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Being fat is a trap

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Re: Being fat is a trap

#181

Post by silotis »

wiseowise wrote: post #126
SonOfLilit wrote: post #35

I have extremely lucky genes and have managed to stay just within the green BMI range despite eating all the carbs and fats you can imagine and at times consuming 200-300g of milk chocolate a day. Some of my friends are obese despite exercising heavily every day. Finding ways you enjoy to keep an active lifestyle is a great idea, probably the highest impact thing you can do for your long term well being (for people i…

> I have extremely lucky genes and have managed to stay just within the green BMI range despite eating all the carbs and fats you can imagine and at times consuming 200-300g of milk chocolate a day. You’d be surprised just how little you eat. I’m also like that, thinking that I eat shitton and don’t get fat at all while my friends can’t lose 5 kilo. When I’ve started counting, even with all the junk food, I’ve been b…

Yep. I have IBD and have to track calories to keep my intake _up_. It's shocking how much food you have to eat to get much more than 2k a day.

Re: Being fat is a trap

#182

Post by LoganDark »

didgeoridoo wrote: post #56
LoganDark wrote: post #9

I feel like the author is generalizing by assuming that everyone who is fat has an "obsession with food".

I think he’s more saying that if you’re fat and you want to lose weight (and keep it off) you have to develop an obsession with food — that it requires an enormous amount of constant attention and effort, unlike the relationship with food that normal-weight people can enjoy. This is why GLP-1s are so interesting. They suppress hunger, but more importantly they suppress “food noise” — the state of constantly thinking…

For me, the problem is that it's a lot more work and effort to find healthy foods in a society where unhealthy foods are the norm. I want to be able to go somewhere and order fresh healthy food to eat for example, because keeping things at home leads to risk of spoiling and mold, and that leads me to avoid keeping them at home, but when I go out to eat, I don't know how to get that healthy food, only fast food, but my doctor already says that the oils in fast food are killing my liver which is very bad.

I wish I could just go to a restaurant style place and just like order fresh fruit or something.

Re: Being fat is a trap

#183

Post by _fat_santa »

timcobb wrote: post #44

> but you have the choice to step out of the fat trap. People should also talk about the volition trap. I'm 40 and it feels like I've had more than a life's worth of people talking about how "you can do it if you just try!" > ... advertising signs that con / you into thinking you can do what's never been done / meantime life goes on all around you The sheer scope of the obesity pandemic should make it clear that we a…

> The sheer scope of the obesity pandemic should make it clear that we are not the problem, that our volitions are not the problem. Certainly so many people can't be too weak to regulate one of the most basic facets of existence? How did we come all this way as a species if we are so fundamentally flawed at basic metabolic regulation? Certainly so many people shouldn't have to try so hard? Sure, some people succeed, but in world where the overwhelming majority are failing, maybe "trying harder" is just akin to insanity?

At least in the US where the problem is much worse than in the EU, I would say the major driving factor is the lack of cheap healthy foods.

We're starting to get more healthy options in the US but the problem I see again and again is that food is always painted as "trendy" and therefore commands a higher price. I can go into McDonalds and buy fries and a cheeseburger for around ~$5. But if I try to get a healthier option from another place I'm looking at $10-15 for just about anything.

Every time I travel to Europe or Latin America I'm always shocked at how easy it is to find cheap healthy food. I can pop down to a local fast food place and for around $5 get a piece of chicken, beans and rice. This by no means fancy but it's solid healthy food.

Re: Being fat is a trap

#184

Post by ericmay »

flkiwi wrote: post #109
ericmay wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I live in a place where it is unpleasantly hot (upper 90s and humid) Work out in the early morning or late evening? > I hate gyms and toxic gym culture Stop hating gyms. Stop over-analyzing "toxic gym culture". Get off social media because that's the only place this exists. Nobody in the gym cares about you or what you're doing as long as you aren't harming someone else, breaking equipment, etc. > I have a quaint b…

> For sure. If you are surrounded by a bunch of obese people encouraging you to drink milkshakes all day and making fun of you for working out, that's going to be hard to overcome! But just like climate change, you can't control these social conditions, or at least you can't have much of an effect. But you can make a difference in your own life according to your own principles. Often times it just means being "less b…

I apologize if my post might have come off as accusatory of you being, haha, as you say a fatty fat!

