America's Growing Problem

[CatherineM]

We have had help. It has to do with portions. As an example, the Joy of Cooking cookbook which has been in print for 75 years, has used the exact same recipe for brownies. The recipe hasn't changed, same amount of flour and sugar, etc. What has changed, is that it was originally put down as making 30 servings. Now the exact same recipe makes 12 servings. That means that a single serving of brownie is now over twice as big. Multiply that across everything we eat. And don't get me started on restaurants, and I'm not just talking about fast food ones. Applebee's appetizer sampler is 2500 calories, and that is before you get your entree.

[Winchester]

[quote name='Mr.Cat' timestamp='1316556834' post='2307767']
I somehow doubt that 60% of Americans are overweight because of their buff physique, and from the studies this is generally not the case.

The general fitness of Americans is rather low, some Americans would struggle getting away from an enraged humming bird nonetheless fight it off.

But I suspect these exceptions are not being included in the surveys...
[/quote]
I doubt it, as well, but the emphasis in everything I see is simply weight. I expect that they have a higher profit margin if they do cheap evaluations. A real health assessment is expensive.

I [s]believe [/s]speculate we are in general fat out of shape people, as opposed to Europeans, who are generally skinnier out of shape people. I tend to imagine Asian types as all martial arts masters or Sumo rasslers.

[Winchester]

Using myself as an example, when I was young and doing mostly cardio PT six days a week, I was 178 to the mid 180s and 6% body fat with a 34" waist. This puts me in the overweight category for my height. That's just asinine. I'm now from 187-193 depending on the day with all my blood work showing good numbers, my waist is 36". I do more weight training than I used to, but I can run 2-3 miles sub 9' pace and I can push it to qualify in a 1.5 in 11'30", which puts my vO2 max in the proper range for my job.

According to these stupid numbers, I am overweight. Of course there seems to be correlation between weight, good or bad, and a shortened lifespan. But I'd rather be Roy Baty than Gandhi.

[faithcecelia]

[quote name='Winchester' timestamp='1316563009' post='2307821']
Using myself as an example, when I was young and doing mostly cardio PT six days a week, I was 178 to the mid 180s and 6% body fat with a 34" waist. This puts me in the overweight category for my height. That's just asinine. I'm now from 187-193 depending on the day with all my blood work showing good numbers, my waist is 36". I do more weight training than I used to, but I can run 2-3 miles sub 9' pace and I can push it to qualify in a 1.5 in 11'30", which puts my vO2 max in the proper range for my job.

According to these stupid numbers, I am overweight. Of course there seems to be correlation between weight, good or bad, and a shortened lifespan. But I'd rather be Roy Baty than Gandhi.
[/quote]


But its common knowledge that BMI is not at all accurate for athletes (I cover all sports done serious and regularly in that) and body composition assessments are used instead. If you do not get these then you should to ask your trainer to do one.

Healthy BMI is also different for some cultural groups, predominantly Asians whose ideal BMI is 18-21, overweight is 21.-27.9 and obese 28+

[Winchester]

The charts always mention it, but it's a footnote and when it's discussed, the mention of the inadequacy of BMI (although it's not called that) resembles the disclaimers at the end of a car commercial.

[4588686]

This is stupid. This is such an easy problem to fix. You can eat a healthy meal for less than a combo at McDonalds (note than you cannot eat healthy food until your gullet is stuffed, but you can eat healthy food that will cause you to loose weight pretty cheaply) and it takes like half an hour a day to get in a decent amount of exercise.

Just eat smaller portions and fit exercise into your schedule. You can get an intense workout in 20 minutes. Look up crossfit.

Do this:

[url="http://www.crossfitunc.com/"]http://www.crossfitunc.com/[/url]

At most you need a single dumbbell.

You can do push-ups in an elevator.

I'm not in the best shape that I could be in but it's just really not that hard to get in good shape if you're willing to get outside of your comfort zone and be consistent. Getting in shape isn't about poverty, your workload, or anything else. It's not time consuming or expensive. I know a lot of kids who live in the projects who are in great shape. It's just hard in the sense that you need to push yourself a little and endure a bit of physical discomfort.

Unless you have some sort of medical issue or disability if you are unhealthy it's your fault.

Which is a good thing because that means it's in your power to change. It will take a bit of time but if you do it you will get results.

[Mr.Cat]

[quote name='Hasan' timestamp='1316571315' post='2307870']You can do push-ups in an elevator.[/quote]Hassan, I generally like your posts. Down to earth sensibility and humor. But I can't quite figure out what this is...

