How Do We Solve a Problem Like Obesity?

[ICTChris]

There was a paper written about the contestants on America’s Biggest Loser that came out a few years ago, it was fascinating. Essentially the people who lost massive amounts of weight ended up burning far fewer calories at rest than you’d expect so we’re far more prone to putting weight back on. Their bodies seemed to be trying to get them back to the size they were - these people were huge as well. The way they lost weight was very extreme as well, essentially being out into large calorific deficits every day, which is hard to sustain.

Part of it, I guess, is that there’s an advantage to having a high percentage of body fat in evolutionary terms. Humans have the highest body fat percentage of any primate on average. The modern food environment has turned this advantage into a potential curse

[Fullerene]

Regarding smoking, if you sat on a park bench smoking a cigarette and staring at the sky, some people would think you were a cool dude just reflecting on life.   If you did the same thing but without the cigarette they would regard you às a weirdo.

[BFTD]

4 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

At £10 + for a packet of 20 it's hardly surprising they're poor.

I assume folk on minimum wage who smoke twenty a day must not eat, or something. I can't imagine how that kind of outgoing would fit into the budget for people on low incomes.

Remember when it seemed like every family had somebody who went through 60, 80, 100 a day? You'd need to be pretty fucking comfortable to manage that now.

1 minute ago, Fullerene said:

Regarding smoking, if you sat on a park bench smoking a cigarette and staring at the sky, some people would think you were a cool dude just reflecting on life.   If you did the same thing but without the cigarette they would regard you às a weirdo.

Bill Bailey's thing about how a pipe commands immediate respect.

 

[Sergeant Wilson]

23 minutes ago, Honest_Man#1 said:

Only read up to page 3 but couldn’t be in more agreement with this.

Work with a guy who’s absolutely massive, and every morning he starts the day with 2 cans of Monster. Another 1 at lunch, and probably more when he goes home. If he made literally only one change and drank water instead, he would see weight drop off.

I'll set @D.A.F.Coff but I have theory (one of many) behaviours in work places, particularly offices. This one is about energy drinks.

If you need a blast of artificial energy to get through the day, there is probably an underlying issue. I would be paying a bit more attention to energy drink boy's over all performance. I'd have a conversation if I established any areas of work caused me concern.

There could be a welfare issue that you/work could help with. Alternatively, you might find out he's up all night playing computer games.

[Jacksgranda]

2 hours ago, hk blues said:

The one and only time in my life when I have no memory of events was at my neighbours sari sari store with a couple of neighbours and a guy from London - we were on the Red Horse and Tanduay.  Genuinely lost 2-3 hours of that night.  Frightening to look back  on how that can happen due to the bevvy, and it wasn't even good bevvy!

You're probably right about the food, but it's a bit too rustic for my taste at times.  Adobo, sisig and of course Lechon are a match for anything but not so much onboard with some of the other stuff.  Especially the way they insist on putting cheese in fruit salad and ice cream!

I regularly lost 1/2/3 hours 2 or 3 times a week when I was drinking.

[hk blues]

Just now, Jacksgranda said:

I regularly lost 1/2/3 hours 2 or 3 times a week when I was drinking.

Scary stuff.  I'm 56 and, although never a heavy drinker, have been drinking since 17 or 18 but that was a 1st for me.  The wife was recounting what had happened during those few hours and it was honestly like I hadn't been there.  

[Jacksgranda]

1 minute ago, hk blues said:

Scary stuff.  I'm 56 and, although never a heavy drinker, have been drinking since 17 or 18 but that was a 1st for me.  The wife was recounting what had happened during those few hours and it was honestly like I hadn't been there.  

A mate and I regularly demolished a bottle of vodka and were well into our second by closing time.

He doesn't drink now either.

[hk blues]

4 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

A mate and I regularly demolished a bottle of vodka and were well into our second by closing time.

He doesn't drink now either.

Fair play to both of you.  

[AmericanFan]

A basic understanding of the Law of Thermodynamics and calories in, calories out is all you need.

