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Oh, and guess what - you would get just as fat if you were eating 5000+ calories a day with skilletfuls of your organic homegrown potatoes fried with bacon from your own pasture-raised pigs as you would from having that many calories of Happy Meals. You may be slightly less likely to get cancer from all the transfats and additives, but you'll still get fat.
I'm an American and I'm not fat... never have been and never will be. My parents weren't either. I know there are many fat people, but ALL Americans are not fat.
Everyone has brought up good points. But I agree with the poster who said it's not just one of these things causing Americans to become fatter. I reckon it's all of them! Let's make a list, and what to do about it shall we:
1. Increasingly sedentary lifestyles, or just plain old non-activity. Get off the computers, nooks and tablets, turn off the TV and move your body around for 30 minutes a day minimum (more movement = better). If you're wheelchair bound, or recovering from injury, or otherwise unable to move around more, read the other list items...
2. Fast food, processed food, take-out, restaurant food, etc. -- it's all fat, salt and sugar-laden (including HFCS). If a big, profit corporation made it, don't eat it. Or at least limit this kind of intake to a bare minimum. This includes soda pop---cut out all soda pop, both regular and sugar-free. If you can use Coca Cola to effectively clean your car tires, imagine what it does to your gut? Drink more water. Start cooking from scratch again (or discover what fun cooking can be!).
3. Eat only meats and dairy from small-scale suppliers who can guarantee that it's antibiotic and growth hormone free. Many scientists believe that kids burst into puberty faster now because of the hormones added by the big meat and dairy corporations. You and your kids get fatter faster. If you don't have access to such a supplier, perhaps cut out meat all together (lots of plants and grains provide good protein, too).
4. Lack of nutrients can also cause obesity, because your body/brain prompts you to eat more of whatever you're feeding yourself when it's lacking essential nutrients. Many Americans are essentially malnourished, despite the quantity of food consumed. Focus on eating whole fruits, vegetables, and all manner of whole grains, legumes, beans, nuts, etc. Also, the bolder the color of the whole food---the more nutrients it packs. Think beets, carrots, kale, broccoli, dark green leaves, yams, pumpkin, squash---the darker and brighter the colors, the better it is for ya!
5. Don't begin your day by eating simple carbs. Eat some protein and/or a complex carb (whole oats, for example). One egg, whole grain bread or cereal, some good whole milk (see #1) will not set you off on a carb craving all day long. Eating donuts, bagels, white bread, muffins, and sugar-laden cereal is not on the breakfast list anymore, ok? If you're diabetic, you're going to feel so much better.
6. No more scarfing food like you've never eaten before. Instead, sit down at a table and take your time eating your lovely home-cooked meal--chew each bite well, savor the tastes and aromas. Light a candle on the table--create a little ambiance and mindfulness around eating time. Use nice plates. Don't chat too much---just eat slowly and enjoy your beautiful homemade creation and your body/health will thank you. No more standing, running, rushing out the door while wolfing down a sandwich or some other on-the-go food. Also, I don't buy it that you don't have time for a nice meal time. Just 10 or 15 minutes of mindful eating in the way described above is all it takes. (No surfing the internet or fiddling around with your cell phone, either--ok?)
7. Reject advertising. (That should be easier since you're spending less time in front of the boob tube, right?) The next time that commercial comes on that tells you that you're too busy, too important, too rushed, etc. so, therefore, you need to buy a convenience food, go McDonalds, or Applebees, etc.... reject it. For-profit food outfits have one goal (even though they try their damndest to convince you that they have others). Profit for their shareholders is the #1 reason they exist. They do not give a flying fig about your health. Take your health back from big business.
I...really don't know why, because I haven't seen it. I know some people who enjoy gardening and homesteading, and buy homes with larger lots especially for that reason. I live in a very typical suburb, and many of the houses around the outskirts are older with acreage where people do whatever they want, including keeping chickens, goats etc. I even know a person with goats and llamas, who makes all her own goat dairy, and they don't live on a farm or have any licenses etc.
However, most of the people I know simply aren't interested in this lifestyle and the effort that it takes, or live in condos/townhomes etc where it's not feasible.
Have you asked these people why they are doing these types of gardening?? I mean really sit down and talk to them about it? They are not doing it just for fun eventhough they enjoy it. No, because I guarantee you will hear what you don't want to hear. Go ask them and be ready to get educated.
