Diets don't work

[nadinbrzezinski]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5162825

So what has worked for me? I'm willing to share...

First off, I gained A LOT OF WEIGHT with Avandia over the course of three months. That was scary.... thirty or forty pounds and four dress sizes... WOW

So if you have any unexplained weight gain, or you cannot loose weight for whatever reason, do seek medical advise and be proactive

Insist on two tests, one is thyroid function, the other is a diabetes test. Both are simple blood tests and they are far more common than we think, and many docs for many valid reasons don't like to do those, That pre-existing condition you see and the cost to the insurance company. (Another reason we need National Health Care period)

And even if you get a positive diagnosis, that is not an excuse to just go well, whatever... I am fat, reach for the donuts (which is the reaction of some folks... anecdotally I have seen that reaction too)

There are reasons you need to loose as a diabetic... mostly better sugar control

So here is what has worked for me.

I will repeat diets don't work. I didn't go on insert fad diet program here. I started listening to my body, and only nine months into it I found that was I was doing was intuitive eating. This means I was listening to my body as to what it needed. So if my body said meat, we had meat, if it said vegies, well vegies. The only thing that I had to watch was the total carbs in a meal due to the diabetes. That has become second nature any more, and I can count them pretty accurately, it is very much old hat.

When I found the I can make you thin series, I found a better method to the intuitive eating, that is all... oh and I highly recommend it... as you will stop blaming yourself for not loosing ok... or failing in every other fad diet out there.

There is more...

You exercise every day... (What you nuts, I don't... I mean I really have not been to a gymn in years... neither have I). You wake up and go to the bathroom, right. that is exercise. You go to the kitchen to make coffee, that is exercise... you got to the store to get groceries... right? You know the drill by now

Now here is a tool from McKenna's site that I loved. Get yourself a pedometer... simple little device, and see how many physical steps you take. Most thin people, or naturally thin people walk more, about 6K steps a day. Most people who are overweight take about 4K (these are averages by the way), So after you get a base count, it is easy to increase how much you walk... and you will not even break a sweat, I promise. Park father at the store when you go shop. Park farther at the work parking lot. Take the stairs, simple things. Now these days I also use an exercise machine at home, but it's gotten to the point that getting on the machine is just part of the daily routine. It is not the dreaded exercise... but just like cooking, or doing the dishes.. it is something I do, period...

Now I am not fixated on the loosing part. IN the early stages I didn't even weight myself. They just started shedding and clothes were bigger, as in really big. Then I started to weight myself as part of my diabetes care routine. Now be careful with that, and if you are one of those folks who lets the scale rule your life, don't, or do so twice a month. If you can handle more often as you don't care what the scale says, by all means... I am one of those rare birds that weights herself every day... see that diabetes, and I know what is my normal range of weight...

Oh and I KNOW that my set point is higher than "ideal weight." I made my peace with that a long time ago... and if anybody calls me chubby, so be it, whatever... and if anybody is judgmental, well someday, given national health statistics, they might end up walking in my shoes... more than just a mile. Yes, that makes me smile. (As to the chubby, I am about 20 lbs above my upper limit, by statistics)

I still eat a sensible diet, haven't kept a food journal by the way, but I know it balanced... and ahem exercise. But I haven't lost any weight in a while, and I don't care. I feel better and have a lot more energy

Now other things that have worked, plates in the US, dinner plates, have grown from 9 inches to 12 inches... the eye -feeling full connection is real. So I do use a salad dish, aka your 9 incher. (For you who like to count calories that is about 300 calories in that dinner)

There is more... I have also learned to eat slower, yes, we all have heard it, and there is truth to that. So you could say I have enacted some serious life style changes.... alas it does not feel like that.

Oh and if I loose zero pounds extra right now I don't care. The struggle is to keep within the 5% for whom these changes work, and not the 95%. I think the mental outlook helps as well. After all I haven't been on a diet (unless you consider the diabetes restrictions a diet, which technically it is) in years. There is no forbidden fruit, so essentially there are no cravings Yes, we just had ice-cream for desert, with fudge. (Sugar free or no sugar added, but we still had ice cream)

Try this... it may work for you as well. Can't promise that

Oh and eat without distractions and enjoy your food. See, even though McKenna does not go into it, people who are heavier tend to have a harder time emjoying their food, it is almost an adiction response, and lower serotonin produced in the brain. (Yes plenty of studies as well).. so if you eat without distractions, like the TV... I found that I actually enjoy my food more and can feel when I am full and satisfied faster. The second is at times the hardest to master and we enter the realm of brain chemistry and pleasure response. Again, we enter into the complexities that are involved in weight control and weight maintenance

Oh and for those who are vets of EMS, POLICE, the Military, you know you learn to eat FAST... that was the hardest habit to break... as it were

Oh and at times I do graze all day, by the way, and that is fine... other times have three meals and that's it. Whatever my body wants to do, it gets... and it works.

Hell this will be counterintuitive to some folks, but at times we finish a meal, and half an hour later I am hungry, I graze

[monmouth]

1. Great post. The moment I start to feel full, I stop eating. I seem to require less

and less food. Since I retired and sit on the computer at DU I found myself grazing also. If I don't buy the food to graze then that stops. I also walk instead of ride. Good info and glad to K&R..

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Trivia for ya, older people do require less food

so what you are seeing is normal

Scary is my four year old nephew, he eats what adults eat, and his is in the normal range

:-)

[Big Blue Marble]

2. nadinbrzezinski

I know that you took a lot of hits on your other thread. I wanted you to know about this remarkable
man and his story that validates much of what you are saying. He was able to lose over two hundred
pounds without diet and exercise. This excess weight was caused by dieting and stress!
http://www.jongabriel.com.au/

Weight issues are so much more than just calories in and calories out. Our individual metabolisms are remarkablely different.
And if we have spent much time dieting, they will be damaged. It is so easy to judge others without
understanding. We see that here and elsewhere all the time.:-) It sounds as if you have done a great
job in understanding your body and how to take good care of you. Kudos!

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. I took the hits from the usual math brigade

I blame the medical community for this one actually... over the course of decades doctors and other health care professionals have done a disservice by telling people, eat less, exercise more

Now when that started ok fine, that was the state of the science... but many health care providers, including doctors haven't kept up with it... so when a person comes in who is a little chubby well, close your mouth exercise more is the usual response... BIL just got that.

I am lucky. My doctor, she's a GP, admits that she doesn't have the full answers, and when I gained those thirty or forty pounds with the avandia she insisted I keep a food diary. I was eating 1000 calories or so a day... and both she and I were stumped. So this is in the early days of Avandia as the miracle drug... mind you my 1AC was great, 5.2... but my weight ballooned all the way to 200 or more...

So I started using the google and so did she, and we went, there is something here. First reports were just trickling in about the Avandia and that nasty side effect. So she took me off it, and instead put me on an older med, since then I no longer need that one. She never mentioned a thing about the weight loss that was necessary, As a woman who is 5.1 with knee and back problems I knew I had to do it. I tried WW in the past, didn't work. I tried a slew of other things. So this time I went, forget it, And I started doing things on my own. And just like Gabriel doing lots of readying.

