What I've learned so far..sugar and cocaine??? read on

Just wanted to take a few moments and "talk" about some things I've realized lately.
1st - I'm reading The End of Overeating.
It's so far a pretty good book. I'm still in the first half of the book. So far, from what I can gather, is that the food/restaurant industry is taking advantage of our weaknesses. The book covers several ideas that have been tested with lab rats....how sugar, salt and fat basicaly re-wires your brain. Your basic survival mode is to eat when you're hungry. You start adding sugar, salt, fat...and you eat when you can get your hands on it. So restaurant chains have found ways to smother, stuff, and combine all of the sugar, salt, and fat they can into their food. Because they know it will bring you back. Just reading about some of the menu items covered in the book, I could feel my mouth start to salivate. No pictures, just words and I could almost taste the food.
One thing that is hitting home and that makes me feel like there is hope is the author basically explains that it is not that you don't have enough will power, the salt, sugar, fat combo is ADDICTIVE. There are studies he shows in the book that the rats work just as hard for a sucrose solution that they did for cocaine. WOW

Couple of interesting things that he points out in the book - I'm paraphrasing...

• 15-20yrs ago, the only ice cream you could get was vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.
• Now there are ice cream concoctions like Chunky Monkey, Cookie Dough, Birthcake Batter??? "sugar, salt and fat in sugar, salt and fat" (is the books mantra)
• 15-20yrs ago, Pizza - pepperoni, sausage, or hamburger
• NOW - every meat you can think of on one pizza, BBQ chicken, Cheeseburger Pizza?? Oh then dip the slice in Ranch Dressing....again more ways to put more salt on fat on salt on fat
• 15-20yrs ago - did they have fountain drinks in 32oz and 44oz pitchers???
• Not to mention, supersize, biggie size, add-ins, add-ons, or combining anything and everything...chili cheese fries? OH and there is a commercial for Wendys with the idea of drinking a Frosty with a French Fry?!?!?
• Even if you think you are eating healthy...I think I read that McDonalds salad has just as much fat/calories as their Big Mac?!?! With all of the cheese, bacon, croutons, and the dressing....salt, sugar, fat.
• Also....it's cheaper for them to pack food with a bunch of crap. It allows them to freeze the food, then ship it to the restaurants where they will then re-cook the food in fat. UGH

The system is out there to make us fat and to fail.

Another point that is made is that as humans we have the desire or want for more.

More money, more things, more house, more car. Just More and more than you. So when we go to order a healthy portion of grilled chicken but there's a picture of a double meat double cheese bacon burger with a basket of fries.....for me at least, I struggle when I order because I don't want to "deprive" myself of food. I don't want to give myself Less than what I can Have.

I'm more aware of that now. Didn't realize that's what I was doing. I knew it was always struggle to order. I knew what I should have but then hearing or seeing what everyone else was ordering, I didn't want to "miss out". I put way too much importance on food.