How To Get Fat Without Really Trying

Jeanie

baraka wrote:

I just read an article about this the other day.

My 2 cents:

Obesity is very complex disease that now effects vast numbers of humans and there is widespread evidence of genetic disposition to obesity. Some folks have multiple issues that lead to obesity. Some articles:

http://hmg.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/ddl204v1
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11087657&dopt=AbstractPlus
http://www.muhealth.org/weightlosssurgery/understanding.shtml
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9904EFDB173FF93BA25757C0A9609C8B63

However, I do believe that eating too much is as such as an addiction as alcoholism, drug abuse, and gambling. I really think the medical profession needs to look at it in this light and treat accordingly.

Thanks barak. We get a lot of updates and abstracts here because Mum was doing her Masters on obesity related issues and there have been some very interesting studies done. I believe over eating can be an addiction in some cases, along with other eating disorders such as Bulimia, Anorexia and Binge eating disorder. Not to mention a medical issue because of diseases things like Prader Willi, hypothyroidism, polycystic ovarian syndrome, mental health issues, and others. All of these things can contribute to weight gain as well as weight gain from medications. I find it a fascinating subject that is often oversimplified by some health professionals and the general public as well.
I find it offensive in the extreme the types of comments that are levelled at larger people and the assumptions that are made about their character based on their exterior. If black people were called lazy or stupid in this day and age there would be an outcry. If Arabs or Jews or the disabled were spoken about the way that people still generalize about larger people they would quickly be called out for their discriminatory comments. It's far too easy to "blame" people when it really does nothing to improve the situation and you can't really tell jack about a person's health or their life or who they are by looking at their body anyway.

baraka

No problem, Jeanie. There are so many variables when it comes to obesity. Not everyone are on an equal paying field when it comes to this and by this I mean genetics. The bottom line is everyone needs to be aware of their bodies. How is it that I can eat all I want and not worry about my weight, yet my sis has to 'be careful'. It boils down to our genetic makeup and body types.

As far as addiction to food: I would think this would be a very hard addiction to overcome. With most addictive things, one can simply avoid them, however, eating is necessary for survival and food is all around us.

I will say, though, that diet and exercise is the key to a healthy existence. I'm reminded of a David Letterman joke: I just heard there is a new way to lose weight without diet and exercise. What does that leave? Disease?

There are many that are over-weight due to emotional stresses and food serves as comfort, like alcohol, cigarettes, gambling, sex, or drugs do for some. Being raised in the south, I'm all about 'comfort' food! But, over-eating is an addiction for some. For those folks, a change in lifestyle and a 'head change' (getting to the source of the stress) is a must.

In summary, you can't paint all over-weight folks with the same brush.

surferdude

baraka wrote:

In summary, you can't paint all over-weight folks with the same brush.

You can't but for about 80% it's about the lifestyle choices they've made. If you have an eating problem deal with it, the same advice I'd give someone with a drinking or drug problem. Just don't expect too much compassion when you are wallowing in your own misery. Sorry but I'm not granting the same amount of compassion for people when it's a self induced problem as I am for people when it's completely no fault of their own, i.e. genetic or due to medical reasons. Everything I've read on the subject says the only thing to pin the huge rise in obesiety on is personal choices.

fanch75

surferdude wrote:

You can't but for about 80% it's about the lifestyle choices they've made. If you have an eating problem deal with it, the same advice I'd give someone with a drinking or drug problem. Just don't expect too much compassion when you are wallowing in your own misery. Sorry but I'm not granting the same amount of compassion for people when it's a self induced problem as I am for people when it's completely no fault of their own, i.e. genetic or due to medical reasons. Everything I've read on the subject says the only thing to pin the huge rise in obesiety on is personal choices.

There are other factors, it's easier for some than others, etc etc, but at the end of the day, if you take in more calories than you're burning, you're going to gain weight. It's impossible to gain weight otherwise.

Where it can get tough for some is the calorie burning side...medications, thyroid, etc.

baraka

surferdude wrote:

You can't but for about 80% it's about the lifestyle choices they've made. If you have an eating problem deal with it, the same advice I'd give someone with a drinking or drug problem. Just don't expect too much compassion when you are wallowing in your own misery. Sorry but I'm not granting the same amount of compassion for people when it's a self induced problem as I am for people when it's completely no fault of their own, i.e. genetic or due to medical reasons. Everything I've read on the subject says the only thing to pin the huge rise in obesiety on is personal choices.

And I mentioned that very important fact. In another post of mine in this thread, I stated that the medical profession needs to look at over eating as an addiction (like alcoholism and drug abuse) and treat accordingly. There are many, perhaps most, that can change their situation by simply changing the way they eat and exercise. I, by no mean, glossed over this point.

