You're the One for Me
January 10, 2006 1:42 PM Subscribe
Is that why the diet industry is in such bad shape thewse days?
posted by Postroad at 1:46 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Postroad at 1:46 PM on January 10, 2006
Very easy answers from people who never had the problem.
posted by Yer-Ol-Pal at 1:48 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Yer-Ol-Pal at 1:48 PM on January 10, 2006
If we had that "cheseburger bill" then wouldn't it just encourage people to eat at McDonalds until they got fat, and then sue?
Or maybe restaurants could refused to serve fat people. Now that would be funny.
posted by delmoi at 1:49 PM on January 10, 2006
Or maybe restaurants could refused to serve fat people. Now that would be funny.
posted by delmoi at 1:49 PM on January 10, 2006
The link title omits the rather important preceding words "One quarter of..."
posted by Miko at 1:50 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Miko at 1:50 PM on January 10, 2006
I lost like 70 pounds since July. It wasn't that hard. Now I'm going to be like one of those irritating ex-smokers. bwahahahaha.
posted by delmoi at 1:50 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by delmoi at 1:50 PM on January 10, 2006
"More than half of the 4,000 people polled were overweight or obese, but 26% of them said they did not want to lose weight."
I don't understand this sentence. It's saying that more than 2000 of the interviewed people were overweight. However, it's also saying that close to 2000 were of proper weight or under weight. It's also saying that just over a quarter of all people surveyed said they didn't want to lose weight. So, if almost half of them are not overweight, would it not make sense that those people do not want to lose weight?
Am I completely misreading the sentence or is it providing bad (or useless) data?
posted by Manhasset at 1:51 PM on January 10, 2006
I don't understand this sentence. It's saying that more than 2000 of the interviewed people were overweight. However, it's also saying that close to 2000 were of proper weight or under weight. It's also saying that just over a quarter of all people surveyed said they didn't want to lose weight. So, if almost half of them are not overweight, would it not make sense that those people do not want to lose weight?
Am I completely misreading the sentence or is it providing bad (or useless) data?
posted by Manhasset at 1:51 PM on January 10, 2006
hahaha! nonsense! of course obese people want to lose weight! who would ever want to be ugly and gross?! no no no. what obese people don't like is work! they want to be beautiful like the rest of us, they just don't want to work for it! stupid, fat and lazy people.
posted by shmegegge at 1:51 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by shmegegge at 1:51 PM on January 10, 2006
*throws flag, waits for TJH to be hauled off the field*
posted by languagehat at 1:51 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by languagehat at 1:51 PM on January 10, 2006
(oh, and that cheeseburger bill strikes me as a good thing. shall we sue popular music and the creators of "Friends" for making people stupid, next?)
posted by shmegegge at 1:53 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by shmegegge at 1:53 PM on January 10, 2006
Hey, everybody! Let's all get really fat and sit on The Jesse Helms!
It'll be the Ultimate MeFi Pile-On!
call ESPN. or the Food Network. or something.
posted by jonmc at 1:54 PM on January 10, 2006
It'll be the Ultimate MeFi Pile-On!
call ESPN. or the Food Network. or something.
posted by jonmc at 1:54 PM on January 10, 2006
"More than half of the 4,000 people polled were overweight or obese, but 26% of them said they did not want to lose weight."
Manhasset, the phrase "of them" could be intended to mean "of the half who were overweight or obese".
posted by Miko at 1:54 PM on January 10, 2006
Manhasset, the phrase "of them" could be intended to mean "of the half who were overweight or obese".
posted by Miko at 1:54 PM on January 10, 2006
Posters to Metafilter do not want to have rational discussions.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:55 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:55 PM on January 10, 2006
Typically because one would rather take bong hits and play Space Invaders than jog and eat rice cakes. Or is that just me?
posted by NationalKato at 1:55 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by NationalKato at 1:55 PM on January 10, 2006
Off-Topic: Any tips, delmoi?
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 1:56 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 1:56 PM on January 10, 2006
George Bush doesn't care about fat people.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 1:56 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Armitage Shanks at 1:56 PM on January 10, 2006
But do the obese and overweight people use Macs.
posted by furiousthought at 1:58 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by furiousthought at 1:58 PM on January 10, 2006
I don't want to lose weight. I want to lose volume.
posted by srboisvert at 1:59 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by srboisvert at 1:59 PM on January 10, 2006
I personally think fat people should be melted down for soap.
posted by keswick at 1:59 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by keswick at 1:59 PM on January 10, 2006
It's true! I'm five pounds overweight for my height and age, and I have no desire to get down to what the so-called "experts" say is normal. And I'm gonna shake these five great big blubbery pounds right in the face of anyone who doesn't like it. I'm gonna wear my huge, five-pound burden of avoirdupois with pride, and wobble and wiggle like the great big mound of dimpled, puckering suet that I am, and anyone who doesn't like it can watch me add to my Crisco overcoat by devouring a whole package of Hostess Ho-Hos. The day I lose five pounds just to please some health-crazed weight fascist, is the day I cease to enjoy squeezing my five, fat extra pounds into a speedo, and watching the horror on everyone's faces as the shimmering mass of pearly, gel-like blubber cascades over the waistband, jittering and lurching like a choking manatee.
posted by Faze at 2:05 PM on January 10, 2006 [9 favorites]
posted by Faze at 2:05 PM on January 10, 2006 [9 favorites]
inside every thin person there is a fat fucker just crying to get out.
posted by quonsar at 2:08 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by quonsar at 2:08 PM on January 10, 2006
I demand more histrionics in this thread. I demand it.
posted by Anonymous at 2:13 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Anonymous at 2:13 PM on January 10, 2006
Let's fight for freedom!!! (Except for fat people, liberals, gays, brown people, etc...)
posted by AspectRatio at 2:13 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by AspectRatio at 2:13 PM on January 10, 2006
So what is the medical definition of obese?
On the one hand, the pathologization of being fat has to be making a lot of the food companies nervous. I wonder if there'll ever be arguments over the links between obesity and other diseases the way there's arguments over over climate change.
posted by nixerman at 2:14 PM on January 10, 2006
On the one hand, the pathologization of being fat has to be making a lot of the food companies nervous. I wonder if there'll ever be arguments over the links between obesity and other diseases the way there's arguments over over climate change.
posted by nixerman at 2:14 PM on January 10, 2006
Man, I stay out of these threads, but I must say: I am totally on Faze's side. I don't even know for sure which side that is, but I am on it. Damn. You should bottle that rant and sell it.
posted by freebird at 2:17 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by freebird at 2:17 PM on January 10, 2006
Off-Topic: Any tips, delmoi?
not him, but I lost 50lbs over 5 months by in 2003 by:
1) eating less
2) exercising more
3) drinking 1/2 gal+ of water a day
4) weighing myself daily and using the moving average:
today's weight x 0.25 + yesterday's average x 0.75
to give my "true" notional weight for purposes of tracking weight loss trends. For my experience, I found it useful to think of the loss program as a marathon and not a sprint. I wanted a slow and steady 2lbs/week loss rate, and I found it wasn't hard, by using the moving average, and the fact that 1lb of fat is worth ~3500kcal, to keep to that loss rate over the 5 months.
Basically keep to a 500kcal/day deficit to lose 1lb/week, and a 1000kcal/day deficit to lose 2lbs/week.