I have no reason to be 'upset', more like amused at the conspiracy theories. But it does annoy me when people will place blame on anything and everything (government! society! Big Brother!), instead of taking a long hard look at themselves and their own life choices. Somehow myself, my spouse, both of our families and pretty much most of our friends manage to have decent diets and maintain healthy weights in spite of not growing our own food or buying 100% organic (though I do go organic for dairy and meats for the most part). Oh, and we dine out a fair bit AND even occasionally indulge in something like takeout pizza. Imagine that! Just, you know, with a couple of slices per person and that's dinner, maybe a few times a year. Moderation - what a concept!
Ohhhhh, so you do eat organic foods!!! Let's do a test. Go back to the regular store bought, less expensive meats and dairy products for a month and let us know how your digestive system works afterwards. Lol, when it slows down, make you constipated (gain wt) and change your mood, then you will be able to empathize with those who have learned bad habits and can't afford the organic foods. OR you can find a overweight person near you and teach them how to eat healther; better yet buy and give them the organic meat and dairy for a month instead your family eating it. Dairy for dairy ;meat for meat. Now that would be compassion!
I've got one. EAT LESS.
Calculate how many calories you need to lose/maintain weight. Don't go over them. Try to make most of those calories whole, nutritious foods, but let yourself have treats if you want them. Just don't overeat.
Eat when hungry. Stop when full. But if your satiety signals are all messed up and your stomach stretched out from years of overeating, it'll take some re-training first. That could mean feeling slightly hungry on occasion. That's okay! You're not going to die of starvation, I promise.
Ohhhhh, so you do eat organic foods!!! Let's do a test. Go back to the regular store bought, less expensive meats and dairy products for a month and let us know how your digestive system works afterwards. Lol, when it slows down, make you constipated (gain wt) and change your mood, then you will be able to empathize with those who have learned bad habits and can't afford the organic foods. OR you can find a overweight person near you and teach them how to eat healther; better yet buy and give them the organic meat and dairy for a month instead your family eating it. Dairy for dairy ;meat for meat. Now that would be compassion!
Ehm yes I BUY organic, a lot of the time but not always. I don't raise my own livestock. That's what I meant by people having options.
I buy organic yogurt because I prefer the taste. I don't drink milk. I get organic milk and meat only for my son, but I'll often buy non-organic chicken or pork for me and my husband - he eats a lot of chicken so all organic would get expensive. I eat the equivalent of about 1/2 chicken breast a day if any and I could easily go without meat at all, so I see absolutely no difference on my weight whether it's organic or not. I often eat non-organic produce. The reason I try eating more organic is for HEALTH reasons, which to me are very important - however, it's in no way related to my weight. My mom never bought organic meat or dairy when I lived at home, yet none of us were overweight.
The only times I see my weight going up is when I get sloppy about my calorie intake and/or exercise less, as well as hormonal reasons like pregnancy. All it takes is watching how much and what I eat again and stepping up the exercise to get back to normal - not that that's always an easy thing to do, but it's all on me.
Location: Went around the corner & now I'm lost!!!!
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[quote=EvilCookie;38295414]Ehm yes I BUY organic, a lot of the time but not always. I don't raise my own livestock. That's what I meant by people having options.
I buy organic yogurt because I prefer the taste. I don't drink milk. I get organic milk and meat only for my son, but I'll often buy non-organic chicken or pork for me and my husband - he eats a lot of chicken so all organic would get expensive. I eat the equivalent of about 1/2 chicken breast a day if any and I could easily go without meat at all, so I see absolutely no difference on my weight whether it's organic or not. I often eat non-organic produce. The reason I try eating more organic is for HEALTH reasons, which to me are very important - however, it's in no way related to my weight. My mom never bought organic meat or dairy when I lived at home, yet none of us were overweight. Food has changed tremendously over the decades and it depends on where and how it is grown and processed. Fifty years ago food tasted far better than it does now and people were smaller also. But when they started giving growth hormone to the animals in the 70s, girls started their periods earlier and developed breast at a younger age.
The only times I see my weight going up is when I get sloppy about my calorie intake and/or exercise less, as well as hormonal reasons like pregnancy. All it takes is watching how much and what I eat again and stepping up the exercise to get back to normal - not that that's always an easy thing to do, but it's all on me. And if your hormones had not readjusted back to normal, you would be still overweight. You have no control over hormones. Let just one be unbalance and it will cause a domino effect in other hormones.
