Dieting gets you nowhere

[Scout]

<snip>
Because studies show that, despite all the public health campaigns, diet books, diet doctors and diet pills; despite millions of Americans spending inordinate amounts of psychological energy fussing about their body mass; whatever weight they take off, they put on again. Not all people, but about eight out of 10, according to a report in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

That means that most Americans who diet spend good money, consume drinks and eat food that is artificially doctored, take medications that have side effects and engage in various fashionable diets that actually undermine their health. All in vain. In effect, eight of 10 dieters experience both the ill effects of excessive weight and the ill effects, and costs, of yo-yo dieting.

Why I am telling you all this? I am a student of public policy, not medicine. The reason is that all the hoopla about dieting, seen in the magazines at any check-out counter, deflects attention from the one group in which healthy eating, especially if combined with exercise, can make a significant difference -- children, the younger the better.

Think of body mass like cement. It is rather easy to shape when it is new, but once it settles, it is very resistant to change. Data show that weight ranges and body mass indexes are set early in life. According to a study by the Diabetes Center at Howard University, obesity in infants is only a 20 percent predictor of obesity in adulthood, but by the time children are 6 years old, it is 50 percent. By the time they are adolescents, it is 90 percent. Other data, though somewhat less dire, point in the same direction.
<snip>

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/11/10/etzioni.dieting/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn

=========================================

my personal experiences and those of my family and some friends bear out the conclusions drawn in the article.



http://edition.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/11/10/etzioni.dieting/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn

[soleft]

1. Yep.

I think a lot of people have knee-jerk reactions when they hear people people say dieting doesn't work. They think people are advocating unhealthy eating habits.

They also have knee-jerk reactions to people advocating having a positive attitude about your body regardless of your size, and not making weight loss your goal.

Not dieting does not mean overeating or eating unhealthy foods. Eating in accordance with your hunger and choosing healthy foods is not dieting.

With regard to children, I wish they'd lose this fight childhood obesity campaign and encourage all children to eat healthy and be active because it makes you feel great, regardless of how you look.

[1776Forever]

2. I still think it has a lot to do with all the stress in our nation along with thyroid issues.

How Many Americans Suffer Thyroid Disorders?
Statistics Reveal Thyroid Disease is Common in the USA
Jul 31, 2009 Jim Lowrance

Thyroid diseases and disorders of all types affect millions of Americans and many more people worldwide. The statistics will be addressed in the following subheadings.

According to statistics by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) and other medical organizations, approximately twenty-seven million Americans are experiencing a thyroid disorder. This includes the estimate that about half of these cases remain undiagnosed.

Thyroid Disease the most common Endocrine Disorder
When compared to the AACE statistics for Americans who experience diabetes, which is approximately sixteen million, the number of people with thyroid disease exceeds that by more than 40%. This makes thyroid disease, the most common endocrine disorder (problem affecting hormone glands) in the USA. Approximately 80% of thyroid disease is experienced by females and women are five times more likely to develop hypothyroidism (an under-active thyroid) than are men. When all combined, about eight out of ten thyroid disease cases (80%) are hypothyroid conditions with the other two out of ten (20%) being hyperthyroid conditions. As many as two out of ten people who develop diabetes will also experience the onset of a thyroid disorder



Read more at Suite101: How Many Americans Suffer Thyroid Disorders?: Statistics Reveal Thyroid Disease is Common in the USA http://www.suite101.com/content/how-many-americans-suffer-thyroid-disorders-a135894#ixzz14tatnFuF

[Cassandra]

3. Depends on how you're going about it.

I lost 66 pounds on Weight Watchers a few years ago by eating MUCH healthier and in smaller portions. Then I hit menopause and gained back over 30 pounds and am now working on losing at least back to where I was (because I have those nice clothes from the lower weight). It's harder this go round because my metabolism has definitely changed but I have the example in my meetings of older women who've lost weight and kept it off.
I'll say that the culture doesn't make it easy, with huge portions everywhere and temptations abounding. I avoid almost all corporate (huge chain) restaurants (I like Hale n' Hearty because they portion control and give calorie counts on almost everything. Whole Foods makes nice sandwiches and soups as well). I cook most meals for myself and brown bag a lot.

[AngryOldDem]

6. Sounds like me.

I went through WW a long, long time ago and lost a lot of weight. But after six pregnancies, life change, etc., I too can now afford to shed a few but I'm finding it much, much harder this time around. I'm doing the portion-control bit and exercising five (or more) days a week. But it is really, truly disheartening to know that I still can't wear most of the clothes in my closet right now. I'm sure metabolism has a lot to do with it, but still, it is frustrating.

[slackmaster]

4. Ugh

Just the kind of news I needed right now. Not.

[LoZoccolo]

5. The person who wrote this is not a medical doctor or nutritionist, but a sociologist.

He also does not name a source for the "studies" that he claims back him up, save for one, and even that is not a specific-enough citation to definitively locate the study.

[Warpy]

8. It wouldn't make any difference. Bariatricians have long noted

that people who manage to starve themselves down to their ideal weight will gain it back within 5 years, only it's not 80%, it's 90%. That includes people who have had weight loss surgery.

Obesity is a complicated puzzle and it's not only too many calories in and too few out, although gluttony does exist out there for some massively overweight people.

If there were a cure for obesity, no one would be fat. No one wants to be fat, not in a bigoted culture like ours.

[LoZoccolo]

9. No one wants to be fat, but they want to eat anything they feel like. n/t

[Scout]

11. ignorant shit like this post are just ... well ... fucking ignorant. n/t

[LoZoccolo]

13. What's ignorant about it?

I posit that people aren't aiming for all of the consequences of their actions when they are engaging in them, only the ones that they like.

[Scout]

16. it ASSUMES that people who are fat just eat anything and everything they like

they don't.

[LoZoccolo]

18. No it doesn't.

Some people have thyroid disease, for instance.

But the people who eat anything they like don't do it to get fat.

[Dreamer Tatum]

77. Herein lies the problem with exactly 100% of all DU threads about weight

It is a FACT that, by and large, a diet moderate in calories coupled with a modest exercise regime WILL with CERTAINTY cause weight loss.

HOWEVER

MANY thin-skinned but thick-bodied people skip right over the "by and large" proviso and get in a SERIOUS snit about relatively rare yet legitimate biological conditions that make weight loss difficult

AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE

MANY OTHER people skip over the issue ENTIRELY to wax polemic about how the world has conspired to place them and many others in a "food desert," which, while a legitimate issue, is beside the point.


And this will never change. So enjoy the flamefest.

[Scout]

87. LOL

many thin-bodied people who won the genetic lottery insist that what "works" for them will work for everyone, and that when the thick-bodied make statements of their experiences that counter the common "knowledge" about weight they are accused of lying, exaggerating, whining or being delusional.

and this will never change.

[Warren DeMontague]

124. It's a pain in the ass for a lot of us, but it can be done.

It's a lot of work. And requires not just diet changes - big ones-, but exercise TOO.

Plus, as you get older, like I said- the metabolism in most of us tends to slow down. The same routine that worked fine for me at 30 had to be upped at 40. Bigtime.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

112. "Relatively rare yet legitimate" -- 40 million dead thyroids is RARE??

More people have thyroid trouble than have diabetes, and yet we have people on this thread calling it rare?

