7 out of 10 Women

[paiger81]

and 9 out of 10 men will be overweight in their life time. What's more, people who started out "skinny" are just as likely to become overweight.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9583615/

Now, tell me, how sad is that?! :neutral:

[wordsmith]

In a society where many people are chained to desks for entire days at a time, and horrible nutritional options are the easiest to obtain? Not so surprising at all. But sad, yeah. It's easy to be overweight.

[biodork]

I just read that, and almost posted it too. Very depressing. It just means we gotta work 10x as hard not to let it happen.

[paiger81]

In a society where many people are chained to desks for entire days at a time, and horrible nutritional options are the easiest to obtain?

What gets me is why aren't more people clamoring for better nutritional options that are convenient?

Plus if you think about it, grabbing an apple or piece of fruit is just as convenient as grabbing a bag of chips, you know? Somewhere in our lifetime society got poisoned against the healthier foods......

[Winter Storm]

Yeah, I better start taking more preventative measures. I think I'll start walking or jogging after work.

[wordsmith]

What gets me is why aren't more people clamoring for better nutritional options that are convenient?

Plus if you think about it, grabbing an apple or piece of fruit is just as convenient as grabbing a bag of chips, you know? Somewhere in our lifetime society got poisoned against the healthier foods......

Nah...drive thru is always going to be easier than stopping and going to a grocery store, or making the time to shop for healthy lunch stuff, to give one example. I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying that there are reasons for it. I prefer healthy food, but in a rush, I'm gong to grab stuff on the go, and I'm sure I'm far from alone in that. A too-rushed, too-busy, too-high pressure society has a lot to do with a lot of the root causes of this, in my opinion.

[paiger81]

A too-rushed, too-busy, too-high pressure society has a lot to do with a lot of the root causes of this, in my opinion.

I completely agree with you on the root cause, but what gets me is that what's the point of being too-rushed or too-busy if you(in general, not you specifically) are gonna die by 60 from a heart attack or other weight related issue.

[biodork]

Funny we've made all these advances to prolong our life yet we are now undoing them by not getting off our asses and eating healthier.

[natbumpo]

Count me as one. I used to be a gym hound. No with the little lady and work, I've gotten chubby. Definatly not fat, but thre are rolls where there never were before.

[wordsmith]

I completely agree with you on the root cause, but what gets me is that what's the point of being too-rushed or too-busy if you(in general, not you specifically) are gonna die by 60 from a heart attack or other weight related issue.

Totally agree...but that's true in general of the way society operates...what's the point in working your ass off to amass $$$/acquisitions/security (if you're one of the lucky ones who is well-compensated for your hard work, anyway, some of us will work our asses off for little reward), if you never get the chancce to take a break from it to enjoy that life?

[paiger81]

I just had a funny & twisted thought. I plan on starting the Dietitian program in January, so really, I shouldn't be complaining. Without fat people, I couldn't tell them how to eat :twisted:

[J-girl]

Well Paige- healthy eating is not just for fat people but for all kinds of people. Cholestrol is a silent killer and healthy looking people have had strokes.

I might sound sick in the head but the reason I am taking one grad course at a time is cuz I need time for working out and eating well.

[paiger81]

I might sound sick in the head but the reason I am taking one grad course at a time is cuz I need time for working out and eating well.

Not sick at all. I'm doing the RD program part time to make allowances for work & healthy living. :)

[wordsmith]

I would be THRILLED if it were an option to cut back my workload to allow for more healthy lifestyle stuff.

[paiger81]

I would be THRILLED if it were an option to cut back my workload to allow for more healthy lifestyle stuff.

Yeah, I'm kind of lucky cause my job actually prefers that we work out. We have incentives(t-shirts, awards, etc.) for going to the gym. Plus they give us extra time during our lunch hours if we are working out.

[pisces2473]

What gets me is why aren't more people clamoring for better nutritional options that are convenient?

Plus if you think about it, grabbing an apple or piece of fruit is just as convenient as grabbing a bag of chips, you know? Somewhere in our lifetime society got poisoned against the healthier foods......
Yeah but companies don't stock fresh fruit machines... :(

[wordsmith]

Most of the time I can't even leave the BUILDING at lunch (actually, leave my desk).

[pisces2473]

I just had a funny & twisted thought. I plan on starting the Dietitian program in January, so really, I shouldn't be complaining. Without fat people, I couldn't tell them how to eat :twisted:
Paige, that's really kind of mean...especially when you've had your own weight issues...

And like Jgirl said, there are people of all shapes and sizes who need dietary guidance.

[pisces2473]

Yeah, I'm kind of lucky cause my job actually prefers that we work out. We have incentives(t-shirts, awards, etc.) for going to the gym. Plus they give us extra time during our lunch hours if we are working out.
That's fantastic, but not all companies are like this. Just understand that because some of us are chained to our desks and don't have the extra time to work out, it's not because we don't want to or prefer to be fat and lazy.

Your posts are really taking the tone of one-uppance. I don't think you mean that, but just be careful.

[wordsmith]

Pair that with the fact that some people are going to want to make their lifestyle healthier, but will still, even then, never get to non-obese weight. They still need and seek dietary guidance. An ex boyfriend's mom was in this position. She just wanted to not be morbidly obese anymore. That was enough of a challenge.

[paiger81]

Paige, that's really kind of mean...especially when you've had your own weight issues...

And like Jgirl said, there are people of all shapes and sizes who need dietary guidance.


That's why I said I realized it was also twisted.