One day I found the McKenna program on TLC... hell ended up buying the videos. It was just condensed as to what I was doing

Oh and friday we are taking the gazelle to good will, unless there is a DU'er in San Diego that would like a slightly used gazelle. Great for starting that exercise program. Otherwise, Good Will will get it and hopefully somebody else will benefit.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

16. Wow.

"I blame the medical community for this one actually... over the course of decades doctors and other health care professionals have done a disservice by telling people, eat less, exercise more"

:rofl:

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. Laugh al you want, after all there is plenty of research that it is NOT THAT SIMPLE

you are part of the math brigade aren't you?

And that was state of the art science FORTY YEARS AGO. Read that again, FORTY YEARS AGO

[paulsby]

79. lol indeed

i've trained dozens of trainees (as a person trainer), and been a weight classed competitive athlete for a long time.

that is exactly right. the basics are EAT LESS, EXERCISE MORE

diets are not hard to construct. they are hard to EXECUTE

cause they SUCK!

[GoCubsGo]

57. Gaining weight on only 1000 calories...

That brings up something that people tend to miss when it comes to dieting. Drugs aren't the only thing that causes that to happen. So does Evolution. Humans started off as hunter-gatherers. Food was not a regular, reliable commodity. So, early humans would gorge themselves, because they never knew when their next meal would come. Of course, gorging put on body fat. The human body evolved to hold onto that stored energy for dear life, because back then, their lives depended on it. Consequently, if a modern human goes on a very low calorie diet, the body thinks it is starving itself, and the metabolism slows down to conserve body fat. It's why yo-yo dieters find it more and more difficult to lose and keep off weight. The body thinks it's in starvation mode, which technically, it is. It's why the experts tell you to never eat less than 1200 calories per day. Our society has moved beyond "feast or famine", but our bodies have not. Mine sure hasn't. I am paying dearly for all those crash diets I went on when I was young.

[Scout]

64. thank you for a sensible post`

according to the simplistic math idiots, fat people can lose weight, 'cuz just look at Darfur and the Nazi concentration camps! none of those people are fat!

when i've tried to lose weight by cutting calories alone, or even by cutting calories and exercising, i don't lose much at all, and once i ended up sick.

so now i'm exercising and eating every 3-5 hours instead of skipping breakfast and eating lunch and dinner.

it's working, very slowly.

[Qutzupalotl]

67. That's another good trick... spacing out meals.

Whenever I can, I put half of a meal I'm about to eat into a container and put it away. I eat the first half as usual, then when I'm hungry again (usually about 3 hours), eat the rest.

This does two things: smaller meals speed up my metabolism (which has been slowing with age); and it discourages me from eating junk food between meals. I'm eating food that has actual nutritional content. I wind up getting 5 or 6 smaller meals out of the same total amount of food.

I think it's a mistake to look only at total intake for a day. We should be looking at the timing too. If you eat a lot at once, you store more fat. Plus it slows your metabolism, and you're hungry again in a few hours anyway.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. I just went through the bibliography, impressive

ordered a copy to add to my library and perhaps loan to sis... even as a dietitian she might be interested

The I can Make You Thin, she refuses to watch, but the bilbio on this may convince her, never mind they are essentially the same thing

;-)

[roguevalley]

3. having diabetes makes things very clear. do it right or go blind

I eat a big breakfast, a moderate dinner at lunch and a snacky snack at dinner. I also have a bite of something during the day as a snack. I also exercise 1-2 hours a day. I walk. I go down to the U-haul and walk in the warm, well-lit, indoor, surrounded by people coming and going buildings in all weather. I get -40 degrees here but it doesn't matter. I just walk and walk in circles and when the weather gets good, I take my four dogs one at a time to walk outside.

You cannot lose without exercise. I have lost 75 pounds since I retired.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. As a medic I knew that, when the diagnosis came

go blind, loose limbs, loose kidneys, or my all time favorite, neuropathy (Severe pain in limbs, just by stepping on them, aunt had that,_ balance problems... should I go on?

Choose your poison

:-)

But the insulin resistance makes it far harder to do... not impossible, just harder

[Mike 03]

8. I am enjoying your posts on this issue.

It is more complex than most people seem to realize, but I think that for the majority of people, diets would most likely work so long as they become lifestyles rather than temporary solutions.

Look at how other cultures eat--not "diets" but for their entire lives. They have much lower rates of Type 2 Diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, stroke, and many cancers.

Granted, we have a lot more to learn about the causes of obesity, but examining the health of geographies is giving us a lot of good clues. Also, think of how people from Asia or developing nations who move to Western cultures develop all of our chronic illnesses.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Actually we need to get away from the concept of diet... why? everything we eat

by definition is a diet

But as a society we also need to get away from certain standards of beauty that lead to the other extreme of weight problems (bulimia and Anorexia nervosa)

As to other cultures, that is the scary part... diabetes is increasing world wide... and with diabetes you will see an increase in strokes and heart attacks, as they go hand in hand... as to cancers, yep very much related... we don't eat enough fiber and our food policy is such that having fresh fruit and vegies is way too expensive. We pay with increased colon cancer rates, for example.

In the beginning people blamed the usual suspects for the increased in diabetes \ obesity (Mickey Ds, and other wonderful exports of our culture)... increasingly, the scientists are starting to change their tune. While diet is a major component and western (read American in most literature) diet is part of the problem... some folks are starting to see a relation between how we produce food and nutrient yields.

In simple terms, the green revolution increased food production to unheard levels, but the quality of that food is not as good as it was. So your body demands more food to get the same amount of nutrients, and that includes more calories

If they are right... this is the unintended consequence from hell.

[Mike 03]

11. I always love discussing issues with you. You always make very good points

and you also play fair, unlike some other a-holes around here. (Sorry for my lapse in etiquette).

Seriously, I would love to know all the puzzle pieces to the weight mystery. And I love these discussions here.

Thank you for contributing, and you can count on me to read everything you write that I see.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Thanks mike and I love you too

I try to keep respect for others and I believe that is the best way to do this

[Mike 03]

13. Aw, you make me feel so warm and fuzzy... I love you. NT

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Well we are here for each other, really

With your dad's situation, feel free to PM at any moment... by the way

[Mike 03]

17. Aw, thank you! That means so much to me.

I'm trying to just grow up about it and face it. I feel like I've made a fool of myself here lately. It's so embarrassing.

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. Don't be, that is one of the hardest life changes out there

that and loosing jobs, about the same... which is actually surprising

So if you need to rant and have a shoulder, I'm here

[Mike 03]

23. Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me.

You represent everything I cherish about DU. I get so tired of some of the ignorant posts I see here lately, and it is such a breath of fresh air to talk to someone like you. You have no idea how it cheers me up.

You are a great DUer.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. kick

[GrizzlyMan]

15. It really is all about lifestyle change, not dieting. You hit the nail on the head.

[MadBadger]

25. I think a diet can help bring on the lifestyle change

Starting a diet can help one get into controlling their portions.

[nadinbrzezinski]

33. the problem with diets (and why they have a lousy success rate)

is that they also have a list of no foods, the forbidden fruit syndrome... which leads to binging

There are ways to intuitively eat smaller portions

I do.

Hell, going to a restaurant means I leave quite a bit of food behind UNLESS I am hungry, as i real hungry, the real thing, not the imaginary one

Now as to portion control you do have a point... quick, what is a single portion of a croisant? 2oz, half of a "normal" one in the US

Baguel, same story...