Diabetes gets all kinds of research money.

When was the last time you heard of a fund drive for research into Hashimoto's disease (the most common cause of hypothyroidism), let alone adrenal fatigue?? The docs are now saying adrenal exhaustion is non-existent. Thyroids and adrenals work together. If the doctors say it is imaginary, why, gosh, then, it MUST be imaginary..,...(SARCASM)

They don't talk about low thyroid on TV, either. I wish Oprah or somebody equally famous would do a REAL show on thyroid trouble. All she did was say "I had a thyroid problem, now I don't." I seriously doubt that.


I wonder about the people on this thread who think all fat people are lazy. My grandmother had an overactive thyroid. She thought we were all just lazy, too, when we slept till noon on Saturday because we were tired.

Enjoy your overactive metabolism until it burns you out.
You might have a heart attack and die like Marty Feldman. His eyes bugged out because he had an overactive thyroid (exophthalmic goiter).

[Dreamer Tatum]

145. And there you have it.

Show me a link for 40 million "dead" thyroids. Please.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

153. Post #2. Twenty-seven million. Half undiagnosed.

Here's the link to Post #2:
http://www.suite101.com/content/how-many-americans-suffer-thyroid-disorders-a135894

More info from people who say they are being ignored and undertreated:
http://thyroid.about.com

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com



Another article that says possibly 60 million people:
http://www.suite101.com/content/thyroid-symptoms-a186694



There are lots of associated conditions, associated with obesity, that are autoimmune disorders. Metabolic syndrome, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome. Many millions of people have malfunctioning immune sytstems that can't fight off infections or suppress inflammation because of all the chemicals in our diets and the environment.

IOW, many of these conditions may not look related, but they are, because they are immune disorders -- diabetes, asthma, allergies, hypothyroidism, RA. People who have one condition tend to have more than one.

Still, if 27 million people is a conservative estimate, out of 300 million people in the United States, then nearly ten percent of people with a thyroid problem is NOT RARE. They do not only happen in post menopausal women, either. I acquired it when I was a child of ten or eleven years old. Low thyroid happens in pre-adolescent girls fairly often.

[SammyWinstonJack]

54. +1. nt

[Warpy]

15. Well, DUH

but what part of "even with surgery" didn't you get?

[LoZoccolo]

21. The part where he doesn't cite his source for that statement. n/t

[Scout]

30. c'mon Warpy, you know NOTHING is true unless you have links on the web

to studies that prove it!

[JuniperLea]

53. And some people CAN eat whatever they want....

All day long and never gain an ounce. His physical activity level doesn't seem to matter; he's fond of long weekends in front of the tube with non-stop munchies. My brother has been eating for three people all of his life and he's still what I would consider a perfect weight. Hitting his 40's didn't change a thing for him.

If I ate what he eats in a day, they'd have to bury me in a piano crate.

[Cassandra]

20. One of the things I like about Weight Watchers is..

that they don't expect someone to immediately be able to manage on a diet suitable for someone 140 pounds or less. Your allowable calories (or points) are gradually decreased as you lose weight, so you're not immediately thrown unto deprivation mode.

[Warpy]

22. Weight Watchers is really one of the best

because it focuses on lifetime changes that provide optimum nutrition. However, the weight loss is temporary, at best, for most people, even though they stick to it religiously.

Deprivation diets never work. Not only are they nutritionally unsound, people do tend to crack and put the weight back on in record time. With Weight Watchers, changes both down and up are far more gradual.

It's really a great program for getting your nutritional house in order.

[Scout]

35. deprivation mode

apparently deprivation mode does not exist, as DUers have stated in the past that it is IMPOSSIBLE to not lose weight by reducing calories too low and exercising. 'cuz y'know if you REALLY reduced your calories enough, you'd look like those people in the concentration camps.

:eyes:

[Cassandra]

55. I'm comforted by the fact...

that if we ever have a famine here, I'll likely survive because I hang onto every calorie so efficiently. :-)

[Scout]

59. me too! when world famine comes, the fat will rule the world....

all those skinny bitches will be dropping like flies

:evilgrin:

[JuniperLea]

61. I get it now! There's been a great cosmic mistake!

The phrase was supposed to be: The meaty shall inherit the Earth... not the meek!

See you during the famines! I live on 1200 calories a day, every day, forever, or I gain weight. I'm on The Hobbit Meal Schedule: Breakfast; Second Breakfast; Elevensies; Luncheon; Afternoon Tea; Dinner; Supper, and Afters... 150 calories each, or skip a meal or two in order to consume 200 - 350 in one sitting.

[Scout]

12. oh yeah, most medical doctors know jack shit about weight loss and nutrition n/t

[LoZoccolo]

14. You're right; sociologists can be expected to know more.

I don't know what I was thinking.

[Scout]

17. maybe you weren't n/t

[Arkansas Granny]

7. People who look to diets alone to solve their weight problems will be disappointed.

It takes a change in lifestyle and eating habits for the rest of your life to lose weight and keep it off. Some people find this harder than others, but it can be done.

[Scout]

10. that's why only 20% of dieters succeed with long term weight loss....

it is virtually impossible for some people to force their bodies to fit societal standards.

[Warren DeMontague]

126. Oh, FFS.

I see, the problem is "societal standards". :eyes:

Look, if someone wants to be fat, fine, be fat. Go to Disneyland some time, or the Mall of America- the "societal standard" IS fat.

But if you can't or won't lose weight, it's not reasonable to demand that the 'society' change its imaginary judgments of you. Either accept how you look, or do something about it.

[ladjf]

24. Good post. nt

[tammywammy]

57. agreed n/t

[kurtzapril4]

71. Ding Ding Ding Ding!

It's not a diet. If you are prone to being overweight, it's a lifestyle change, and it's permanent. I lost 60 lbs. by excercising and counting calories. Every doctor I ever saw said that unless one has an underlying medical issue, if you take in more calories than you expend, you will gain weight.

I did Sparkpeople. Just as good a WW, and it's free. There are all sorts of forums, excercise videos(also free)and it counts caloris for you. All you do is enter the food and the amount eaten. Yes, you have to weigh your food, and practice portion control.

www.sparkpeople.com

[ipaint]

99. +1 I use that site too. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. It is that those eight out of ten people ARE LAZY

:sarcasm:

And I expect this SOON if not already here.

[Scout]

27. yeah, they are LAZY and they WANT to eat everything they see!

beware! they will come and eat your skinny children and your skinny stringy tight ass!
:sarcasm:

[ladjf]

23. It depends what what one calls "dieting". This article takes a very

narrow focus with regard to "dieting" and whether intended or not, plays right to the emotions of overweight people who become convinced that nothing will work.

The fact is that a well balanced diet, consumed regularly in reasonable portions along with some
anaerobic regular exercise will result in healthy bodies that fall within reasonable BMI ranges.
And as for the age related comment, there is no reason in the world why older people can't also enjoy "normal" body weight.

Just about everyone knows that the principles I listed in the previous paragraph will work. They why are so many people overweight? Motivation. Motivation that comes from ones personal philosophy of life. Healthy weight loss is most definitely achievable. The correct process need to be applied day after day in a persistent manner. It's not real easy. But, neither is it exceedingly difficult.

The lead post in this thread would likely promote negative thinking among those who have long fought the weight battle.

