<p>My parents have the "clean your plate" mentality, where a single calorie wasted automatically becomes a precious calorie that could have been used to feed starving orphans in Africa.</p>
<p>But then they pay hundreds of dollars for a gym membership so that they can burn all those excess calories away.</p>
<p>Does this make any sense?</p>
<p>First of all, they are losing financially. That is without a doubt. A gym membership costs far more than is made up by the eating of leftovers.</p>
<p>Secondly, they are losing morally. If there was a valid zero-sum game being played, where one calorie for us means one less calorie for the third world - and thus we shouldn't waste any of these calories - then wouldn't it make sense that they should stop exercising and stop any activity that unnecessarily raises their rate of metabolism?</p>
<p>Exercising makes them healthy and fit, which eventually makes them be able to donate some of their future earnings to Africa. Not eating as much is just detrimental to the body.</p>
<p>personally, I can't see how over stuffing yourself in order to clean your plate would help any one in a third world country. taking just enough food so that you end up cleaning your plate anyway, however, allows you to save more for later, allowing you to spend less money on food, which could be used as donations to previously mentioned starving children in a third world country. </p>
<p>gym memberships are scams. the best way to lose weight is by running for at least 30 minutes right after you wake up. that way, your metabolism hasn't kicked in yet, and your body starts feeding off your fat to maintain energy.</p>
<p>I would want my kid to clean his plate too. Your parents work to put on your plate, the least you can do it eat most of it. If not, eat it later for leftovers. </p>
<p>What's wrong with them wanting to exercise. You sound pretty selfish.</p>
<p>This was very much a post-WWII argument, that children in Europe were starving. And they were, too. But the US in post-WWII was avery different place. There had been rationing, one couldn't get as much decent food as one wanted, and we were coming off a lot of deprivation. So post-WWII, it made sense.</p>
<p>I agree with you. My parents have never made me "clean my plate" because I don't remember the last time that they made me food. I have gotten used to eating little every day but I am generally healthy and, while slightly under weight, am nowhere near unhealthy. Besides, what happened to good old fashioned running... why do you NEED a gym membership? They can donate THAT money to Africa. </p>
<p>Or you can organize walks and things like that to raise money for Africa. </p>
<p>dank, the OP doesn't sound selfish at all. He/she's saying it doesn't make sense to create more food than the family can eat comfortably (which costs money), and then paying for a gym membership to burn off the excess energy (which costs money). Makes sense to me.</p>
<p>I think tying it just to calories burned is a bit of an oversimplification. Exercising has so many more benefits than just burning off calories! Maybe they need the gym membership for motivation :) </p>
<p>AeroEngineer, do you really need 30 minutes? What about 10-15 minutes, which is the most I can spare before school?</p>
<p>The more you eat the greater the demand and therefore greater production and cheaper fertilizer and sees for the third world. While the previous statement makes sense it is stupid and can only be unhealthy to eat food you don't want. They'll probably shut up if you just take less.</p>