Why do some many folks today act like eating healthy and/or working out is so difficult? (routines, run)
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Exactly! I can see in my own family how people who didn't take care of themselves ended up vs. those who did. My grandmother was an avid walker and "health nut" who was healthy up until the last year of her life at age 99. She had a great quality of life until almost the end when dementia suddenly hit her. And eve so, she just seemed ready to go. But no medications or hospitalization up until that last year.
I have a younger brother who's overweight, always at the doctor, and has been on cholesterol/blood pressure meds since his late 30s. And he doesn't even try to eat healthier. I just don't understand how people can "not care" and end up in horrible health in their 50s and up.
So true, our family can be an indication to what we might face health-wise, reason I'm on it! Adult diabetes runs on my dad side his own mother had it and the same deal rusted her heart values. My dad 80 he was a heavy smoker, smoked since he was 13 and did so up until his heart went 5 years ago, he didn't watch his diet even tho mom was on him, he didn't workout, etc .. ...My mother healthy as can be she 79 still very active and eats right, always was on us kids , so I learned from her to stay healthy.. Likewise all three of our children stay active and healthy, they are adults now live on their own, it's good to see they have developed great habits ...
The OP is probably quite young. The majority of young people are normally active and have a healthy metabolism. That often changes with age for a variety of reasons beyond our control.
I have a pituitary tumor. It's under control now, but before my surgery to remove (most of) it, I was gaining a pound per week while on a 1200 calorie diet. Yes, that's an annual 50 pound gain while eating 1200 calories per day!!!! And no, I wasn't cheating. I'd never had a weight problem before then, at age 44. Following that I had back problems, probably connected to the 220-pound body that had always been 165-170 as an adult. I had to quit my exercise routine, which up until then had been walking 50-60 miles per week - 10 miles per evening x 5 air 6. While I had the back problem mostly corrected, it left damaged nerves so I have problems walking any distance. I can't hike, can't golf, can't even consider playing tennis, etc., all things that I did for enjoyment for decades. Keeping the weight off has been a chore, especially since once it's put on, even if you lose it the fat cells remain and are just waiting to swell up the first chance they get.
My wife's daughter has a similar problem. She has good genes as far as weight is concerned. Her mother (my wife) and father are both very slender, as are all of her cousins, grandparents, etc. She had thyroid problems -- finally had it removed -- but she can't get the weight off. She went from 110 pounds to probably 200-250 in a couple years. Lazy? I don't think so. Gluttonous? Naw. She still hikes regularly and chases her kids around all the time. Her deadbeat husband took off when she gained the weight (good riddance), so she has no help with the kids and still finds time to support a household on her own.
Nobody should look down on overweight people. We don't know why they're overweight. I can pretty much guarantee that none of them are fat because they want to be, and the main difference between most of them and most of those with fit bodies are the cards dealt to them. Yes, they (we) could probably lose all the excess weight with the right program and maybe by-pass surgery, but most of us don't have to resort to that to stay trim. I aced all my college classes (except for one). It was easy for me. Others struggle for a C in algebra. We don't make fun of them for that. Some things are easy for one person and difficult for another. That's life.
I can definitely understand health conditions preventing exercise - there really is nothing you can do at that point, especially if you can't even swim or perform other low impact exercise.
Although I'd like to point out that gaining a pound a week while only eating 1200 calories a day should be physiologically impossible, even with no exercise. This would mean your maintenance calories is about 700 calories per day, which again just seems impossible. The body needs at least 1,000 calories a day of energy just to keep the brain working, heart pumping, and other necessary bodily functions running, and that's for someone at a healthy weight! An overweight person's heart has to work extra hard, so even more calories would need to be expended just to keep blood pumping to all regions of the body. So this defies the laws of physics. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but it's far more likely that the number of calories was incorrectly calculated. If you were to eat 2,000 calories a day and burn 1,000 calories per day through walking, it's practically physiologically impossible to not lose weight. I've seen people with thyroid problems do very well on very low carb diets, as well. They may never be able to have six pack abs, but with hard work should at least be able to get under 35% bodyfat.