In summary, eat a good well balance diet in modest portions and get off of your ass and burn some calories. You will soon feel and look better.

(I'm 75 yrs. old, 5'11". Within one year I lost from 236 to 174. My wife, 65,5'1". During same period she lost from 165 to 129. We are happier, healthier and look better and we are in the habit of eating right and exercising regularly.)

If anyone is interested in our "diet" and exercise routine, we would be more than happy to give you that information. (no charge)

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. You realize that this is a REAL like

SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL? Like one of the top ones in the field?

Just checking.

Sorry to day this but I will take their word over yours, and they have been for YEARS trying to prove that this is not the case.

[Obamanaut]

36. There are those who will grasp at any straw (or article) that validates

their personal belief that 'eat less, move more' does not work, that ballooning BMI and body fat are something one must deal with due to aging, thyroid, chemtrails, missiles and cruise ships gone awry, or whatever the excuse du jour happens to be.

Eating the proper foods in the proper amounts for the body weight one is seeking to reach or maintain, along with a reasonable program of exercise will do wonders toward achieving the reduction in bulk one is seeking.

I am 68, and maintain weight around 202 lbs, 5'8". I still look good in a tee shirt, and cannot stuff my arms into one of those blood pressure things at various stores (they have a label that says it is for an average arm, 9-13 inches) BMI charts list me as too heavy, but body fat and my doctor say I'm fine.

All tests at the doctor's office last week were good, but I still take a thyroid med.

[nadinbrzezinski]

38. Congrats,

I guess I will as well, since all the adult metabolic syndrome (look for the peer reviewed articles) have nothing to do with it either.

As I said, the emerging consensus is... you set your base BMI earlier in life, and if it is high then, it will be a nightmare as an adult.

Why seeing kids who are obese is a problem.

It is far more complex, again emerging consensus, as in scientific consensus, that it is more complex.

For example, a diabetic will have a hell of a time losing early in the disease and then keeping weight on late in the disease.

You keep telling yourself it is simple ok.

[JuniperLea]

56. I believe it's all about our natural survival...

What our bodies do to try to stay alive. It does really strange things... like if you get a head injury and you are bleeding, a lot of blood will rush to your head to make sure your brain survives.

I think the set body weight is just like that. Peak weight becomes the ultimate goal of the human body. Starvation leads to uncontrollable hunger, and our bodies think they are starving if the peak weight isn't reached.

From all I've read, the only people who lose weight and successfully keep it off are those with the fortitude to resist the body's attempts to bulk back up for a sustained period of time, meaning several years.

If we could find that mechanism, we might be able to stop obesity in children, where it begins in the vast majority of cases.

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

83. "If we could find that mechanism . . . ."

Isn't the mechanism in question basically self-control?

[nadinbrzezinski]

93. Hmmm no, that is the point of emerging science

It is far more complex than that.

You keep telling yourself that.

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

115. I'm not trying to be difficult, but could you, in a nutshell . . .

. . . explain what this emerging science is purporting to show as to this?

[nadinbrzezinski]

142. Two lines of research are emerging

1.- Set Point, been a long on the tooth, but essentially your weight for a lifetime is set in the first ten years of life. what that article referred to. It's been a long coming line of research and it should worry us since we have a large increase in CHILD obesity. Yes, it seems to confirm the common belief that chubby children make chubby adults. Yes, for a while they tried to say this was not the case... and no, a chubby child is not condemned to be a chubby adult, it is just more likely...

2.- Adult Metabolic Syndrome, aka diabetes, hypothyroidism and other auto immune diseases make losing weight that much more difficult.

Now those are on the increase, like skyrocketing... and here is where the THIRD line is coming in. the effect of ENVIRONMENTAL effects, such as the use of pesticides, on human health long term.

Anecdotally I have already three of them... diabetes, hypothyroidism and celiacs, or at least a gut that responds to the diet. I am too chicken to do the month of eating gluten to confirm it with a pretty invasive test. Of course there is another factor, that some researchers are looking at... what are the effects later in life for premie kids? Yep. a premie has a better than average chance to develop things like that trifecta later in life. I was one.

In a nutshell the science is revealing that the simplistic view of calories in, calories out, while it still works for a large percentage of the population, does not for a large swath of the population, one that is getting larger every year. And it has to do with underlying medical conditions...

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

149. Thank you!

As to the first, while that may serve to explain why any given person's weight is so resistant to reduction through diet-and-exercise, etc., it seems to me that, simply as a matter of logic, it has little to say as to why over the past couple of decades or so (if the data regarding rates of obesity, people being overweight, etc., are to be believed), people have been getting fatter and fatter. After all, unless the genetic or physiological make-up of people generally has changed in the past couple of decades (that is, more and more, for some yet-unexplained reason, people's "set points" are being established at a level that predisposes them to become overweight), I don't see how the "set point" theory could possibly explain what appears to be society-wide increase in obesity rates. Rather, the simpler explanation why a "chubby kid" becomes a "chubby adult" is because chubby kids, by and large, continue to engage in the same habits and behavior (e.g., over-eating) as they become adults.

(I confess that I am prone to be somewhat prejudiced on this score, as I am, at age 50, some 30-35 pounds lighter than I was when I entered college at age 18, and the difference, in my case, is a matter of my eating and exercise habits).

As to your number two, I have great interest in that issue. My wife, who is seriously and chronically ill, falls into that category. While her condition effectively precludes her from getting what we would consider even the most minimal levels of "exercise," it is also the case that her caloric consumption, on most days, hardly rises to the level of her calculated "resting metabolism." And yet she cannot lose weight.

As to the third, I have an open mind as to the effects of such environmental factors, although I have difficulty accepting at face value that even a life-time's exposure to what is otherwise de minimis levels of, say, pesticides, would have more effect on a person's weight than whether or not they consume, say, 3,500 calories a day.

Yes, our exposure to such environmental contaminants (including chemicals in our food packaging, etc.) may have been increasing over the decades, and could be a factor in play here. But, at the same time, I've also seen statistics to the effect that, compared to a baseline level in the mid-1980s, the amount of food produced and made available to people in this country, works out, when measured in "calories per capita," to something like an additional 300 calories per day. Now, of course, this is a very crude measure, in that not all of those additional "available" calories are necessarily being consumed. Still, I find it telling that a person consuming an additional 300 calories per day over baseline would, over the course of a year (all things else being equal -- e.g., no change in level of physical activity), be expected to see a weight increase of some 30 pounds. And, in turn, from what I gather from the statistics, "30 pounds overweight" comes pretty close to describing the average person today compared to the mid-1980s(!)

I would add, too, that the hypothesized matters here do not, in one sense, necessarily contradict "calories-in/calories-out," and that much of this "debate" consists of people talking past each other. Rather, as I view it, for what it's worth, a person suffering from, say, metabolic syndrome might be said to have a condition in which the normal "calories-out" side of the equation has somehow been disrupted. Why this has occurred (that is, the physiological mechanism(s) in play) remains an open question on which, as you say, the science is still emerging.

In any event, I appreciate your thoughtful response. These are fascinating (and important) issues, as to which a tremendous amount of heat is generated, and (sadly) very, very little light is typically shed.

[nadinbrzezinski]

158. I lost fifty pounds and kept them off

but those fifty came as a side effect of a medication... so off med... they took three years to go.