I found that replacing lunch with a 200kcal (1 oz) snack of almonds allowed me to get from breakfast to dinner without too much stomach grumbling.
Related to this is that with a restricted diet you need to apportion your protein, carbs, and fat intake to match your calorie budget (1g of protein and 1g of carbs = 4kcal, 1g of fat = 7kcal). Don't be afraid of fat, as long as you can fit it in your daily calorie budget. Fat tastes good, and your body needs it.
posted by Heywood Mogroot at 2:18 PM on January 10, 2006
not him, but I lost 50lbs over 5 months by in 2003 by:
1) eating less
2) exercising more
3) drinking 1/2 gal+ of water a day
4) weighing myself daily and using the moving average:
today's weight x 0.25 + yesterday's average x 0.75
to give my "true" notional weight for purposes of tracking weight loss trends. For my experience, I found it useful to think of the loss program as a marathon and not a sprint. I wanted a slow and steady 2lbs/week loss rate, and I found it wasn't hard, by using the moving average, and the fact that 1lb of fat is worth ~3500kcal, to keep to that loss rate over the 5 months.
Basically keep to a 500kcal/day deficit to lose 1lb/week, and a 1000kcal/day deficit to lose 2lbs/week.
I found that replacing lunch with a 200kcal (1 oz) snack of almonds allowed me to get from breakfast to dinner without too much stomach grumbling.
Related to this is that with a restricted diet you need to apportion your protein, carbs, and fat intake to match your calorie budget (1g of protein and 1g of carbs = 4kcal, 1g of fat = 7kcal). Don't be afraid of fat, as long as you can fit it in your daily calorie budget. Fat tastes good, and your body needs it.
posted by Heywood Mogroot at 2:18 PM on January 10, 2006
And, please, include both "Classic" and "Diet" versions of that rant.
posted by FormlessOne at 2:20 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by FormlessOne at 2:20 PM on January 10, 2006
Fat people want to be fat.
Poor people are fat.
Poor people want to be poor.
Someone needs to tell poor people that they are making bad choices. Stupid poor people.
posted by ND¢ at 2:23 PM on January 10, 2006
Poor people are fat.
Poor people want to be poor.
Someone needs to tell poor people that they are making bad choices. Stupid poor people.
posted by ND¢ at 2:23 PM on January 10, 2006
In the top 50 books on amazon.co.uk's top 100 at moment are:
I Can Make You Thin
Dr (cough) Gillian McKeith's Ultimate Health Plan
You Are What You Eat Cookbook
Low GI Cookbook
I Can Make You Thin 90-Day Success Journal
Antony Worrall Thompson's GI Diet
You Are What You Eat
Rosemary Conley's GI Jeans Diet
The F2 Diet
The Food Doctor Everyday Diet Cookbook
The Food Doctor Everyday Diet
As well as that, there are 5 cook books and several self-help books. Maybe it's the post-Christmas diets and new year's resolutions having an influence, but that's still not for people who don't want to get thin.
posted by TheDonF at 2:26 PM on January 10, 2006
I Can Make You Thin
Dr (cough) Gillian McKeith's Ultimate Health Plan
You Are What You Eat Cookbook
Low GI Cookbook
I Can Make You Thin 90-Day Success Journal
Antony Worrall Thompson's GI Diet
You Are What You Eat
Rosemary Conley's GI Jeans Diet
The F2 Diet
The Food Doctor Everyday Diet Cookbook
The Food Doctor Everyday Diet
As well as that, there are 5 cook books and several self-help books. Maybe it's the post-Christmas diets and new year's resolutions having an influence, but that's still not for people who don't want to get thin.
posted by TheDonF at 2:26 PM on January 10, 2006
Off-Topic: Any tips, delmoi?
Well, having your driver's license suspended so you have to bike everywhere helps.
posted by delmoi at 2:28 PM on January 10, 2006
Well, having your driver's license suspended so you have to bike everywhere helps.
posted by delmoi at 2:28 PM on January 10, 2006
BEINFG FAT IS A CHOICE FAT PEOPLE ARE FAT FUCKS WHO CANT PUT DWN A FUCKING BAGS OF CHEAP PLZ STOP EATING AT MCDONASDL!!!!
-GEOFF.
posted by geoff. at 2:28 PM on January 10, 2006
-GEOFF.
posted by geoff. at 2:28 PM on January 10, 2006
...still not bad...
I just can't post well at the moment
posted by TheDonF at 2:28 PM on January 10, 2006
I just can't post well at the moment
posted by TheDonF at 2:28 PM on January 10, 2006
but beyond that, basically I just counted calories, regardless of food type and tried (at first) to shoot for 1,000 Food Calories per day, eventually that slipped to about 1,500 per day.
Then I would hit the gym and work off the calories I'd eaten, almost 100% of them. By the end of the summer I could go on the elliptical for three hours, burning of three thousand calories at a time. Since November 13th, I've been a lot more lax, but I still lost about 8 pounds between the 13th and dec 28th or so, which is the last time I weighed myself at the gym.
Finally, I kept almost no food in the house at all, and couldn't drive anywhere to get food. When I did go shopping, I could only buy what fit in my bike bag, which wasn't much. Being able to drive would have made it more difficult to lose the weight, but not impossible, IMO.
posted by delmoi at 2:32 PM on January 10, 2006
Then I would hit the gym and work off the calories I'd eaten, almost 100% of them. By the end of the summer I could go on the elliptical for three hours, burning of three thousand calories at a time. Since November 13th, I've been a lot more lax, but I still lost about 8 pounds between the 13th and dec 28th or so, which is the last time I weighed myself at the gym.
Finally, I kept almost no food in the house at all, and couldn't drive anywhere to get food. When I did go shopping, I could only buy what fit in my bike bag, which wasn't much. Being able to drive would have made it more difficult to lose the weight, but not impossible, IMO.
posted by delmoi at 2:32 PM on January 10, 2006
I'm not overweight, I'm underheight!
posted by alumshubby at 2:35 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by alumshubby at 2:35 PM on January 10, 2006
The other thing is that I got a good paying job and had much less stress. No "homework" or whatever, and access to a nice gym, which I wouldn't have if I was poor.
posted by delmoi at 2:36 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by delmoi at 2:36 PM on January 10, 2006
Of course, if they really want the underclasses to be skinny, they should legalize coke.
posted by delmoi at 2:37 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by delmoi at 2:37 PM on January 10, 2006
This really isn't a surprise. Don't forget the recent "Fat is Beautiful" movement. Y'know, the term "Big Beautiful Woman." It's like reading an old BBS profile. You could always pick out the fat chicks because they were the ones that used descriptions like "Reubenesque" and "voluptuous" and tried to draw more attention to other features. Example: "long, thick, flowing brown hair."
There are a lot of people that think being fat is beautiful, healthy, sexy, and something to be envied. So, reading that 26% of a group of people don't want to lose any weight is no surprise to me whatsoever.
posted by drstein at 2:40 PM on January 10, 2006
There are a lot of people that think being fat is beautiful, healthy, sexy, and something to be envied. So, reading that 26% of a group of people don't want to lose any weight is no surprise to me whatsoever.
posted by drstein at 2:40 PM on January 10, 2006
* sorry I'm late guys, did I miss much? I brought jerky for everyone! *
posted by blue_beetle at 2:44 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by blue_beetle at 2:44 PM on January 10, 2006
* munch, munch *
posted by blue_beetle at 2:44 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by blue_beetle at 2:44 PM on January 10, 2006
This fat, it jiggles?
posted by allen.spaulding at 2:45 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by allen.spaulding at 2:45 PM on January 10, 2006
How To Lose Weight can be summed up very simply:
1) Count your calories and limit them to between 1200 and 1800/day depending on your sex, height, and current weight.