In my opinion, the real issue here is that most people (including myself) do not have the willpower to go hungry, when food is readily available. When the body doesn't tell us that we are full until we have eaten more than our caloric needs, weight gain results. This scenario can result from lack of physical activity, poor nutrition (too many processed carbs is the biggest culprit here, because processed carbs provide tons of energy while not giving much hunger satiety), and certain health conditions like the thyroid issues you mentioned.
Last edited by hazergore1198; 07-15-2014 at 12:48 PM..
I work 60 hours a week and go to the gym 3 days a week.
I often have co-workers ask how I can eat so healthy without cheating. They aee me eat a lot of egg whites, nuts, whole grains etc. and ask how I can stand to eat like that every single day.
1) I actually love this food
2) Because I choose to be healthy and feel good. Im in my eatly 30s and often get told I look like im 25.
Im not a HUGE guy but I am in good shape. If you dont/cant workout, at least eat healthy. it makes a eorld of a difference.
When I was in HS I ate like crap. Fast food several times a week. Luckily, I was never overweight.
It took me awhile to get this way, but I almost never eat amything unhealthy. I won't eat cakes and cookies. I don't even have interest in them.
Over the years, I have narrowed it down To 4 enemies of your diet:
1) Sugar
2) Saturated Fats
3) ALL fried foods
4) SODA
To answer your question, because of our lifestyles. We are in a rush and we are bombarded by convenient, cheap, yummy, fast, processed, prepackaged foods that we have become addicted to. We commute, we have office jobs, long hours and families. The two go together like peas and carrots. Our modern lifestyle makes eating what is now considered healthy and working out extra effort in our already busy schedules.
When I was growing up we had 3 of your four on a daily basis. We rarely ate out and soda was a special treat but we ate fried foods and had desert and candy on a regular basis and Kool-Aid with sugar. Obesity and health problems were rare.
My grandma fried everything. She always kept a stand of lard. Biscuits, gravy, pork, eggs for breakfast. Lots of salty pork. Get the picture.
What past generations didn't have was a sedimentary life and processed foods.
I can definitely understand health conditions preventing exercise - there really is nothing you can do at that point, especially if you can't even swim or perform other low impact exercise.
Although I'd like to point out that gaining a pound a week while only eating 1200 calories a day should be physiologically impossible, even with no exercise. This would mean your maintenance calories is about 700 calories per day, which again just seems impossible. The body needs at least 1,000 calories a day of energy just to keep the brain working, heart pumping, and other necessary bodily functions running, and that's for someone at a healthy weight! An overweight person's heart has to work extra hard, so even more calories would need to be expended just to keep blood pumping to all regions of the body. So this defies the laws of physics. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but it's far more likely that the number of calories was incorrectly calculated. If you were to eat 2,000 calories a day and burn 1,000 calories per day through walking, it's practically physiologically impossible to not lose weight. I've seen people with thyroid problems do very well on very low carb diets, as well. They may never be able to have six pack abs, but with hard work should at least be able to get under 35% bodyfat.
In my opinion, the real issue here is that most people (including myself) do not have the willpower to go hungry, when food is readily available. When the body doesn't tell us that we are full until we have eaten more than our caloric needs, weight gain results. This scenario can result from lack of physical activity, poor nutrition (too many processed carbs is the biggest culprit here, because processed carbs provide tons of energy while not giving much hunger satiety), and certain health conditions like the thyroid issues you mentioned.
There is a much wider range of metabolic variation than we account for. I know to you it "seems impossible" but we like to underestimate how different abnormal behavior is for some people. If that poster had normal metabolic function, then it wold be impossible. But they don't.
because if they didnt pretend it was difficult, what excuse would they have for being a chunky monkey?
The unhealthy ones are those who only see the highlighted item above... and instead of the thoughts of exercise it's how fast thy can get their hands on it
To answer your question, because of our lifestyles. We are in a rush and we are bombarded by convenient, cheap, yummy, fast, processed, prepackaged foods that we have become addicted to. We commute, we have office jobs, long hours and families. The two go together like peas and carrots. Our modern lifestyle makes eating what is now considered healthy and working out extra effort in our already busy schedules.