Anything bellow that, it does not matter what I do.

Doc and I are happy though...

But I suspect that the insecticides will have a lot to do with this, as they function like hormones.

For the record, I am not obese, just overweight...

(And I am actually thinner now than I was when I married... but since all those factors are there, I am all but judgmental as to why people are obese anymore)

I just know that in ten years of EMS I handled ONE morbidly obese patient, now it is a once a month occurrence for most crews in larger cities.

[Obamanaut]

159. From your points one and two:

“…a chubby child is not condemned to be a chubby adult, it is just more likely... “ and “…other auto immune diseases make losing weight that much more difficult…”

The key here are the words ‘more likely’ and ‘more difficult.’ Both groups have the capability to lose and maintain that loss of weight, but it is ‘more difficult.’

A physically challenged runner can complete a 10K run, but it is ‘more difficult.’

A student with some developmental disabilities can earn a college degree, but it is ‘more difficult.’

Just because something is ‘more difficult’ for some than for others is no reason for one’s hands to be thrown up in despair. In the case of the folks with weight issues, if it is more difficult, ‘move more.’

[nadinbrzezinski]

160. And your body builder is just a slob

we know... I mean he don't have a perfect body. and neither do you...

SO THERE.

You are just as lazy as I am... (same issue actually but I get WHY)

[Obamanaut]

161. No, my body is not perfect. I have numerous scars from melanoma

removals, I'm held together inside with mesh from various hernia repairs - however, my body fat is well within the normal range, I get at least 5 hours of vigorous exercise weekly in the gym, more outside with yardwork and bicycle on the road. As to the imperfect body-builder, I don't know what you mean unless it is in reference to my example of the Calif gov., and if so, he doesn't look the same as he did in his movie and competition days because of age. That happens to most of us.

Now, let me refer you to another post http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9526920&mesg_id=9528628

And FYI, in your message block the correct usage is "he doesn't", not "he don't"

[nadinbrzezinski]

162. Ah congrats, by your own admission you do not have

a normal bmi and YOU TAKE thyroid.

So as far as I am concerned, like all the fatties you hate, you are lazy. It is called what is good for the goose...

Or perhaps there are other things going on. Now have a good day... I really do not want to keep treating you the same way you treat others.

(And I get it why it is difficult... no almost impossible, for me to lose beyond where I am right now... I GET The physiology and hormonal balance shit...you don't)

[JuniperLea]

101. No

I'm guessing you've missed the entire point.

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

110. I suppose I have . . .

. . . because you wrote: ". . . the only people who lose weight and successfully keep it off are those with the fortitude to resist the body's attempts to bulk back up for a sustained period of time."

In turn, I thought that, by "mechanism," you were referring to the "mechanism" by which such persons exercise that "fortitude to resist the body's attempts to bulk back up." I am only drawing on my own experience, but the only thing that has ever worked for me is controlling how much I eat. If I misunderstood what you were getting at, I apologize.

[Scout]

29. not at all interested in your preaching, but "thanks" anyway

so you and your wifey are among the 20% for whom those methods work. get back to me when you've maintained that weight loss for 5 years or more.

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. I am among the 20%, sort off

but we also had a small problem with side effect of med... so no it wasn't set BMI!

:-)

And I have not reached any "ideal" weight nor do I expect to.

:hi:

I am lazy though, according to these crowd.

[Obamanaut]

43. I weighed 210 lbs when I retired from the Navy in 1988. I am now

202 lbs., age 68, maintain acceptable blood sugar levels with diet (all the stuff I put down my neck), exercise, and no meds. Is that five years enough for you?

Blood pressure remains in the low normal range with no meds, cholesterol is well within limits with no meds.

If I knew of an exercise for underactive thyroid, I wouldn't need meds for that.

[Scout]

46. woooo, 8 pound weight loss! you're a marvel!

if you never had a weight problem, BFD for you! here, have a cookie :hi:

so you admit that you have a problem with your thyroid, and take meds .... hmmmm, so maybe it's not just that you are a superior person to all the fatties in the world.

guess what? my blood pressure and triglycerides are pretty much perfect too, and i'm not diabetic, and i'm fat! woo hooo!!!

[Obamanaut]

73. Eat less, move more, reduces or eliminates weight problem. Most

overweight people either will not acknowledge this, or don't know it. Twinkies and a couch could probably solve all my ills - looking around it seems many have gone to this solution.

Going by the last line, perhaps a parade for the prideful can be organized - such a request would probably 'carry a lot of weight' with the town council.

Eight pound weight loss in 22 years rather than gaining several pounds every year is not too shabby a record. Surely some would say that's better than a yoyo of up/down weight results.

But hey, it's been a move more, eat less lifestyle for a very long time. It might be time for a snack now.

[Scout]

74. more fucking ignorance and assumptions from you....

"Twinkies and a couch"

:rofl:

[Obamanaut]

78. Post 42 redux

Definition of DIET
a : food and drink regularly provided or consumed b : habitual nourishment


Origin of DIET
Middle English diete, from Anglo-French, from Latin diaeta, from Greek diaita, literally, manner of living, from diaitasthai to lead one's life


If you put it in, and don't work it off, it will surround you. And then, it's to the 'plus' sizes in the department store.

[Zoeisright]

164. And you're goddamned lucky. I'll bet millions you weren't fat as a baby or child.

And you have an inefficient metabolism that burns up just about everything you eat. That's exactly like someone being born on third base and claiming they hit a triple.

[Warren DeMontague]

69. I've managed to keep approx. 40-50 lbs off for about a decade.

The metabolism tends to slow down with age, I think that's one area where people have trouble.

But it can be done, throwing up one's hands and saying "oh, well, society just hates me because I'm fat" isn't any kind of a solution. If one doesn't want to do it, or doesn't care, that's entirely their business. But it can be done. It's not easy, but in most cases it is doable.

[ladjf]

106. If it "works" for 20% of the people, it is well worth the gamble.

I've been overweight three times in my life, all during periods of high stress. In each case, I was able to revert back to a healthy lifestyle and return to a normal weight.

My program works like a charm for me. However, since you are sure that it wouldn't work for you, maybe you should try working out your own routine.

[alfredo]

44. Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food" has good advice on

food selection. Real foods, in sensible proportions seem to be the key. Prepared foods has too much hidden fats and sugars.


Michael Pollan says, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." "Food" is what your grand or great grand mother would immediately recognize as food.

[JuniperLea]

58. His books are great, imho...

I love "The Botany of Desire" and "The Omnivore's Dilemma;" "In Defense of Food" is currently in my book stack.

[alfredo]

116. You will never look at an apple in the same way after reading

that book. Same goes for the potato.

[lukasahero]

70. "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Best. Line. Eva.

I love this guy's books!

[alfredo]

114. I'm reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma" now.

I was introduced to his work with his Poppy article in Harpers back years ago.

[galileoreloaded]

155. Agreed.

[beforeyoureyes]

48. Congrats...

I am doing it too.

I thought it would be impossible, but it isn't. and, the more you stick with it, the more it become a habit, and the success breeds motivation for more success.

i never thought i could do it, I really didn't. But, i am. and, i love it!

[ladjf]

100. This place is really getting sick. I offered a couple of pieces of

common sense information in an effort to encourage any who are interested in weight loss. However, I got "flamed" for preaching and for questioning the authority of the original post. (One of the flamers was the initiator of the first thread.)