2) Exercise for an hour a day.
3) PROFIT!
Two tips to help: Do not drink any soft drinks at all and greatly limit your consumption of alcohol and juice. You should be drinking mostly water. Secondly, walk everywhere it is possible to walk. Walk to the store. Walk to the movie theater. Walk to get your hair cut. Walk to work if you can. Walk, walk, walk.
That's it! That's the list! Unless you have a severe metabolic problem (perhaps one percent of overweight folks) you will lose weight by doing this.
posted by Justinian at 2:48 PM on January 10, 2006
1) Count your calories and limit them to between 1200 and 1800/day depending on your sex, height, and current weight.
2) Exercise for an hour a day.
3) PROFIT!
Two tips to help: Do not drink any soft drinks at all and greatly limit your consumption of alcohol and juice. You should be drinking mostly water. Secondly, walk everywhere it is possible to walk. Walk to the store. Walk to the movie theater. Walk to get your hair cut. Walk to work if you can. Walk, walk, walk.
That's it! That's the list! Unless you have a severe metabolic problem (perhaps one percent of overweight folks) you will lose weight by doing this.
posted by Justinian at 2:48 PM on January 10, 2006
I like being fat. There, I said it.
Let the hatred flow.
Thanks for the cheers mefites.
posted by mouthnoize at 2:50 PM on January 10, 2006
Let the hatred flow.
Thanks for the cheers mefites.
posted by mouthnoize at 2:50 PM on January 10, 2006
>50 comments and no NSFW links to feeder fetish sites yet? Focus, people!
posted by CynicalKnight at 2:50 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by CynicalKnight at 2:50 PM on January 10, 2006
limit your consumption of alcohol
Nah, forget that.
Or, as Slate put it: Wash out your fat with liquor, then rinse out your liquor with coffee.
posted by allen.spaulding at 2:54 PM on January 10, 2006
Nah, forget that.
Or, as Slate put it: Wash out your fat with liquor, then rinse out your liquor with coffee.
posted by allen.spaulding at 2:54 PM on January 10, 2006
Not that I actually believe any of these studies, but I certainly prefer the ones that let me keep drinking.
posted by allen.spaulding at 2:54 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by allen.spaulding at 2:54 PM on January 10, 2006
I know you're being a bit tongue in cheek, but those studies are showing correlation, not causation. It's quite possible that people who drink "one drink a day" are just people who take their health more seriously than others. Perhaps they also exercise more, for example.
posted by Justinian at 2:58 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Justinian at 2:58 PM on January 10, 2006
I just finished a fattie five minutes ago.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:01 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:01 PM on January 10, 2006
I don't want to be thin. I want to be rich.
posted by Astro Zombie at 3:04 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Astro Zombie at 3:04 PM on January 10, 2006
SHUT UP FATTY!
posted by lemonfridge at 3:05 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by lemonfridge at 3:05 PM on January 10, 2006
This obese person has wanted to lose weight for a long fucking time now -- but some diabetes meds actually hinder attempts to lose weight.
At the start of this year I made a resolution and started tracking weight/blood sugar/exercise/food daily... and have lost 4 pounds already, without starving myself or doing anything particularly strenuous. Having a concrete goal and tracking it makes all the difference.
posted by Foosnark at 3:14 PM on January 10, 2006
At the start of this year I made a resolution and started tracking weight/blood sugar/exercise/food daily... and have lost 4 pounds already, without starving myself or doing anything particularly strenuous. Having a concrete goal and tracking it makes all the difference.
posted by Foosnark at 3:14 PM on January 10, 2006
Drink water and sugar-free squashes and be aware alcohol is high in calories
What the hell is that as a weight management tip from BBC? (Look on the little right inset column)
posted by countzen at 3:32 PM on January 10, 2006
What the hell is that as a weight management tip from BBC? (Look on the little right inset column)
posted by countzen at 3:32 PM on January 10, 2006
You could always pick out the fat chicks because they were the ones that used descriptions like "Reubenesque" and "voluptuous"
They were usually the hot ones. Only a dog wants a bone.
posted by jonmc at 3:36 PM on January 10, 2006
They were usually the hot ones. Only a dog wants a bone.
posted by jonmc at 3:36 PM on January 10, 2006
What is it? Hurf durf butter eater? There, I said it and I meant it.
posted by fixedgear at 3:38 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by fixedgear at 3:38 PM on January 10, 2006
There seem to be an awful lot of post titles that invoke the Morrissey. I can't decide if he'd be pleased or nonplussed.
posted by shoepal at 3:46 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by shoepal at 3:46 PM on January 10, 2006
They were usually the hot ones. Only a dog wants a bone.
Oh..and Jon lays down the first trap...who will jump at the bait? Stay tuned.
posted by spicynuts at 3:47 PM on January 10, 2006
Well, this is a plussed-sized thread, shoepal.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:48 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:48 PM on January 10, 2006
Orange squash is popular in the U.K. Some use the term more broadly, as in some parts of the U.S. "coke" is used to denote all kinds of soda.
posted by ericb at 3:57 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by ericb at 3:57 PM on January 10, 2006
Fat women love diamonds. Eat 'em by the handful.
Ke-riced that's stupid. They could be eating plasma TVs for the same price.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 3:57 PM on January 10, 2006
Ke-riced that's stupid. They could be eating plasma TVs for the same price.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 3:57 PM on January 10, 2006
Whom Can You Believe? -- There is real science behind nutritional advice, but no single study is definitive.
posted by ericb at 3:58 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by ericb at 3:58 PM on January 10, 2006
Well, I don't want them to lose weight either. If they do that they might be able to get up and catch me when I go tubby-tipping, and that'd be no fun at all.
posted by Decani at 4:01 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Decani at 4:01 PM on January 10, 2006
Part of the reason might be that a huge number of overweight people don't know that they're overweight, or at least to what degree they're overweight. We've gotten so used to obesity in the US that it's tough for most people to accurately assess how many extra pounds they're carrying. This seems to be especially true for men, since there are fewer social consequences for being overweight, they are less inclined to pay a whole lot of attention to it until they are tipping the scales.