Meat, that is four ounces

An egg is one exchange of protein

And my all time favorite, an average burrito at a mexican restaurant... lets use the one I ate last night, veggie one

The tortilla was three carbs, they are big, two vegies and two fats

Most look at that and see ONE singe burrito... that must be one portion since that is in a single plate

:-)

Why I also recommend going to the older size of main dishes, 9 inches... doing that saves you three hundred calories average for that meal

By the way, for dinner I ate a sea food salad that was big, really big, was hungry... that had two exchanges of lean protein, two vegies and two fats... and I am fine with it, will probably have a small yogurt later to get my meds down

[paulsby]

82. there are NO forbidden foods

on diets i designed, or those i know used by many bbers and strength athletes.

i know one national level bber who eats the occasional double quarter lber with cheese for pete's sake

yet, comes into contests so shredded and dry, you can see every striation.

the issue is you have eat sensibly and set up a caloric deficit.

there are 10 trillion tricks to help you do that, but those are merely ways to help a person adhere to the diet. which is the hardest part.

[Matariki]

18. Great post Nadinbrzezinski n/t

[Skittles]

19. I have never been on a diet; don't believe in them

but I do believe in exercising an hour every day - that is EVERY DAY - and limiting fast food

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. If we take the strict definition of a diet, we both are on one

just not what most people think of a diet.

Diet= what you consume every day.

:-)

As to exercise I made a point of saying things like walking at home to get chores done counts, since a lot of people (blame society for this) get scared when you mention the word

[Skittles]

24. I don't drive anywhere that is less than three miles away

that's a good thing too :)

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. They are fixing the road outside, so taking the bike to the coffee shop

will have to wait until they are done with that (three weeks) The other coffee shop\ bank, is about three miles away anyway

[we can do it]

68. You Have Hit It Right On the Button

Some people take "proper diet and regular exercise" as go on a diet and kill yourself working out- Its a lifestyle change.....cherish yourself and treat yourself right.....Thank-you

[Fireweed247]

27. I agree with you

and I think it is the prescription drugs that are messing with so many people's systems. I also question the hormones in meat and the genetically modified foods. And people's bodies metabolize differently, I can't believe anyone questions that. My husband is super skinny, I feed him all kinds of milkshakes, he eats nuts all day long...if he eats a lot of calories he burns it all off while he is sleeping....never gains an ounce.

I try to cook with all whole grains because I think it is often our food that has no vitamins in it that send us looking for more food that will actually be nutritious. If you only buy foods with good nutrition, then you can eat intuitively as you suggest, always seeking what your body is craving. If you stock the house with salty sugary foods however, I think it interferes with intuition.

My suggestion to anyone seeking to lose weight, cut meat out of you diet. Vegetarianism forces you into a high fiber, highly nutritious diet naturally. It opens up a world of different foods that end up being much more interesting as well as better for you. And it cuts off probably half of the crappy foods that were tempting you before. Also, if you cook everything from scratch, at least you will have to get some exercize while making it(not to mention all of the cleanup!) and you always know what is in it. Ice cream is really easy to make to, get a great ice cream maker and you can add all kinds of stuff in there, soy milk, almond milk cream etc. to make it more healthy.

[nadinbrzezinski]

30. I'll object to the cutting meat out since we are evolutionary omnivoes

that said, we tend to eat too much of the stuff as a society... and giving four ounces of the stuff to hubby at times looks small, like today, but we have that and that's enough meat

When I can afford it I buy organic cuts and we always get organic milk

[Fireweed247]

31. Well we use to have to work a lot harder for the meat though

People are always complaining about eating too much at holidays and all, if you eliminate meat as a choice, you will feel a lot better at the end of the day. If you go to McDonalds and meat isn't a choice, well you probably won't go to McDonalds anymore. It was just an idea...help save the environment at the same time...

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. Well the having to work for meat is true

And as to holidays, the stuffing one self to the gills is part of the tradition of feasts going back as far as we can remember as a species

As I said, we, in the US, have far more of the stuff than we probably should, as most Americans eat more than four oz of meat\chicken in a meal, or an egg, or 6 oz of fish. I try to keep our servings to the recommended standards (given hubby is very active at work, he needs the protein), and to lean cuts. He's a postal worker, on average he walked nine miles in a shift)

I do the cooking... so that makes it easy

As to mickey Ds, funny thing, their chicken nuggets are probably the healthiest they offer, including the salads, and even that they managed to ruin with the portion size. Goes to show, they've gone from 6 nuggets and 200 calories, which is reasonable (and 19 grams of carbs and i exchange of fat) once in a while, to ten nuggets, at 320 calories and down right not that healthier, not healthy, just healthier any more

Still we do go to mickey Ds every so often, We used to order two combos and the rest, These days hubby orders a burger, I order a combo, we share the fries... and they look at us weird every time... it is funny... I mean no super-sizing, and even then I end off throwing some of that away.

Even fast food is ok, but in moderation

Yes, that also goes with that intuitive eating

[AllieB]

44. If you eliminate starches, you'll feel even better.

That's what wreaks havoc with your blood sugar after a big meal, causing a spike then a crash. Protein and fat has little or no effect on blood sugar. I understand the impact of agribusiness on the environment, which is why I buy from small farms and free range and organic.

[nadinbrzezinski]

50. Or use starches in true moderation

Today we had some mashed potatoes for lunch

What was it three scoops for me, maybe, as in three heaping teaspoons, something like three oz.

This was lunch, by the way, so people get what I mean

four oz of meat, with some cheese and green salsa, three oz of potatoes and a full mexican zuchini... a scoop of no sugar added icecream with a little sugar free hot fudge.

Now some years back, when I was far more active... while working EMS, probably double... but I don;t need that much food any more

My mom and I joke, she's in her seventies, that we both eat about the same ammounts, and take almost just as long

Problem with the taters is the large tater with all them fixings...

:-)

[haele]

69. Red potatoes have less starch/carbs than the russets -

However, they don't "make fries" very well. They make great hash-browns and "o'brien" potatoes, though, and that can make up for some of that loss. Also, white corn tortillas have less starch/carbs, and can be pan-fried with Canola oil to make a crunchy treat in a pinch.
Laz can't exercise more than a couple hundred ft. walk at best, but he can lose/maintain weight on a high protein/low carb eating plan similar to the South Beach/Atkins model.

What we do is plan and moderate the food; smaller or odd sized dishes (the boat bowls are great as a plate substitute) and if he has the craving for sweet, I follow the instructions of my diabetic great aunt who lived to be a healthy, active 98 years old and never "dieted" - one small chocolate or one cookie, or a single serving 1/2 cup container of souffle (a cake substitute) or fruit custard as a pie or pudding substitute. No sodas, no HFCS whenever possible. It's mainly smaller servings and planned, "home cooked" meals, even if they're pre-made and frozen or leftovers.
Even more lucky for Laz, I can cook low sugar desserts that can be frozen, and can preserve or can seasonal produce, and there's a lot of local produce and proteins that can be had at some of the local bodega/tortarillas/carnecerias.
He still needs lap-band surgery to lose to a manageable weight, but at least he's stable now, and there's no high calorie/carb "stress grazing" food available for him to gain more weight on while he's dealing with his medical problems.