[Obamanaut]

127. Do not despair. I know many people at the gym I go to who have lost

a lot of weight (two have become personal trainers) using pretty much what you described. I have maintained (with a slight loss) what I retired with in 1988 using the 'eat less, move more, eat properly' scheme.

It hasn't been that hard, but there are people who would prefer to disregard this, especially when they can find an article that agrees that they are destined to be plump.

[ladjf]

132. I find it interesting that the solution to many human problems does

not hinge upon the factual knowledge of what it takes to solve the problem. But, rather, on triggering the motivation to apply the obvious knowledge.

[Scout]

135. "common sense information in an effort to encourage any who are interested in weight loss"

yeah, cuz us fat people are too fucking stupid, in addition to being too fat and too lazy, to have ever figured out to try your "common sense" suggestions. we've never ever heard or tried those things, gosh, what a miraculous revelation!

[ladjf]

143. I must have done a poor job of communication. It never entered

my mind that anyone would have been offended by my comments.

To me, the intriguing and tricky aspect of weight loss is not in understanding of the basic physics of what it take to lose weight. But,rather, in the complicated workings of the human mind that either nudges individuals toward applying their weight loss knowledge or pushes them away from the known remedies. I guess I'm talking about motivation.

For example: one could be very intelligent and thoroughly understand the basic principles of solving the weight problem. But, if they happened to also be having some emotional issues, say depression for instance, then their emotional issues would inhibit their weight loss work. This kind of loop could present a double whamey. The emotional state might stop one from trying to lose weight and the need to lose weight might exacerbate their existing emotional problems.

[Obamanaut]

26. When we realize that 'diet' is not something in a pill or a box, but rather

everything we put into our bodies, we can make progress.

Portion control - knowing how many calories in how much of whatever is on the plate, and knowing how many calories our individual bodies need for daily living. Eat the proper foods in the proper quantity.

Self control - not eating the whole family pack of chips just because it is open.

More exercise - walking in the evening, parking at the farthest reaches of the parking lot, stairs rather than elevator. We are so pitiful we even use the escalators to go down, and walking down stairs is really quite easy.

Pass up soft drinks and sugary 'juice' drinks. There was a thread recently about soft drinks from Mexico are better for us because they use real sugar rather than corn syrup. That is still a bottle of wasted calories, when water quenches the thirst much better than sugary beverages, and with zero calories. I read an article (no link) that those sugary beverages make up about 14% of the daily caloric intake for many of us, glass after bottle of empty calories.

move more, eat less and eat properly

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. So you got this published in a peer reviewed top rated Journal?

You realize what that means RIGHT? Perhaps you are not fully correct?

NAH, that could not be, Science, Shmienze... They are LAZY I tell yah!

By the way I expect more articles on the subject as this is the EMERGING consensus.

[Obamanaut]

42. Definition of diet for you, but not from a peer reviewed top rated journal, just

a simple dictionary

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diet

Definition of DIET
a : food and drink regularly provided or consumed b : habitual nourishment


Origin of DIET
Middle English diete, from Anglo-French, from Latin diaeta, from Greek diaita, literally, manner of living, from diaitasthai to lead one's life

Don't you just hate it when it's right there in front of you?

[nadinbrzezinski]

64. As I said sciency, Shmienzy be damned!

And you take thyroid... you realize that your perfect body (which is not at ideal BMI per your own admission) would balloon if you were NOT taking that Thyroid?

Yes that is SCIENCE.

So perhaps you are not that perfect after all.

Oh and again, THIS IS EMERGING SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS... you also have a problem with Global Weather Change? Or you reserve your problems only to those things you can be so puritanical about?

[Obamanaut]

67. We both know that BMI is simply a height/weight ratio, and that body

fat is a much better way to evaluate the physical well being of a human body.

A body builder (Calif gov., for example) can be well muscled, virtually no body fat, but according to the BMI charts can be obese. But you know that. You also know that muscle tissue weighs more than fatty tissue.

And no, I deliberately did not take thyroid meds for over a year, and did not change more than a 5 pounds. I resumed because Dr told me that I should take it because thyroid underactive. Eat less, move more. Avoid twinkies. Do not count trips to refrigerator for snacks as an aerobic exercise. When riding a bicycle, make it longer than a mile ride just to replenish the cookie jar.

I do believe in global weather change. I'm sure it's a lot warmer now than when ice covered most of the planet. If it were not for global warming, Florida might be snowbound today, as it probably was eons ago.

[nadinbrzezinski]

90. Excuses... He eats too much

He is lazy and shit!

So THERE!

[Codeine]

84. Weren't you the one waxing poetic about our need to disagree civilly

the other day? And yet not ONCE have I ever seen you disagree in anything but the nastiest and most dismissive of tones. Now personally I'm fine with that -- I enjoy healthy debate and conflict, but I don't presume to lecture the board on its need to play nice-nice while being needlessly confrontational.

[Scout]

31. woops, no link to article, it must not be true!

"I read an article (no link) that those sugary beverages make up about 14% of the daily caloric intake for many of us, glass after bottle of empty calories."

that seems to be the standard on DU ... no linky? it's a lie.

[Dorian Gray]

166. An article from

Women's Health Magazine cited a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition...

says that 37% of our daily caloric intake comes from liquids.

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/liquid-sugar-intake


It is a problem when people drink too many sugary drinks. I don't presume that everyone here does so, nor do I think that it is why people may
be overweight. I lost 100 lbs (gained 33 of them back during pregnancy, and I'm working on losing those now... I have about 20 to go). One
of my things is to never drink anything with calories, except one coffee with sugar free creamer a day.

I used to be guilty of consuming a six pack of soda a day, plus loads of juice.

[Johonny]

41. I agree

People that change their diet and lifestyle generally do lose weight and keep it off. Most American diets however are not built on creating a sustainable lifestyle for the person following the diet. Why should they? There is no market for a self help book with no repeat costumers :)

While 8 out of 10 people that lose weight tend to gain it back, the vast majority of people when the eat less and exercise more do lose weight. I imagine all these studies say is that it is really, really hard to change a persons eating habits. I have no doubt people are not highly motivated to lose weight. But it seems likely your brain isn't really set up to drastically change eating habits easily.

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

52. ". . . move more, eat less and eat properly . . . ."

You're, uh, making far too much sense to be posting here on this topic. You do realize that, don't you? :-)

[pipi_k]

33. "Dieting" = short term...

and as soon as it stops, the old eating habits return, along with the weight.


People need to make lifestyle changes. Long term commitments to reasonable eating and fitness.

that is the ONLY healthy way to do it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. Problem is, the EMERGING Consensus is

that it is more complex than that.

This article came from a TOP Journal in the FIELD.

[tammywammy]

63. I don't see any reference in the OPs linked article to a journal

Is this also printed in a journal? If so, which one?

[nadinbrzezinski]

65. Read the OP

CNN is citing the Journal of Nutrition.

[lukasahero]

68. The writer (not CNN) of the article

references "studies" done by the The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Unfortunately, the reference is so generic and the Journal's website so locked down as to be essentially useless in finding the actual study and statistics.