However, being in the medical profession, I would be intellectually dishonest if I didn't mention the genetic and medical predispositions to obesity. There are many that eat no more than you or I and exercise as much as us, yet can't seem to keep the weight off. Perhaps due to thyroid problems or medications they need to take, ie steroids. Do not pretend we are all on the same playing field here. I stand by my statement you quoted, you can not paint all over weight folks with the same brush. There are many variables at play and each individual is unique.

baraka

fanch75 wrote:

There are other factors, it's easier for some than others, etc etc, but at the end of the day, if you take in more calories than you're burning, you're going to gain weight. It's impossible to gain weight otherwise.

Where it can get tough for some is the calorie burning side...medications, thyroid, etc.

Props, fanch. I didn't see your post before replying to surferdude.

surferdude

baraka wrote:

And I mentioned that very important fact. In another post of mine in this thread, I stated that the medical profession needs to look at over eating as an addiction (like alcoholism and drug abuse) and treat accordingly. There are many, perhaps most, that can change their situation by simply changing the way they eat and exercise. I, by no mean, glossed over this point.

However, being in the medical profession, I would be intellectually dishonest if I didn't mention the genetic and medical predispositions to obesity. There are many that eat no more than you or I and exercise as much as us, yet can't seem to keep the weight off. Perhaps due to thyroid problems or medications they need to take, ie steroids. Do not pretend we are all on the same playing field here. I stand by my statement you quoted, you can not paint all over weight folks with the same brush. There are many variables at play and each individual is unique.

I specifically mentioned genetics and medical issues. What percentage obesiety do you think is caused by lifestyle choices, including eating disorders? How do you explain the rise in obesiety? I know for myself when my weight gets more than 10 pounds from where it should be I address the issue. I make changes, I don't blame the world for it. Al I hear are cheap excuses for the vast majority of overweight people. It's called the produce aisle, it's called exercise. It's not easy, no one ever said it was. I fully accept you can be fat but fit, but those people are few and far between.

baraka

surferdude wrote:

I specifically mentioned genetics and medical issues. What percentage obesiety do you think is caused by lifestyle choices, including eating disorders? How do you explain the rise in obesiety? I know for myself when my weight gets more than 10 pounds from where it should be I address the issue. I make changes, I don't blame the world for it. Al I hear are cheap excuses for the vast majority of overweight people. It's called the produce aisle, it's called exercise. It's not easy, no one ever said it was. I fully accept you can be fat but fit, but those people are few and far between.

I'm not sure of the stats, although I did post some medical articles concerning the issue of genetics earlier in this thread.

And yes, it is hard to lose weight. And yes, there are those that could be healthier by simply changing their lifestyles. And yes, there are those that refuse to except personal responsibility. But this is true for many things in life. I guess I personally do not think I have any right to point fingers at anyone. I might not have a weight problem, but I don't think that is necessarily due to my attention to what I eat or how much I exercise. I have always been slender and I think much of that is due to my genes. My sister who has the same (if not more) active lifestyle and eats better than I do, fights her weight. The issue is not black and white.

surferdude

baraka wrote:

I'm not sure of the stats, although I did post some medical articles concerning the issue of genetics earlier in this thread.

And yes, it is hard to lose weight. And yes, there are those that could be healthier by simply changing their lifestyles. And yes, there are those that refuse to except personal responsibility. But this is true for many things in life. I guess I personally do not think I have any right to point fingers at anyone. I might not have a weight problem, but I don't think that is necessarily due to my attention to what I eat or how much I exercise. I have always been slender and I think much of that is due to my genes. My sister who has the same (if not more) active lifestyle and eats better than I do, fights her weight. The issue is not black and white.

I'm probably coming off much harsher than I should but I definitely have an addictive personality. I've probably gone through stretches where I've been addicted to drinking, drugs and adrenaline. It would be so easy to just wallow in the "this is the way I'm made" bullshit and not address the issues as they occur. By giving just about everyone the benefit of the doubt and making it not their issue that they can control I believe it's doing a real disservice to those braking their figurative asses addressing the issue dead on.

baraka

surferdude wrote:

I'm probably coming off much harsher than I should but I definitely have an addictive personality. I've probably gone through stretches where I've been addicted to drinking, drugs and adrenaline. It would be so easy to just wallow in the "this is the way I'm made" bullshit and not address the issues as they occur. By giving just about everyone the benefit of the doubt and making it not their issue that they can control I believe it's doing a real disservice to those braking their figurative asses addressing the issue dead on.

I hear you on the addictive personality! I can relate.

And when the issue is addiction, then yes, it is frustrating when folks don't address their life issues and project blame.

You know, I don't know why it didn't occur to me before, but my father-in-law is a physician that runs a weight loss clinic. He might know some statistics concerning addiction/life style choices vs medical predisposition. I know in his clinic, each person's diet is individual. I do know his clinic focuses on the variables that lead to weight gain, whether it be poor life style habits, eating disorders, or managing weight gain due to a medical issue and addresses those individually. He can usually discern those that are not following their diet and those that have medical problems that make dieting harder for them, ie those that follow the diet to a 'T' yet can't seem to lose the weight.

mdigenakis

you get fat by not really trying.

Jeanie

mdigenakis wrote:

you get fat by not really trying.

or by trying too hard.