When I was growing up we had 3 of your four on a daily basis. We rarely ate out and soda was a special treat but we ate fried foods and had desert and candy on a regular basis and Kool-Aid with sugar. Obesity and health problems were rare.
My grandma fried everything. She always kept a stand of lard. Biscuits, gravy, pork, eggs for breakfast. Lots of salty pork. Get the picture.
What past generations didn't have was a sedimentary life and processed foods.
I think it's also a matter of priorities. I used to work long hours in an office, and it was difficult to not become overweight. Sitting over 10 hours a day is catastrophic to your health, and even working out an hour after work may not make up for all the time spent being sedentary. But I had to change my priorities. Now, my health comes before my career - for this reason, I will never put in so many hours that I don't have time to exercise and eat properly. The ironic thing is that I will probably live longer than those who put their careers first, thus putting in more hours of work during my lifetime. I have known too many people who worked long hours and died in their 40s and 50s due to the toll that lack of exercise and stress took. If your job and family prevent you from being healthy, then cut back - working 60+ hours a week so you can afford a nice vehicle and a nice home, while not having time to exercise, is not worth it. Taking your kids to soccer games every day if it means that you don't have time to exercise is also not worth it - you can do something with your children that allows the whole family to get exercise, like martial arts classes, hiking, swimming, etc. If possible, simplify your life until you have time to get proper sleep, exercise, and nutrition.
I am right behind you. I will be in the 50 club in 3 years. That's why I am trying to stay in shape and look as youthful as I can be eating healthy, exercising daily, and getting enough sleep.
I am right behind you. I will be in the 50 club in 3 years. That's why I am trying to stay in shape and look as youthful as I can be eating healthy, exercising daily, and getting enough sleep.
I work 60 hours a week and go to the gym 3 days a week.
I often have co-workers ask how I can eat so healthy without cheating. They aee me eat a lot of egg whites, nuts, whole grains etc. and ask how I can stand to eat like that every single day.
1) I actually love this food
2) Because I choose to be healthy and feel good. Im in my eatly 30s and often get told I look like im 25.
Im not a HUGE guy but I am in good shape. If you dont/cant workout, at least eat healthy. it makes a eorld of a difference.
When I was in HS I ate like crap. Fast food several times a week. Luckily, I was never overweight.
It took me awhile to get this way, but I almost never eat amything unhealthy. I won't eat cakes and cookies. I don't even have interest in them.
Over the years, I have narrowed it down To 4 enemies of your diet:
1) Sugar
2) Saturated Fats
3) ALL fried foods
4) SODA
And I seriously dislike when people feel superior to those that decide no to. Its annoying and overbearing, you enjoy your nuts? Good for you, you eat for nutrition? Good for you.
I personally LOVE food, I mean, I went to school to become a chef, I love food. We dont eat out at all as a family as I cook everything and we do want our children to have healthy lifestyles, but we dont eat just to stay alive, we eat because we love eating and its sad that you cant just sit down one day and enjoy a piece of chocolate cake. Besides, my family has a bakery and they have own it for years and years, I grew up eating bread and pastries and cookies and such, I will not give them up.
Im not overweight, but I've never been skinny. Im only 4'11 and before having kids I was no bigger than 45 kg maybe? Now Im at 52 or 51 kg, not fat at all but out of shape but I just had a baby not that long ago. I have 4 children ( under the age of 8) and I live abroad with no help at all, except for a couple of weeks during the summer, do you think I have time to go to the gym? Nope. My husband and I do exercise around 4 or 5 times a week, we mostly jog for an hour everyday and then we swim for another hour, not much but as we take the kids with us and that can be exhausting.
I've known extremyl healthy people that have died all of a sudden, yet my grandfather for example smokes like a chimney and has a terrible diet and is going strong at 75 it will eventually caught up with him but he cant say he didnt enjoyed his cigars and his food.
The challenge is to make food that is both healthy and delicious and interesting. I try to see myself as an engine needing fuel and I need to put good fuel in it. The one thing I've given up that I really miss is ice cream...I'll allow myself that indulgence maybe once a month.
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