::looks around:: I mean, shut up fatty-fatty-two-by-four.
posted by LittleMissCranky at 4:05 PM on January 10, 2006
::looks around:: I mean, shut up fatty-fatty-two-by-four.
posted by LittleMissCranky at 4:05 PM on January 10, 2006
Forced circumcision for fat people! It's the easy way to instant weight loss.
posted by TimeFactor at 4:17 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by TimeFactor at 4:17 PM on January 10, 2006
Well I don't even know how tall I am, so I'm not likely to know how many pounds I'm supposed to lose. Anyone have a link to a good BMI calculator?
posted by Citizen Premier at 4:17 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Citizen Premier at 4:17 PM on January 10, 2006
BMI calculator (javascript and knowledge of your height required).
posted by TimeFactor at 4:22 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by TimeFactor at 4:22 PM on January 10, 2006
lemonfridge, I'm sure you mean "Lip Up, Fatty." [it's Buster Bloodvessel from Bad Manners, for the uninitiated. You Fat Bastard. (yousendit linky)]
posted by Zack_Replica at 4:39 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Zack_Replica at 4:39 PM on January 10, 2006
Oh, dear. I have trodden in monsieur's bucket.
posted by pieisexactlythree at 4:42 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by pieisexactlythree at 4:42 PM on January 10, 2006
actually no. I didnt.
posted by lemonfridge at 4:51 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by lemonfridge at 4:51 PM on January 10, 2006
um. ok. you didn't.
posted by Zack_Replica at 4:55 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Zack_Replica at 4:55 PM on January 10, 2006
According to the BMI calculator I am about 1 pound from being overweight. In order to be classified as being "underweight" I would have to lose 45 pounds. Thats completely outrageous. I may have a little bit of a belly but if I lost 40 pounds I would defintely look like a straw.
posted by gagglezoomer at 4:56 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by gagglezoomer at 4:56 PM on January 10, 2006
The BMI is a pile of arse. It makes no allowance for people with decent muscles. When I was in my thirties I was a superfit, honed motherfucker with a six pack and barely an ounce of fat on me. And according to that ridiculous measure I was just overweight. Absolute rot.
posted by Decani at 5:00 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Decani at 5:00 PM on January 10, 2006
Using machines at the gym that display calorie output has given me a new-found empathy for fat people. I run on the treadmill for half an hour and burn only about 500 calories and I'm wiped out. 500 calories is nothing; it's a bean burrito, it's a milk-shake, it's a Casesar's salad. I need to pig out for about, oh, 500 calories-worth immediately after working out because frankly I'm starving. But I'm not fat so nobody cares if I pig out. Losing fifty pounds means working out every day for a solid year without any pigging out. No thanks, I think I'd choose to be fat too.
posted by TimeFactor at 5:04 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by TimeFactor at 5:04 PM on January 10, 2006
Um, squash (e.g. orange squash) is more like a synthetic cordial or syrup (i.e. concentrated fruit juice and E-numbers) that you dilute in water (6:10 is quoted, but it's generally drunk pretty weak, like 3:10).
So there you go!
posted by Drexen at 5:08 PM on January 10, 2006
So there you go!
posted by Drexen at 5:08 PM on January 10, 2006
TimeFactor: The reason 500 calories is a milkshake or a Caesar's salad is because of the ridiculous portion sizes in the USA. It's not that burning 500 calories isn't very much, it's that we should be eating much smaller portions of food.
posted by Justinian at 5:13 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Justinian at 5:13 PM on January 10, 2006
Oh, for what it's worth, if you're only burning 500 calories in an hour and a half you are doing something very wrong. You burn 500 calories in an hour and a half of WALKING. Running for an hour and a half should be more like 1500.
posted by Justinian at 5:16 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Justinian at 5:16 PM on January 10, 2006
superfit, honed motherfucker
Love it!
(We're you chiselled as well?)
posted by uncanny hengeman at 5:16 PM on January 10, 2006
Love it!
(We're you chiselled as well?)
posted by uncanny hengeman at 5:16 PM on January 10, 2006
(oops. Just shoot me and get it over with. You did say "half an hour". There's your problem, you need more than half an hour's exercise. Try an hour on a bike)
posted by Justinian at 5:16 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Justinian at 5:16 PM on January 10, 2006
I know you're being a bit tongue in cheek, but those studies are showing correlation, not causation. It's quite possible that people who drink "one drink a day" are just people who take their health more seriously than others. Perhaps they also exercise more, for example.
That doesn't sound very rational at all. However, I have noticed that drinking hard liquor takes away my appetite and makes being hungry much more bearable.
posted by delmoi at 5:17 PM on January 10, 2006
That doesn't sound very rational at all. However, I have noticed that drinking hard liquor takes away my appetite and makes being hungry much more bearable.
posted by delmoi at 5:17 PM on January 10, 2006
TimeFactor, try an elliptical, and build up your tolerance. I can burn 500 calories in just 30 minutes on one of those things.
posted by delmoi at 5:20 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by delmoi at 5:20 PM on January 10, 2006
Oh, for what it's worth, if you're only burning 500 calories in an hour and a half you are doing something very wrong. You burn 500 calories in an hour and a half of WALKING. Running for an hour and a half should be more like 1500.
Totally agree. The readout is wrong! Don't lose heart.
Plus, your metabolism stays raised (ie. burning calories) for quite a while after you stop running. Plus, PLUS, exercise causes your muscles to grow (not just weight training - even running will give you gains) so your base metabolic rate is permanently raised (ie. you're burning more calories at rest) simply coz there's more muscles to "feed".
NOW DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY!!!
posted by uncanny hengeman at 5:20 PM on January 10, 2006
Totally agree. The readout is wrong! Don't lose heart.
Plus, your metabolism stays raised (ie. burning calories) for quite a while after you stop running. Plus, PLUS, exercise causes your muscles to grow (not just weight training - even running will give you gains) so your base metabolic rate is permanently raised (ie. you're burning more calories at rest) simply coz there's more muscles to "feed".
NOW DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY!!!
posted by uncanny hengeman at 5:20 PM on January 10, 2006
...I run on the treadmill for half an hour...
half hour = 30 minutes
(and about 500 calories if you're 170lbs and running 7 minute miles for those 30 minutes)
posted by TimeFactor at 5:23 PM on January 10, 2006
half hour = 30 minutes
(and about 500 calories if you're 170lbs and running 7 minute miles for those 30 minutes)
posted by TimeFactor at 5:23 PM on January 10, 2006
Decani: The BMI table worked for me. I saw it in the newspaper, looked up my height and weight, saw "borderline obest", and started the diet the next week.
It doesn't work for everyone, but people who are buff aren't going to be confused, unless they have rocks in their head.
Losing fifty pounds means working out every day for a solid year without any pigging out. No thanks, I think I'd choose to be fat too.
That's a pound a week, 500kcal/day deficit. Or 1000 kcal on weekdays and pretty much anything goes on weekends.
posted by Heywood Mogroot at 5:24 PM on January 10, 2006
It doesn't work for everyone, but people who are buff aren't going to be confused, unless they have rocks in their head.
Losing fifty pounds means working out every day for a solid year without any pigging out. No thanks, I think I'd choose to be fat too.
That's a pound a week, 500kcal/day deficit. Or 1000 kcal on weekdays and pretty much anything goes on weekends.
posted by Heywood Mogroot at 5:24 PM on January 10, 2006
TimeFactor, try an elliptical, and build up your tolerance. I can burn 500 calories in just 30 minutes on one of those things.
posted by delmoi at 5:20 PM PST on January 10 [!]
Really? I rarely get much more than 400 on that thing in 30 min. I have it set to cardio and target heart rate =160.
posted by pieisexactlythree at 5:26 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by delmoi at 5:20 PM PST on January 10 [!]
Really? I rarely get much more than 400 on that thing in 30 min. I have it set to cardio and target heart rate =160.
posted by pieisexactlythree at 5:26 PM on January 10, 2006
I'm overweight and don't want to lose it. But I have a 20-pound cock.
posted by klangklangston at 5:30 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by klangklangston at 5:30 PM on January 10, 2006
Sorry, TimeFactor. I took Justinian's mistake and ran with it. Didn't double check with your post.