[pisces2473]

Most of the time I can't even leave the BUILDING at lunch (actually, leave my desk).
Yeah, I eat at my desk...there aren't any places that serve cheap, healthy food that I can get to quickly. So it's snacks at the desk for me.

[wordsmith]

Me, too...I've taken to stocking up on about two weeks' worth of healthy frozen stuff to counterbalance this, so I'm not tempted to just eat crap for convenience's sake. But it would certainly be easy to.

[pisces2473]

Me, too...I've taken to stocking up on about two weeks' worth of healthy frozen stuff to counterbalance this, so I'm not tempted to just eat crap for convenience's sake. But it would certainly be easy to.
Oh yeah, me too. We have a cafe attached to my work, but $7 sandwiches? No thanks.

[paiger81]

Your posts are really taking the tone of one-uppance. I don't think you mean that, but just be careful.

That's definietly not what I was trying to do, so I do apologize for that. Lord knows that if my past 2 companies did not have an incentive program for healthy living, I probably would still be in the morbidly obese range. I am a whore for incentives. :p

[Kitty]

I think another huge issue is lack of education about choices. Everything we put in our mouths is a choice, and American's just aren't educated about the right choices. Even if you're in a hurry and have to eat at Mcdonalds - there are healthier options there.

[coll214]

Yet reason #5089 why I've been forcing myself to the gym everyday at lunch. It can get old, but it seems to be the only time i know i'll make myself go... plus once i start grad school, it'll be even harder...

Add to that the fact that literally 80% of my family on one side could easily be considered morbidly obese and I have one more reason to go to the gym; that and my mother (whose severely overweight) LAUGHS when i talk about going to the gym, it annoys her, :rolleyes:. this constitutes rebelling in my family! LOL.

As far as fast food goes, i'm the first to admit that sometimes i just say screw it and buy it... it's quick, it's easy and cheap and sometimes the only option when you have limited choices and not much time.

[red]

i find that if i bring my lunch i am almost always going to end up eating something healthier than if i go out and buy something. plus, as words mentioned, there are frozen meals that aren't too bad. i like a lot of the stuff from trader joe's and they are cheap too.

everyone in my dad's family is obese, and recently my dad changed his lifestyle and lost a lot of weight. for him it was mostly portion control and making better food choices. he always exercised from the time we were kids, so that good habit has helped him too. plus, now that he is under 250 he says his knees don't hurt as much.

another good thing is that we never ate fast food when i was a kid, so i didn't grow up with that habit. i don't really have a taste for it. that's what i will do with my kids. my nephews are fast food junkies. it's crazy.

[J-girl]

A seriously think EVERY company should offer fitness allowances. A friend of mine works for an accounting firm and he gets one. Although they have a gym at work he said he prefers the one near his house so they pay him extra for that.

another good thing is that we never ate fast food when i was a kid, so i didn't grow up with that habit. i don't really have a taste for it. that's what i will do with my kids. my nephews are fast food junkies. it's crazy

Same here! We never ate fast food on th other hand my cousins are crazy about it.

[paiger81]

another good thing is that we never ate fast food when i was a kid, so i didn't grow up with that habit. i don't really have a taste for it. that's what i will do with my kids. my nephews are fast food junkies. it's crazy.

Me, neither! McDonald's was only a treat after doctor's appointments. Even when I went to my grandparent's house, we'd only go out to get an ice cream cone, not a whole meal.

I started the fast food eating during college, simply cause I was in a large city where there was one brand on every corner.

[MetFanL]

I'm with Kitty... I really think it comes down to an educational issue. I think this is the heart of the problem and, since there is not right answer or formula that works for everyone, people get frustrated and give up.

Also, you feel REALLY great when you eat properly, but if you've never done that, you have no idea what feeling good actually is... You don't really feel bad, so you don't realize how much better you could feel if you were healthier. I try to explain this to people all the time, but until you go through it, you just can't comprehend it.

It's like people with sleep apnea. They never realized how tired they actually were everyday of their life until they got it taken care of and started sleeping properly.

[shimmer728]

I've been trained not to eat fast food. My parents never took us to McD's or anywhere like that, so I just naturally don't want it. I guess that's a good thing.

I eat relatively healthily (during the week, anyway--weekends are a bit of a free-for-all), walk at least a mile a day and am naturally smaller anyway. I don't really worry too much about putting on weight as I age, but I will keep stats like this in mind.

[wordsmith]

I'm with Kitty... I really think it comes down to an educational issue. I think this is the heart of the problem and, since there is not right answer or formula that works for everyone, people get frustrated and give up.

Do you honestly think people really are uninformed about McDonald's and KFC and preservative-laden convenience food being bad for them? I don't think education is half so much the issue as the crushing influence of convenience (as dictated by overwhelming societal standards on how you schedule your life, how much you work, what kind of breaks you give yourself, how jammed your schedule is,etc.). People will, by and large, eat shit that is convenient to their lives and schedules, even knowing that it's practically toxic. If you don't, awesome for you but you're in the minority. But a great many people sacrifice dietary health for convenience, and that's why we have the overweight stats we have.

[paiger81]

Do you honestly think people really are uninformed about McDonald's and KFC and preservative-laden convenience food being bad for them?

On the whole, yes I do think people are misinformed about foods, not just fast food. Down in my area, which is acknowledged as generally poor & uneducated minorities, they feel that "My family has been eating this food for years & we are ok" they don't realize that the foods of today & the foods of 20 years ago aren't the same. There is a disconnect down here(can't say about other areas) between food & health.