The main dietary issue we have is the kidlet and her particular issues with control and food. She's slowly learning over the years that she's going to starve if she insists on what she wants rather than what is available, and that she can't have "her own cabinet" of her personal junk food stash like she did with her mother. When we did indulge that, she used to screw her father's eating habits by bringing out her food and flaunting it in front of him, or refusing to eat her portions for dinner because she pigged out right before dinner. Or she would suddenly decide she wanted to be a carbitarian (no meat, but claiming to be vegetarian) and demanded to live on only cereal, ice cream, mac n'cheese and mashed potatoes just as he started to go high protein&veggie/no carb diet to kickstart his metabolism.

When everyone is in sync on a healthy eating habits, controlled eating can work to help lose weight and feel better. Just one person not participating can really screw the whole thing up.

Haele

[nadinbrzezinski]

74. I avoid the russets, but one of my guilty pleasures is a pre-made

mashed potato I buy in the refrigerated section

Yes I can make them... but I like those, all in moderation

And yes, one person can ruin it... and my nephews are picky eaters... parents need to learn to make them eat their food, period, or starve

[GoCubsGo]

93. Or, eat the unrefined versions...

Leave the skin on the potatoes, or have a sweet potato instead of a white one. Brown rice instead of white rice. Oatmeal, corn, barley, and wheat are all "starched". It's when they are milled to death that they become nothing but empty calories. Whole grains are actually very good for you, and contain nutrients you need to survive that aren't found in fruits, vegetables and proteins. They also taste better! :-)

[tabasco]

28. Good luck!

Get good medical advice and follow a good program that keeps you healthy.

We need you here!

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

29. Great post.

I've always been a big fella, and the medicine I'm on isn't helping matters. Thanks for sharing all that.

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. Be proactive with your doctor

there are ways to deal with those issues... trust me, been there, done that.

:-)

[a la izquierda]

32. Nice post

and good luck. :thumbsup:
My husband's dad had diabetes...when he had a stroke, the diabetes complicated it. He died from those complications.
My brother-in-law had TIA (I think, a mini-stroke) at 38. My husband had gained 45 pounds working behind a desk and eating nothing but crap all day long for years...cycling and a healthy diet changed that. He doesn't want the same health problems to happen to him.

[nadinbrzezinski]

35. TIA, transient ischemic attack, yes mini stroke

did they do all the testing? They sometimes are previous of coming attractions

When dad had one last year he received a full battery of tests.

And yes diabetes has commonly cardiac and circulatory system complications

[a la izquierda]

37. Yeah, that was it.

Two of his older brothers are ex-military and have monstrously high blood pressure. His one brother is one heck of an athlete: a tri-athlete, actually. The other is a sheriff and now, after the TIA, in better shape. I used to joke that my husband had nacho cheese running through his veins...his blood pressure is lower now that he quit touring (he used to work in the music industry) and now works with dogs.
But, he has crap health insurance, so we honestly have no idea what his health looks like :(

[nadinbrzezinski]

38. hmm now that we are getting health clinics

they announced them today, will take a little to establish, you may qualify for that and have the opportunity to have him checked for all kinds of possible reasons for this


I include diabetes in it, as well as high blood pressure since you mention the family history

Hmm you are working in Guadalajara and going to Mexico City... either has pretty decent private doctors

Hell, if you can afford it, I know of a couple good internists in Mexico City... would be 180 of most people down there, but might be one way to check on the status. I know parents get discounts since brother is a doctor, but I could always try to find out how much they charge.

Just offering it as an alternative until we get good basic preventive health care for all

[a la izquierda]

39. Ahh, but it's only me in Mexico at the moment

Hubby is in the US still. I'm only down in Mexico on research. I travel back and forth. And I'm covered through the University I attend. We're waiting on low-cost health care through the state, but so far, they seem to be dragging their feet.

I'm going to find out what my University clinic charges for a basic wellness physical...grumble, grumble.

[nadinbrzezinski]

40. Back in the day SDSU wasn't bad

so you may be in luck, and I know that. I was wondering if he'd go with you at one point

Now the other choice is wait for the clinics to be set up

The feds announced them today...

Also even the crappy insurance may cover a wellness exam... though some don't cover even that much

Grumble, why we need national health care

[1]

41. so if you are fat, you are always going to be fat, and you should just accept that...

i'm cool with that.

did i read you right?

[nadinbrzezinski]

45. No, you should try to loose that weight just don't go on a traditional weight loss diet

please.

The diet will do more damage long term, really

Why I am suggesting intuitive eating, eating slowly, no distractions, paying attention to your body, does work and I can almost guarantee no binging either. It is the freedom of eating what you want, when you want it. You will naturally choose "healthier" foods, after a while.. and going out and having Mickey Ds every once in a while is part of it.

Oh and loosing it is just not a matter of math, simple math since hormones do have many strange effects on it, as well as age and gender, and underlying medical conditions

Now truth be told, some people who are overweight, after many attempts and yo-yo dieting, simply give up

[1]

47. ok. just trying to understand. thank you. and good luck...

[nadinbrzezinski]

49. Good luck to you too,

:hi:

[eridani]

55. Note that improvements in insulin resistance that are often associated with weight loss

--have absolutely ZERO relationship to the amount of weight lost. It's the behavior of better eating and more exercise that causes the benefits directly.

And if insulin resistance is totally unaffected by the simple removal of adipose tissue, then its presence cannot possibly be causing insulin resistance.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/350/25/2549

Liposuction decreased the volume of subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue by 44 percent in the subjects with normal glucose tolerance and 28 percent in those with diabetes; those with normal oral glucose tolerance lost 9.1±3.7 kg of fat (18±3 percent decrease in total fat, P=0.002), and those with type 2 diabetes lost 10.5±3.3 kg of fat (19±2 percent decrease in total fat, P<0.001). Liposuction did not significantly alter the insulin sensitivity of muscle, liver, or adipose tissue (assessed by the stimulation of glucose disposal, the suppression of glucose production, and the suppression of lipolysis, respectively); did not significantly alter plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor , and adiponectin; and did not significantly affect other risk factors for coronary heart disease (blood pressure and plasma glucose, insulin, and lipid concentrations) in either group.

[AlCzervik]

42. What works is what you stick with.

i lost 90 pounds on the south beach diet, no it's not atkins, it took me fairly long time to lose it but it was a good experience, i started in july of 2005 and almost 4 years later the weight is still off.

i do not eat fast food, i drink a lot of water and i exercise and hour a day, that's what works for me, that's my lifestyle and i was also in the right place emotionally when i started my journey.

I'm not endorsing the SB plan, i wouldn't tell anyone what program to try or not but that's what worked for me.

[nadinbrzezinski]

46. One more year and you beat the national stats

COOL FOR YOU

And yes, that is why I posted what worked for me, after one too many "diet."

[AllieB]

43. Thank you for your posts on this subject.

It seems that there are a lot of people on DU with closet eating disorders that is expressed through their hatred of fat people. There also seems to be a fair number of people who try to reduce weight loss to the simple 'calories-in, calories out' BS. I have done a lot of reading on nutrition and diet since I pretty much ruined my health as a vegetarian eating two things I was allergic to: wheat and soy. I gained weight for the first time in my life-while running 40 miles a week! I nearly developed diabetes, but with a change in diet, I have kept the weight off. My body tells me I need protein and fat and veggies and fruit. And sometimes dark chocolate, but I *try* to avoid sugar.

