Chipotle, Reconsidered

A mad scientist genetically modified a lemon by slipping the DNA of the NBC turkey into it's cells...

McDonald's is shutting down stores, and Chipotle proudly announces that they are in the process of completely removing GMO's from their food. The king is dead, all hail the king....right? Or perhaps, as usual, the King is wearing no clothes...

A few months ago, I considered Chipotle, and came to the conclusion while it may seem like a better choice than the fast food that came before it, bottom line was it was still too calorie-dense to not be part of the obesity epidemic, from which most other food-related health ills spring. Recently, NPR published an interesting piece spurred by the recent GMO announcement that took my line of thinking a few steps farther. Why can't we take Chipotle's announcement about GMOs, and by extension, Chipotle itself, too seriously?

1. Corn Syrup & GMOs: They still sell soda, full of GMO corn-syrup.
2. Environment: While some crops use GMOs to be weed-resistant, many of the commodities Chipotle use are also weed-resistant, just by using different methods. Either way, super-weeds are evolving and the environmental damage is pretty much the same.
3. Salt: Chipotle food still contains a huge amount of salt, a multiple of the recommended amount for a meal.
4. Science: there is plenty of rigorous science proving the excess consumption of Chipotle food sugar, salt and refined carbs can be disastrously unhealthy. No such science backs up the idea that GMOs are unhealthy.
5. Meat: Regardless of the humanitarian standards trumpeted about their meat supply, the fact remains that these same animals are fed a diet that is a majority of commodity crops that are raised....with GMOs. 

So despite the announcement, you're still getting plenty of GMOs in your drink and perhaps in your meat, you're still getting way too many calories and salt, and you're not really being that much more environmentally friendly. Let me bang this drum once more: well, capitalism. The corporation needs to make a buck, and whether it's because the consumer is getting what they want or THINK they're getting what they want, as long as the buck is made, that's the final measure of success, right?

Is it time to call it "Capitalism's War on Food" yet?

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WEEKLY AVERAGE: 2849
Good, if high-calorie, eating week. My metabolism is kicking into high gear, right? Uh, right?

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MONDAY COUNT: 3090

SLEPT: 12am - 6am, 6 hrs

AM SNACK: 6:15 am, iced green tea

BREAKFAST: 9am, apple/beet/celery/carrot/cayenne/cucumber/ginger juice, 160 cal

BREAKFAST 2: 11am, Steel cut oatmeal, 450 cal  

LUNCH: 2pm, falafel, split pea soup, health salad, pickles, 640 cal

PM SNACK: 4:30pm, momma salad, cheezits, 310 cal

DINNER: 7pm, flounder, asparagus, poppa salad with dressing, 520 cal

EVENING SNACKS: 7:30pm, popcorn, +/- 400 cal

EVENING SNACKS: 8pm, peanut butter crackers, 480 cal

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TUESDAY COUNT: 3050

SLEPT: 9pm- 4am, 7hrs

AM SNACK: 4:15 am, iced green tea

BREAKFAST: 7:30am, apple/beet/celery/carrot/cayenne/cucumber/ginger juice, 160 cal

BREAKFAST 2: 10:30am, Fage with almonds honey, vanilla,  450 cal

LUNCH: 2pm, chicken meatballs, curry lentils, steamed strignbeans, pickles, 620 cal

PM SNACK: 4pm, momma salad, 100 cal

DINNER: 7pm,Stouffer's french bread pizzas, poppa salad with dressing, 1040 cal

EVENING SNACKS: 8pm, peanut butter crackers, kind bar, 680 cal
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WEDNESDAY COUNT:2880

SLEPT: 9pm-4am, 7hrs

AM SNACK: 4:15 am, iced green tea

BREAKFAST 1: 7am, apple/beet/celery/carrot/cayenne/cucumber/ginger juice, 160 cal

BREAKFAST: 9:30am, Steel cut oatmeal, 450 cal

LUNCH: 2pm, grilled chiken, poppa salad with dressing, 650 cal

PM SNACK: 3:30pm, momma salad, cheezits, 310 cal

PM SNACK: 5pm, cashews, 310 cal

DINNER: 7:30pm, chinese food, +/- 1000 cal
Out with a friend.
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BIKE CREDIT: 730 cal
THURSDAY COUNT: 2605

SLEPT: 10pm - 2:30am, 4.5 hr

AM SNACK: 2:45am, iced green tea, 150mg caffeine

BIKE SNACK: 6am, homemade granola bar, 340 cal

BREAKFAST: 7:30am, apple/beet/celery/carrot/cayenne/cucumber/ginger juice, 160 cal

BREAKFAST 2: 10am, age with honey, vanilla, almonds,  450 cal

LUNCH: 1:45pm, sauteed shrimp and mushrooms over poppa salad with dressing, quinoa, pickles, 875 cal

PM SNACK: 4pm, momma salad and cheezits, 310 cal

PM SNACK: 6:30pm, kind bar, 200 cal

DINNER: 7:30pm, seafood risotto, flatbread pizza, bread, chocolate cake & ice-cream, water, +/- 1000 cal

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FRIDAY COUNT: 2620

SLEPT: 11:30pm-5:15am, 5.75 hours

AM SNACK: 5:30am, iced green tea

BREAKFAST: 9am, apple/beet/celery/carrot/cayenne/cucumber/ginger juice, 160 cal

BREAKFAST 2: 11am, fruit smoothie, 450 cal

LUNCH: 2pm, almond butter and grape jelly on whole wheat, slaw, pickles, 610 cal

PM SNACK: 4pm, momma salad and cheezits, 310 cal

DINNER: 6pm, burrito, chips, +/- 1100 cal