[wordsmith]

Then by that logic, it would be only the poor and uneducated who are making up the overweight masses, because others would "know better," and that's certainly not true... And I don't think that's the case. Plenty of people who "know better" eat like crap and are overweight and are conscious of doing so.

BTW, being poor doesn't necessarily mean you don't know that fatty, low-quality, subpar food is bad for you...it just means that's what you can afford.

[J-girl]

These days I see a lot of billboards that say stuff like "walk and live longer", or "eat a fruit", "eat healthy"... and these are all sponsored by government of onatrio not some corporate organization. I think thats a good thing.

[J-girl]

Wordsmith- I was actually reading an article where studies have shown (and I'll look it up for you) that obesity is more prevalent amongst low income families.

Also, kids who take lunch to school have lower chances of being obese than those who buy food (nothin to do with income).

[MetFanL]

Do you honestly think people really are uninformed about McDonald's and KFC and preservative-laden convenience food being bad for them? I don't think education is half so much the issue as the crushing influence of convenience (as dictated by overwhelming societal standards on how you schedule your life, how much you work, what kind of breaks you give yourself, how jammed your schedule is,etc.). People will, by and large, eat shit that is convenient to their lives and schedules, even knowing that it's practically toxic. If you don't, awesome for you but you're in the minority. But a great many people sacrifice dietary health for convenience, and that's why we have the overweight stats we have.

I do believe that education is the issue, but not in the way you described. It's not the "fast food is bad" message that isn't getting across. It's the message of "this is what is good for YOU and what will work should you need to lose weight." I STILL can't answer that for myself... There is a ton of different research out there telling us different things. My nutritionist couldn't even tell me b/c it's different for everyone -- either based on blood type or family nationality or whatever other nonsense the latest research suggests.

So what happens? People get frustrated and give up b/c, if you really wanted to figure it out, you'd have to take the time to educate yourself. It's really something that NO ONE ELSE can help you figure out and that's why there are so many obese Americans, IMO.

[wordsmith]

Wordsmith- I was actually reading an article where studies have shown (and I'll look it up for you) that obesity is more prevalent amongst low income families.

It definitely is...but that's because shitty food with a lot of fillers in it is cheaper than wholesome food. The crap that's available for WIC and food stamps in most local stores is stuff I wouldn't feed my dog. Processed bulk crap. I think that's just as much the culprit as "low income families aren't educated enough to realize that McDonald's is bad for them."

It's the message of "this is what is good for you and what will work should you need to lose weight." I STILL can't answer that for myself... There is a ton of different research out there telling us different things. My nutritionist couldn't even tell me b/c it's different for everyone -- either based on blood type or family nationality or whatever other nonsense the latest research suggests.

This, I'll agree with.

[J-girl]

It definitely is...but that's because shitty food with a lot of fillers in it is cheaper than wholesome food.

I agree with that. And I have noticed when people are asked to donate food to food banks, they are encouraged to donate "non perishable" items. Which is usually canned food and stuff.

[MetFanL]

I always wonder in the "melting pot" is the issue. We take what we like from every nationality and don't have one specific "food culture" in America. Our diets are a melting pot of so many different things and that could be hurting us. I think that's why the French or Meditteranean diets are so popular -- b/c there is a native diet and you don't mix all sorts of other things in there... I don't know... But there have also been a lot of studies of how people or Native American or Mexican descent start to assimilate with American culture and become obese in one generation.

[wordsmith]

I agree with that. And I have noticed when people are asked to donate food to food banks, they are encouraged to donate "non perishable" items. Which is usually canned food and stuff.

True. But that's obviously for distribution purposes...you can't be stockpiling food in a food pantry that's going to go bad. Our local food bank actually prefers monetary donations to food donations, because they can to go to regional food depositories and get wholesome dry goods in bulk, for pennies to the pound. That seems to be a much more socially responsible way of responding to a need. More responsible, say, than dumping off a case of Spaghettios and Froot Loops on a low-income family's doorstep and telling them to eat up.

[WeirdBrake]

I agree with Jess about education/knowledge not being as important as other factors. I had more than my fair share of flab back when I was depressed and definitely during my freshman year of college. I was getting A's in honors courses in freshman year; I doubt the problem was me not knowing that too much fatty food is bad for you. But a combo of my depression and the meds I was taking screwed up my biochemistry, gave me carb cravings, and destroyed any motivation to engage in regular physical activity.

True, there are many people who lack good info sources on healthy eating. But I think that lifestyle and psychological factors are far more influential in why so many people are overweight. Now that I'm not depressed and no longer on meds (and with the motivation to take regular power walks), I'm not overweight at all. But when I was, it certainly wasn't because I didn't know better.

[wordsmith]

yeah, I think it's entirely too complex a phenomenon to be explained away in pat terms. I do think, however, that an overwhelming contributing factor is the widespread availability of realtively inexpensive crappy convenience food. It's just entirely too easy to eat like shit, and that's hard for many, many people with chaotic lifestyles and/or low-income budgets to pass up. Even, yes, if they know better.

[paiger81]

I don't think anyone was saying Lack of Education was the only reason for the obese epidemic, just that it played a large factor in it. Quite frankly, this thread went in a direction I wasn't planning on it to go..