I think it's important to listen to your body: graze when you feel inclined, don't eat when you're not hungry etc. So many people have not made peace with their bodies, and it is so sadly obvious here on DU. many of these people need counseling and use their exercise 'expertise' and diet obsessions to make judgements about people's food intake. I exercise 5 days a week because I'm nuts :-) and have a lot of energy. It makes me a nicer person too.

[nadinbrzezinski]

48. Taking a break from the machine today

new elliptical and my thighs were killing me this morning... to the point that I reached for two tylenol

New exercise, new challenge... will get on it tomorrow

As to the eating disorders, the US has a problem with that, and I do admit, I think part of it is driven by the "diet industry" as well as the entertainment industry

Now the energy, I know what you mean... it is so counterintuitive, but loose some weight, exercise... you have more energy and sleep much better too

[Oilwellian]

51. Sage advice

It takes years to learn what you're body is telling you. I agree diets don't work. Never had to be on one for most of my life. I was one of those waifs who could eat anything and never gain an ounce. But now that I'm in my early 50's it's work to stay fit. You have to work off what you put in and my workout is walking 18 holes of golf, 3 days a week. The course I play is wonderfully hilly so it's great for cardio as well as toning. I pretty much eat like a horse but with the walking, I'm allowed to do that. To a point. :D

[nadinbrzezinski]

52. Good for you and that you found something you enjoy

[jazzjunkysue]

53. Omega 3's, people. Look it up. It's the regular asian diet:

Americans eat wheat, meat, sugar, vegetable oil, and milk. Our agricultural diet is all omega 6 based. It's killing us.

The asian diet is fish, rice and vegetables. Omega 3's. They're so much healthier.

I'm the same weight I was 20 years ago, and I eat all the time.

Go look up The Fat Resistance Diet, and find out how to eat so you'll be healthy, forever, and not go hungry.

Hint: Buy the smart balance products. All of them.

And eat to be healthy.

[eridani]

54. East Asians have the world's lowest incidence of genetic insulin resistance

A lot of rice in your diet is one of the worst things you can do if you are insulin resistant. Of course in a rice-eating culture, the insulin resistant will be weeded out. It's like the lactose tolerance found in all cultures where dairy products are common. The notion that there is such a thing as universl healthy diet is bullshit.

[jazzjunkysue]

56. They also have lower levels of all diseases and stroke and heart attack.

They live longer and healthier.

Our american diet with fried food on every corner is our own slow suicide.

[eridani]

58. They are genetically different. Following a high rice diet is an utter disaster

--if you are insulin resistant.

[nadinbrzezinski]

75. If I went on that diet I can bet an early grave

the glycemic shock will kill me

They are indeed genetically different... their incidence of the FTO is lower than in European populations, for example

[Profprileasn]

59. Nice post

Very important for your health. I find that trying to eat whole foods rather than processed stuff helps quite a bit too.

[Tesha]

60. You are so right...

Honestly, it's not a diet humans need - it's a lifestyle change....


food amnesia - wouldn't a cookie taste good? (yes, but you've had two already...)
big plates - mmmm that looks like a good amount (yes but a "serving" is half that!)
thirst - oh, a can of soda would taste good now (but your body's asking for water)
what shall I do tonight - ah, there's a movie on (more sitting, haven't I done enough of that today?)

It's all about paying attention to your choices. It's all about what feels good right now compared to what your body requires.

Mr T and I are working on it - not being desperate, not starving, not suffering - just getting better.... bite by bite.

[TBF]

61. After having 2 children in 4 years and gaining about 70 lbs. w/the 2nd -

I figured that it would not be as easy to stay a size 6 as when I was training for marathons. To my surprise, however, daily walks (at least a couple, and at least 20-30 min each at a decent pace) along with watching overall food consumption was enough to take off a lot of the excess. I took off 50 lbs. the first year just doing that.

Take a good pair of shoes with you to work, and walk somewhere to get/eat your lunch. When you go to the grocery store don't circle for 10 minutes trying to get a "good spot". Park further away and walk it. Take stairs rather than elevators if it's just a floor or 2 (or 3).

When I'm at home during the day doing housework there is chasing the baby, hauling laundry up & down the stairs, and the laptop is on the kitchen island (no chair - if I had a chair there I'd sit for hours).

No soda, drink water (that is going to help you ALOT even without any other drastic dietary changes). You will be surprised at how much better you feel. Sometimes I cheat and get Starbucks tea. Everyone's human.

So, now I am in my early 40's, the baby is almost 2, and I still have that last 15-20 lbs. to get off to be healthier. I may have to ditch the nightly bowl of ice cream & go back to running a little rather than just walking for the rest, but you really can take off a lot of weight with some simple changes. :)

Note: Obviously I'm gearing this towards people in average/decent health, if you have medical issues you'll probably need a nutritionist to give you solid advice that will work in your situation.

[nadinbrzezinski]

71. Remember you may also have a slower metabolism by now

by the way, I still enjoy ice cream, actually now I enjoy it... just much smaller portions of it

:-)

And yes, if people feel they need it, professional advise is indicated... problem is... an RD is not always covered by your health plan

[TBF]

90. You'd think that would be covered as a preventative medicine thing -

obesity leads or is a contributing factor to many serious illnesses.

[nadinbrzezinski]

96. In countries with national health care it is

In the US... if we don't get national health I suspect it will be seen as a pre-existing condition and yet another reason to deny coverage

Why genetic profiles scare me. They'd be very useful as a tool, but in the hands of the insurance industry...

[K8-EEE]

62. "Sonoma Diet" is a good one -- advocates small dishes

Hey we're all "on a diet." "Diet" just means, whatever you eat. If you eat at McDonalds three times a day you're on a McDonald's diet.

I loved the book "Sonoma Diet" because it emphasizes getting back to natural sized portions from our ad-induced "super sized" mentality here.

It's amazing what just small cereal bowls and 10 inch plates can do (eat slowly and no seconds unless you're still really hungry....)

With me I find that 1) a lot of time food cravings go away if I get enough water -- sometimes dehydration can cause cravings. and

2) An hour a day with the exercise. When you get to be in your 40's -- it's either really pump up the exercise or fall apart physically. I used to do 3 - 4 times a week 1/2 hour but as your metabolism slows it's just not enough any more.

The easiest thing for me to do is 1/2 hour cardio something in the early a.m. and 1/2 hour stretching, yoga or swimming in the evening. It helps your energy level, it helps you sleep, it helps with everything!

[ananda]

63. Cutting calories works..

.. and that means eating differently and less.

I think the differently means no high fructose
corn syrup and no high glycemic carbs, and it
means getting enough protein and low glycemic
carbs and fat to achieve a kind of balance.

Eating less means giving up huge meals and
thinking about quantity in a new way.

It does NOT mean skipping meals.

[TuxedoKat]

65. Nadin...

I saw Paul McKenna's book in at B&N a few weeks ago. It seemed too simple at the time as in how could this work? Since then I heard a fellow on the radio, Jon Gabriel, who I think is saying alot of the same things as Mr. McKenna. His website is www.gabrielmethod.com (not afiliated with him in anyway at all, just liked what he had to say).

I have about 30-40 lbs to lose. I lost 30+ lbs. over five years ago and have kept it off. I've lost more weight, but the weight keeps creeping back up to a certin level. The diets I've tried have worked, but then I gain the weight back. I can't seem to go below a certain level. Anyway, I'm going to try the methods these gentlemen espouse. I think they will work, they make more sense to me than many other things about diets, etc.