But everything else I said remains true.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 5:31 PM on January 10, 2006
We're you chiselled as well?
No, but I was frequently hammered. Cheers!
posted by Decani at 5:36 PM on January 10, 2006
No, but I was frequently hammered. Cheers!
posted by Decani at 5:36 PM on January 10, 2006
At a riding stable down the road from me they have a thing they call "the fat paddock." Pasture grass is lush around here and some of the horses are pretty lightly exercised. When one starts to get rotund it moves to ye fat paddock, where other hungry horses have eaten everything down to dead bare earth (and seriously chewed the fence posts.)
NO horse that goes into the fat paddock has ever failed to lose weight. I think there's a diet book in it.
posted by jfuller at 5:51 PM on January 10, 2006
NO horse that goes into the fat paddock has ever failed to lose weight. I think there's a diet book in it.
posted by jfuller at 5:51 PM on January 10, 2006
If you assume everything I say is a mistake from the start you won't have that problem in the future, uncanny hengeman.
posted by Justinian at 6:11 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Justinian at 6:11 PM on January 10, 2006
I believe inside every young person is an old person trying to get out. And a very hairy person, too, and a couple of small dogs. And inside every fat person is another fat person, only denser.
posted by Peach at 6:19 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Peach at 6:19 PM on January 10, 2006
Long term exercise teaches the body to use its fat as fuel. So just because you only burn a certain amount of calories in an exercise is no reason to be discouraged. And trying to diet without exercise is a fool's errand. You lose muscle as well as fat which means your metabolism drops.
(written after a Spin class and a chicken burrito from Taco Bell.)
posted by konolia at 6:37 PM on January 10, 2006
(written after a Spin class and a chicken burrito from Taco Bell.)
posted by konolia at 6:37 PM on January 10, 2006
Re: skinny guy running on treadmill burning 500 calories: A chick in my office was quite overweight, and she went on a serious diet-and-exercise plan. She told me one day that according to her personal trainer (so this may be horseshit) you burn fewer calories as you get skinnier, or rather, they become more difficult to burn. So when she was more overweight, she routinely burned 3K calories in a work out, but as she got thinner, the number of calories burned dropped, so she had to work harder and/or longer to burn the same amount of calories. Which, upon preview, apparently has to do with how much fat there actually is for your body to burn off.
posted by Medieval Maven at 7:03 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Medieval Maven at 7:03 PM on January 10, 2006
I know that most of the machines at the gym that I go to ask you to enter your weight - as well as your sex and age - in order to compute calories burned. While my heavier boyfriend can often burn 400 calories or so in 30 minutes on an elliptical, I'm lucky to top 200. Again, that feels pretty depressing when you consider that's less than a single bagel or muffin some places.
posted by piers at 7:10 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by piers at 7:10 PM on January 10, 2006
Really? I rarely get much more than 400 on that thing in 30 min. I have it set to cardio and target heart rate =160.
Well, different machines give different readings, according to my schwin 418 at home, I can do 1500 calories in 50 minutes. I don't believe it. The one I was using at the gym was a Life Fitness. (forget the model number, but a used one is like $3k). But I was on a pretty high resistance level, ~14 or so. My heart rate would be around 150-180 But I think I have a small heart.
I also have a high tolerance for pain, so I can really make myself suffer on that thing :P
posted by delmoi at 7:13 PM on January 10, 2006
Well, different machines give different readings, according to my schwin 418 at home, I can do 1500 calories in 50 minutes. I don't believe it. The one I was using at the gym was a Life Fitness. (forget the model number, but a used one is like $3k). But I was on a pretty high resistance level, ~14 or so. My heart rate would be around 150-180 But I think I have a small heart.
I also have a high tolerance for pain, so I can really make myself suffer on that thing :P
posted by delmoi at 7:13 PM on January 10, 2006
Timefactor: how tall are you? 170 is my goal. Although if I got to 165 I'd have lost 100 pounds :)
posted by delmoi at 7:14 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by delmoi at 7:14 PM on January 10, 2006
So when she was more overweight, she routinely burned 3K calories in a work out, but as she got thinner, the number of calories burned dropped, so she had to work harder and/or longer to burn the same amount of calories. Which, upon preview, apparently has to do with how much fat there actually is for your body to burn off.
Of course, because the more you weigh, the more your body moves up and down when you run or whatever. It's pretty much common sense.
posted by delmoi at 7:16 PM on January 10, 2006
Of course, because the more you weigh, the more your body moves up and down when you run or whatever. It's pretty much common sense.
posted by delmoi at 7:16 PM on January 10, 2006
plus, the lighter your body is, the less leptin you have in your body, and your hypothalimus will really want you to eat.
posted by delmoi at 7:16 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by delmoi at 7:16 PM on January 10, 2006
and now I'm "eating" some diet moutan dew and vodka. And boosting the fuck out of my metafilter contribution index by posting so many comments serially rather then including everything in one post
I've got a 4.77 and I need a 5.06 to get into the top 21!
I'm still the #10 poster of all time, though :P
posted by delmoi at 7:19 PM on January 10, 2006
I've got a 4.77 and I need a 5.06 to get into the top 21!
I'm still the #10 poster of all time, though :P
posted by delmoi at 7:19 PM on January 10, 2006
er, by 'top 21' I mean 'top 25' of course. And I'm not seriously trying to boost my score, just posting a lot because I'm drunk and a moron.
Losing weight really lowers your alcohol tolerance, by the way. When I was a fatass I had to drink a ton to get drunk. Now a couple swigs of booze and I'm plastered. Wow, really plastered. I realized that on January 1st of this year, by the way ^__^
posted by delmoi at 7:22 PM on January 10, 2006
Losing weight really lowers your alcohol tolerance, by the way. When I was a fatass I had to drink a ton to get drunk. Now a couple swigs of booze and I'm plastered. Wow, really plastered. I realized that on January 1st of this year, by the way ^__^
posted by delmoi at 7:22 PM on January 10, 2006
So when she was more overweight, she routinely burned 3K calories in a work out, but as she got thinner, the number of calories burned dropped, so she had to work harder and/or longer to burn the same amount of calories. Which, upon preview, apparently has to do with how much fat there actually is for your body to burn off.
delmoi has it right- it's a greater work load to move more mass, thus the lower amount of calories burned for the same distance. I'm pretty certain the effects are quite small, but a better trained (or more experienced) runner will also burn fewer calories over the same distance as a less well trained (or newbie) runner of the same weight since there's less inefficient motion involved. Less extraneous energy used.
posted by stagewhisper at 7:24 PM on January 10, 2006
delmoi has it right- it's a greater work load to move more mass, thus the lower amount of calories burned for the same distance. I'm pretty certain the effects are quite small, but a better trained (or more experienced) runner will also burn fewer calories over the same distance as a less well trained (or newbie) runner of the same weight since there's less inefficient motion involved. Less extraneous energy used.
posted by stagewhisper at 7:24 PM on January 10, 2006
...she routinely burned 3K calories in a work out...
I'm not disputing this and, yes, the more you weigh the more calories you burn performing a specific task (all else being equal*) but, WOW, 3000 calories in a session is an incredible amount. I guess that explains how someone truly obese could lose signficant amounts of weight, maybe even with a little pigging out.