[Big Blue Marble]

108. I am glad that my body did not know about that emerging concensus

when it released about 60 pounds in a little over a year. That was after struggling for over 15 years with post menopausal weight.
I changed my exercise routine to high intensity interval training 3 times per week for 30 minutes and changed to a whole foods
mostly low glycemic diet while tracking my calories. And the weigh started coming off relatively easily. And I am finding it easy to maintain this
lifestyle. My husband has lost about 25 pounds on the same plan in 10 months. We are both in our sixties. Going from a size 16 to a size 4-6 with a
significant reduction in belly fat and a waistline any twenty year old with envy is not bad either.

[Codeine]

118. You did that in your sixties?!

My hat is off to you and your husband! I hope I'm as active and healthy as you guys at that age! :hi:

[Big Blue Marble]

120. Thanks Codeine.

I just kept trying until I figured out what I needed to do.

[nadinbrzezinski]

144. Glad that it worked for you

I have been on a low glycemic diet and interval training for a while, oh like oh five years now.

It lost the weight gained due to a side effect, but letting go of the rest... nope... so I am considered overweight... and you know what? Doc is happy, so am I... but then again, WE know about that pesky metabolic syndrome... willing to bet dime on dollar that you do not have even one of those beauts...

[RadicalTexan]

165. You do realize that "lifestyle change" is the new "diet", right?

It's a buzzword that hits people over the head but does little to really address the problem.

Obesity in the modern Western world is more complex than these soundbytes.

The "lifestyle change" thing is not a new or revolutionary concept. "Lifestyle change" = permanent diet.

[TwilightGardener]

37. You almost never see someone who was chubby as a kid stay slim

through middle age. Unless, of course, they work extremely hard at it. We all have a setpoint and a genetically-dictated body type, very hard to alter that significantly. I think the point is to accept your build, and just try to eat healthy and exercise to avoid becoming truly obese. I don't think anyone is genetically doomed to outright morbid obesity.

[nadinbrzezinski]

39. I will make the exception for those

with VERY RARE metabolic syndromes. Sis worked at a CRC for close to fifteen years, and there were two syndromes, don't ask me for the name, that one of the markers was obesity. THey were such a small percentage of the population though that getting research funds proved tricky. As in ... not sexy enough.

[RadiationTherapy]

76. PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is one of them.

It wreaks havoc with hormones affecting body shape, metabolism, appetite, and body hair.

[nadinbrzezinski]

Rarer than that, so that is three

One of them had to do with kidney function.

When the kids were under control they were at stage one obesity... Out of control... Forget it. It was sad really. Those kids also had a life expectancy of 20 at best.

[Johonny]

47. I don't think it's clear that it's genetic

It think at least some environmental influence going on. The fact is there are more chubby kids than ever before. It's hard to imagine an amazing genetic turnover as occurred in just a few generations to cause this. However cheap sugar and fatty foods are more abundant in American culture and kids get exposed to them sooner.

I agree on eating healthy and exercise are a good lifestyle to try to follow.

[beforeyoureyes]

50. Processed foods are the big killer.

avoid them like the plague.

[bobbolink]

40. Then it logically follows that the action that needs to be taken is to insure that POOR CHILDREN

have the $$$$ to have a healthy diet.

[Obamanaut]

49. A head of lettuce and a bag of carrots costs no more than a box of

popular sugar filled cereal.

[ipaint]

102. Yes and most people who don't live in poverty can't get that straight.

Education for all and more money for the poor would help immensely but food corps are in control and nutrition less junk shot up with a couple of the myriad of vitamins and nutrients that were stripped in the processing is pushed everywhere constantly. In poorer neighborhoods that is all that's available.

The profits are obscene and the government supports it.

[beforeyoureyes]

51. You can eat healthy in an economical way, it takes planning and time

education with money is key

[bobbolink]

103. I knew someone couldn't wait to chime in against poor people.

There is PLENTY of evidence against your claim, but of course, that is not of interest to you, right?

Go ahead and attack. It is now the DU way.

[ipaint]

107. I know the middle class with disposable income

are busting the seats of their pants in record numbers but the poorer people who live in food deserts are ALWAYS pointed to as the "problem".

It's amazing but as usual instead of looking up to the food manufacturers who get giant subsidies from the government to push this crap food on the poor the "liberals" start tsk tsk tsk finger waving those at the bottom.

[bobbolink]

113. It's so completely predictable, isn't it?

I have come to the conclusion that we provide a very important function.... without us, these poor muddleclass people would have nobody left to look down on.

We are a steady supply of reasons to feel superior.

:grr:

:yourock: Thanks... your replies are so right on target! I wish you have a national microphone!

[ipaint]

129. Spot on and the elite know it and cultivate through their constant pandering to the middle class.

Abuse and violence always flows down the economic ladder. Middle class liberals used to fight it but not anymore. It's much easier on the ego to dump on those with little to nothing in the way finances, education and opportunity.

If you want to understand the root of our problems all you have to do is look up at the criminal wealth hoarders at the top.

Food production is no exception and as with energy and health care etc. the only thing that matters is there money to made and the government regulatory agencies are captured 100% by industry.

Game over. We lose.

[bobbolink]

133. I'm quite aware of the "criminal wealth hoarders at the top". What angers me is those just a step

above me who follow the lead of those hoarders, and pronounce you and me "fatally flawed", in order to pump up their own egos.

I'm sick to death of that! I'm sick of being used to "enhance" their sagging self-esteem.

[Obamanaut]

122. "It is now the DU way." And yet, here we are with the never ending

stream of a 'glass half empty' comments. One wonders why members who seem to dislike "...the DU way..." continue to expose their nearly empty glass.

[ipaint]

134. What was that barbara bush said.

"Why should we hear about body bags and deaths," Barbara Bush said on ABC's "Good Morning America" on March 18, 2003. "Oh, I mean, it's not relevant. So why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?"

That's it.

[beforeyoureyes]

45. That isn't exactly true....it is about long term changes in eating habits and exercise

I long blamed my excess weight on the slowing metabolism of on-coming middle-age and as the side effects of mood stabilizers.

But, as I kept balloning more and more, I realize that I had to make some major adjustments or just be a fat person.

So, I cut out the vast majority of white carbohydrates and sugar. I am not a saint so I still take sugar in my tea and once in a while, as a treat only, I allow some white pasta or bread. Rarely.

I also started eating complex carbohydrates, cut out the majority of meat and only eat poultry as a rule with red meat reserved for the special occassion. Mainly vegetables, complex carbs, fruit, beans...Small amounts of cheese as an accent flavoring or meat substitute are also allowed. Small amounts.

I drink seltzer, tea, a small amount of juice and water.

I started taking Chromium to regulate my insulin levels, as I found I was always hungry no matter what I ate.

I also get two non-diet days a month in which anything is 'on the table' so to speak. If there is a wedding, a special dinner, or a party, I just save one of my days for that time and enjoy myself without guilt. Knowing that I can eat whatever i want on occassion is a huge psychological help in stopping the urge to binge and be awful. I find that when I have one of these days, i don't go crazy, just allow myself a bit more or a food not normally on the list.

I also began brisk walking with lot of hills put into the mix, and some other forms of exercise as a four times a week routine.

Above all, I had to address my compulsion with food and my habit of utilizing it as a comfort and coping method which was the hardest part of this whole thing. Allowing myself to feel my underlying issues wasn't the most fun thing in the world, but it addressed a core source of the problem.