If you're in a calorie deficit, you'll lose weight. If you aren't, you'll gain weight. Simple as that.

@TheScarf mentioned fizzy drinks, but the reason he never gains weight is because he drinks a fizzy drink that has no calories.  I just finished drinking two diet Dr. Peppers: Total calories = 0. However, if I had drank two regular Dr. Peppers, that would have been slightly under 400 calories and would have required about 35 minutes on the treadmill at a decent incline to burn off. To burn off the diet drinks I consumed, I simply need to stand up and take a few steps. 

Some people have bigger fat cells than others, so they'll always be somewhat overweight, but they can be healthy by eating right and being somewhat active.

Cardio = key.

As @TheScarf mentioned, don't booze four days a week, don't eat shitty takeaway 5 days a week and get regular exercise, and that's about 70 percent of the battle.

And when you do booze, try and booze with low-calorie stuff or cut the amount of drinks you would normally have by 25 percent.

 

[Aufc]

Only read up to page 3 but couldn’t be in more agreement with this.
Work with a guy who’s absolutely massive, and every morning he starts the day with 2 cans of Monster. Another 1 at lunch, and probably more when he goes home. If he made literally only one change and drank water instead, he would see weight drop off.

See this is the kind of stuff that frustrates me. It is literally a case of him making a small change to his lifestyle and it would make a huge difference. Instead he will continue down that road and give himself health problems

[Jacksgranda]

7 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

A mate and I regularly demolished a bottle of vodka and were well into our second by closing time.

He doesn't drink now either.

Between us, not each. Although if we were at it all day it would be each.

2 minutes ago, hk blues said:

Fair play to both of you.  

 

[hk blues]

1 minute ago, Jacksgranda said:

Between us, not each. Although if we were at it all day it would be each.

 

Ah well, lightweights then!

Seriously though, that's a fair effort to give up something you're hitting like that.

[Jacksgranda]

2 minutes ago, hk blues said:

Ah well, lightweights then!

Seriously though, that's a fair effort to give up something you're hitting like that.

When alcohol starts costing you more than money, it's time to stop. In my experience, that is.

[Jambomo]

35 minutes ago, BFTD said:

I work with a lassie who goes through a ton of energy drinks every day. She's skinny as a rake, but I've never seen her put anything solid in her mouth, so that might be why.

I can think of a few skinny women I've worked with in office jobs who spent the day chewing through boxes of sweeties. I presume they stay thin because that's literally all they eat. Can't imagine it's much good for their health, though.

I think that’s a good point. The link between health and obesity isn’t quite the full picture.

The constant focus of linking being overweight to being unhealthy means that people who are unhealthy but not fat, don’t think there is any issue either. A lot of people now gauge their health by how far they are and you do hear people say “I’m not fat so I can eat what I like” which isn’t really true.

It would be better to educate and help diets be healthier overall, make convenient food healthier (a bit like the video on Japan a few pages back) and take the focus off the link between being fat/skinny.

[BFTD]

The fizzy drink thing is odd; I've seen/heard countless people say that diet drinks stop people from losing weight, but they never give a reason how that's possible. I don't know how it stands up to basic scrutiny that consuming something with next to no calories will keep you fat.

[Alert Mongoose]

56 minutes ago, BFTD said:

She's skinny as a rake, but I've never seen her put anything solid in her mouth,

 

[Aufc]

A basic understanding of the Law of Thermodynamics and calories in, calories out is all you need.
If you're in a calorie deficit, you'll lose weight. If you aren't, you'll gain weight. Simple as that.
[mention=1679]TheScarf[/mention] mentioned fizzy drinks, but the reason he never gains weight is because he drinks a fizzy drink that has no calories.  I just finished drinking two diet Dr. Peppers: Total calories = 0. However, if I had drank two regular Dr. Peppers, that would have been slightly under 400 calories and would have required about 35 minutes on the treadmill at a decent incline to burn off. To burn off the diet drinks I consumed, I simply need to stand up and take a few steps. 
Some people have bigger fat cells than others, so they'll always be somewhat overweight, but they can be healthy by eating right and being somewhat active.
Cardio = key.
As [mention=1679]TheScarf[/mention] mentioned, don't booze four days a week, don't eat shitty takeaway 5 days a week and get regular exercise, and that's about 70 percent of the battle.
And when you do booze, try and booze with low-calorie stuff or cut the amount of drinks you would normally have by 25 percent.
 

