I was once fat: Shocking exclusive confession from Dr. J (And his No Hot Dogs Karate Diet)
Contributor: “Dr. J”Dr. J offers his irreverent, slightly irrelevant, but possibly useful opinions on health and fitness. A Florida surgeon and fitness freak with a black belt in karate, he runs 50 miles a week and flies a Cherokee Arrow 200.
Hot dogs are the all-American food and have been as long as I can remember. What would the Fourth of July be without them? It’s not just at Coney Island that Americans are having an all-you-can-eat-fest with the dog.
The only number that is possibly greater than the number of hot dogs that are eaten every year, is the number of known and unknown ingredients that they contain.
Fond Memories of Hot Dogs from the Chicago Slaughterhouses
Hot dogs are part of my childhood memories. I was raised in the Midwest, so we weren’t into the New York style popular at Coney Island and at the numerous street vendors that roam the city. Chicago was the slaughterhouse of the country, and our all-beef dogs ruled!
The pathetic, flavorless, substitutes that were sold at the ballpark were only tolerated because we loved baseball, and we knew we could always get the real thing around the city. Every neighborhood had one or more favorite spots.
Although the Chicago style was like a salad on a bun, each place looked for a variation in toppings to draw in the customers. My favorite was pickle, onion and mustard, with tomato on occasion, of course with fries on the side. Ketchup and relish were sacrilegious. Who would have it that way! Some places tossed the dogs straight into the deep fryer, but I guess I was too health oriented even then to eat those.
Big Herm’s: The Hot Dogs Were Big Too
Hot dogs were big business back then. A couple that owned one stand in our neighborhood made so much money that they just took off for an extended trip to Europe. When they finally returned it took them a long time to get their customers back. We didn’t like the way they abandoned us. Loyalty was important.
The most famous joint in our area, Big Herm’s (if you met Herm you’d understand the name) made so much money that he sold the business and apparently retired. I guess retirement didn’t suit him, because six months later he opened up “The Original Big Herms” across the street. That one may still be in the courts.
Yes, I was a big fan of the hot dog! I used to eat them most days for lunch, or for a late snack, or after a date at midnight, until one very significant day in my life. I was in the early part of my karate training at that time. I was at the studio and my karate instructor, a Korean sixth dan black belt, who I respected like a father, said, “J, you are getting fat!”
Nothing Tastes As Good As Fit and Healthy Feels
Well, the uniform was feeling a little snug, and though perhaps in this day and time his words would be considered inappropriate, they stuck in my mind. I never ate hot dogs as frequently after that day. Over time, I stopped eating hot dogs altogether. I don’t even eat the various vegetarian hot dog imitations very often, as they are processed with too much salt and fat.
The uniform started fitting a lot better after that. I lost that excess weight, and have never gained it back. Sure, I liked eating hot dogs once, but I don’t miss them. Nothing tastes as good as fit and healthy feels! I will always be grateful to my karate teacher for what he taught me, not the least of which happened on that day when Dr. J was fat.
(Send your questions for Dr. J to inquiry@calorielab.com or leave a comment. If your question is used by Dr. J, CalorieLab will send you a $25 Dining Dough restaurant certificate — limited to U.S. residents. More Dr. J posts can be read in our archives.)
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July 4th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Thanks for sharing this story! I had a smokie on the bbq for the first time in months on Canada Day. It was a very exciting time for me. And maybe its a GOOD thing that the ingredient lists for hot dogs is so questionable- the idea of that really makes a person stop and think twice before eating one!
July 4th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
I hate to admit it, but i luv hot dogs. that doesn’t mean i subject myself to the processed meat on a daily basis. I like a the applegate turkey hot dogs that have nearly no fat, no nitrates, basically just some turkey and spices. I do like to make my own awsome condiments. i love my homemade ketchup and homemade onions and relish. thanks for sharing the story, and please, compared to the general american population, you were not fat.
July 5th, 2008 at 3:06 am
hot dogs?
beef jerky?
my current addiction is but a few steps away from yours of old..
:)
July 5th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Sagan!
Happy Canada Day!! My dad trained several Canadian doctors! I never met one I didn’t like! By the way, maybe you can try the Waif’s turkey dogs if you want. She has some great topping recipes on her site!
Waif!
My karate teacher, Mr. Ko, had very strict standards!
Mizfit!
I’ve given Mr. Ko your address! By the way his motto is, “If I don’t make you stronger, I’ll kill you” :-)
July 5th, 2008 at 9:35 am
I made homemade ketchup once from Mark Bittman’s cookbook. Tomatoes were really cheap at the time: You need a whole load of them to make a little jar of ketchup.
I ate most of it with frozen french fries — not the healthiest base for the ketchup.
I’ve never tried homemade relish. I’ll have to check into that. Normal relish is too sweet. But then again I dislike sweet pickles also.
July 5th, 2008 at 9:38 am
From the Food Network:
Homemade Pickle Relish:
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 tablespoons sugar
8 large dill pickles (sour, not half-sour), finely diced
1 small red pepper, grilled, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
1 small yellow pepper, grilled, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
1 small white onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Bring vinegar, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds to a boil in a medium non-reactive saucepan on the grates of the grill; cook until reduced by half and slightly syrupy. Remove from the heat, add the remaining ingredients, and gently toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
July 5th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I haven’t had a hot dog in years and years. Totally don’t miss ‘em. And I feel exactly the same as you regarding the vegetarian versions. Processed crap.
Thanks for sharing your Karate story! I much prefer it when people are direct. Of course, that would put the entire Romantic Comedy genre out of business.
Your graphic cracked me up:)
July 9th, 2008 at 5:02 am
Cheeseburgers are more my weakness than hot dogs, but a dog at a ball game can taste mighty fine.
I think, like with any junk food, moderation is key. If you love ‘em, you don’t have to say “never,” just keep them to an occasional splurge and enjoy the heck out of ‘em. And keep finding healthier foods that taste great so that eating stays a pleasure.
Great column, Dr. J!
July 9th, 2008 at 5:09 am
I’m not a big fan of hot dogs - the unknown ingredients are a bit of a turnoff - but once in awhile I will have a veggie dog, like maybe once a year or something then I’m over it.