For the record, I just posted this thread thinking poster would look at it and go "Gee, maybe I can make a small change to prevent myself from becoming a stat" instead people apparently think I'm calling them all fat cows & I'm better than them(which I have never ever so much as THOUGHT) :neutral:

[Kitty]

Obviously, there are a lot of factors as to why people are obese. I think a huge factor is that people don't know what to eat and what choices to make. Simple stuff like never getting mayonnaise on a sandwhich..or putting dressing on the side of a salad add up. I truly believe that a lot of people just arent' aware of what they're putting in their body. My dad, is extremely overweight and thinks that eating healthy is cooking peas and adding about half a cube of butter on them (because, after all - he's eating veggies!)

Granted, some people are educated and still overwieght..I was merely sayings its a factor.

Edit: for those that argued eating unhealthy is a convenience thing, I was trying to argue that its not. Sure, Mcdonalds is convenient..but what it comes down to is choices. YOu can get a grilled sandwhich at Mcdonalds w/out mayonnaise and thats pretty healthy. Plus, most fast food places have healthy items.

[J-girl]

I am listening to this exact same thing on the radio right now. Apparently that was a study done at Boston university. Now they want to start a mandatory an hour of physical activity per day for school kids.

ETA: I really think it's just the lifestyle in general these days forget rich or poor. It's hard for people to take the time out and engage in physical stuff but sometimes I think you have to make it your priority.

[paiger81]

sometimes I think you have to make it your priority.

I completely agree. I think that if we get concerned about it now that we are in our 20's, it would be less of an issue when we are in our 40's and developing the shitty diseases.

[and1grad]

I also agree. And OF COURSE, education plays a significant role. How that is even up for debate among anyone is mind-boggling. And it CAN be dumbed down to a very SIMPLE straight-forward question: How much of a priority is it for YOU? If it is a high priority, you'll make the moves to treat as such. If its not, you wont. Last I checked there arent any children on these boards that are having their food & exercise decisions made for them.

[Kitty]

I also agree. And OF COURSE, education plays a significant role. How that is even up for debate among anyone is mind-boggling. And it CAN be dumbed down to a very SIMPLE straight-forward question: How much of a priority is it for YOU? If it is a high priority, you'll make the moves to treat as such. If its not, you wont. Last I checked there arent any children on these boards that are having their food & exercise decisions made for them.

Awesome. Totally agree.

[SunDevil]

I must be the 1 in 10 guys that won't become overweight then. I probably have body dysmorphic disorder, so if I gain one or two pounds of fat, I will exercise like crazy. I already have a very restricted diet, and eat natural foods.

[wordsmith]

It being a matter of priorities...that I'll agree with. That's not the same as not understanding that shitty food makes you fat, though.

If you say, "This takeout chicken sandwich every day is gonna make gain weight a lot faster than if I shop for salad fixings and make and bring a salad every day for lunch, but, oh, hey, I don't have the time, inclination, motivation, interest, or energy to go shopping and make salads," yeah. That's a priority for sure.

Choosing to go a certain route when you know damned well it's less healthy isn't a sign of not knowing the difference. It's just a choice, for whatever reason.

But I really doubt it's that you just don't understand that you're not eating as healthily. "Huh? Fast food's BAD? Why didn't anybody tell me!!" Not buying it.

[paiger81]

But I really doubt it's that you just don't understand that you're not eating as healthily. "Huh? Fast food's BAD? Why didn't anybody tell me!!" Not buying it.

See, I'm not talking about just fast food being bad. The root cause of obesity isn't just from Mcd's, and I think that's where a lot of people are uneducated. Like the above peas example, a lot of people think that Chicken Parmesan is healthy cause it's protein....they seem to forget that it's fried & dripping in cheese.

[Kitty]

Honestly, I don't even get what the arguement is anymore.

[wordsmith]

I agree with you there...which is why I note that I could do home cooking that's about a trillion times less healthy than, say, Subway, or a McDonald's grilled chicken salad. Cooking it at home doesn't make it any more healthy, for sure. In fact, you're just as likely to go overboard on the portions when it's all right there. Epecially if you've never paid much heed to portion sizes.

I'm not saying everyone's a dietician...but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that things you fry are worse for you than thinks you bake or broil...that cheese is pretty much entirely oil and fat...that a whole basket of buttered rolls is tasty but not healthy. I think there are very few people who are overweight because they honestly don't know any better.

I think it's closer to what and1 was saying...about the priorites you hold and the choices you make. And like my point earlier, they're typically based o convenience and what fits your lifestyle, and clearly for the american public, unhealthy choices and prioritizing with convenience, not health, in the forefront has become a norm. I don't think a lot of people can say, "I just didn't understand."

[paiger81]

LOL, I think everybody is on the same page we are just using different wording.

Later peeps

[wordsmith]

Kitty, I'm really actually NOT trying to keep an argument going. I'm just saying that I don't honestly think people are ignorant of what they put in their mouths, by and large.

Just like people smoke when they know it's bad because they enjoy doing it, people eat shit that could eventually kill them because it's ridiculously easy and convenient to do so. That's all I'm saying.

I think it's choice. I don't think it's being ill-informed.

[Kitty]

Ok, I see what you're saying - and I agree. I think we were splitting hairs...

[wordsmith]

I agree. I'm not trying to discredit anybody.

[and1grad]

Let me buck this lovey-dovey trend and say that people ARE EXTREMELY ignorant about what they put in their mouths. Atkins diet, South Beach diet, Xenadrine, Dexatrim, Herbalife...companies have made BILLIONS off of the FACT that people are ignorant about what they put in their mouths. Knowing not to supersize your extra value meal doesnt exactly make you conscious of healthy living.

