She-ra Posted April 23, 2015 #1 Share Posted April 23, 2015 The food industry has helped push the belief that people's sedentary lifestyles are solely to blame for widespread obesity, three researchers argue in a new editorial. Read entire article here: http://www.livescience.com/50580-exercise-obesity-epidemic.html?adbid=10152703617496761&adbpl=fb&adbpr=30478646760&cmpid=514627_20150423_44529786&short_code=2ux54 Okay so I have a problem with this entire article so I'm just going to lay it all out there up front. First, as a female, I have struggled my entire life with being too thin then being to heavy then being average then too thin then having babies and being too fat again and now older and being too heavy...I am so sick and tired of hearing different things from different doctors about losing weight and what is the *BEST* and what is not...low carb, high carb, no carb, no sugar, no meat, too much of this too little of that SHEEEEESH...it's just about enough to make my mind implode! Yep, I'm sort of sensitive with the whole topic of weight. So, now we have this...um...article...and I'm going to leave it at that and let you read and tell me what YOU think. To me, and I know we have some brilliant science-oriented folk here who maybe can help me with this - to me, isn't it just CALORIE *IN* vs ENERGY *OUT* ?? Or am I just simplifying this too much? What's the catch? What's the trick? What are the success stories. Inquiriing minds want to know...mainly - ME! Yes, No? I have no idea anymore. All of these studies and research and now I'm even more confused. So, if anyone can enlighten me it would be greatly appreciated. Oh and sidebar, I try to focus on *healthy* eating. I do cheat and have occasional things that are not that great for you. I am fairly active but this article suggests my *being active* isn't the same as a regimented regime, so to speak. Ugh. Anyways, would love to hear any constructive feedback on this. Thanks in advance 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taun Posted April 23, 2015 #2 Share Posted April 23, 2015 There are a lot of factors involved... diet, energy expense and genetics are to me the most important... Basically, what works for one person is not guaranteed to work for another... And often exercise will reduce your size (slimmer abs for example) but not reduce your weight, because it replaces the fat with muscle... I could be wrong, so someone correct me on this please... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
She-ra Posted April 23, 2015 Author #3 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I'm from a genetically large family and my father and brothers played professional American football so yes, I get that. Even at my thin weight (looking really too thin) I still *weighed* more than my peers but wore a smaller dress size. What I mean is, with regards to weight loss for someone who needs to lose say 20 pounds...is it best to consume certain foods? Follow certain exercise programs? I guess I'm just in a bad frame of mind right now and this article sort of tipped me over the edge so excuse my ranting. I just wish there was one simple way to do something without it changing every 5 minutes, you know? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patient Zero Posted April 23, 2015 #4 Share Posted April 23, 2015 (edited) If a sedentary lifestyle was the root cause of obesity, then i would have chins as far as the eye could see. That simply just ain't the case. Diet is a huge part of the equation. Genetics, metabolism, mental and physical stability are also factors. But, before one becomes obese they need pass unhealthy fat, sloppy fat and heart attack waiting to happen fat first. This doesn't happen overnight. Those with this problem already know that though, i'm sure. Nevertheless, it's a multifaceted problem that requires a multifaceted solution. Edited April 23, 2015 by Misanthropic 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imaginarynumber1 Posted April 23, 2015 #5 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Lose weight: Eat less, lift more. Gain weight: Eat more, lift more. Always lift more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bendy Demon Posted April 23, 2015 #6 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Our food supply is so rife with wheat, msg, hydrogenated oil (transfats) and sugar that it is no wonder our society is becoming a nation of walking balloons. Not to mention that our nation is obsessed with food, so much so that you can't go a few blocks without passing several restaurants (or what passes for one anyway) I finally discovered, after many years of struggling to lose weight, that I was wheat intolerant which explained why I would get acid reflux and heartburn after eating just a rycrisp cracker. So for the past month I went totally wheat free and lost six pounds. May not sound like much but at least I lost it...the weight, that is. It is hard to find food that doesn't have wheat, wheat starch or any form of grain related closely to wheat but I do and finally going on a downward trend. You can walk ten miles a day and still never lose a pound if you are cramming your gob with burger king artery stoppers and kentucky fried mutant chicken. And yes, eat WAY less. Amount wise and calorie wise too. It is not hard if one really makes an effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquatus1 Posted April 23, 2015 #7 Share Posted April 23, 2015 When all is said and done, having more muscle is never a detriment. Exercise, done properly, will never hurt you in terms of fitness. Same with food. Asides from food for which you have allergic reactions or intolerance, very little food will actually hurt you. Our evolutionary omnivorous background sees to that. It really does come down to eating sensibly and exercising reasonably to maintain a reasonable level of health. In my opinion, the problem is not the physical aspect of it, but the perception. I just spent four days in a teaching intensive where I had to share the same meals as the Japanese staff of the company I was teaching at. There was so little food per meal (soup, a small, grilled fish fillet, salad, and rice) that I did not have to use the bathroom till day three. And yet, I did not feel hunger throughout the day. I felt empty, sure, I felt unsatiated, and not full like I am accustomed to feeling after a normal (for me) meal, but not actually hungry. I had eaten enough calories to match my expenditure, and so my body was satisfied, even if my brain demanded more. That's why I have little sympathy for people posting the pictures of the National School Lunch program and declaring that it is a ridiculously small amount of food. It is actually the same amount full-grown Japanese workers (actual working men, not just salarymen) eat, and they are doing just fine. Then, there is the strange thought that "you" are not actually the only one in control of what you want to eat. There is a sizeable amount of foreign bacteria in your body that has its own food preference. Some of that bacteria craves fat and sugar, and the more you eat, the more the bacteria grow, and the greater the strength of their demand for more is. Not all demands for unhealthy lifestyles come from your brain, although they do all come from your body. It isn't easy to loose weight and keep it off. Once a fat cell has been created, it is the body's natural inclination to keep it full (the body is kind of simple-minded like that). Unless you physically remove it, it will always remain, even if it isn't storing fat. The urge to eat more is always there. Same with bacteria. Yes, you can starve the greedy bacteria away by not eating the foods they prefer, but that bacteria can subsist on other food, and it will always be nudging you towards the fats and sugars. Fitness and health is not about 16% bodyfat and a teenage hardbody. It's about a comfortable balance between intake and output, and a comfortable energy level. If you are exercising enough to feel good about your physical self, and you are eating enough to still be a little hungry at the end, you are, by and large, doing okay. The key, as in all things, is moderation. Healthy-professional level: Healthy-Normal level: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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