Are we to FAT in the USA?

[WilT]

…

I do think people, not only in the U.S. but also all over the world, are getting too obese these days…

The first is to exercise. Everyone knows this and it’s a no-brainier, but it is extremely important. Run, lift weights, do whatever you have to do; break a sweat…
The other method is to eat one or two meals a day. They don’t necessarily have to be giant meals, but they should have a variety of nutrients, such as your carbs, proteins, fats, fruits, and vegetables. Limit your carbs, especially if you don’t exercise much, and eat them mostly in the mornings so your body has time to burn them off throughout the day. I could keep going but I’ll stop, especially since this post is going to be ridiculously long.
Final

Great advice. I’m glad you didn’t mention any fad diets that simply don’t work and are mostly unhealthy. I practice the 2 meal diet but I have to give up my late eve snack. All that definitely goes to the waistline.

 

[shelby_sun]

Bottom line is that we all make choices and we can all pick what we put into our mouth at any given meal. I knew when I was only eating lettuce that I was making that choice because I did not want to suffer the pain of eating a nice good dinner. Those who are obese eat an entire bag of cookies because they too don’t want to suffer. People who are heavy can keep up their live style for much longer before it becomes a health issue and then it is harder to change. I only lost 25 lbs, which didn’t take very long, before my friends were confronting me and calling my doctor.

With all the temptations in our lives, this is one that many, even devout Catholic, don’t fight very well.

 

[WilT]

Even though I have but 2 meals a day, the late evening snack may be what’s keeping the bulge over my belt line. I wish there was a magic button to see it all go away.

 

[JSSD]

1. You can be guilty of the sin of gluttony even if you are built like a supermodel. Don’t we all know someone who can eat whatever they want and not gain? That doesn’t mean it is ok for them to eat grossly huge amounts of food.

No, it isn’t sinful, and yeah, it is OK. If they truly are built like a supermodel, they’re burning it and obviously need it. You might see them eat something unhealthy, what you may not see is what they did before and after it and I’m not talking about disorders. They may have just run 20 miles.

I’m not even convinced that exercise helps one to lose weight. I’m neither skinny nor fat, and I’ve been an avid runner for years. I never saw my weight go down more than a few pounds because of it. (I do think exercise is good for overall health, however).

I actually gained a few pounds going from 5-8 miles into marathon range. Then it came back down a little after a few of those. When I’m cycling, though, I can peel weight off pretty easily.

A better strategy I think would be changing one’s diet (though it sounds like you’ve experimented with that aplenty already). I find avoiding processed carbohydrates (anything “white” essentially - rice, bread, pasta, etc.) works wonders for me.

I think it is calories in / calories out. When I tracked this religiously (both exercise and intake and estimating basal expenditure), I could dial in pretty well. I eat carbs like crazy, and would estimate it is 75% of my diet. Granted, I’m vegetarian, but I eat minimal protein and maximal carbs, personally.

When I had cancer, I gained some 30lbs almost overnight. In fact, that made the diagnosis difficult. Maybe it was extra sugar, soda, and candy. Maybe it was steroids, but in my mind it was going from exercising 15 hours a week to none. As soon as that was over, I peeled about 40lbs off and ended up 10-15lbs lighter depending on season. I’m very much a believer in exercise.

Anyway, to the main point, yeah, we are too fat. No, overweight probably isn’t sinful, but how you treat yourself might be on either side of the weight equation.

 

[tomarin]

I think it is calories in / calories out.

My theory is that to the extent my diet works it works, somewhat deceptively, on the basis of calorie restriction. That is, protein and fats are more dense and satiating than carbs and so by reducing carbs you end up taking in fewer calories and getting full more quickly. I know I can eat lots of carbs (pasta, bread, mashed potatoes) and not get full. They’re delicious. And I so still eat them, only in small-ish portions, and preferably in whole-grain form.

 

[Jay82]

Even though I have but 2 meals a day, the late evening snack may be what’s keeping the bulge over my belt line. I wish there was a magic button to see it all go away.

You probably would be better off eating a third meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and skipping a late night snack. Eating late in the evenings can prevent weight loss and/or cause weight gain cause your metabolism is slower in the evening and will not process the food as effectively as when you eat during the day and need the calories for “energy” to complete you normal routine. Instead your body will store the calories for a later time.

 

[Deltadeliquent]

Again, I don’t know where you shop but fruit and vegetables are very cheap compared to “unhealthy” food. In my city, a pound of bananas is $0.50, a pound of apples $1.00. A bag of chips costs about $3.00 to $4.00. Soda is $3.00 to $4.00 for a 12 pack. You can get a 24 pack of bottled water for like $2.00.

You guys are killing me!
I had to pay $16.00 for six organic apples yesterday. They were all that the shop had.
You Americans don’t understand how good you have it. You prices are sooooo lowwwww.

