Obesity 'not individuals' fault'

Guys you are so wrong about this.

Is it the fault of someone transplanted from Fiji, or Samoa, where they have no fast food to an American culture where they have so much of it that their favorable genes for maintaining weight in their native land causes them to become obese?

I'm not saying that every case is like this, but some are.

In my own situation I used to blame myself, and thought I had no willpower. But the truth was I was (and am still) a carb addict.

Once I eliminated white carbs and sugar from my diet, losing weight became much easier and I'm only 15 lbs above my weight when I was 30-ish, and now have a 32" waistline at about 5'9".

However had I not rediscovered the Atkins diet (which is not for everyone, admittedly), I'd still be many lbs overweight.

The factor at work in carb addiction, in my opinion, is not the food, it's your own endorphins. You get the carb 'fix' and use it as a comfort food, but what's really happening is that it is producing endorphins, the body's own natural morphine and it's very addictive.

I think what people need is information that works. This is what helped me. Being told to look at the FDA food pyramid with all those servings of bread and pasta and sugar just doesn't work for me.

In fact some people that know me tell me I have extraordinary willpower once I put my mind to something.

No kidding, I used to really beat myself up over this weight loss issue and it turned out not to be my fault - I just was a product of a society that pushed refined foods, corn syrup, refined sugar and all the white carbs.

Anyway, sorry about the rant. Again, I realize that not all obesity is like this. One poster just the other day mentioned he'd rather be overweight and happy then restrict food and be missing out on gratification. He's made a choice in that instance.

BTW, my wife has actually quit smoking, once for 15 years and then she started up again and quit again. Well we all know how addictive nicotine is. But she struggles with weight issues.

So losing weight is one of the hardest things you can do - it's a drive almost on the level of breathing. Only a few tenths of 1% manage to keep the weight off for more than 5 years.



[edit on 17-10-2007 by Badge01]

reply to post by Badge01


The Atkins diet is a joke. It may work for weight control but you're destroying your kidneys. The best way you lose weight as a meat eater is a moderation of meat and replacing white flour/sugar with fresh produce. Easy as that.

Originally posted by budski

It's a myth that fast food is cheaper - it's not. It's about time, and most people would rather sit in front of the TV after work than spend 30 minutes making something fresh.

i think it depends on where you live.
i agree that a lot of people do it for 'convenience'...
still though, round these parts food is not cheap. i know as i am the one that does the shpping/cooking and i get disgusted every time i go shopping.

there are so many cheap joints poping up.
not even .4 miles down the road from me there is a new pizza joint that just opened up. a large peperoni pie for $4.99.
thats pretty cheap and i can understand why some people go for it.
if i wanted to buy the fixings to make a large pizza i would be over 5 bones.

food is not cheap around here and if we factor in cost, we have to factor in all costs right.
like storage..how much money does it cost to keep stuff frozen?

like i said, i disagree very much with people not taking responsibility but i do understand why people don't cook at home.

reply to post by jedimiller


im thinking more about obesity, not just being overweight because there really is no normal size, but obesity when it becomes a health factor there is a certain point when you can not blame genetics i watched a programme where a 50 stone man said it was down to genetics and nothing to do with the 15 big macs and 10 litres of coke he had for lunch that day

reply to post by DeadFlagBlues


Please provide one (1) citation in peer reviewed literature that shows Atkins' diet destroys your kidneys.

You can't, because it does no such thing. I'd ask you nicely to stop spreading false and misleading information. You should be ashamed of yourself.

well, i'm 6 ft tall and the doctor tells me I should weight 180. it's crap! like I said, I was totally skinny and I weight'd 200lbs and I used to run everyday..this was when I was 19-24. after that I got married and gained weight after my divorce. now i'm at 245lbs up to 255lbs. I go to the gym and workout. I do one hour on the threadmill, still can't loose weight. I have a dense frame, large bones and a loads of water. so you can't tell me I should be 180. I don't eat a lot, I rarely eat bad foods..still 50 lbs overweight according to statistics. they don't take muscle mass into consideration. the research is right..it's genetic and the fault from all the processed food and bad dealings.

Originally posted by Badge01
reply to post by DeadFlagBlues

 

Please provide one (1) citation in peer reviewed literature that shows Atkins' diet destroys your kidneys.

You can't, because it does no such thing. I'd ask you nicely to stop spreading false and misleading information. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Oh, man.. You set yourself up for this one.


Atkins warning
Atkins: The Novel Diet.
High Protein bad for animal and human kidneys.


There's no easy way around a balanced diet. There's no fad you could possibly substitute with losing weight the balanced way. Look at the logic behind fad diets like that atkins.

"People eat too much flour and sugar, so just substitute it with meat."

Genius.

And further more.. Meat in itself isn't necessarily healthy for your body anyway. If you want to go head to head in this, U2U me. I've already derailed the thread more than I should have.

Edit: 2 of the same link URL.

[edit on 17-10-2007 by DeadFlagBlues]

reply to post by jedimiller


You'd be surprised how much it's not genetic. I used to be a fat kid myself. I hang out at 140 pounds steady, 145 if I beef up. I was 180. It's all about diet and dedication. You really have to push your limits to see results.

Originally posted by DeadFlagBlues
reply to post by jedimiller

 

You'd be surprised how much it's not genetic. I used to be a fat kid myself. I hang out at 140 pounds steady, 145 if I beef up. I was 180. It's all about diet and dedication. You really have to push your limits to see results.

