2004-01-28 - 12:29 p.m.

I'm going to Philadelphia for a few days tomorrow. So, chances are that there won't be another new entry for about a week.

In the meantime, I'll leave you with a little tidbit I got off of The Rage Diaries (http://schmeiser.typepad.com/), which is my new favorite DamnHellAssKing site. Apparently, a documentary filmmaker decided to spend 30 days on a diet made up exclusively of food from McDonald's. This didn't just mean a Big Mac, fries, and a coke morning noon and night. He made a point of sampling everything on the menu, from the filet-o-fish to the hot apple pie. After a month of pissing off his vegan girlfriend by coming home reeking of McNuggets, McMuffins, and special sauce, he had gone from 185 to 210 pounds. His cholesterol had gone up from 168 to 210. His liver went toxic, his sex drive was reduced, and he endured headaches, vomiting, and depression.

It's moments like these when I remember that the best thing by far about becoming a vegetarian was that it forced me to stop eating fast food. Not that I had McDonald's much, anyway. But I'm sure a month of living on Sonic, KFC, or Jack in the Box would amount to much the same thing.

After hearing about this, I am starting to agree with those who argue that Big Fat is as much a problem as Big Tobacco. I mean, I know and have always known that McDonald's wasn't good for you, but, as a longtime dieter, let me put it to your guys this way.

In order to gain 25 pounds in a month, provided that you maintain the same activity regime that you always had, you would have to consume an extra 2917 calories a day. In other words, everything you normally eat plus 2917 calories. Granted, I'm sure this guy was not as active considering his liver went toxic, but still. Not to mention the fact that, ah yes, his liver went toxic.

I think that eating only McDonald's and gaining 10 pounds is making poor eating choices. I think eating only McDonald's, gaining 25 pounds, and having organs fail is being poisoned.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go home (I have laryngitis, not good when you have a scholarship competition coming up), do laundry, pack, and rehearse the play I'm working on. I need to go have some tofu, for energy.

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