I get the mental image of a exercise infomercial: "Y[i]es, even you can do situps on escalators. Pushups in elevators. Pullups up on the city bus. Even crunches on your favorite park picnic table. All of this is apart of my free and public calisthenics program. No need for uncle sam to pace you, just go out and start today![/i]"[quote name='Winchester' timestamp='1316563009' post='2307821']Of course there seems to be correlation between weight, good or bad, and a shortened lifespan. But I'd rather be Roy Baty than Gandhi.[/quote]Yes, for starters it hypothetically puts more strain on your skeletal system. But if we could exchange our social excessive fat problem for a social excessive muscle problem, I would be leaning for the latter too. However we are looking more for what is ideal for the general population, males and females.



I have been told that the World Health Organization recommends walking for thirty minutes a day to help combat obesity, but with particular focus on cycling, since its low impact on the skeletal system and generally more enjoyable.

Edited September 21, 2011 by Mr.Cat

[Norseman82]

[quote name='Mr.Cat' timestamp='1316550775' post='2307731']
The 2008 law has met [size=5][b]heavy[/b][/size] resistance in Japan,
[/quote]

Was that an intentional pun?

[Luigi]

All I know is, Jesus wasn't overweight. He was & is perfect in every respect, including the divine BMI.

[kamiller42]

[quote name='sixpence' timestamp='1316552237' post='2307742']
has anyone seen Food Inc. ? I think it explains a part of the problem very well... over-processed junk food is cheaper and more accessible than more nutritious things
[/quote]
Food Inc. is full of flaws. Watch the movie [url="http://www.fathead-movie.com/"]Fat Head[/url]. More entertaining and fact based.

[sixpence]

may i haz a source for claims that food inc is full of flaws plez?

[Guest Jamestrother1245]

I agree that diet and exercise plus determination is the key for successful weight loss. However, obesity is genetically inherited as well. Check out your roots, there might be one of your family members who suffered from obesity. Sometimes you cannot [url="http://www.weightlosingportal.com/escape-from-obesity/"]escape from obesity[/url]
but if you are really determined to be slim then you have to be determined and have the discipline.

Good luck!!!

[Winchester]

[quote name='Mr.Cat' timestamp='1316571725' post='2307871']
Yes, for starters it hypothetically puts more strain on your skeletal system. But if we could exchange our social excessive fat problem for a social excessive muscle problem, I would be leaning for the latter too. However we are looking more for what is ideal for the general population, males and females.[/quote]
Leave them be will be my answer. Back off, abolish government studies and grants and little flyers asking my kid what Michelle Obama thinks about healthier diets.



[quote]I have been told that the World Health Organization recommends walking for thirty minutes a day to help combat obesity, but with particular focus on cycling, since its low impact on the skeletal system and generally more enjoyable.
[/quote]
Bones respond to impact by hardening themselves.

[rachael]

[quote name='kamiller42' timestamp='1316582513' post='2307953']
Food Inc. is full of flaws. Watch the movie [url="http://www.fathead-movie.com/"]Fat Head[/url]. More entertaining and fact based.
[/quote]
nothing like a man living off of crappy fast food. yuck.

wether or not he hit a satisfactory calorie goal isn't the issue with me...it's the fact that the food he's eating isn't quality food for the body. it shows a lack nutrients essential to the body.

Edited September 21, 2011 by rachael

[faithcecelia]

[quote name='Jamestrother1245' timestamp='1316591891' post='2307972']
I agree that diet and exercise plus determination is the key for successful weight loss. However, obesity is genetically inherited as well. Check out your roots, there might be one of your family members who suffered from obesity. Sometimes you cannot [url="http://www.weightlosingportal.com/escape-from-obesity/"]escape from obesity[/url]
but if you are really determined to be slim then you have to be determined and have the discipline.

Good luck!!!
[/quote]


A well known health programme over here looked at this recently. An obese family - parents and 2 adult children - were convinced they couldn't help their weight, that it must be genetic and they must have slow betabolisms. So they tested them, and they also tested the doctor (who is slim). Yes there was evidence of one of the so-called fat genes....in the doctor! The family did not have any of them, and they also had high metabolisms - as most overweight do as being overweight increases the metabolism. Once they had tried to add another 20 or so excuses, they ultimately had to accept that actually theu just are too much! And suprise suprise, when the started eating properly, they lost weight. The son also took up exercise and lost masses.

There [i]are[/i] one or two illnesses and genetic problems that do reduce metabolism dramatically, but even these people, once diagnosed and taught about healthy eating, have all they need to remain slim. They just need to add willpower, which sadly doesn't come on prescription.