Do you post in the weight loss forum too?

PS I love using pedometers too, but I'm always misplacing them or they fall off and get lost.

[nadinbrzezinski]

72. That's the great thing about McKenna and Joh Gabriel

it is "simple" but it works... it allows you to listen to your body... and the freedom of going... you mean I can have fries? Hmm... eating them slowly means I can hardly finish a kid's meal portion anymore

But I also find myself reaching for apples more often than fries... naturally.

I lost fifty plus pounds, still need to loose 20, but set point might not be my friend here...

And I have posted in there as well but not too often

[mainer]

66. A 20-minute walk every day will do wonders.

That's all it takes. I find that in 20 minutes I can walk about a mile, which works out to about 2,000 paces. If you do it on a treadmill, and bump the incline to 6% or higher, you can burn off 200 calories with that 20 minute walk.

Even if you don't adjust your food intake, burning off an extra 200 calories a day should add up to a pound lost in about 2 - 3 weeks.

[paulsby]

70. it's not rocket science

diets aren't the issue

adherence to them is.

i've been a personal trainer.

i compete as a weight classed athlete.

the issue is we shouldn't anthropomorphize diets. saying "diets don't work". diets are just a ruleset. it is adherence to them that determines failure or success, usually.


when diets don't work, it's generally because the PEOPLE who are dieting don't adhere to them.

because it's hard.

there are many many ways to skin the cat. i have trained numerous trainees who lost plenty of bf.

it is NOT rocket science.

[nadinbrzezinski]

73. You keep saying this, but you have yet to explain the 95% failure rate of

calorie controlled diets

When you can explain that and find a solution, call us back.

For many reasons that you seem or unable or mostly unwilling to digest, it is not that simple

It will not matter how many articles you are presented into the genetics of this, for example

that said, as a professional trainer you do have a professional stake in the traditional method

I suspect over the next twenty years, as more of the science comes into focus, the diet industry will be rocked by changes in it... in fact I am almost willing to bet that if the BYU study on what I am doing pans out, that will become more common, destroying things like Jenny Craig, but also gyms, and I also suspect that patients will see bariatric specialists more often than not.

Oh and the one thing fits all... will go the way of the dinosaur, no pun

[paulsby]

76. the reason is simple

most people fail because they lack the motivation/discipline to ADHERE to the diet.

furthermore, people conceptualize diets as something to go ON.

when in fact, it's a matter of changing your eating patterns for life.

i had about 90% success rate for my trainees with their diet/training programs. that's about consistent with other trainees i worked with.

people HAVE to accept that diets will be HARD, they suck, and you will be in pian, hungry, uncomfortable, etc.

most people who have gotten obese have many years of bad eating habits ingrained into their practices. it is very DIFFICULT to change.

i do not use "the traditional method" in that i don't use cookie cutter fad diets. i simply REDUCE calories, emphasize the proper macronutrient ratios, and enforce strict discipline, adherence and record keeping.

again, it is NOT rocket science.

i have ZERO doubt i would be 20-25% bf if i ate whatever i wanted. simply put, i long ago decided that fitness and winning competitions was more important than sating my appetite.

it was very difficult, but now after a few years, i don't even think about it any more. it's habit.

the "diet industry" is about 30 yrs behind the people in sportscience and personal training. for example, bodybuilders were using ketogenic diets in the FIFTIES and the atkins diet (a fad version of this) became public knowledge decades later.

same thing goes with good fats (see: udo erasmus), and other aspects of nutrition.

[nadinbrzezinski]

77. Thanks for the lack of discipline line

We are done here

No more to say

And you have a better success than every major study done, including those funded by NIH.

Call them and share your methods, please do

As to the Atkins diet, another one of those bunk diets that has done quite a bit of damage to people

And some folks FOR MEDICAL REASONS would commit suicide going on a ketogenic diet...

[paulsby]

78. we can be done all you want

reality is reality.

steve martin said "comedy is not pretty"

neither is dieting. the reality is that the #1 reason diets fail is because people don't adhere to them

that comes down to discipline.

everybody's body obeys the laws of chemistry and thermodynamics. eat less, lose fat.

my point about atkins is it is a fad and simplified version of a dieting technique (used for the short term to help sharpen up) that bodybuilders used successfully as far back as 50 yrs ago.

and of course some folks should not use keto diets. NONE of my trainees did. the reference was only to show how conventional wisdom is 30-50 yrs behind the elite sport scientists

[nadinbrzezinski]

80. http://www.nih.gov/

call them, request a research grant, prove that you can keep the success rate you claim in a SCIENTIFIC STUDY... following the standards of the SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY

If you got the 90% they'll be interested, especially if you can prove it

After all them pointy head scientists that have done studies have found exactly 100 % reverse of what you have (I'll split the difference between 90% and 95%)

And again, you forget genetics, you forget medical conditions, you forget medications, so many elements that it is not even funny

So yes, I want you to apply for the grant

Put it where it counts

I'll gladly READ your discoveries in Science or Nature or any other respected journal

Hell I am willing to bet there is a Noble in there

[paulsby]

81. false

they have found that PEOPLE fail in their diets about 90% of the time.

not people wiht sports trainers who work one on one with their clients for about 5-10 hrs a week.

fruther,ore, i am not ignoring genetics. bodybuilding, and strength sports are EXTREMELY dependant on genetics. people react differently in regards to leptin, sugars, and all kinds of stuff.

but the BASICS are not complicated. eat less, exercise more.

it is NOT rocket science, and everybody wants the "magic diet" that will make it easy to lose weight.

there isn't one

reminds me of bbers who want the "magic routine" that will make them hyooge. there isn't one.

obesity is a major problem in this country. why are we so much fatter than most other countries? DIET

our genetics are no different.

[nadinbrzezinski]

83. So there is no FTO gene... interesting, since you'd be wrong

Obesity is a serious international health problem that increases the risk of several common diseases. The genetic factors predisposing to obesity are poorly understood. A genome-wide search for type 2 diabetes susceptibility genes identified a common variant in the FTO gene that predisposes to diabetes through an effect on body mass index (BMI). An additive association of the variant with BMI was replicated in 13 cohorts with 38,759 participants. The 16% of adults who are homozygous for the risk allele weighed about 3 kilograms more and had a 1.67-fold increased risk of obesity when compared with those not inheriting a risk allele. This association was observed from age 7 years upward and reflects a specific increase in fat mass.

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1141634v1


Variants in the FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) gene are associated with increased body mass index in humans. Here, we show by bioinformatics analysis that FTO shares sequence motifs with Fe(II)- and 2-oxoglutarate–dependent oxygenases. We find that recombinant murine Fto catalyzes the Fe(II)- and 2OG-dependent demethylation of 3-methylthymine in single-stranded DNA, with concomitant production of succinate, formaldehyde, and carbon dioxide. Consistent with a potential role in nucleic acid demethylation, Fto localizes to the nucleus in transfected cells. Studies of wild-type mice indicate that Fto messenger RNA (mRNA) is most abundant in the brain, particularly in hypothalamic nuclei governing energy balance, and that Fto mRNA levels in the arcuate nucleus are regulated by feeding and fasting. Studies can now be directed toward determining the physiologically relevant FTO substrate and how nucleic acid methylation status is linked to increased fat mass.

