overweight-is it a issue

[Bill Sikes]

jwolf7722 wrote: are americans become to overweight?


Yes, it's blindingly obvious. Other countries, too, such as Britian, "are become

to overweight" too.



jwolf7722 wrote: 75% of people i see are overweight. most people say there is no time,i dont have the time to fix a good mean


It's just eating too much of the wrong thing. It is perfectly possible to eat

well without doing much cooking at all.



jwolf7722 wrote: i dont think its that hard to stay healthy and not let your self become overweight. i find ways to atleast make it to the gym 4 days a week which is hard cause i work 50 hours a week and am still taking one night class. i just think its a growing issue and has been growing for a while.


The gym? The most many people need to do is have a brisk walk and do a

few sit-ups a few times a week. No equipment needed, and it's *free*.

jwolf7722 wrote: should we put restrictions on what food restaurants cause

put in there food. i mean look at a basic big mac meal from mcdonalds.


I would certainly not call McDonald's a "restaurant", but that's a language

usage difference.



jwolf7722 wrote: with one meal you are already get over half the daily amount of fat, sodium, exc...... not to mention the growing number of americans that are getting diabietes. if you know anyone that has it you know it is horrible.


If you don't make it yourself, good labelling is the only way you know what

is in your food. Here in the UK, there are certain legally necessary standards,

which is helpful. You will note with most "processed foods" that they contain

some of the other foodstuffs which people wouldn't eat normally (by normal,

I mean as part of our modern "healthy" but still excessive diet). Take meat,

for instance - it supplies most of our protein needs in most cases. We only

need 2-3 oz. of protein daily, unless doing extreme physical work, in which

case a *little* more may be needed. So, if we eat a nice little lean piece of

meat, that does not give us much fat. However, a little piece is the exception

(I am led to believe that meat consumption in the U.S.A. is much higher than

a few oz. per capita daily). So more is eaten - still not bad in itself. Now,

consider - you are a meat processor - you've got all these carcasses coming

in, but 10% is bone, another percentage is fat, some is offal, and some is

meat of a lower quality than "steak". Some you can't sell at all by statute.

So what do you do? Well, you "hide" it from the consumer. Bones can be

ground up, processed, and a percentage turned to stock, mixed with soup

etc., some carcass components can be made into gelatine, offal can be

incorporated into pies, sausages, etc. (I'm observe that offal is not popular

in the U.S.A.), low-quality meat can be processed into acceptable foods

such as mince, beefburgers, pies, sausages, re-formed "cuts" of meat;

the fat can be put into almost any processed food, hidden that way, and

consumed by the unsuspecting customer. So - *read the label*, and you

may be surprised at what it contains. As an example, I recently made some

liver pate (liver is fairly high in fat itself), without *any* added fat. It was

very nice - and popular. Looking at some items on the Supermarket shelf,

I saw some pate - this contained (from the label) 30% liver. Now, under

the labelling regulations, that must not naturally contain above 40% fat.

The product also contained 30% added pork fat, so the stuff contained

approximately *42% pork fat in total*. Without looking at the label, one

would not have realised. OK, so you might think "Pate, liver - blech!" and

not be concerned. However, the McDonalds you buy in Britian says it is

made of pure beef mince (ground beef) ISTR. Now here, "lean meat" must

not contain more than 40% fat, and that must all be naturally in the meat,

NOT added, else it must be declared separately. So your lean burger has

40% fat in it, potentially, before you even add anything else.

Anyway, I'm going on a bit, labelling and what goes into "food" is a hobby-

horse of mine. The long and the short of it is that if you avoid processed

foods completely, or at least make an informed decision on what you're

going to eat based on inaccurate labelling, you will avoid many, many

issues, and not have to do excessive exercise in an expensive and

un-natural environment (I don't like "the gym!).

[Bill Sikes]

jwolf7722 wrote: and not have to do excessive exercise in an expensive and

un-natural environment (I don't like "the gym!).

i pay around 150 a year to go to my gym with no contract, that is not very much at all.


