ARBY'S IS THE DEVIL!

I'm a firm believer in moderation... although "to believe" and "to do" are very different things...



Thus, when dieting, there's no point in cutting the "bad" foods that you love to hate out of your diet entirely. Especially when you don't want to do it... you're just setting yourself up for failure! Instead, you should eat these foods in MODERATION! At least that's what I think. But since I am not a personal trainer or a dietitian (in fact, I'm attempting to lose ten pounds as we speak), you probably shouldn't listen to me. Whatever.

So, ANYWAY, over the last two months I've been finding ways to fit in the foods I (hate to) love in a sensible way. Such as: I still get a Peppermint Twist Mocha from Starbucks almost every day (that place is practically a swearword among my liberal hippie friends--DEFINITELY a shop I love to hate), but since I've started dieting I switched from a 12 oz. to an 8 oz. (A.K.A. a "Short"--oddly enough, not on the menu... but they DO exist!), and I never, ever get whipped cream. It's still not the BEST use of my caloric allotment for the day, but it's not the WORST. I love compromises.

My love for compromises and moderation can also explain why I just went to Arby's for a drive-thu dinner.

You should know, I believe that vegetarianism is the most humane and least costly lifestyle out there. HOWEVER, I am (well... was) the WORST vegetarian EVER, for about 9 months during my sophomore year of college. During this agonizing period of my life, I actually had a dream where I stole a big hunk of meat and ate it in a corner where nobody could see me. That's when I decided vegetarianism is just a (personal) lost cause. My body literally CRAVES meat. It's weird.

Anyway, another thing you should know is that I have a (not-so) secret love for CRAPPY, PROCESSED meat. Like shaved turkey a la Carl Buddig, or McDonald's cheeseburgers, or... Arby's Roast Beef Sandwiches (I LOVE those things). I know, I know... processed, factory-farm meats are inexcusable, disgusting, unsustainable, and basically a one-way ticket to Hell. But for some reason I've had trouble cutting my ties with them... their taste is just unlike any other! I can't explain it. I've got to give 'em up eventually, I realize this. I'm just not ready yet! Sigh.




Ahem. Back to dinner: The moderation aspect of my dinner today was that I'd order a Beef 'n Cheddar Deliciousness (440 calories... oops!), but skip the fries and pop. The compromise aspect of my dinner was that I'd ask for a nutrition guide at the drive-thru window, so that I could read it and thus remind myself why Arby's is a rare treat and not a dietary fixture in my life.

Well, guess what I found out??? Arby's Beef 'n Cheddar has TRANS FAT!!! I thought that stuff was practically outlawed! Their Apple Turnover (made from fresh apples, of course... not) has 6 GRAMS of Trans Fat!!! That's pretty much unheard of, isn't it?????

And Trans Fat is just the beginning! Their so-called "Market Fresh" Pecan Chicken Salad Wrap (a seemingly innocuous dish) has a ridiculous 740 CALORIES, and 46 GRAMS OF FAT!!!! That's like 3/4ths of an entire day's allotment of FAT! Eeeew!

Even their biggest, worst-for-you fatty delights (the Bacon Beef 'n Cheddar and the Chicken Cordon Bleu) have less than 600 calories and less than 30 grams of fat... what the HECK is in their "Market Fresh" wraps??? Lard straight from the butcher's block? There should for REALZZZ be a disclaimer on those things. I'd bet you my arm that people regularly choose the Pecan Chicken Salad Wrap because they think it is a "healthy alternative" to the other stuff Arby's has to offer. Poor, misguided saps. They're being duped!