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1151710


Obesity Gene: Mice Lacking FTO Gene Burn More Energy And Do Not Become Overweight
ScienceDaily (Mar. 2, 2009) — Obesity has become an epidemic in many parts of the western hemisphere; over 30% of the population of Germany are overweight.

Scientists from the University of Cologne, in cooperation with scientists from the University of Düsseldorf, have been able to verify the relevance of a certain gene with regard to obesity for the first time.
In 2006, scientists discovered increased amounts of variations of the FTO genes were in overweight people. However, the relevance of this gene and its regular function remained unclear for a long time.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090227072648.htm

And that dear is the tip of the iceberg

When you say that our genetics are the same, you show your ignorance on this...

But you do have a stake on this...

I again challenge you... contact NIH, REQUEST a grant, do the study

Now citiing you


they have found that PEOPLE fail in their diets about 90% of the time.

not people wiht sports trainers who work one on one with their clients for about 5-10 hrs a week.

fruther,ore, i am not ignoring genetics. bodybuilding, and strength sports are EXTREMELY dependant on genetics. people react differently in regards to leptin, sugars, and all kinds of stuff.

but the BASICS are not complicated. eat less, exercise more.

it is NOT rocket science, and everybody wants the "magic diet" that will make it easy to lose weight.

there isn't one

reminds me of bbers who want the "magic routine" that will make them hyooge. there isn't one.

obesity is a major problem in this country. why are we so much fatter than most other countries? DIET

our genetics are no different.

--------- Our genetics ARE DIFFERENT, what do you think glucose control, strenth, leptin is all about? GENETICS

And how we store fat, and chiefly how much is depending on genetics. This makes it far more dififcult for people who are insulin resistant, for example, more dificult to loose and maintain weight, unless they are in late stage diabetes, in which case it is easy... but late stage... know what that means?

People with one expression of the FTO gene tend to be 3 Kg, heavier than normals, nothing histerical, nothing amazing, just enough to make them that more efficient

That is the bloody point

And why the ins and outs theory of diet is now under challenge

Like it or not

You have a stake on this, having a one solution fits all, that is exactly what you want...

As you said, there is none... and what you propose is your magic bullet. Me I realize it is more complex, and it takes a focused aproach taking into account those pesky genes... among other details. Yours is state of the science forty years ago... and a gross simplification of what is going on and what we know today means that magic pills are not coming, but some people WILL NEED advanced medical interventions. PERIOD

Others 10-15 hours a week, and counting calories works just dandy. That is your market, and your target audience. I just hope you don't tell them that they are lazy or if you told me this... even if you came highly recommended, I'd walk out. Period. I know, I'm lazy...

:sarcasm:

[paulsby]

84. all those studies show

and i spend plenty of time on pubmed etc. reading sports and nutrition studies. these studies above show there is an "association" between certain genes and propensities and how the body uses nutrients, and that (DUH) there are genetic differences in how people metabolize calories and handle different macronutrients.

everybody who deals with athletes knows this already.

there is (wait for it) genetic variation.

that is why, among other reasons, there is no 1 perfect cookie cutter diet for everybody. which is kind of my point.

none of that obviates the main point which is that the vast majority of obese people are obese because of chosen behaviors, and changing those behaviors will cure obesity.

but it's long, hard, difficult, unpleasant, etc.

[nadinbrzezinski]

85. Unpleasant, really?

but thanks for agreeing that there is no cookie cutter... at least we can agree on SOMETHING

But unpleasant... lordly... that outlook is going to get you many clients indeed... NOT

I guess that 90% success rate does not cover five years down the road once you no longer see them? Serious.

Fer the bloody record, I've lost AND MAINTAINED 50 pounds plus.. .I have yet to feel like I'm on a diet, or hungry, or deprived or hungry, or in pain or any of the other sacrifices

Ok one little detail, when my glucose went out of whack due to a little too much meds (weight related) my fingers hurt from the sticks... So I guess there was some unpleasantness. Of course that also included the sweating from the hypo... and the slightly confused mind...

Oh and yes, my set point is higher than it should be... perhaps it will change, perhaps not, no problem...

[paulsby]

86. set points etc

"but thanks for agreeing that there is no cookie cutter... at least we can agree on SOMETHING"

word to that. it's kind of like what i told strength athlete clients. it's pretty simple. lift heavy stuff, eat, rest, repeat. but the details matter.

"But unpleasant... lordly... that outlook is going to get you many clients indeed... NOT"

i;m not a trainer any more, but i found that people appreciated the no bullshit approach. you tell them losing weight is hard, then when they do it, and it IS hard, you haven't lied to them.

it's like my coach told me. you WILL constantly have nagging injuries. sometimes you will be sore you can't move. sometimes you might go months without seeing the slightest improvement in your limit lifts. etc. i appreciated the honesty. one thing he told me that seperated champions from the rest, was how they dealt with the setbacks, the injuries, etc.

"I guess that 90% success rate does not cover five years down the road once you no longer see them? Serious."

that MAY be. the longest i kept in contact with a client was 3 years cause i no longer live where i used to live when i trained.


"Fer the bloody record, I've lost AND MAINTAINED 50 pounds plus.. .I have yet to feel like I'm on a diet, or hungry, or deprived or hungry, or in pain or any of the other sacrifices"

that's fine, but i think it pays to be honest, and most people will have a difficult time losing weight, and being honest that "this is not going to be fun for a while" is the best policy.

with obese people (or people at any bf level), that has become THEIR homeostasis. the body does NOT like to upset what it considers its balance, its setpoint, its normalcy.

the body is remarkably adaptive, but it doesn't mean it will be pleasant.

remember that whenever you gain fat, you GAIN fat cells. those fat cells never go away they just get smaller. but they are always there, crying "feed me seymour".

building muscle otoh, it is rare that you build NEW fibers (fiber splitting due to satellite cell activation etc.). you get bigger muscles through hypertrophy (sarcomere and sarcoplasmic) primarily. as a weightclassed athlete, i need to build strength PRIMARILY through neuromuscular efficiency, rate coding, etc. because bigger muscles means more weight. not good.

but anyway. your body WANTs to store fat. your body has some amazing anabolic hormones, like insulin, designed just to do that- shuttle sugar into your muscles AND fat into your fat cells. fat is efficient store of energy.

set point takes a while to change. your body has various set points (fat, musculature, etc.)

but the thing to remember is the body is AMAZINGLY adaptable and it WILL shed fat if you reset your lifestyle, your food choices/amounts, etc. and stick with it.

there are very few things we have absolute and complete control over in our lives. what we eat is one of them, and what we do with our bodies, our greatest gift, is up to us.

cheers.

[Obamanaut]

88. An outstanding post. nt

[paulsby]

89. thx nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

91. Here is the point, state of the art research, remember that pesky one

beyond childhood you do NOT gain fat cells... I know the common sense logic that was the theory many decades ago. This we are born with them and beyond childhood don't get more is the last five year or so... kind of like your brain stops growing at age two... goes wiht the same logic, and probably for similar reaons

Some people are born with more of them than others by the way

That is the bloody point

IN fact, remember that FTO gene... related to diabetes... may also be related to the NUMBER of fat cells you have. Aka some people have more of them than others. More shocking even, not all fat cells are created equal. Some are more efficient at storing fat than others, and the more efficient ones, they think are directly related to insulin resistance.