...how tall are you?...
a little over 5'11". You might as well shoot for 165. 100 lbs is a very nice round number. Congrats on your accomplishments so far.
*but thinner people tend to burn more calories just sitting around. Because of a higher surface area to weight ratio thin people use more energy maintaining steady body temperature.
posted by TimeFactor at 7:31 PM on January 10, 2006
I'm not disputing this and, yes, the more you weigh the more calories you burn performing a specific task (all else being equal*) but, WOW, 3000 calories in a session is an incredible amount. I guess that explains how someone truly obese could lose signficant amounts of weight, maybe even with a little pigging out.
...how tall are you?...
a little over 5'11". You might as well shoot for 165. 100 lbs is a very nice round number. Congrats on your accomplishments so far.
*but thinner people tend to burn more calories just sitting around. Because of a higher surface area to weight ratio thin people use more energy maintaining steady body temperature.
posted by TimeFactor at 7:31 PM on January 10, 2006
In line at KFC
Some hope and some despair
It was only after I accepted myself for who I was (after a fairly unhappy chubby childhood) that I was able to effectively lose weight. I'm not skinny now, but I've lost quite a bit and am content with myself. I don't think that obesity should necessarily by championed, but mentally tortuing people for it is quite counter-productive. At least, in my experience.
posted by kryptondog at 7:35 PM on January 10, 2006
Some hope and some despair
It was only after I accepted myself for who I was (after a fairly unhappy chubby childhood) that I was able to effectively lose weight. I'm not skinny now, but I've lost quite a bit and am content with myself. I don't think that obesity should necessarily by championed, but mentally tortuing people for it is quite counter-productive. At least, in my experience.
posted by kryptondog at 7:35 PM on January 10, 2006
jonmc
They were usually the hot ones. Only a dog wants a bone.
meh, more power to you. I'll take the chick who's toned and does yoga three times a week any day. Nothing sexier than a woman who does yoga
posted by slapshot57 at 7:39 PM on January 10, 2006
They were usually the hot ones. Only a dog wants a bone.
meh, more power to you. I'll take the chick who's toned and does yoga three times a week any day. Nothing sexier than a woman who does yoga
posted by slapshot57 at 7:39 PM on January 10, 2006
TimeFactor: From what I was given to understand, and honestly from her weight loss, this kid spent at least 75% of her time outside work at the gym. I gathered what little time she had left over was for sleeping, showers, and going to the organic foods store. Clearly, I only have her word, but whatever it was she had, I need some of it, anyway.
posted by Medieval Maven at 8:06 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Medieval Maven at 8:06 PM on January 10, 2006
well, in the past year, I've lost 80 lbs. Got separated and acquired a puppy. I walk him three times a day for about a half mile per time, and do a treadmill run most evenings. I also hold up two households, so am completely broke most of the time. The lonely broke guy diet works! besides, my puppy looks comical on the treadmill with me.
posted by Woney at 9:34 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Woney at 9:34 PM on January 10, 2006
oh, that 80 lbs would be 320 to 240. BMI be damned, if I can break 200 I'll be happy.
posted by Woney at 9:35 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by Woney at 9:35 PM on January 10, 2006
Got a treadmill for my birthday last month and down 20 so far. Still about 80 to go, but hey. It's a start.
In the meantime, I'm gonna smother all you haters with this tummy.
posted by Meredith at 10:07 PM on January 10, 2006
In the meantime, I'm gonna smother all you haters with this tummy.
posted by Meredith at 10:07 PM on January 10, 2006
What do fat girls and mopeds have in common?
Your friends will laugh at you if they see you riding either one of them!
posted by Balisong at 10:36 PM on January 10, 2006
Your friends will laugh at you if they see you riding either one of them!
posted by Balisong at 10:36 PM on January 10, 2006
There are studies that say being slightly overweight may not have significant negative impact to health. Some studies disagree, and really it probably just depends on the individual. Negative body image, however, can most certainly have terrible consequences. Here's to taking a walk down to the park once in a while and being comfortable in your own skin.
posted by blendor at 10:45 PM on January 10, 2006
posted by blendor at 10:45 PM on January 10, 2006
TimeFactor: "*but thinner people tend to burn more calories just sitting around. Because of a higher surface area to weight ratio thin people use more energy maintaining steady body temperature."
Is that true? Interesting. I'm always after explanations as to why I eat alarming amounts of food and yet remain alarmingly thin. This is probably not the best place to ask for tips on gaining weight, though...
posted by jack_mo at 3:21 AM on January 11, 2006
Is that true? Interesting. I'm always after explanations as to why I eat alarming amounts of food and yet remain alarmingly thin. This is probably not the best place to ask for tips on gaining weight, though...
posted by jack_mo at 3:21 AM on January 11, 2006
I wackyparsed delmoi's comment as 'cheeseburger pill'.
Man, I'd take that medicine.
(Mmm, time for lunch.)
posted by wilberforce at 3:37 AM on January 11, 2006
Man, I'd take that medicine.
(Mmm, time for lunch.)
posted by wilberforce at 3:37 AM on January 11, 2006
My husband has to drink Ensure Plus just to maintain his weight. I think his weight-loss method is just what the skinny -snobs need--smoke like a chimney, eat a high-fat diet, sit on your butt all day, and choose your grandparents carefully.
posted by Peach at 4:35 AM on January 11, 2006
posted by Peach at 4:35 AM on January 11, 2006
NO horse that goes into the fat paddock has ever failed to lose weight.
extraordinary rendition for horses!
I hear those poor fuckers also give up made-up names of Equine Al Qaeda agents.
posted by matteo at 5:10 AM on January 11, 2006
extraordinary rendition for horses!
I hear those poor fuckers also give up made-up names of Equine Al Qaeda agents.
posted by matteo at 5:10 AM on January 11, 2006
Sorry I'm late, the original survey is here and if you find the question "Would you like to lose weight" you'll see that 26% of "overweight/obese/v obese" people do not want to lose weight. So Miko was correct, yesterday.
posted by magpie68 at 6:01 AM on January 11, 2006
posted by magpie68 at 6:01 AM on January 11, 2006
Jack_mo, you must be alarmingly active or have a very high ratio of muscle to adipose tissue. In other words you are highly adapted to burn fat as fuel, or to not store your food as fat to begin with.
posted by konolia at 6:52 AM on January 11, 2006
posted by konolia at 6:52 AM on January 11, 2006
What do fat girls and mopeds have in common?
Your friends will laugh at you if they see you riding either one of them!
The correct answer is, either one would be fun to ride, but you wouldn't want anyone to see you. *
*This correction was posted for informational purposes only. It is no indicator as to whether or not I think this mean joke is funny.
posted by glenwood at 7:11 AM on January 11, 2006
Your friends will laugh at you if they see you riding either one of them!
The correct answer is, either one would be fun to ride, but you wouldn't want anyone to see you. *
*This correction was posted for informational purposes only. It is no indicator as to whether or not I think this mean joke is funny.
posted by glenwood at 7:11 AM on January 11, 2006
klangklangston: I'm overweight and don't want to lose it. But I have a 20-pound cock.
(giggling)
Admittedly, I'm no Kate Moss, but I think those BMI calculators are more or less crap. When I was at my lowest adult weight (maintained from junior year in high school til I got out of college and found a stupid desk job, with nary a jiggle anywhere), my insane gyno thought I needed to lose 30+ lbs based on BMI. If I'd done so, I'd have weighed less than I did when I was in the 5th grade. Creepy.