When I wrote my post I was responding to you but also hoping others would see that post and if they had the same challenge that you mentioned that they would find some encouragement. It's unfortunate (maybe not? [1]) but our societal expectations around fitness can cause people pretty extensive anguish and I think it's important to just say, there are no reasons or excuses for me not to work out or go to a gym - it's your life and you decide that, nobody else. BUT if you don't want to go you don't have to and you don't need to feel bad about that either. Making up excuses to mask your lack of desire is an unnecessary exercise in self-deception.

I think one of the greatest problems in America, and one of the sources of many of our downstream problems, is that we build places where local businesses can't compete, people can't walk anywhere, and they're designed for the lifestyle of the automobile instead of the American Citizen. Highlighting the scenario you find yourself in (or was bringing to the discussion as an example) I think is yet another downstream effect of cars cars cars at all costs.

[1] It's probably good overall that we are so focused as a society on health and fitness. We do have a lot of overweight folks which is bad for social health but we also have a very great fitness culture that I think is arguably unmatched in the world.

Re: Being fat is a trap

#185

Post by flkiwi »

paulcole wrote: post #170
flkiwi wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I knew I'd run into this reaction. Here's the secret: an individual can be fully dedicated to a cause, but the weight of surrounding circumstances defeats them. See, e.g., food deserts. No, it is not more fun to go through live believing you have enough mental fortitude only to have context tap you on the shoulder the moment you take that first step. I don't, for the record, disagree with much OP's point, though I do…

> No, it is not more fun to go through live believing you have enough mental fortitude only to have context tap you on the shoulder the moment you take that first step. It is also possible to have enough mental fortitude to read beyond the first item in a list that you yourself wrote about an hour ago. Yes, you can’t mental fortitude yourself out of every situation. But you can be committed to change and figure thing…

I'd invite you to point out where I said that we should all expect others to fix our problems, but you won't be able to. I said, and I'm correct, that there is a larger context than simply one's mental approach to a problem that can the problem more difficult to solve than it should be, even when it is an already difficult problem, and, in some cases, makes it impossible. For some, the external context is a less significant factor and they are able to find a path; for others, the external factors are insurmountable (food deserts again spring to mind). But absolutely nowhere did I say, or even imply, that the solution rests solely outside the individual.

Re: Being fat is a trap

#186

Post by theGeatZhopa »

I'm on the other side. Its extremely difficult for me to gain weight. I've never weighted more than 64kg @ 177cm - the only time I really gained weight was when I ate 3x a day like 2-4 warm dishes for few months (chinese food). Actuall I'm pending between 59.5-61.0kg.

What was an eye-opener for me:

once i was prescribed 20mins ergometer. So they put on cables and connected me to the monitoring system - the system is adjusting the power level of the ergometer to keep high power, while monitoring heart rate and that the power level is not set too high / heart rate.

To my astonishing, that 20 minute ride was HELL! constantly keeping the muscles at continuous high load nearly "killed" me - I've fallen asleep afterwards while doing MRT. It really was hell.

and then - the evaluation told me, I've burned the equivalent of 180 kcal. ONE HUNDRED EIGHTTY kilocalories!!!!

My body was on full force for 20 minutes and I burned just a burger ??? - ??? Not to speak of the fanta I usualy drink to spill down my four ordinary hamburgers which I eat 3x a week (doing a fat-diet).

So, I realized, that there's no way other than that of of counting kcal - One can exercise as much as one wants, but the burned energy (output) must somehow correspond to the input (eat & drink). If one eats more than one can burn, it will be stored for bad times in the hips-storages or in the belly-town.

