Wealth and Waistlines

This is terrible, it's horrifying and it's a digusting message.Just from reading this article, it's obvious that the culprit of America's trend toward obesity is not only corporate issues such as the ones outlined in this article, but the justifications and excuses made by today's Americans to allow themselves to fall victim to the trend. Today's American's look towards drugs such as the ones mentioned to maintain a false sense of health which could easily be maintained instead by natural excersize. And furthermore, as to the issue of justification of the trend by the change of lifestyle in the current day in age, i see this as no more than a convineint excuse which really has little basis. Issues such as the subsidization of farmers who produce products which are used in fatty foods are largely unknown and not considered by the population of people who consumes them, so i do not see this as a viable excuse for those people as long as other options still exist. In particular, the statements about occupations such as his uncle's profession in law are ones i feel hold absolutely no ground. I cannot see how work as a lawyer can be used as an excuse for a modern day trend. Have lawyers not existed for decades? How is it reasonable to say that a lawyer's work is adversely affected suddenly by this trend, when it has never been part of such a trend in the past? And more importantly, how relavent is occupation at all? I am willing to bet that there many people in a wide variety of jobs who suffer from obesity, and conversely, that many people with similar sedentary jobs can afford to stay fit without sacrificing such a large amount of time as to not be successful. With all the areas where time may be spent unwisely in many careers, i can hardly see excersize as being called a waste of valuable business time in a career, when an individual's health may be compromised by this loss of activity. If your occupation gives you little opportunity for physical activity, all the more reason to find ways to stay active outside of work.

You will surely stop losing weight if you only diet. Improving your strength and metabolism through regular exercise is the solution. It explains why obesity is a new epidemic in our society. We used to walk, hike and site see out doors, now we do it from the couch. No single fruit, vegetable or diet program is the magic bullet. In all the research I have done over the years, the research participants that chose exercise and diet were the most successful and kept the weight off. Portion control and food content is also critical, but alone will not prevent you from gaining weight. The number one cause of bone loss that leads to osteoporosis is lack of regular weight bearing exercise. We can blame it on menopause, hormones or not getting enough calcium in the diet, those all contribute, but it all boils down to getting off the couch or out from behind the computer and exercising. I know starting an exercise program is not easy, and most of us do not like to do it or make it a priority - I have heard all the excuses! But, once you get started and get through the first month (you do not need to bench press 300 pounds or run for an hour on the tread mill) you will grow to love it and crave it.

Too bad poor fat-ass Uncle Al couldn't figure out a way to make more money in less hours and then have time to get in a walk or two or tennis or basketball or some other fun sport to stay fit instead of sitting in front of his MAC jacking off to Jessica Alba while his boss thinks he's really working.

Many of you have heard this before, I will say it anyway. It's not about working out or anything. It's all portion sizes. Many of you who have been on a diet and are still sticking with it, you all know that all it takes is a 2 slices of Pizza or a Cheese burger or a "nice full plate of pasta" which will cause you not to loose any pounds at all within that week. infact it will just maintain or you will game a pound or 2.

Here is a secret to really burn off that fat....EAT CANTALOPE. Cantalope will help you kick off that weight. I use to weigh 325 pounds, I now weigh 227 and I am still loosing. Another trick is to not eat the same things, always change up the foods you eat. If you eat the same foods all the time, you're going to hit a "plato" which you wont loose anymore weight or it's just going to be hard as hell to loose it.

Samon, lean meats (steak), Chicken, Turkey, Veggies, Fruite. If you are in definite need of some surger, I highly suggest Surgercain, you know...the kind that you bite down and suck out the surgery juice, only ONE cube should work and it will completely crush that surger craving. Milk chocolate is also pretty bad but if you can take it, extra dark chocolate isn't nearly as bad.

All it comes down to is portion sizes but alittle tiny bit is what you actually eat. I completely stay away from fast-food places. If I go out to eat with people or myself, I get either Samon with a side of broccoli or a chicken Ceaser Salad (tell them to put the dressing on the side, don't use the whole thing of dressing).

Before I went on this diet, I dedicated a day to fast ( I know people will say it's not good for you) but for a big eater such as me, it helps. 1 day of not eating, all I did was drink grapefruite juice, water, or pure cranberry juice. the next day when you eat breakfast, you wont be able to eat a lot. Always remember, don't eat untill you're full, always eat untill you're satesfied.

Bread is the number 1 cause of weight gain, a person should only have 2 slices of bread a day. completely restrict yourself of potatochips for 1 straight year, after that have the portion size if you decide to eat potato chips. I highly suggest, that is if anyone reading decides to try my method...weight untill you hit your goal in weight before you decide to jump to potato chip serving sizes.

