I don't think it's what they eat so much as the quantity. They do eat salads and things too.

Well they might only eat the salad as part of the burgers. Buffalo wings and similar really should be a rare treat food, one a week or so but many eat them daily or certainly more regularly than they should. It is the same here with many.

Not sure if that's one a week or once a week but either way, I'd class them as monthly treats maximum. I eat McDonalds, Pizza Hut etc but probably go there once every 6-8 weeks to one location at the most.

Well I would include all other fast food within that once a week limit. Though for me it could be six months between fast food restaurants. While I love pizza and burgers they are too unhealthy for me to have as a regular treat. So I could easily accept a once a month limit but I was trying to be practical in terms of what people will accept when they already have an unhealthy diet. It would be like going cold turkey for most fast food junkies.

I remember early on in my training where I had to discuss some stuff with a heart attack patient. One of the things we talked about was having meals like fish'n'chips, pizza, chinese etc once a week. He told me he already did that. When I asked more about it, it transpired that he ate each of those once a week so every day he would have a fastfood/unhealthy meal of some kind.

Chinese could be healthier if it were not for the salt or MSG. Though while I love fish and chips mine are air fried. No oil at all. Though you can see what I meant about going cold turkey. Considering I am restricted to microwaves I do not think that I eat too badly. Lots of vegetables and fruit, and little read meat I actually have less than prescribed. Alcohol is another potential problem for many, especially a bottle or can after work.

Its the quantity - when in Florida last year we stopped off in a bar (SWMBO and myself) and ordered some nibbles to go with the beer. I ordered 10 wings and the girl looked at me and asked if I would lie to upgrade to 50 - 50!! I mean if she had said 15 or 20 I would have understood but 50! (and we had ordered some nachos at the same time)

Where abouts have you been in America?

Cincinatti, but they like their sausages there.

Having seen Man v Food, I'm flabbergasted at the portion sizes.

While that s a bit extreme - generally in the US its Pile it High and sell it cheap

I know that when in the US I always ask for a small portion (say of icecream) as I know it will be the same size a large here in the UK - I mean the local 7-11 down from a mate of mine in NY state sells gallon cups of coke (the Drink ) - OK its a US gallon but still...

You're generalising again. America is very different between States and so are the people who live there.



Yes some places have huge portion sizes but you can go to places where the portions are more 'normal'. I've been to a steak house where you can chose the size of steak so if you want a 5/6oz you can have one. I've also been to an Italian restaurant where my colleagues moaned the portions were too small but they were perfect for me. You do have to adjust your eating habits when out there. Sometimes I skip breakfast or just have a banana or skip an evening meal and just have snacks. I'be also been to Nando's and the portions were the same as you get here.

Plus it is more normal to leave food and have take out boxes for the left overs.

Cincinatti has a large German immigrant population but their sausages were more like british sausages when I was at the food festival. I have an ex in Baltimore and she told me about the fixation with Buffalo Wings there. While portions are large in the US they are also geared up for doggy bags, which was a surprise for me when I struggled through a steak and everyone else took the rest of their's home.

That is true - I have been to some quite good restaurants and the people we were with all asked for "doggy Bags" and then we had it the next day - I dont think I have ever done it in the UK