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!

The best two years

June 27 2009...

What is so special about that day?  It was the day when Eric and I went from two people in love to husband and wife with a whole lifetime ahead of us to fall even more in love.

It's two years later now, and as Eric told me the other day, the honeymoon has never ended.

Marrying Eric was the best decision I ever made.  We have been happier than I could ever have imagined. I love you Eric!

It's Summer

Summer is officially here. And I don't know about you all, but it was sure a beautiful day! And summer brings with it the start of Eric's internship and the nearing of the end of mine!  Eric had his first day yesterday at Cymer.  He will be spending the next 3 months in their Global Trade Solutions department doing all sorts of important stuff. 

As for me, I officially have about 6 weeks left of my internship. I am finishing up my outpatient and community rotations with a week at WIC this week. Eric is currently running some regressions for me on data I have to analyze on breastfeeding rates among San Diego's WIC participants.  And he thought he was on vacation.

So this may not turn out to be a 'lounging at the beach' or a 'long road trip' summer for us. But we wont complain. We do live in San Diego after all.  

Here's some of the fun things we have already done this summer.  Okay, it was last weekend, but it was almost summer!

Played croquet with the father-in-law...

Went to my kid brothers college graduation...

This brother of mine graduated with just about 

the most perfect GPA I've ever seen.  

Who knew I was related to such a smart kid?

Had a blast at the post-graduation party...

It was actually a combined party for my mom and my brother. My brother just graduated and my mom is now officially a retired teacher!

Yes, he is putting a blanket into the barbeque. No idea why, but it was sure cute.

And this was just a nice picture of my parents. 

A weekend of beaches, family, and fun...

We love visitors!! Which we don't get enough of...hint hint...  :) My sister Ruthie and her family came to San Diego for Memorial Day weekend for their 6 year anniversary and they were nice enough to let us play with them. Nathan and Lizzie were super excited to see the ocean so most of our time was spent at beaches or near the water.  San Diego sure isn't lacking in that department so we had plenty to do to fill our time.

We thought we'd be playing the tour guide role but Cole actually found a few fun places that Eric and I had never been to.  So it was a weekend of adventure for us too!

Our little explorers!

Walking near the tide pools at Cabrillo National Monument.  We love this place - so beautiful!

Isn't he just adorable?!

Nathan staring at the water.  He would have jumped in at any time if Cole or Ruthie had let go of him for one second.

Fun at the beach:

Now, you can't really tell in these pictures but this was one amazing beach.  The sand sparkled!  There was literally millions of gold flecks in the sand. Thanks to Cole for finding this one!

A snapshot of an evening at the Andersons. Babysitting here involves dance parties and lots of twirling.  Good times!

 

The Anthony family - We love you guys!!

From pyramid to plate, unveiled

Here it is!

I have to be honest, my first reaction when I saw the new food guide was, 'Is that it, is that all?'  It seemed too simple. But then I realized, that is exactly the point - it is simple. We all eat, usually on a plate.  This is familiar to us.  I think all of us can look at this picture and immediately be able to compare it to what our own plates look like and know what we can do better on.

Some of the other points that are an emphasis along with this new food guide are:

• Eat smaller portions
• Make half your plate fruit and veggies
• Make half your grains whole
• Switch to low-fat or fat-free milk
• Choose foods with lower sodium
• Drink more water

These guidelines go right along with the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans that came out earlier this year. There is even a fancy new website that is being developed for our new guide which provides more information and tips for healthy eating. 

Obviously, just making a pretty picture probably wont make anyone suddenly start eating more healthy. But hopefully it will be successful as an educational tool.  I think it will be. 

What do you think?