And I like the ice theory. My Brit husband has no appreciation for the stuff.

 

[WilT]

You guys are killing me!
I had to pay $16.00 for six organic apples yesterday. They were all that the shop had.
You Americans don’t understand how good you have it. You prices are sooooo lowwwww.

And I like the ice theory. My Brit husband has no appreciation for the stuff.

Time to grow some apples in your back yard!

 

[tomarin]

You guys are killing me!
I had to pay $16.00 for six organic apples yesterday. They were all that the shop had.
You Americans don’t understand how good you have it. You prices are sooooo lowwwww.

And I like the ice theory. My Brit husband has no appreciation for the stuff.

Paying $16 for a half-dozen apples might make even apples taste good.

 

[lifeandhope]

Buy bananas instead of potato chips.
Exercise more…calories in/calories out.
It’s because of bad habits.
It’s because of genetics.
I’ve never had a problem with my weight but… (insert advice here)
I’m addicted to food.
They’re just lazy.
My husband insists I stay skinny.
My wife is a health nut.
Etc. Etc. Etc.

So. Many. Theories. Everyone is probably right in certain scenarios and wrong in others. What it all smacks of, even without intending to, is judgment. I am a psychotherapist and I have learned two important things about this topic. 1.) “Scientific” studies can be manipulated to reflect whatever outcome is preferred, even if it not a manipulation of the data itself, there are many flaws in the study, the sample set, etc. My professors in graduate school were adamant about questioning “studies show” arguments because studies can show almost anything these days. 2.) Every single person is different and weight is NOT A ONE ISSUE THING. It is multifaceted. It isn’t just (just! as if any of these is easy to remedy!) being addicted to food, the type of food consumed, the lack of exercise, failing to land on the magical diet of the month, emotional eating, genetic makeup (Note: genetics and physiology play enormously into this equation), etc.

Personally, I have always been active and was a runner. Then I got my first brain tumor, then spinal cord tumors, then pancreatic cancer. I am only 38 and my husband has seen my weight go up and down with various diagnoses throughout the years. He never has said a negative thing about my body, treats me with equal love and respect at all weights I have been, and is only concerned with weight as to its effects on my health and ability to fight the various cancers I have.

I implore you, please don’t judge people. At best it isn’t helpful. Even unintentionally, if you are thinking about what someone “needs to do” or “should do” to become skinnier (just so long as they’re bigger than you are, right?) then you are passing judgment on that person without understanding the host of issues that have contributed to their body weights. It’s not right, it’s not fair, and frankly, there are many more facets to a person other than weight (looks).

Every heavy person, when you look in their eyes, is thinking in some form, “Please don’t judge me. Even though you see overweight, please don’t think I’m a bad person. I’m doing the best I can.”

 

[Cat]

Buy bananas instead of potato chips.
Exercise more…calories in/calories out.
It’s because of bad habits.
It’s because of genetics.
I’ve never had a problem with my weight but… (insert advice here)
I’m addicted to food.
They’re just lazy.
My husband insists I stay skinny.
My wife is a health nut.
Etc. Etc. Etc.

So. Many. Theories. Everyone is probably right in certain scenarios and wrong in others. What it all smacks of, even without intending to, is judgment. I am a psychotherapist and I have learned two important things about this topic. 1.) “Scientific” studies can be manipulated to reflect whatever outcome is preferred, even if it not a manipulation of the data itself, there are many flaws in the study, the sample set, etc. My professors in graduate school were adamant about questioning “studies show” arguments because studies can show almost anything these days. 2.) Every single person is different and weight is NOT A ONE ISSUE THING. It is multifaceted. It isn’t just (just! as if any of these is easy to remedy!) being addicted to food, the type of food consumed, the lack of exercise, failing to land on the magical diet of the month, emotional eating, genetic makeup (Note: genetics and physiology play enormously into this equation), etc.

Personally, I have always been active and was a runner. Then I got my first brain tumor, then spinal cord tumors, then pancreatic cancer. I am only 38 and my husband has seen my weight go up and down with various diagnoses throughout the years. He never has said a negative thing about my body, treats me with equal love and respect at all weights I have been, and is only concerned with weight as to its effects on my health and ability to fight the various cancers I have.

I implore you, please don’t judge people. At best it isn’t helpful. Even unintentionally, if you are thinking about what someone “needs to do” or “should do” to become skinnier (just so long as they’re bigger than you are, right?) then you are passing judgment on that person without understanding the host of issues that have contributed to their body weights. It’s not right, it’s not fair, and frankly, there are many more facets to a person other than weight (looks).

Every heavy person, when you look in their eyes, is thinking in some form, “Please don’t judge me. Even though you see overweight, please don’t think I’m a bad person. I’m doing the best I can.”

Beautiful post and so much truth in it.