150 what a year, U.S. dollers I assume? In Britian membership of a gym cost

me about L.1000 per annum, before I canned it. That's an opportunity cost

of a whole lot of beer!!

jwolf7722 wrote: who knows what meats have in them these days. i would really not want to know what is in red meats. i just think americans are lazy. i hear all the time from family and friends about how fat they are (and honestly they are way over weight) then i ask them how long it has been since they have done any physical activity. the answer i usually get is well i worked out and ran and walked for 2 weeks but got tired of it. well then stop complaining that you are overweight then.


Eating reasonably is a good way to not become fat, too. Some people find

it difficult to exercise *because they are so fat and out-of-condition*. A

good diet is an excellent way for these people to start. A simple way to

start dieting is to eat more cereals, pulses, and carbohydrates, reduce

protein input, and as far as possible eliminate fat. You can eat a *lot*

of stuff then, with fewer calories.

[Bill Sikes]

plazul wrote: A diet without exercise is not a very effective way to lose weight and keep it off. Muscle tissue is constantly burning calories so adding some muscle and toning with moderate daily exercise is the only way to go.

I'm not a nutriton freak but I do try to eat simply and sensibly (don't cook the nutrients out of your veggies) and I take an inexpensive multi-vitamin.


A change of diet does help, and is a good start for someone who is very obese.

Take it to extremes to prove the point - drinking water and taking vitamin

tablets, and no exercise, will make you lose over 1/2 LB. in weight per day. I

am not suggesting this is a sensible diet. Any exercise is better than none,

and of great benefit, I agree.

[anastrophe]

there's a simple solution to obesity: eliminate refined sugars and carbohydrates. they are responsible almost entirely for the epidemic of obesity.

dietary fat is of almost no consequence. *eating* fat does not *make you* fat. just as eating spinach does not make you green. eating sugar does indeed make you fat, as our digestive system is highly attuned to storing the massive excess energy in sugar for later use, and it does so by creating adipose tissue.



when i stick to a diet of lots of meats, cheeses, vegetables, and in general high protein, high fat content foods, i lose and/or maintain my weight. start eating concentrated sugars - apple pie, fruit juices, ice cream, whatever - and i gain weight, as do most people.

[anastrophe]

i eat lots of red meat. i have normal cholesterol (hdl and ldl), very low triglycerides, and absurdely good blood pressure - and i get zilcho exercise.



good genes i guess.



though they weren't good enough to keep me from needing reading glasses practically the day after i turned 40.

[Peg]

A person's diet isn't always the reason they are overweight though. Thyroid problems are an issue. Myself, I think the most I ever weighed was 113# and that is when I was pregnant. Then, rheumatoid arthritis hit me like a ton of bricks. Dressing myself was impossible let alone trying to exercise. The medicine I'm on for it has helped soooooo much that I walk to work when it's nice out just because I'm grateful to be able to do it again. Unfortunately, one of the medicines is a steroid. It causes weight gain. The walking keeps me from gaining more weight, but getting off a few extra pounds is about impossible. Never thought I'd have this problem. I know I definately need to cut out the pop, but water just doesn't appeal to me at all. Hopefully, someday, I'll lose at least 15# and will be happy with myself again.

[Bill Sikes]

plazul wrote: For cardiovascular health you have to work up a sweat. Walking is good but doesn't quite cut it for the long run.


Try walking at 4 1/2 miles per hour, and then see what you think!

[Bill Sikes]

jwolf7722 wrote: event at walking at the speed i dont think it does enoff. running will get your heart rate up which will help build the muscles in your heart. i can walk at that speed and not get a workout in. walking does not really challenge your body or most importantly your heart.


Try reading up on the subject. It's one of the best forms of exercise there is,

although of course if you want a specialist effect you'll have to add to your

regimen. http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/heal ... alking.htm

is a simple introduction.

[Bill Sikes]

jwolf7722 wrote: very good read with that article. running is still 100% better. burn more cal, which means more fat, and you condition your heart. walking is just a easy way to excercise without pushing yourself. (for some walking is good if you are 70 or older then running is probably not the best thing for you but that is common sense)


Well, you've made a pretty selective and misleading interpretation.

Perhaps you should eat more fish .