is they are eating! No one out there should be eating 1500 calories at any meal.

The other day I came across this article talking about NYC and the results they are finding there. NYC passed their own law in 2008, requiring restaurant chains to post calorie information. It appears it hasn't been as successful as was hoped, with only about 1 in 6 people changing what they order when they see the calories. This goes right along with what I have heard from most people I have talked to about this.  People just don't seem to be paying attention or they don't really care.  What is good though, it that some restaurants are taking this opportunity to make modifications in their menus, to make the choices themselves healthier (anyone see the changes to the Happy Meals this week?).

This does underline the fact that policy changes and new laws are extremely important, but they must go hand in hand with education.  Unless people understand why that amount of calories is too much and why it is so important to eat healthy, what the health consequences can be, who is to expect they will change?

Do you find that having the calories posted changes what you order? Do you like these new regulations?

Fourth of July

We braved the crowds this year and spent the day basking in the sun on Coronado Island.  I wasn't feeling the greatest but Eric convinced me that it would be better to feel miserable at the beach than at home.  He was right. We went with some friends from church so Eric had fun running around with them while I mostly sat on the beach.  Fun day, though!

Our friend Dan found this starfish when he was out in the water.  Beautiful, isn't it? Those ladies in the background of the picture came over to inform us that starfish will die if they are out of the water and that we need to go put him back.  Which of course we were going to do, he was only out for maybe a minute.

 Our friend Dan, again.  That is his tongue frozen to a popsicle.  A nice old man was going around selling popsicles and apparently he wasn't lying when he said they were cold.

In the evening, we sat and watched the firework show over the water. It was beautiful .

Cori and Jason with their adorable puppy dog. 

Dan and Jamie and then next to them are Elizabeth and Paul. 

It was a great day. Happy Fourth everyone! 

At the ball game

The last time Eric and I went to any sort of sport game together was on one of our first dates when we went to go see a BYU basketball game.  I love going to any type of game so I was excited when we were able to get tickets to go see the San Diego Padres play last week.  We completely were creamed by the Atlanta Braves but that didn't keep us from having a blast!

 It was Mormon night at the Padres so we were there with a lot of our ward members. The lady next to Eric with the towel on her head is Ronell Craig - amazing lady. I think the sun must have been in her eyes, she doesn't usually wear a towel on her head...

A good action shot of the poor Padres trying, but not quite making it...

Our friends Anita and Michael - they are moving to Guam next week. We will sure miss them!