I have been on this plan for about six months and i have dropped 26 pounds so far.

I don't feel deprived. I look soooo much better. I want to lose about 10 more pounds and i am confident that I will achieve this goal.

Diet does matter, but it isn't about deprivation of calories or quick fad diets. It is about long term changes in the way you eat and addressing your relationship with food. Diets don't work, but life style changes most certainly do. I have the fitted pencil skirts to prove it ;)

[azmouse]

60. I've lost 20 pounds this year doing pretty much what you have.

Stopped the junk food, which I never liked much anyway, and started eating more fruits and vegetables, got more exercise.
I feel great! :)

[Obamanaut]

80. That cannot work! I know it can't, because I've read it here too many

times.

It's in our genes to burst the seams of our jeans. (I don't really believe this, you know)

[Arkansas Granny]

79. I lost over 60 pounds doing pretty much the same as you and have kept

it off for over 5 years. I don't drink sodas, I use Splenda in my coffee, I rarely eat bread and I don't keep junk food in the house. Portion size is very important, also. If I go out to eat, I plan on taking half of my dinner home for another meal. At age 64, I am currently at my high school weight, although the shape has altered some over the years.

[Obamanaut]

82. And I am only slightly smaller than I was 22 years ago when I retired

from the Navy.

Age 68.

[Name removed]

92. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Arkansas Granny]

104. What makes my post fucking smug shit? I lost 60 pounds that I had carried around for years

because I made a real effort to change my eating habits and get more exercise. I don't believe any of my comments criticized or made fun of anyone for their weight, body type or eating habits.

Now you accuse me of "preaching to the fatties" because I made a major lifestyle change to improve my health and explained how I did it.

[Codeine]

119. Ignore the nastiness and be proud of the changes you've made.

I wish more folks had the desire and fortitude to do what you've done. :hi:

[Arkansas Granny]

125. I should have known better. Threads about weight usually wind up with

someone getting snippy.

[Scout]

130. i'm sorry, the "smug shit" part was not meant to apply specifically to you. n/t

[lukasahero]

141. BS eom

[lukasahero]

140. There was nothing smug in your post

And you have a right to be proud of your accomplishments.

This place is insane.

Congratulations! :hi:

[Big Blue Marble]

117. I m no winner of the genetic lottery.

My dad was seriously obese at over 260 at 5'11". My mom struggled with her weight all her life as well. My brother is
following in my dad's footsteps while both of my sisters have to fight weigh gain constantly. Every member of my family including grandparents
have/had serious weight problem. I, personally, have had weight issues all my life which became especially significant after menopause even though
I am a light eater. I thought there was no hope. Now after years of struggle by changing my exercise and diet while not really eating much less,
I have lost 60 pounds and totally reshaped my body. And I am well into my sixties. This was a lifestyle change for me, one I am most comfortable with
continuing.

[Codeine]

85. But we're helpless in the face of our uncontrollable weight!

HELPLESS I TELL YOU!

Far too many DUers are Laws of Thermodynamics Deniers.

[Name removed]

94. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Codeine]

97. LOL!

And a good day to you as well!

I'm neither smug nor arrogant, I'm just not a big fan of Learned Helplessness. When people make serious lifestyle changes and a concerted effort to modify their relationship to food they will almost always lose weight. Will a statistically-insignificant number exhibit rare medical conditions that cause difficulty? Yes. Do these rare occurrences of medical difficulties explain why half the people you see at the grocery store are obese? Absolutely not. Most of those folks - the vast majority - are just eating too much while moving too little.

[Big Blue Marble]

111. I have had a similar experience.

Eating complex carbs, avoiding processed foods, and using high intensity interval training has helped me lose 60 pounds and
lots of belly fat. My body has totally reshaped. Am I am in my sixties. I am the fittest I have ever been. I, too, give myself days
to eat what I want. I find this program is very easy to follow and even enjoy. The benefits are amazingly rewarding.

[flvegan]

62. I don't doubt the data, but this article is pretty subjective.

Food is fuel. It's time to stop thinking of it as a "diet" to begin with. My biggest problem with the article is that it makes a statement, but doesn't give reasons. He completely loses me at "body mass indexes are set early in life" because that, frankly, is crap. It's crap just based on the premise of a BMI to begin with. Body *type* may be set early in life (endo-ecto-mesomorph) but that's not what he's getting at I don't think.

[Xithras]

66. "Dieting" has never worked. Behavioral changes work beautifully.

There is no magic "normal" setting in the body that dictates a persons weight. The problem is that we develop eating and activity habits over decades that determine our ultimate weight. We go on diets, lose the weight, and then fall right back into those old behavioral patterns...which eventually puts us right back at our previous weight.

My sister is a great example. She has a full gym in her house, but she's a chocoholic, a soap opera addict, and a largely unemployed housewife (she runs this hobby web business). She'll put on 20+ pounds over the course of a year as she munches all the time, and then looks in the mirror every spring and screams about getting fat. She'll excise carbs and sugar from her diet, spends hours a day exercising, and within a couple of months will has her 18 year old body back.

But then she falls right back into the same old routine. She stops exercising, starts munching, and the pounds start building up again.

Dieting never works, because permanent weight loss requires permanent lifestyle changes. Few people are willing to do that.

[Avalux]

72. Dieting doesn't work. Limiting food intake does.

Diet books, special food, etc. are gimmicks that during the time they're used will work. However none of these 'fixes' can be done for the duration of one's lifespan. The only thing that works is moderation not restriction. It's very simple and nothing special; don't eat more (of anything) than your body can burn off. Limit the quantity/calories of what you eat.

[zalinda]

75. I'd like to know when they started putting HFCS in everything

When you are poor, you do not get the luxury of buying fresh, most of the time. Because of this, frozen and canned products are a staple of the poor. You also have to stretch your budget whenever you can. I love brussel sprouts, but they are usually not fresh, and even frozen are rarely on sale. I wanted to treat myself and got some brussel sprouts in butter sauce that was on sale, they were less than the sprouts that were without sauce. When I took my first bite, I almost gagged, they were sweet! I looked on the package, and sure enough, there was HFCS in the sauce. Who thought it was a good idea to pair brussel sprouts and corn syrup? And why? You want to look at the real problem, it's HFCS in EVERYTHING that has the least bit of processing.

Take a look at the cost of spaghetti sauce. If you find a sale, a can or jar of sauce is $1.00. A large can of tomatoes is usually $1.09 and sometimes you can find it on sale for $.69. You would have to have a lot of tomatoes, fresh or canned to make that one jar of spaghetti sauce. So, if you have a limited amount of money, what do you buy? The spaghetti sauce with HFCS at $1.00.

The latest head scratcher was a can of peas from the food pantry, it had HFCS in it, plain old peas. Like I said, it's in everything.

zalinda

[ipaint]

109. +1 The food industry sucks in this country and we subsidize it to the hilt. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

150. Oh and Gluten

I now eat a gluten free diet, no, not a life choice... and it is like in EVERYTHING as well... a little less than HCFS but not by much.

[Warren DeMontague]

157. You can blame the aptly named Earl Butz.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Butz

[BoneDaddy]

81. One more excuse

from the non accountable crowd.

[Scout]

89. one more arrogant piece of crap comment

by one who knows not of the problem nor of what he speaks.