[wordsmith]

True, but that's nothing but playing on psychology and knowing people will buy into shortcuts and mythical cure-alls and magic dietary aides. It's hooking people on a gimmick.

All I'm saying is, basic nutritional awareness ain't tough to come by. They teach the food pyramid (or rhombus or whatever it is now) in elementary school. There is no excuse to be ignorant of waht constitutes healthy eating.

[and1grad]

Ignorance needs no excuse. I'd bet just about everyone on here has a few things that they think are healthy and are completely wrong. Hell, going strictly by the food pyramid would be ignorant. Judging the shape you're in strictly by how much you weigh would be ignorant. If things were so cut & dried, you wouldnt need education. Its not...and you do.

[wordsmith]

You really do think that being nutritionally uneducated is more a cause of obesity than the widespread availability, and convenience of crap food? You ARE educated about what you need to be eating, and I bet you still grab crap food on the go. I don't think you can minimize the impact of fast food/convenience food society and the fact that it fits more people's lives than not.

[and1grad]

Ya but thats b/c i'm lazy. I make no bones or excuses about that. Education is EASILY more widespread b/c like Kitty said earlier, the healthy alternatives are there, even at your crap food place. I'm not minimizing the convenience factor, I'm maximizing the education factor. It goes FAR past the fast food arena.

[wordsmith]

I know, dude...I grab crap food on the go, too, obviously, not because I'm lazy, but because I've got too many irons in the fire to bother to be organized enough to do the kind of regular grocery shopping and planning I'd have to do to eat healthily regularly. Simply because it's EASIER, esp. for disorganized folks like me who really haven't bothred to manage to learn to multitask too well. I don't have to put any planning or forethought into driving through and I don't even have to get out of my car. I don't have factor in time to even make a stop when I'm already late on the road to some meeting I'm covering, so it's damned convenient.

I'm just saying, look at you and I in these examples. It's not for lack of understanding or knowlege of what we're doing to our bodies when we make those choices. We know the drill...we just choose according to other things than health conscious reasons. I'm not saying it's right, just that it's a pretty standard reality.

[red]

a lot of neighborhoods don't even have grocery stores or stores that stock fresh foods and produce. that can make it even more inconvenient to prepare healthy meals at home.

in nyc you can use food stamps at the greenmarket and i think that helps to make fresh foods available in the summer, but in the winter you are SOL.

also, Paige said something on page 1 that i think is true: that food is different now than it was 10, 20, 30, years ago. not only are convenience foods readily available, but many foods are genetically modified now, contain hormones, preservatives or simply the portion sizes are larger. i think that plays a big role in the obesity epidemic.

[Kitty]

a lot of neighborhoods don't even have grocery stores or stores that stock fresh foods and produce. that can make it even more inconvenient to prepare healthy meals at home.


First off, this thread is starting to annoy me..

Anyway, I still don't buy thats its necessarily easier to eat unhealthy. I really think its poor choices being made by American's when they decide what to put in their mouth - not only do they eat unhealthy foods, they eat too much in general. I think part of this is poor education about nutrition, portion control, healthy lifestyle, etc. I think another part is laziness. I think another part of it is the general consumerism/consumption attitude that is prevelent in America.

I guess I think its a BS to say that because your grocery store doesn't stock fresh foods and produce you will become obese. I just don't see the direct correlation there. Maybe its a small factor - but even if you eat unhealthy and you have portion control, you shouldn't become obese. Obesity occurs when you're eating too much and when you're not active enough.

[MetFanL]

Again, looking at Kitty's points, it all comes back to education and common sense. I mean, grocery stores are pretty much marketing tools. All the necessities are on the outside areas of the stores -- produce, meats, dairy... and, all the cr*p is in the middle where they bargain and fight for prime shelf space. If it's in your eyeline b/c that company paid the most money to *insert grocery store name here.*

When it comes to everything else, we question X company's motives and say it's just marketing. However, when it comes to food, we happily walk down those aisles and aisles of food that we truly don't need and throw stuff in our carts b/c they're easy and convenient and THERE. They buying us off b/c we need to walk by cake mix or potato chips or whatever to get to the peanut butter and jelly.

[paiger81]

Also, we are forgetting that a lot of schools are doing away with recess and gym classes in order to focus on the oh so very important standardized tests :rolleyes: . If kids aren't being educated about proper eating at schools, then they come home and watch TV & play video games, where do we expect any physical activity or proper food education to begin at?

[Kitty]

Also, we are forgetting that a lot of schools are doing away with recess and gym classes in order to focus on the oh so very important standardized tests :rolleyes: . If kids aren't being educated about proper eating at schools, then they come home and watch TV & play video games, where do we expect any physical activity or proper food education to begin at?

It's a good point. Since gym isn't a priority anymore in school, kids are being taught that its just not that important and that its NOT a priority. That message is being drilled into them from an early age.

[J-girl]

Thats a good point Paige. But since the government is doing so little for us maybe we should take it in our own hands to be more healthy I mean after all it is our health. As much as we can point out factors like- shelf space, distance to grocery store, no recess.

At the end of the day we have to make time for our health and fitness.

Sometimes I am so hungry after work that instead of making food I start eating doritos then believe it or not my appetite gets effed for the next two days.

Clearly there is no lack of education, there is just a lack of motivation.

[wordsmith]

I also know that my weight is directly proportional to the amount of time I sit at a computer, and that's just in adult years. Guess how many kids sit at computers in a shitload of their spare time.

