Wealth and Waistlines

A year ago I weighed 412 pounds, now I weigh 310 , its a process and you have to be in for the long haul.
I didnt get this way over night, so I cant talk it off overnight.

My Keys to weight loss,

1. Stop drinking regular pop/soda averages 100 calories per 8 oz serving, put another way thats 20 minutes son the treadmill averageing 3mph to burn that off.

2. Drink Water- no calories.

3. WALKING - i WALK ON AVERAGE OF 2-4 MILES DAY 5 DAYS A WEEK, YES YOUR BODY NEEDS TIME TO REST .

4. Watch less TV I got rid of mine at home and now only watch Tv when I walk at the Gym. Amazing how things like that go hand in hand.

5. Set goals, take photos, and reward yourself.

6. My Father died from heart disease in 2006 and I was on my way tobecomming a victim f it to unless I did something to reverse the trend. Well I have, and I will continue until I reach my weight goal.

So fat people are happy. But what about the cost of health care to ALL of us?

I cannot believe this book is from a health economist. He did not address the cost of health care at ALL

Regarding my strict regimen, I should have noted I'm a competitive runner and need to be very light (5'8 115 lb). A lot of foods don't agree with me (like sugar), so it's easier for me to maintain. Plus, my job is outdoors and very physical--having endurance and being in shape is pretty much a job requirement. Running is my meditation, too. I agree that most people wouldn't be happy doing all this.
Ifjourney, I'm glad to hear you're happy where you are. My only objection was that when people want better results they might have to push harder (some people want results without the work). If that's not possible, they'll have to learn to be happy where they're at. All just fine, as long as the person is really happy doing what they're doing. And there are genetic differences, too.

Thin people are not morally superior--they're biologically lucky. Some people are fat because they eat too much and don't exercise. Many of us, though, have tried everything and can't get it (or keep it) off. Those of you who have shared such harsh words, please don't make it even harder for us. I would recommend a book: Rethinking Thin by Gina Kolata, the science writer for the New York Times. It will change the way you see overweight people.

Oh come on.....healthy food isn't necessarily expensive. So don't get the alaskan salmon or the organic vegetables. Brown rice, lentils, fruit/vegetables in season are all reasonable. Even frozen vegetables are reasonable.
And as far as walking environments, I knew a guy who'd walk the same four flights of stairs during lunch just to get his workout in. Where there's a will, there's a way.
Stop with the excuses already.

I disagree with this author's point of view - it's fatalistic. Exercising does not have take up that much time - just 30 minutes, 4 times a week at a fast walk is recommended. On top of that, center your food intake around fresh vegetables, drink a lot of water and voila, you are not overweight or obese. But people would have to learn to think/act outside the norm to do this, and most are patently uncomfortable doing that. Which sucks because unhealthy people cost a lot of money - preventable disease take up something like 80% of all health care costs. Would you rather spend that extra money on vegetables or on your health insurance premium?

I have relatives who wonder outloud why they are overweight (and I/others are not), while munching through a boox of cookies or the like.

As I said to my mother when one particular person left the kitchen - try eating less and exercising more.

I don't belong to a gym or play any competitive sports - I don't have the money, time, or interest. I do walk when / where I can, try not to eat (too much) junk food and eat at home with the family whenever possible. I try to stop eating when I'm full. It helps offset sitting on a chair 12 hours a day at work.

I don't have anything resembling a washboard stomach and I've definitely put on weight slowly as I've gotten older (40+). Still, I'm healthier than most of my colleagues including those younger than me with lower counts of most bad things in my blood and all that.

Eat less.

Exercise more.

Think about it.

The safest bet on fat free and safe foods are but not 100% home grown or hunted. Heirloom vegetables, wild game and free range farm produce. Most urbanites do not have the time to raise vegetables or put in the time and effort to harvest free range game or gather the fruits produced from domestic farm animals. It is the lack of side walks, city centers, and the monsanto genetics that keep America obese.

The safest bet on fat free and safe foods are but not 100% home grown or hunted. Heirloom vegetables, wild game and free range farm produce. Most urbanites do not have the time to raise vegetables or put in the time and effort to harvest free range game or gather the fruits produced from domestic farm animals. It is the lack of side walks, city centers, and the monsanto genetics that keep America obese.

Mr. Finkelstein seems to have ignored Japan and South Korea -- two countries with very advanced economies, where obesity doesn't seem to be a problem.

Essentially this is a personal issue, and if one is not motivated to be healthy it won't happen regardless of the compelling reasons. The article mentioned shorter life span and health complications in the long run but did not stress the benefits of being healthy here and now. Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle cause more than long-term disease. They cause chronic fatigue and problems like insomnia and musculoskeletal issues. This translates directly into a quality of life issue. The people who don't want to give up their high-paying salaries (an excuse at any rate) might be surprised to find their quality of life improve by taking care of their bodies, even with a cut in pay. This is altogether an issue of motivation, not economics. Someone motivated will find time to exercise even if s/he works 80 hours per week, and an unmotivated individual who is unemployed will not. Besides, there are lots of healthy alternatives to restarant trash, even at the fast-food level. It's time people take responsibility for themselves.

Excluding the disabled, I've had it with the excuses from people.. It's really quite easy: Work out--or at least walk/move around a lot. Choose foods wisely, foods without empty calories and with nutritioinal value--the info in on most packaging (better yet, choose fresh).
Yes, economy is a REASON for easily obtained, bad foods. It is not, however, an excuse for poor choices. If society wants to be fit, it will need to modify its behavior. If not, people will be fat (and who cares anyway if that is their choice).