If you want to lose weight - check first how much energy are you capable of burning when doing heavy exercise. And then you have to count the in-put kilocalories. Just for visualizing and assess how and how much you need to exercise, if you put in that burger... and that coke.. and that dessert.

for me, to see how much has been burned cleared up that much:

- exercising doesn't stop me on my way to become round

- no need to count kcal except assuring intake of roundabout the equivalent of burned energy while exercising (not much, though)

- I won't gain weight, because I can't eat that much anyway. So, start loving myself is a better option for me.

If you really all-in about loosing weight, find the exercises that burn the most. That depends on your constitution. You need professional help to get the knowledge. Look for a university doing sport-studies and ask them if they want to conduct a study on this or, at least, whether they can measure what exercises do the best burning. And then count & asses.

Or use the new medication emerged. Or try a stool-transplant. But without, definitely, one has to control the input kcals.

Wish everyone to achieve what one's soughing so hard!!!

Re: Being fat is a trap

#187

Post by ericmay »

andrew_lettuce wrote: post #98
ericmay wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I live in a place where it is unpleasantly hot (upper 90s and humid) Work out in the early morning or late evening? > I hate gyms and toxic gym culture Stop hating gyms. Stop over-analyzing "toxic gym culture". Get off social media because that's the only place this exists. Nobody in the gym cares about you or what you're doing as long as you aren't harming someone else, breaking equipment, etc. > I have a quaint b…

You overly discount the intimidation of gyms, but I agree you can definitely find one that works for you. They range from young & beautiful to very specialized and accepting. I suggest you try a community run or neighborhood (doesn't have to be your neighborhood!) as these tend to be very low key, and probably significantly cheaper. Motivation for gym work can be a huge problem; what suggestions do people have for th…

I was hoping to convey that the intimidation factor is completely made up and it just stems from your own self-doubt based on your (not you specifically) own conjured up straw man.

I agree with your general suggestion though too. Though from the sound of the scenario the OP was describing there probably aren't many neighborhood gyms. But hey maybe the OP or someone in that scenario could start a friendly gym?

Re: Being fat is a trap

#188

Post by myrmidon »

stronglikedan wrote: post #82
amarcheschi wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tea is a nice alternative to water, and I say this as someone who doesn't like most drinks other than water. There's a huge variety of tastes among green teas, white teas, oolong, black teas... Specific tea variety, different locations where the plants are grown, different manipulations, all concur to a lot of different tastes. However, a lot of people I've met just say it tastes like "earthy/dirty water"

Why would anyone drink tea when there's coffee!?!

Which one you prefer is just a matter of taste.

But also, you can stay sufficiently hydrated by drinking just tea. Trying that with coffee will skyrocket your caffeine intake to unhealthy levels.

Re: Being fat is a trap

#189

Post by maketheman »

ZephyrBlu wrote: post #151
wiseowise wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I have extremely lucky genes and have managed to stay just within the green BMI range despite eating all the carbs and fats you can imagine and at times consuming 200-300g of milk chocolate a day. You’d be surprised just how little you eat. I’m also like that, thinking that I eat shitton and don’t get fat at all while my friends can’t lose 5 kilo. When I’ve started counting, even with all the junk food, I’ve been b…

Yeah this is correct. I eat whatever I want, snack a lot, etc. Never been fat because I just don't eat that much in aggregate.

I averaged 4,000+ calories per day in high school through the first couple years of college. Almost all junk food—pizza, chips, crackers, eggo waffles, french fries, that kind of thing. Enormous amounts of soda. Milk shakes. Cappuchinos and mochas, in the later years.

All I did for activity was ride bikes some and lift weights a little, plus usual kid stuff, no serious sports or training.

I had visible ab muscles and would get a full-on six pack if I did e.g. a lot of swimming in a week. During those times I'd have relatives concerned I was sick or something, my face would get so gaunt.

Metabolisms are weird. HGH and T are basically magic I guess? I truly have no idea where all that energy was going. Must have been mostly coming out the other end unprocessed, I suppose, or else somehow used up by my gut biome. Can't figure any other way.

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