[Kitty]

I also know that my weight is directly proportional to the amount of time I sit at a computer, and that's just in adult years. Guess how many kids sit at computers in a shitload of their spare time.

I would argue they sit infront of computers a lot..playing computer games and video games and watching TV. Again, if they aren't getting the exercise message in school or being encouraged by parents to do physical activity...that lifestyle will be more likely to carry through with them for life.

[paiger81]

Thats a good point Paige. But since the government is doing so little for us maybe we should take it in our own hands to be more healthy I mean after all it is our health. As much as we can point out factors like- shelf space, distance to grocery store, no recess.

At the end of the day we have to make time for our health and fitness.

Sometimes I am so hungry after work that instead of making food I start eating doritos then believe it or not my appetite gets effed for the next two days.

Clearly there is no lack of education, there is just a lack of motivation.

Completely agree. And I completely understand that there is more than one reason for obesity. What I'm curious about is if anybody reading the article is really thinking "Gee, that sucks I need to do something about it!" Or if they are thinking "Oh well, I'm screwed, let me enjoy my Supersized meals". I think the defeatist attitude of people when it comes to weight , in general is what annoys me most.

Hopes that makes sense.

[red]

. I guess I think its a BS to say that because your grocery store doesn't stock fresh foods and produce you will become obese. I just don't see the direct correlation there.

i never said that. what i said was that the lack of access to a grocery store can make it harder to prepare healthy meals at home.

i spend a lot of time and money on food and food prep. i realize that not everyone has that luxury. if i had to take a bus for an hour to buy food, would i make the same choices? hard to say.

plus, our schools are not exactly teaching kids good habits, what with the crap they sell in the cafeteria, the crap they feed kids who get free lunches, and the fact that many schools have cut gym?

here is an article about bringing fresh produce to the inner city:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/fresh071604.cfm

[J-girl]

red- thats a good article. So it does show that there is a lack of education in the inner city amongst poor people.
And they do need more program like that. Bringing farmer's market and stuff into the inner city. I think when you see movement like this its a good sign.

But whats the excuse for growing obesity rates amongst the middle class. (The study Paige posted about was conducted amongst 35 white males and females)

[Kitty]

But whats the excuse for growing obesity rates amongst the middle class. (The study Paige posted about was conducted amongst 35 white males and females)

Ya know, the more I think about it the more I think its the fact that there are too many excuses. I think its interesting you chose that word to describe the epidemic. Really, is there any good excuse for being obese? Medical problems where weight can't be controlled is possibly the only excuse. Otherwise, they're just excuses and it comes down to what And1 said about priorities and laziness.

[wordsmith]

I would argue they sit infront of computers a lot..playing computer games and video games and watching TV. Again, if they aren't getting the exercise message in school or being encouraged by parents to do physical activity...that lifestyle will be more likely to carry through with them for life.

That was my point. Youth are at their most sedentary ever right now.

[Kitty]

That was my point. Youth are at their most sedentary ever right now.

Ohh..I thought you were saying kids don't sit infront of computers. Yeah. My cube mate is an ex-teacher and she was saying how all of her kids would just go home and play video games all day. She was saying that half the kids in her class had weight issues. It's weird, because when I was in elementary school I don't remember any kids being overweight...

[WeirdBrake]

Ya know, the more I think about it the more I think its the fact that there are too many excuses. I think its interesting you chose that word to describe the epidemic. Really, is there any good excuse for being obese? Medical problems where weight can't be controlled is possibly the only excuse. Otherwise, they're just excuses and it comes down to what And1 said about priorities and laziness.

OK, I don't mean to pick on you, Kitty, but I do want to issue a moderator warning about the sensitive nature of this topic. I know you didn't mean anything nasty by this comment, but I think this is a good time to remind everyone to be cautious about insinuating that overweight people are "lazy." Remember that one of the highest priorities on this message board is maintaining a friendly, supportive atmosphere, and anything that compromises that is taken very seriously. So let's just watch what we say a little more carefully. Thanks. :)

[Kitty]

OK, I don't mean to pick on you, Kitty, but I do want to issue a moderator warning about the sensitive nature of this topic. I know you didn't mean anything nasty by this comment, but I think this is a good time to remind everyone to be cautious about insinuating that overweight people are "lazy." Remember that one of the highest priorities on this message board is maintaining a friendly, supportive atmosphere, and anything that compromises that is taken very seriously. So let's just watch what we say a little more carefully. Thanks. :)

Fair enough.

Edit: I take back the laziness comment. But the rest still stands.

[embrassezla]

i think i've read through most of this thread and i'm not sure that all the factors for why obesity is so prevalent are being taken into account here...

i dont think anyone has mentioned eating to curb anxiety, which i believe is a HUGE reason why obese people stay obese(or get that way), even the ones who are fully aware of which food choices are healthy, and have all the time and money in the world to make healthy choices. some people JUST CAN'T make those lifestyle changes without a lot of help.

also, throwing the word "educated" around doesn't mean much...are the people doing atkins "educated" in healthy food choices? what about the people who follow the food pyramid (the old one)? one could argue that it takes some reading and understanding to be motivated to do those things, but neither are habits that I would consider healthy.

i think a lot of it has to do with how you were raised, what you are used to, and how concerned you are in general about trying to be healthy. someone said this earlier i believe, and i'll concur: it's up to the individual to determine what eating/exercise plan works best for them, then implement it for life. it's not the same for everyone, and not everyone is motivated to be healthy or even try.

