Reply #44: After reading all the posts on this thread so far...... [View All]

I have to say that I'm sure every suggestion is somewhat correct, but the most valid one as I see it is the post that said "we are a culture of excess" pure and simple. We are brainwashed to believe that more is better in anything and everything. We are never satisfied with what we have because what we have/eat is usually mediocre at best so we keep eating or wanting more and more to try to find satisfaction, but we never will. It's why the French are thin but eat amazingly wonderful meals.

We have so much of everything in this country that we wouldn't recognize satisfaction if it hit us in the face. We brag amount how much we have here and flaunt it instead of looking deeper and understanding that quality of life is not related to more of everything.

I know personally if I make a delicious meal from scratch and plan for it throughout the day by eating very small meals I thoroughly enjoy that dinner without going overboard. I eat slowly and savor the meal whereas if I eat cheap, processed, ready-to-eat meals during the day my enjoyment of any of it is next to nothing.