Tall people with hardcore muscle mass like me aren't very well served by physicians who find it easier to read a chart than to reason.
BTW, Woney -- how on earth do you get your puppy to walk the treadmill with you?!?
posted by bitter-girl.com at 7:16 AM on January 11, 2006
(giggling)
Admittedly, I'm no Kate Moss, but I think those BMI calculators are more or less crap. When I was at my lowest adult weight (maintained from junior year in high school til I got out of college and found a stupid desk job, with nary a jiggle anywhere), my insane gyno thought I needed to lose 30+ lbs based on BMI. If I'd done so, I'd have weighed less than I did when I was in the 5th grade. Creepy.
Tall people with hardcore muscle mass like me aren't very well served by physicians who find it easier to read a chart than to reason.
BTW, Woney -- how on earth do you get your puppy to walk the treadmill with you?!?
posted by bitter-girl.com at 7:16 AM on January 11, 2006
Woohoo! They say eskimos find fat attractive. In other words, attraction is at least at some level, sociological. Maybe fat people will be the hot item in 10 or 20 years?
posted by iggychaos at 8:06 AM on January 11, 2006
posted by iggychaos at 8:06 AM on January 11, 2006
Walk to the store. Walk to the movie theater. Walk to get your hair cut. Walk to work if you can. Walk, walk, walk.
I guess I'm screwed because all of these entail crossing at most 2 streets.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:08 AM on January 11, 2006
I guess I'm screwed because all of these entail crossing at most 2 streets.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:08 AM on January 11, 2006
Walk to the store. Walk to the movie theater. Walk to get your hair cut. Walk to work if you can. Walk, walk, walk.
This is great advice. But it does provoke thinking about how our culture has changed in such a way as to undermine physical activity.
All of my usual destination points (home, work, errands, haircuts, groceries, bars, volunteer gigs) are within a 3-mile radius of one another. I enjoy walking and try to do a lot of it. I don't consider 3 miles far. And yet, I'm fighting the culture. It takes at least 36 minutes to walk 3 miles; and that means more than an hour round trip. It comes into conflict with the expectations we now have for how much a person can do in a day. I think nothing of going to work, running 3 different errands at lunch, leaving work, doing the grocery shopping, going to a meeting, having a drink with friends after, and then going back home -- covering perhaps 12-15 miles in a day, though all within the same city. I could never do all this stuff in a day if I walked. It would force me to slow down the pace of my life. Which is fine, it just means that I'd accomplish less, have less of a profile in my community, and be less valuable to the projects I'm involved with.
I'm not saying it's a good thing -- just that we need to think about how our cultural priorities have shifted away from physical health and toward other means of measuring an individual's value. It's no surprise that modern people pack on the pounds; our expectations for efficacy have increased so much as to reduce the amount of time available to us for making choices such as walking more. Something has to be sacrificed in order to make room for the walking.
Then, too, I'm in a very fortunate position because for the past 10 years I've insisted on living close to where I work, and living in an actual town. With our urban planning in the mess it is, many people couldn't walk to places if they wanted to because they live in sidewalk-free, cul-de-sac land 20 miles from the nearest commercial center.
posted by Miko at 9:26 AM on January 11, 2006
This is great advice. But it does provoke thinking about how our culture has changed in such a way as to undermine physical activity.
All of my usual destination points (home, work, errands, haircuts, groceries, bars, volunteer gigs) are within a 3-mile radius of one another. I enjoy walking and try to do a lot of it. I don't consider 3 miles far. And yet, I'm fighting the culture. It takes at least 36 minutes to walk 3 miles; and that means more than an hour round trip. It comes into conflict with the expectations we now have for how much a person can do in a day. I think nothing of going to work, running 3 different errands at lunch, leaving work, doing the grocery shopping, going to a meeting, having a drink with friends after, and then going back home -- covering perhaps 12-15 miles in a day, though all within the same city. I could never do all this stuff in a day if I walked. It would force me to slow down the pace of my life. Which is fine, it just means that I'd accomplish less, have less of a profile in my community, and be less valuable to the projects I'm involved with.
I'm not saying it's a good thing -- just that we need to think about how our cultural priorities have shifted away from physical health and toward other means of measuring an individual's value. It's no surprise that modern people pack on the pounds; our expectations for efficacy have increased so much as to reduce the amount of time available to us for making choices such as walking more. Something has to be sacrificed in order to make room for the walking.
Then, too, I'm in a very fortunate position because for the past 10 years I've insisted on living close to where I work, and living in an actual town. With our urban planning in the mess it is, many people couldn't walk to places if they wanted to because they live in sidewalk-free, cul-de-sac land 20 miles from the nearest commercial center.
posted by Miko at 9:26 AM on January 11, 2006
Y'know, Miko's got it right there. I started gaining weight after college. In college, all I had to accomplish each day was going to class, coupled with feeding and grooming myself. In the working world, if my gym's hours can't accommodate me, well, I need to find some other way to work out, and can I? It's tough given the fact that I work a PT editing job (deskbound), run a primarily web-based company (also mostly deskbound), write books (again, deskbound) and manage a household. Cleaning and running errands have to do double duty as a workout sometimes.
I know the first response of some people would be "well, find the time to work out" -- easy to say, not easy to do. I've tracked my time management down to a fairly exact science -- short of a little bit of internet goofing-off, I'm more or less busy ALL DAY. Until someone can figure out a way to build a treadmill that'll let me type on my laptop AND walk at the same type (both at a reasonable speed), I'm kinda screwed.
Nutritionally, my acupuncturist friend wanted me to do 6 tiny meals a day instead of 3. I laughed! I don't even get to eat three meals a day with this schedule, I'm fortunate to manage 2.
This isn't meant to be whining so much as point out that I'm surely not the only one with this dilemma.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 10:33 AM on January 11, 2006
I know the first response of some people would be "well, find the time to work out" -- easy to say, not easy to do. I've tracked my time management down to a fairly exact science -- short of a little bit of internet goofing-off, I'm more or less busy ALL DAY. Until someone can figure out a way to build a treadmill that'll let me type on my laptop AND walk at the same type (both at a reasonable speed), I'm kinda screwed.
Nutritionally, my acupuncturist friend wanted me to do 6 tiny meals a day instead of 3. I laughed! I don't even get to eat three meals a day with this schedule, I'm fortunate to manage 2.