[J-girl]

WB- the point is laziness is bad regardless if you are overweight or underweight or within range. There is no point in sugar coating.

[paiger81]

WB- the point is laziness is bad regardless if you are overweight or underweight or within range. There is no point in sugar coating.

I think everybody agrees laziness is bad.....it's just that laziness is subjective. What may be lazy to me, might not be lazy to another person.

[Kitty]

I think everybody agrees laziness is bad.....it's just that laziness is subjective. What may be lazy to me, might not be lazy to another person.

Yeah, I honestly don't really think thats the issue..I think it is more about priorities. And, if its not a priority, then it could be percieved as laziness by someone else..when infact its just that to that individual, they aren't making healthy eating and working out a priority.

[J-girl]

I'll just give an example from my own house that really bothers me. Whenever I go over to my sister's and brother in law's place- they are both on their laptops (they work from home) and their baby is just like playing on her own or wants to play with the laptop as well. They are always joking - oh she likes electronic gadgets and I am like "hullo! maybe if you spend time with her and play ball or something she might start liking normal toys" Dont et me wrong they are excellent parents and being a parent is a tough job but sometimes we need to focus on little things.

[paiger81]

sometimes we need to focus on little things.

Completely. I think sometimes people forget the little things add up.

[J-girl]

I just came across this in the newspaper. It's the Province of Nova Scotia offering tax incentives to parents who register their kids in sports:

http://www.gov.ns.ca/ohp/HealthyLivingIncentive.html

[and1grad]

It always surprises me when I see how many kids are fat now. It was kind of rare when I was growing up. Seems like its become the norm now. I dont think Kitty was trying to say that being overweight is synonymous with being lazy its just that some people love to come up with every excuse under the sun to try to justify something that may ultimately be due to the fact that they ARE just lazy.

[cheshrcarol]

I'm curious we all keep talking about nutrition and being educated about it, but how many of us REALLY know what kind of healthy meals we should be preparing? Yes we all know veggies/salad good. But who can eat salad at every meal, and what about protein? I've really been trying to eat healthy, but I have so few things I know I can make for dinner that aren't bad. Lately all I end up making (for the entree) is grilled or baked chicken and fish or meatloaf w/ground turkey.

[wordsmith]

Yeah, I bail on protein a lot, because I don't eat very much meat at all, and am not that diligent about substituting protein-rich nonmeat foods...but in all honesty, I suffer more from the loss of iron than anything, since I have iron deficiency anemia.

[MetFanL]

I'm curious we all keep talking about nutrition and being educated about it, but how many of us REALLY know what kind of healthy meals we should be preparing? Yes we all know veggies/salad good. But who can eat salad at every meal, and what about protein? I've really been trying to eat healthy, but I have so few things I know I can make for dinner that aren't bad. Lately all I end up making (for the entree) is grilled or baked chicken and fish or meatloaf w/ground turkey.

It's not easy. For me, it's taken a LONG time to teach myself what balance is w/o eating the same sh*t all the time. I eat the same thing for b'fast and lunch (b/c I have an issue w/ "regularity"), but I mix dinner up. My only requirements for dinner are:

(1) Must be at least 30% protein, 30% carbs, 40% veggies.

(2) Must hover around 500 calories. I like dinner to be an event, so I try to save some daily calories to have a more interesting dinner.

If you're looking for variety, the food network website has a TON of good recipes. I think someone else here mentioned the weight watchers website before, too. I'm partial to the everyday italian recipes, but that's just me.

[paiger81]

Oh! Good plan Met! I'm basically the same way, except my cal breakdown is 200-300 per meal--I eat 5-6 meals a day; I also save my cals for dinner if possible.

This is partially what I meant by educated, not just what food is good or bad, but what food is good or bad for your specific body & lifestyle and how to create something enjoyable from that food. Yes, a person has to do research, and it really doesn't take that much time to do.

I gave up chicken last week, and was actually surprised how much more creative I got once I had seafood & pork to play with. I like food network, but I find the quick & easy recipes on www.allrecipes.com better for me cause they have a ingredient search function, so it's easier for me to make food with what I have on hand.

[MetFanL]

Oh! Good plan Met! I'm basically the same way, except my cal breakdown is 200-300 per meal--I eat 5-6 meals a day; I also save my cals for dinner if possible.

That's what I should be doing, but I have an issue w/ eating at night. So, instead of planning on 5-6 and going nuts when I get home, I just work around my night cravings and work them into the plan. That way, I don't feel guilt if, after dinner, I want a sugar-free snack pack or a fudgesicle or a snack bag of popcorn. Plus, I'm absolutely FAMISHED when I get home from the gym, so 300 calories just isn't going to cut it. I eat about 3 small meals a day and then my dinner.

[paiger81]

Plus, I'm absolutely FAMISHED when I get home from the gym, so 300 calories just isn't going to cut it.

Yeah, I'm absolutely reverse, I am never hungry after the gym, which is why working out at night has become an issue. It's like, ok, I know I need to eat, but I don't want anything.....I've started taking an early lunch(11 am) and working out during that time, then go back to my office.....usually hunger comes around 1pm so I can still eat lunch. :)

[MetFanL]

Yeah, I'm absolutely reverse, I am never hungry after the gym, which is why working out at night has become an issue. It's like, ok, I know I need to eat, but I don't want anything.....I've started taking an early lunch(11 am) and working out during that time, then go back to my office.....usually hunger comes around 1pm so I can still eat lunch. :)

You know, what we're talking about here is really what I was trying to get at with this thread. I mean, a trainer has told me the 5-6 meals things a million times, but by knowing my own body and educating myself, I know that's not what works for ME. That's one of the main issues -- it's just not the same for everyone and to figure that out, you have to do the work and make this stuff a priority.