I was never a fat kid. I was a skinny kid actually. like I said, my dad had diabetes...that's passed on to me. he had back problems, heart problems and died at the age of 65. I expect the same for myself. I am like his clone in everyway..I look just like him. I have pushed my limits, but it doesn't work for me.

reply to post by jedimiller


The human body is resilient. You can't just cave to "my fate is sealed." If you were skinny once in your life, you can become skinny again. Your muscles may not react as they used to but a natural carrying weight is a natural carrying weight. Your body will adapt to that once you take care of your diet.

reply to post by jedimiller


it sounds like your just a big bloke, and we all vary in size i honestly don't know where these doctors get their ideals from but obesity is different being 6 foot and 240 lbs is not obese being 5 foot 10 and 400 lbs is obese, i see obesity as the extreme where just walking takes all your effort that is when people should look at themselves and say enough is enough

People get fat because there greedy cows it's as simple as that. People get fat because they eat to much and can't resist the pies and scratchings. If people got of there own arses and walked for a change instead of going to the shop in the car which is only two away minutes away maybe there bums wouldn't be so fat and horrible. Nobody is to blame but the person himself and the quicker people stop treading on egg shells and tell it how it is the quicker people will take notice and stop being so greedy and start thinking about the starving people in Africa.



[edit on 17uWednesday07/27/20 by paul76]

people also tend to keep eating after they are full.
if you go to the local tgi fridays or applebees and order a burger platter, that is more than enough food for two people....
as of late, if/when we go out my wife and i order one meal and split it.

take a look at the portions next time you are at one of those restaurants...it's insane.
go to taco bell and get a soda with your meal...you take note of the size of that soda?

again, as of late, even though we are paying for the large one, we tell them to give us a small. i don't want to waste it and i sure ain't gonna drink the whole damn thing.

portions yo

reply to post by DeadFlagBlues


I see one thing. You are unable to read your own citations.

Studies of the Atkins diet and other low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets have not been of sufficient duration to evaluate their potential to affect kidney function.

...

The good news is that the damage to the kidneys was found only in those who already had reduced kidney function at the study’s outset.

Nuff said. You have no idea what you're talking about, you have no expertise in dieting and you are not a medical professional and have never been on a low carb diet.

You'd be surprised how much it's not genetic. I used to be a fat kid myself. I hang out at 140 pounds steady, 145 if I beef up. I was 180. It's all about diet and dedication. You really have to push your limits to see results.

This is meaningless without posting your height and age.

Are you 5'1"? Then you're overweight at 145 lbs.

Are you 10 years old? Then you're overweight at 145lbs.


[edit on 17-10-2007 by Badge01]

Americans are obese because the affordable food contains chemicals that cause obesity. The food industry is not going to advertise this fact, the FDA is not going to inform anyone and neither will your doctor because they all make huge amounts of revenue from it. Yes, people could be more responsible but how can you make informed decisions when you're not being informed of the facts?

You can't lose weight on "Weight Watchers" microwave meals because they contain the same chemicals that cause obesity. The sure-fire way to lose weight permanently is to adopt a raw diet and get a moderate amount of exercise. That's what our bodies were designed for by nature. The rest is trash.

reply to post by annestacey


Yes, it's partly that and partly a lack of knowledge. People don't realize what is in processed food, and many don't realize what refined sugar is, or what corn syrup is.

Once you realize that sugar and white carbs are bad for you then you can take steps and many have.

However it's not simple. The facts are fewer than a few tenths of a percent of those that lose the weight are able to keep it off for five years. That's a fact.

I lost a majority of weight that I gained due to illness and working two desk jobs and kept that off for about 3 years then had some stressors and gained about 30lbs back. I've now lost that 30lbs and more and it's due to learning about carb addiction and now, tracking calories. Now 'carb addiction' is not a recognized medical condition that I'm aware - it's just something that I've experienced. It's been reported by Eades et.al.

Again, I'm not promoting the Atkins diet. In fact my diet consists of low dairy, higher protein (90% seafood), less than 40gms of good fat per day and an abundance of fruits.

However I've had to evolve this diet. It's not something that you can just start tomorrow and be able to continue.

I'm happy to provide details, but again it's worked for me and I've had zero ill effects.

FWIW.


[edit on 17-10-2007 by Badge01]

oh come on! so now being fat is because we are american? that's so rude. I'm not even full american, my ancestors were spanish/pirates. yes like in the movie.

I have a desk job too and that's probably why i'm overweight too. but saying "you are fat because your american" deserves a banning in my books.

reply to post by Badge01



Did you read the first link? That's an official ALERT from none other than
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)

Do yourself a favor and accept knowledge and don't pick out small segments that are in favor of your uneducated point. I like to give a full spectrum of reports on any belief I undertake. You need to read for yourself and decipher if it's healthy for you or not. I know for a fact meat is not healthy. It's just not. And eating entirely meat is a POOR decision mentally and physically. It's such a doltish take on dieting.


You struggle with your flucuating weight due to a flawed diet.. I'll just hang out with my raw fruit and vegetables and never work out.



Yeah, that's me. The tattoos are sparrows that say "carpe" one side and "diem" on the other.. No fake.

reply to post by jedimiller


Whoa, I don't think that was the operative term. The post was directed at the abundance of fast food in America, not that 'Americans are fat because they are American'.

I think you just mis-interpreted the comments.