I am a wheelchair bound person with six disabling conditions--three of which could take my life at any time... and in chronic unremitting pain. yet I am a productive member of society. I have recently lost 70 pounds over three years with a combination of spirituality (being in solidarity with the starving poor of the world) and a anticonvulsant drug that helps with pain control AND weight loss--but it does not mitigate hunger pain, which I have unrelentingly, too. Since I also have GI problems, including severe excess acid reflux and "nutcracker esophagus" (as well as angina and a heart block) I suffer sometimes intensely because of this hunger. Yet i have learned to reinterpret it as "a good thing" rather than "bad". i also know it will go on to the end of my life with which i need to be satisfied. I like being thinner, but it does not reduce my pain, nor make me more mobile. It just makes me more "human" and less a "glutton". Yet I know others have their own problems--and this has been such a huge one I cannot expect others to do the same thing. It is an immense, incredible sacrifice I have made willingly and with mammoth effort, even iwth the addition of the helpful medicine. Those who do not have this problem are exceedingly blessed and cannot guess what it is for those of us who go through it. But i add my encouragement to all who are trying to do something about it--it is well worth the effort! Bravo for you!

It is this simple....we have done this to ourselves. We are over weight because we over eat and do not exercise. Working in front of a computer is no excuse. I do it all the time, but make the time and the committment to get regular exercise. I avoid fast food and restaurants as much as possible and pack my own lunches. All restaurant food, whether you get it at a drive thru or at an expensive sit down restaurant is not only loaded with tons of fat and other unhealthy ingredients, but is served to consumers in huge portions which many of us feel obligated to finish. Most places do not even post nutritional information about what they serve you...why do you think that is? If a restaurant tells you your meal will contain over 3000 calories, with 400 of those coming from fat...you would not eat it! After we eat these huge meals, we retreat to the computer, video games or TV for entertainment. The solution, eat right and exercise...make the committment to do it. Your health is worth the investment. And by the way, obesity is not a natural or normal condition, scientific data tells us that excessive weight does much more harm than good. Wake up, America - being obese is not normal or healthy...even if it is becoming more common.

I am wheelchair-bound and can't exercise. I also have chronic pain. I have found a medicine that helps relieve my pain that has also made it possible for me to lose 70 pounds over the last three years along with a sensible eating program. i just couldn't do it before that with my level of inactivity and my excess stomach acid, which required eating every few hours because of GI distress. This medicine is Topamax. on it I am no onger bothered by the stomach pain of an empty stomach--I can be hungry and it doesnt' bother me--I just don't feel like eating. Furthermore, my spirituality has helped, too. i am in solidarity with those who do not have food in their stomachs all the time because they are too poor to afford this wealth. All-in-all it has meant much to me. I KNOW it is possible to lose weight--and cut down and feel hungry--and learn to reinterpret the feeling as "not bad"... yes, I have the medicine to help--but it takes a certain more than that, too--a willingness to not be a 'glutton" and be a "real" member of society. I eat very small portions--and only one small meal a day supplemented by two cans of Ensure--three if I've been busy and active. This I know to be my lifetime routine--if not less than this as I get older. I do not need anymore than what I need to maintain this weight loss into the future--and I've lost it so slowly it should stay off. I have about 30 poinds to go--another year or so or weight loss, then i will still stay on the same intake because my needs for calorie will be less because i'll weigh less. I am satisfied with that. I live on meals-on-wheels for elderly reduced income seniors..

Whole wheat bread is no more expensive than white bread. Oatmeal is inexpensive and plentiful than sugar coated cereal. Soy milk is cost effective and healthy. Whole wheat pasta costs about the same as regular
pasta. Frozen strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, with soy and flaxseed. Fat free, sugar free,
Turkey sandwich on whole wheat with some low fat swiss cheese, some spinach salad with onions
and green peppers and black olives and omega rich olive oil and some fish oil pills. Some oatmeal
with raisins and a cup of coffee. Quinoa, lentils, tomato sause, soup base, brown rice, with chilli powde

Enter Your Comment

Enter Your Comment

Enter Your Comment

Enter Your Comment

Enter Your Comment

I'm not so sure that middle and upper class families are more over weight than the less affluent. In fact general observation would lead me to postulate otherwise. Add to that the fact that healthier foods generally cost more. Go to any supermarket and see what you can buy on a limited budget and still feed a family. You will find the pastas, corn, peas, white bread, etc. Few of those with limited incomes purchase fresh green vegetables or higher priced lean meats. Look for low fat items and you will usually find that they cost more than the same item without the reduced fat. Check out food banks and see what they pass out to their patrons. It is not the more healty and less fattening food products.

Roland Signett

I'm not so sure that middle and upper class families are more over weight than the less affluent. In fact general observation would lead me to postulate otherwise. Add to that the fact that healthier foods generally cost more. Go to any supermarket and see what you can buy on a limited budget and still feed a family. You will find the pastas, corn, peas, white bread, etc. Few of those with limited incomes purchase fresh green vegetables or higher priced lean meats. Look for low fat items and you will usually find that they cost more than the same item without the reduced fat. Check out food banks and see what they pass out to their patrons. It is not the more healty and less fattening food products.

Roland Signett