[J-girl]

Hey I was at an awsome seminar on nutrtition today that was a part of a forum I had to attend through work. The speaker was some award winning nutrionist. The stuff she talked about was sooo amazing and practical and she burst so many myths about frozen dinners and canned foods and organic vegetables.

She made it seem so easy to eat healthy. We were also given a book that she wrote for free.

She said stuff like Macdonalds is definately definately out. You can make salads quick and easy with those canned chick peas. Coffee is better than tea.

Some of the stuff we have all heard before but she also gave the reasoning behind it.

I am good for the most part except that I dont eat any fish and fish is really important.

[jcm12]

nope, not me. The USCG will keep me too active to become a fatty

[paiger81]

nope, not me. The USCG will keep me too active to become a fatty

Right, but what happens when you are out of the CG?

[Kitty]

Coffee is better than tea.



Why is coffee better than tea? I'm glad to hear that because I'm a coffee drinker..

[J-girl]

Why is coffee better than tea? I'm glad to hear that because I'm a coffee drinker..

lol sorry i meant the opposite.

Tea is better than coffee. 3-6 cups of black tea a day is recommended.

I made the switch today.

Here are some other things that she said:

- Skippy peanut butter is better than Kraft. Kraft has trans fats. Good to know.
- If you are low on iron, or have been in the past, never eat something with tea that is supposed to be beneficial. I told her I have tea with peanu butter sandwich. She said the sandwich loses its value if you have it with tea. Wait for an hour and then have tea.
-Frutopia is really just pop.

[Kitty]

lol..damn.

Oh well, I'm not giving up coffee. I love it too much.

[J-girl]

Well I cant either!!! I ended up having a small coffee as opposed to medium this AM. But I skipped tea with my sandwich in the morning. Damn that didnt make ANY sense did it!!!! :D

[Kitty]

I just don't like the flavor of tea...plus, it stains your teeth worse than coffee.

[MetFanL]

Tea is better than coffee. 3-6 cups of black tea a day is recommended.

Did she talk about green tea? That's what I've been drinking b/c of all the Perricone stuff, so just curious...

[Cole]

Yeah, I avoid trans-fats and try not to drink anything with tannins (tea, red wine...) when eating.

I will never be overweight. Not only because I love biking and running and dancing so much, but because I have decided that I will not be.

If you want to get in shape... play ultimate. I've lost five pounds in 5 weeks despite going to the pub after every game. Just imagine if I wasn't sucking down all the additional beer!

[marcy]

Yeah, I avoid trans-fats and try not to drink anything with tannins (tea, red wine...) when eating.



What are tannins and why aren't you supposed to drink them while you eat?

[J-girl]

Did she talk about green tea? That's what I've been drinking b/c of all the Perricone stuff, so just curious...
yeah she said green or black.

And avoid decaf. As good as it may be, a lot of good stuff is washed out during the decaf process.

I dont think I will ever be obese either (maybe big) but not obese.

[wordsmith]

I will never be overweight. Not only because I love biking and running and dancing so much, but because I have decided that I will not be.


That's an admirable attitude...however...hopefully for you, you won't find yourself at any point in a 60-70 hour a week desk job in a location with no gyms (or swing dancing, for that matter) anywhere even within driving distance, and with a knee injury that disallows running, etc.

I know people think, "It's a simple decision...just be in shape." But it's not that simple, always. Everyone has different circumstances they're dealing with. We do what we can.

[J-girl]

I actually started reading that lady's book this weekend and not to mention it was quite enticing. Maybe its my first book on nutrition ever but nonetheless I highly recommend it since it comes with quick easy recipes and what not:

www.lizpearson.com

[paiger81]

I know people think, "It's a simple decision...just be in shape." But it's not that simple, always. Everyone has different circumstances they're dealing with. We do what we can.

I completely agree with doing what you can, cause really that's all any of us can do, ya know?

Also, random thought today when vending machine guy came to refill us. Have any of y'all who don't have good food options talked to your vending guy? I mean, most of the time if you ask for something they try to put it in there. It's how my office got mini-bags of light popcorn, dry roasted unsalted peanuts, & granola bars. Vending guys can be your friends :)

[Kitty]

Also, random thought today when vending machine guy came to refill us. Have any of y'all who don't have good food options talked to your vending guy? I mean, most of the time if you ask for something they try to put it in there. It's how my office got mini-bags of light popcorn, dry roasted unsalted peanuts, & granola bars. Vending guys can be your friends :)

We have healthy stuff in our vending machine, shockingly. Like healthy choice cookies, trail mix, pretzels, etc.

[J-girl]

We dont have vending machines at all. Which kind of sucks when you are PMSing!

[wordsmith]

We don't have vending machines at all, which is awesome for me, because there's no temptation. If we did, I can't imagine how many dinners of Cheetos I'd be having.

[paiger81]

We don't have vending machines at all, which is awesome for me, because there's no temptation. If we did, I can't imagine how many dinners of Cheetos I'd be having.

Cheetos really are the greatest snack food ever. Last night I went to Subway & got one of there low cal sandwiches just so I could sneak in the cheetos :p

Also, when I was little I loved cheetos sandwiches--white bread, mayo & as many cheetos as you could stuff into the pieces of bread.