I actually dont agree cardio is key. For an obese person, it is mostly about their diet. Making small changes would see big improvements. Yes if they moved more as well then that is going to increase their improvements but it is pointless doing 10,000 steps a day if you are still eating 6,000 calories a day.

The issue with diet drinks is that people think, because they have no calories, they can drink them freely. The reality is that drinking these excessively is also linked to increased health risk. So yes you may lose weight if you drink 5 cans of diet coke a week instead of full fat but it also brings the risk of other health issues

[coprolite]

17 minutes ago, Jambomo said:

I think that’s a good point. The link between health and obesity isn’t quite the full picture.

The constant focus of linking being overweight to being unhealthy means that people who are unhealthy but not fat, don’t think there is any issue either. A lot of people now gauge their health by how far they are and you do hear people say “I’m not fat so I can eat what I like” which isn’t really true.

It would be better to educate and help diets be healthier overall, make convenient food healthier (a bit like the video on Japan a few pages back) and take the focus off the link between being fat/skinny.

On  a related point, i was fairly slim throughout my early - mid 20s despite huge amounts of booze and takeaway shite. I also smoked a load. I probably kept most of the weight off by being on my feet for 40-60 hours a week at work but I'm sure that barely sleeping from Friday morning to sunday night on amphetamine and eccies probably did a fair bit of slimming too. 

Despite carrying a bit of timber my lifestyle is way healthier now. 

[AmericanFan]

10 hours ago, GordonS said:

It's both. I crave comfort food like chocolate and crisps but I'll try to buy myself off with toast or oatcakes & cheese. Last year we started storing the snacks under our bed so that I can't get them when my wife is asleep (and so that it's just that wee bit more effort to get something during the day). My food urges increase and my will power decreases as the night goes on, and as I can't sleep until I'm exhausted the night can be pretty long. I've always been someone that really, really likes their food but when I'm in a decent mood I can control it. Not now.

I know that eating one Cadbury's mini roll isn't going to kill me and that not eating it isn't going to make me any healthier, so too often my short-term urge to eat it will exceed my rational long-term desire to be healthy.

Fool your cravings with foods that are actually healthy, taste good, and low in calories.

If you like what we over here call ice cream, try this: In a blender, put 4 cups of Almond milk (the no sugar option), a little over a cup of Greek yogurt and two scoops of vanilla or chocolate protein powder. Blend and you have a shake, or add ice and guar gum, and you have ice cream.

For a chocolate craving, try Quest protein bars; Only 180-200 calories and more than 20 grams of protein.

https://www.questnutrition.com/products/quest-low-carb-protein-bar-chocolate-brownie

[AmericanFan]

12 minutes ago, Aufc said:

 

I actually dont agree cardio is key. For an obese person, it is mostly about their diet. Making small changes would see big improvements. Yes if they moved more as well then that is going to increase their improvements but it is pointless doing 10,000 steps a day if you are still eating 6,000 calories a day.

The issue with diet drinks is that people think, because they have no calories, they can drink them freely. The reality is that drinking these excessively is also linked to increased health risk. So yes you may lose weight if you drink 5 cans of diet coke a week instead of full fat but it also brings the risk of other health issues

Cardio burns calories more effectively than anything else, therefore it is key for everyone.

For an obese person, of course cleaning up their diet would be first, but cardio is second. And saying 10K steps would be pointless no matter how much you eat is entirely inaccurate. It would lessen the amount of weight put on. What's better, walking 10K steps with a bad diet or walking 500 with a bad diet?

Drinking less than one diet drink a day over the week isn't going to kill you and is by far better for you than drinking regular drinks.