[BoneDaddy]

91. Scout

I have rarely, if ever, seen you post anything where you didn't place your unhappiness, lack of satisfaction or accomplishment on someone or something else. You seem to try and play the blame game which ultimately leads you to not ever having to be accountable for anything.

[Scout]

95. LOL! oooooh, i guess you really told me, you armchair amateur you!

wow, you really have a great imagination! a little projection there?

i'm unhappy AND dissatisfied AND have lack of accomplishment :rofl:

[BoneDaddy]

168. Um

I can only go on what you write, and that is how you come across. I would guess that based upon your reaction, I was spot on.

[alarimer]

86. Because most "diets" are bullshit.

Simply reduce the amount you eat, whatever that might (but hopefully it is more or less balance) and you should see a decrease, especially if you are also exercising several times a week.

Fad diets are bullshit though.

[cbdo2007]

88. Diet and exercise will solve anyone's weight problems.

The main problem with "diets" is that people must follow them.

Look, we live in a country where everyone knows smoking will cause cancer and kill them - and Tens of Millions of people do it anyways.

We have scientists saying conclusively that cell phones increase the cancer risk - and people are buying cell phones for their 10 year olds.

Based on MY personal experiences - American's don't know what's best for them, so anyone saying they tried a diet and it didn't work, we must conclude that they didn't try a diet, they ate the same old shit but threw in an apple and wonder why they didn't lose any weight.

[ipaint]

96. I changed my eating habits.

I eat anywhere between 1200 and 1550 calories a day 30% fats, 20% proteins and 50% carbs. I don't eat heavily processed foods or refined sugars. I buy whole grain ingredients and cook.
I track what I eat daily using an online tracker. I would lose weight just with those guidelines but I also walk 5 miles 6x a week and strength train 3x a week with hand weights to build muscle.

It's not a diet but a way I choose to live. So far I've lost 25 lbs (approx 2 months).

Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food" is a must read. The food industry has completely fucked up our food. As with everything follow the money.

[Codeine]

98. Lifestyle changes. That's the key.

Healthy food in moderate quantities and physical exercise will work for nearly everyone. Glad to see you're having success! :yourock:

[ipaint]

105. I am very fortunate.

I have several fresh fruit and veggie markets within 10 minutes and several grocery stores to comparison shop for the best price.

Many people do not have those advantages. Follow the money we have a toxic food industry that heavily processes food gets government subsidies to produce the crap then markets it constantly on tv.

As a poor person I eat better and know more about nutrition than the majority of middle class people. When a problem is this massive there is something drastically wrong with the majority of food in the grocery stores.

[bobbolink]

121. Most of the cheapest foods have loads of HFCS, which has demonstrably cause weight problems AND d

diabetes, etc.

Yet, most here refuse to look at that.

I very much appreciate that you say up front that you are very fortunate. That is a humility that is so lacking, and I applaud you! :yourock:

[Scout]

131. someone should be along right quick now that you've mentioned the HFCS

issue, to tell you "it's just the same as sugar."

[ipaint]

136. Someone with a hefty investment portfolio which includes the corn industry.

High-Fructose Corn Syrup Prompts Considerably More Weight Gain, Researchers Find

ScienceDaily (Mar. 22, 2010) — A Princeton University research team has demonstrated that all sweeteners are not equal when it comes to weight gain: Rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup gained significantly more weight than those with access to table sugar, even when their overall caloric intake was the same.

In addition to causing significant weight gain in lab animals, long-term consumption of high-fructose corn syrup also led to abnormal increases in body fat, especially in the abdomen, and a rise in circulating blood fats called triglycerides. The researchers say the work sheds light on the factors contributing to obesity trends in the United States.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100322121115.htm

[bobbolink]

138. You beat me to it on both counts! Lobbyists and the REAL facts.

Damn, you're good!

I'm glad you're on my side... I'd sure hate to come up on you in a dark alley if you weren't. ~~gigglesnort~~

:pals:

[bobbolink]

139. That's my job... put the bait out there.... lots of yellowjackets to wallow in it.

Seriously, I am sickened by the elitist attitude so prevalent in threads like this.

No WONDER liberals have gotten a bad name.... far too often they earn it. :cry:

[bobbolink]

152. You gotta stop being so right! Right on cue.....

Your prediction stands.

Those bots are quite effective.

[Ginto]

146. You could drink pure HFCS. If its below the amount of calories you are burning

you're going to lose weight.

[bobbolink]

147. Right on cue. Thankk you for not disappointing.

[Ginto]

148. Science rarely disappoints. nt

[bobbolink]

151. Lobbyists don't disappoint.

[Ginto]

154. Want to explain how less calories going in than going out doesn't work?

Take as much time as needed.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

163. Body thinks it's starving, reduces metabolic rate.

Burns fewer calories. Rate of weight loss is thus reduced.

Furthermore, human metabolism is not a simple exothermic reaction like you would observe in your chemistry lab. I don't know how many steps there are, enzymes, radicals, etc. involved, in turning food into energy, but I am sure it's far more complex than a simple chemical reaction.

[Ginto]

167. So you admit there's weight loss?

You just keep reducing your calorie intake so you keep losing weight or increase activity. Once you reach your ideal weight you slowly increase calorie intake until your weight is stable at your current activity level. It's not that difficult.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

169. Nope. Hasn't worked that way.

Rate of loss is slowed. I lost 10 or 12 lbs. on a medically supervised low calorie diet (by an M.D./Ph.D. internist-what they call bariatric medicine) where I was taking B-12 shots, growth hormone shots, supplements, all sorts of stuff that in the end was a waste of money. I was exercising vigorously too.

I hit a setpoint beyond which I could not lose weight. This was over the course of a year and a half and supervised by a doctor. Eventually I realized that I was starving to death one day when I missed breakfast and had a severe hypoglycemic attack. So I stopped going to this doctor.

My thyroid doesn't work and I've taken Armour Thyroid for over forty years. My usual temperature is a degree and a half below normal (low thyroid indicator) and it fluctuates (adrenal insufficiency indicator). I don't know how much thyroid I should take because doctors are quite unhelpful.

I had chronic pneumonia and sinus infections for several years because my immune system was completely shot due to stress. I ate very little, and kept very little food down. Theoretically I should have lost weight down to something healthy.

I lost about eight or ten pounds and that was all. I don't think there is any way for me to lose weight except through liposuction.

BTW, metabolic problems are not rare. We don't know how many people in the US have messed up glands and autoimmune diseases which make us fat. The estimate for people with thyroid disease, usually a low thyroid, are thirty to FORTY MILLION people. That's more people than have diabetes, but you do not see drives for research into it. Doctors give women anti depressants and think that will help. :banghead:

Don't forget metabolic syndrome, HFCS, and the chemicals in our air and water and food that are probably screwing up our metabolic pathways.

[Ginto]

123. This is why a lot of anorexics are still overweight. nt

[Codeine]

128. For the win. nt

[RedCloud]

137. Lies. Everything you eat IS your diet. And form follows function!

Walk like a mofu in the morning, Slurp water all day long and walk in the evening.

Now you are living more like nature created your body. Be amazed in just a few months.

My advice: free. My experience: I was a physical anthropologist.

[malaise]

156. I beg to differ

I have never dieted using books, programs or medication, but exercise and a change in what you eat does work.