When we were young, we could eat chicken, cola, and fries at night and still feel fine the next morning, right?

But these days, if I eat fries before bed, I wake up feeling bloated all day, and my face looks puffy in the mirror.

When I order takeout and enjoy fries while watching a drama, it melts in my mouth, but why does something so delicious have to be bad for my body? It's really frustrating.

In fact, the real culprit behind fries isn't the potato; it's the 'oil.'

A plain potato boiled or baked has only about 80-90 calories per 100g.

But when you dunk it in a sea of oil and fry it? It skyrockets to 300 calories in an instant.

The potato absorbs the oil like a sponge.

As we age, our basal metabolic rate decreases, we lose muscle, and our activity levels drop.

There's a reason why we can eat the same as when we were young but still have a protruding belly.

Especially when you frequently eat small portions of high-calorie fried foods, it becomes hard to manage age-related weight gain.

And fries don't just come alone, do they?

They come with salty fries, a savory burger, and a soda, all in one set.

It's like pouring a bomb of saturated fat and sodium into your body, so it's no surprise that your blood vessels get clogged with LDL cholesterol and your blood pressure rises.

Plus, harmful substances like 'acrylamide' that are produced when frying are concerning, and ultimately, our digestive systems aren't what they used to be.

Greasy foods don't move through the stomach well, leaving you feeling heavy and stuffed after eating.

If you eat chicken late at night and lie down right after, you might end up with acid reflux, tossing and turning all night.

In the past, my stomach handled everything just fine, but now it seems to be on strike, saying, "I can't do this anymore."

So, does that mean I should never look at fries again for the rest of my life? Oh, let's not go that far. That would be too sad.

There's no need to tremble at the thought of a few pieces of fries every now and then.

Instead of finishing a large size by yourself, try ordering a small one to share.

Just reducing the habit of mindlessly ordering fries with your burger is already a success.

At home, you can use an air fryer or oven with just a little oil to make them quite satisfying and easier on your stomach.

The same goes for chicken. I'm not saying you should live like a monk, only eating chicken breast and broccoli every day.

Usually, focus on eating grilled or boiled foods, and on days when you really crave chicken, enjoy a few crispy pieces.

What fun is there in life if you cut out all the delicious foods just because you're getting older?

The key is to treat fried foods as 'special occasions' rather than 'everyday meals.'

When we were kids, chicken was a precious food we only ate on special days, right?

In the end, the potato is not to blame. It's us who keep dunking it in oil and piling on the salt.

But don't give up the simple joy of grabbing a few hot fries fresh out of the fryer.

As we age, what we need isn't just to resist everything, but to learn the 'art of enjoying in moderation.'