This isn't meant to be whining so much as point out that I'm surely not the only one with this dilemma.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 10:33 AM on January 11, 2006
Miko: biking works well at the 15-mile scale.
posted by Heywood Mogroot at 10:35 AM on January 11, 2006
posted by Heywood Mogroot at 10:35 AM on January 11, 2006
Right on Miko - I too have moved to within walking/biking distance of my work and groceries, but it was a challenge to find this spot. The car culture certainly doesn't help. Even so, I don't mind being overweight except when it's time to find clothes, which again is an industry rife with prejudice against large people. As the anti-smoking campaign is counter-productive when it attacks the individuals who smoke, insulting us large people is not the way to encourage change. But then remember I've already stated that I don't want to change.
posted by mouthnoize at 10:39 AM on January 11, 2006
posted by mouthnoize at 10:39 AM on January 11, 2006
How about that people are fed up with diets that dont work and dont want to shell out endless money? We are a society expecting people to stay thin on badly processed food, that is low on nutrients. Those who can afford Whole Foods, organic and a cartload of vegetables a week have a chance, those who dont, are fighting a losing battle. One thing that disturbs me is how they are literally POURING HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP into everything, even foods that dont need it, and INCREASING the AMOUNT. It has been proven that High Fructose Corn Syrup has a definite link to obesity. Companies that know high fat and sugar, lead to more cravings, have been taking advantage. I pray for the day I can afford things like a juicer, and buying all my food straight from the farm, then I may actually have a weight loss chance. Shelling out hundreds of dollars to the diet industry is a roller coaster that many people are obviously growing tired of. The American lifestyle is not one that is conducive to a controlled weight--lack of exercise opportunities--somehow a treadmill in a lonely suburban living room doesnt match walking the veranda in Europe to socialize, BAD food, where companies profit off taking as many nutrients out of it as possible, thinning it out, overly processed, pumped full as much sugar and fat as possible, and high stress, increasing insulin and cortisol levels so people pack the weight on.
posted by Budge at 10:40 AM on January 11, 2006
posted by Budge at 10:40 AM on January 11, 2006
Miko: biking works well at the 15-mile scale.
That's absolutely true, and I do bike during the warmer 6-8 months of the year. But I live in Northern New England, and it's not practical between December and March when the road's shoulder is covered in perma-ice and the days are short. It's also hard to do groceries on the bike, and takes a ton of planning and organization to arrive at work looking presentable.
I'm not making excuses, mind you -- I'm pretty active despite the obstacles. It just goes to show how low a priority we've made activity -- you have to really plan it out and work at it to get enough movement into a day. It won't just happen, because we've planned our bodies right out of our lives.
posted by Miko at 10:46 AM on January 11, 2006
That's absolutely true, and I do bike during the warmer 6-8 months of the year. But I live in Northern New England, and it's not practical between December and March when the road's shoulder is covered in perma-ice and the days are short. It's also hard to do groceries on the bike, and takes a ton of planning and organization to arrive at work looking presentable.
I'm not making excuses, mind you -- I'm pretty active despite the obstacles. It just goes to show how low a priority we've made activity -- you have to really plan it out and work at it to get enough movement into a day. It won't just happen, because we've planned our bodies right out of our lives.
posted by Miko at 10:46 AM on January 11, 2006
how on earth do you get your puppy to walk the treadmill with you?!?
it's not really that I have to GET him to do it. I can't seem to keep him off of it when I'm on it. I get on the treadmill and start walking, and he just thinks that it's time for him to be walking too. these are good, wide treadmills, so it's pretty easy for me to move over a bit. I'll have to put a picture up - it's incredibly cute, but I really detract from the picture... *laugh*
posted by Woney at 11:07 AM on January 11, 2006
it's not really that I have to GET him to do it. I can't seem to keep him off of it when I'm on it. I get on the treadmill and start walking, and he just thinks that it's time for him to be walking too. these are good, wide treadmills, so it's pretty easy for me to move over a bit. I'll have to put a picture up - it's incredibly cute, but I really detract from the picture... *laugh*
posted by Woney at 11:07 AM on January 11, 2006
I don't want to lose weight, but I want other fat people to lose weight, because they're disgusting.
posted by Astro Zombie at 11:39 AM on January 11, 2006
posted by Astro Zombie at 11:39 AM on January 11, 2006
Semi-related... I grew up in the US but have spent the past few years in Japan. When I went back to the US last year on a business trip, I picked up a few packs of Hanes undershirts- the same ones I've been buying for years.
It turns out that last year Hanes changed their sizing down one level. I used to purchase XL shirts. Now I have to purchase Large. I haven't changed but Hanes has.
This was yet another sign to me, among so many, that America is in a crisis of obesity. If Hanes, of all companies, has to adjust their t-shirt sizing nationwide to compensate for growing waistlines, that is a clear indication of a crisis.
posted by gen at 10:52 PM on January 11, 2006
It turns out that last year Hanes changed their sizing down one level. I used to purchase XL shirts. Now I have to purchase Large. I haven't changed but Hanes has.
This was yet another sign to me, among so many, that America is in a crisis of obesity. If Hanes, of all companies, has to adjust their t-shirt sizing nationwide to compensate for growing waistlines, that is a clear indication of a crisis.
posted by gen at 10:52 PM on January 11, 2006
327.ca, your comment/map rules!
posted by ParisParamus at 11:00 PM on January 11, 2006
posted by ParisParamus at 11:00 PM on January 11, 2006
"But do the obese and overweight people use Macs.
posted by furiousthought at 4:58 PM EST on January 10 [!]"
No--they are too small and too fast to be caught.
posted by ParisParamus at 11:05 PM on January 11, 2006
posted by furiousthought at 4:58 PM EST on January 10 [!]"
No--they are too small and too fast to be caught.
posted by ParisParamus at 11:05 PM on January 11, 2006
Wait a minute...I buy Haines tee-shirts, always XL, and I haven't noticed that they've gotten...I'm FAT!!!!!!!!
posted by ParisParamus at 6:06 AM on January 12, 2006
posted by ParisParamus at 6:06 AM on January 12, 2006
This was yet another sign to me, among so many, that America is in a crisis of obesity. If Hanes, of all companies, has to adjust their t-shirt sizing nationwide to compensate for growing waistlines, that is a clear indication of a crisis.
This is nothing new, really. Sizing in the US has increased gradually but consistently throughout the 20th century. What would've been a women's size 16 in the 1950s is a 12 now. In addition, proportions have changed. Armholes and sleeves are much wider, and the introduction of "relaxed fit" jeans starting in the late 70s was really a way to make bigger asses and thighs sound comfortable and casual rather than tubby.
posted by Miko at 6:50 AM on January 12, 2006
This is nothing new, really. Sizing in the US has increased gradually but consistently throughout the 20th century. What would've been a women's size 16 in the 1950s is a 12 now. In addition, proportions have changed. Armholes and sleeves are much wider, and the introduction of "relaxed fit" jeans starting in the late 70s was really a way to make bigger asses and thighs sound comfortable and casual rather than tubby.
posted by Miko at 6:50 AM on January 12, 2006
let them die young then. just don't expect the non-obese to pay for their medical bills.
idiots
posted by JohannStrauss at 6:50 AM on January 13, 2006
idiots
posted by JohannStrauss at 6:50 AM on January 13, 2006
This was yet another sign to me, among so many, that America is in a crisis of obesity. If Hanes, of all companies, has to adjust their t-shirt sizing nationwide to compensate for growing waistlines, that is a clear indication of a crisis.
Bicycle jerseys are supposed to be snug fitting, but not sausage like. They are often sold in two styles. "American fit' aka 'club fit' and 'European fit.' European fit works for regular skinny bike riders types around the world while American fit only fits Americans.
posted by fixedgear at 11:37 AM on January 13, 2006
Bicycle jerseys are supposed to be snug fitting, but not sausage like. They are often sold in two styles. "American fit' aka 'club fit' and 'European fit.' European fit works for regular skinny bike riders types around the world while American fit only fits Americans.
posted by fixedgear at 11:37 AM on January 13, 2006
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posted by ozomatli at 1:43 PM on January 10, 2006