So you eat organic for HEALTH reasons but those who are shopping at Walmart can't afford the organics and everyBODY is different and metabolizes food differently the good food and the bad.
I have a patient right now who weighs at least 350 pounds and bedridden with a beautiful personality. But I ask the patient what is the doctor doing about her lymphatic system retaining all that fluid? NOTHING basically the doctor doesn't know what to do because he never answers the question. I KNOW it has to be at least 100 pounds of fluid on this patient. You can change her diet, control her calorie intake, make her exercise put her on diuertics and the weight is not coming off; it's a circulatory problem with a underlying cause. The patient can't afford organic food or go to a ND for analysis.
Even though I had graduated from high school 1987 it was pretty much the same in my hometown...VERY few kids that were truly overweight even though even back then my hometown had most of the fast food chains including several McDonalds and the 7-11 had already started selling Big Gulps.
Of course back then there weren't very many so-called "overprotective parents". Today there are so many of such parents who no longer even allow their kids to play with other kids, get involved with sports programs or even allowing them to go to the movies because of the fear something horrible might happen. We have a huge playground and pool in our development but it is rare to see anyone using them even during the warm days of summer. When I was kid I would often go skateboarding with the other kids..can't do that now one may get hurt and sue.
Back in the day if one wanted to eat out or shop one actually had to get up and leave their home to do so. Today here in Denver thanks to King Soopers ( part of Kroger ) and Walmart one can even have their groceries delivered right to their door even if they may very well live near a Whole Foods. Then there is social media. My co-worker was telling me the other day when she was at the gym recently there were far many folks standing around with the Smartphones typing stuff posting funny photos on Facebook, tweeting about what they saw on those reality TV shows like the Kardashians or Duck Dynasty than actually working out. We have so many places thanks to online ordering out here one can have a different meal sent to their house seven days a week without even stepping outside to go to a restaurant.
TV & radio...back then one had to get up and walk to change the station. Today with such things as online streaming and Iheart Media phone apps all can be done on the phone. Sleep ?? People love to bash soda but what about those popular energy drinks that so many love ? One won't be getting much sleep if they drink can after can after can after can of Red Bull. Back then if one wanted to get energy you had to be active and actually do something.
Yes a bad diet and fixing those quick and easy meals rather than a meal from scratch does play a role as to why so many are fat but even if there is a Trader Joes or a Whole Foods in every town and on every street corner and if soda and McDonald's would be outlawed as long as there will be many of folks who for one reason or another just won't leave their house, sit on the couch or a desk and do EVERYTHING online..there will always be a problem with obesity.
I do a lot of my shopping at the very, very evil Walmart..... and have no trouble finding nutritious food.
I am not a great cook, and I do not give much thought to what I am cooking....but I know how to make nutritious and very tasty meals. I have been cooking for myself most of my life....that is the way I prefer it.
I think a starting point for most people who are overweight would be to learn to cook simple and nutritious meals, ditch the sodas, ditch the snacks......and eat only 3 well-balanced meals a day.
This.
the two biggest grocery chains in my n'hood make it a challenge to find anything between all the high-carb-artificial convenient junk food crap. However it must be said that this is due to what the demographics in this particular area DEMAND more of, so it is the consumers' fault that we don't have options/choices more convenient to us. There is no Whole Foods, Trader Joes or the like anywhere nearby. Closest thing to "health" store is the GNC chain. There are however 3 wal-marts within a 4-5 mile radius.
And people won't walk 6 yards to go into an empty-inside coffee joint with all empty parking spots in front of it, on a nice day. Instead you will see 7+ cars deep, sitting there engines running in the drive-thru on any given nice day where I live. Cheap, easy, convenient is ALL that matters here. In this day & age when virtually EVERYTHING is done FOR us, how is it everybody is so busy that their only priorities-demands are for cheap convenient junk foods? Computers and iphones do all the stuff we used to have to venture outside to do!! We don't even have to wait in line to pay bills anymore!!! Even that is done online!! NOBODY walks anywhere and the former "normal" proportioned people are few and far between and the few who WANT healthier alternatives at the grocery have to travel for it. (YMMV where you are located.) I can't wait to move!!
I do a LOT of my shopping at Walmart and have NO problem finding nutritious and healthy foods.
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Closest thing to "health" store is the GNC chain. There are however 3 wal-marts within a 4-5 mile radius. 