Extreme example... british family, they are fat... no doubt in any body's mind... as in obese

By your experience they are fat because they do not want to loose weight, seat in front of the tv all day, you know the usual failings.

The NHS took the same approach

So they paid, remember this is a national plan, for the trainer, for the dietitian, for 24 hour support. They didn't eat more than 1200 calories a day and exercised every day. They didn't loose. They were doing all they were told...

Well, well an NHS researcher decided to look for how many expressions of the FTO gene this family has. Their conclusion, the only way to REALLY help them is not diet and exercise, but genetic manipulation. Yes dear, they have many expressions of the gene. They also have extremely aggressive diabetes, or the kid, at seven extreme insulin Resistance, goes with the genetic package

They were the first real world, human example of what happens to mice in labs who have plenty of these genes generated by careful breeding. To say that researchers were surprised is to put it mildly. This is a maladaptive presentation of the gene, and in previous generations where we didn't have the advanced medical delivery systems, they would have mostly died before reproduction

Read on sickle cell, because this is probably similar

One expression is great, you keep the energy in times of plenty and survive famine... aka most of human history

Two expressions, diabetes will lead to an early grave, and perhaps not reproducing.

Sickle cell, one expression, you avoid malaria

Two, you will die, painfully so

The point still stands, your working knowledge is state of the art forty years ago, It hasn't moved in your comunity

You also didn't follow any of your clients to the five year mark... that is the standard in research

OF course I'd have to ask, did your clients loose 10% or more BMI, that is the other standard in research

But you aren't working with the current state of the art in what we know. And what we are learning is scaring the pants off some reserchers. See that puritan thinking of just exercise, eat less and go on diets that restrict you to the point that your body goes into the classic starvation response (slows down, stores fat) may be truly coming to an end. Especialy with people who have obesity probelms that are very serious. The next twenty years, I smell a revolution and that one will put the popular notions (not really, most folks either like to judge or like to blame themselves) that it is just eating and exercise.

And those of us who read the state of the art science do so not searching for excuses, as you may say, but searching for anwers...

Now you made fun of those studies, their recent. Catch up on the state of the art

By the way, no pain no gain may also be under some level of challenge for regular folks in the near future... has to do with increased injury rates, but I am possitive you knew this

[paulsby]

97. good post

"By the way, no pain no gain may also be under some level of challenge for regular folks in the near future... has to do with increased injury rates, but I am possitive you knew this"

no pain, no gain is what i apply to ATHLETES (and including myself)

athletic performance, especially as one approaches the elite levels is NOT about health. you sacrifice some health and safety for performance.

it's about risk/reward.

i would train somebody VERY differently who was looking for general fitness, decent amount of hypertrophy, and bodyfat composition vs. somebody who desired to break a record in the shotput, powerlifts, or enter strongman comps

but in order to trigger adaptive stress reactions, you do need to generally push into the pain barrier.

[dustbunnie]

98. You've inspired me these last few days. I've been very lazy. Thank you.

:)

[paulsby]

99. habit n stuff

i find that once you get to a certain point, it's almost harder NOT to work out because it is such a part of your routine.

cheers

[nadinbrzezinski]

100. Well here are the changes in the offing on how we deal with this

ideally if you have a moderately overweight patient you'd do a genetic profile. Don't expect this in the US before a NHS system comes to be... genetic profiles are dangerous in a health care system based on profit

There is more

Diets will not be just calories.... but HOW you ingest them.. why current diets don't work. They are, for the most part, inducing famine conditions to the body...

I'll use myself as an example.. why I have not engaged in any starvation diet... over the last three and a half years (and I gamed to my peak due to medications, side effect)

It is not about 1500 calories, but spreading those calories across the day. As I said I sometimes graze, but I never, ever eat less than three meals in a day... my average is six small meals (which incidentally is also ideal for glucose control as that reduces spikes)

This will become the standard... and even near ideal BMI caloric consumption is under consideration, and in some cases ideal BMI caloric consumption, with people who have crashed dieted for many years... to try to get their bodies to change... and we have no clue just how much it will be able to change. Some fear the changes are near permanent. Me... I suspect we are less plastic than you think, but not as bad as some researchers believe... unless you have some very specific genes.

The undergoing theory is that this will trigger a sense that the body is in times of plenty and will naturally accelerate the metabolic rate.

This alone will allow people to either maintain or even loose weight in a more reasonable way, and not feeling hungry

This is the underlying theory of intuitive eating, and we have two major proponents of this in the popular literature.

We are also changing how we look at exercise

It is not just getting on my elliptical every day.

It is the sum total of what I do... why steps taken is so critical now, and the use of pedometers is increasing

But the days of starvation diets are pretty much over, for those who are readying the state of the art science

That also means the days of deprivation are over. So your lecture about sacrifice and pain.. are pretty much off the mark anymore

I'm not fighting my body, why I have yet to feel I am on a diet... and that will change much of the industry

I have not told people, you have an FTO gene, give up... but rather, work with your body, not against it. And use the state of the science, which goes against all we have been told for fifty years or so.

Hell, even WW is changing their outlook.... and their program is increasingly fitting this small meals \ snacks approach. Never mind they are still doing the starvation response, but give them a few years, They are usually about three to five years behind the power curve.

[paulsby]

101. n stuff

"ideally if you have a moderately overweight patient you'd do a genetic profile. Don't expect this in the US before a NHS system comes to be... genetic profiles are dangerous in a health care system based on profit

There is more

Diets will not be just calories.... but HOW you ingest them.. why current diets don't work. They are, for the most part, inducing famine conditions to the body... "

you have to set up a hypocaloric load. iow, less calories than the body is used to. part of the trick is not to go TOO far, because then you have cortisol/leptin and other issues that cause the body to go into starvation mode.

this is stuff trainers, and sports nutritionists have dealt with for years.

i routinely fwiw, cut 8-14 lbs in a week before my contests with NO loss in strength .

"It is not about 1500 calories, but spreading those calories across the day. As I said I sometimes graze, but I never, ever eat less than three meals in a day... my average is six small meals (which incidentally is also ideal for glucose control as that reduces spikes)
"

and again, this is stuff bodybuilders and strength athletes/sports scientists have been preaching for DECADES. i have mccallum articles from 30 yrs ago that say the same thing. it's not rocket science.


"But the days of starvation diets are pretty much over, for those who are readying the state of the art science
"

those days were over decades ago for those in the know. again, what you hear from the moron at the AMA and other conventional outlets is, and has been crap.

as for WW, i know several people (members of my family) who do very well on WW. one of them is a mother of 4, in her 30's who looks GREAT.

but again, nothing you say is really new, except for the gene research. the basic rules have been known to sports scientists and athletes for decades.

small meals, plenty of fiber, water, etc.

and the essential rule remains - eat less, exercise more - lose fat.

and don't even get me started on BMI. i am obese according to BMI, at well under 12% bf, because BMI uses weight as a proxy for fat. which only applies to a sedentary population.

[nadinbrzezinski]

102. You are not readying this

it is not less calories

In some cases it is definitely not LESS CALORIES

But NORMAL caloric intake

And that is the point

Hell I haven't kept a diary, but I am sure I am eating very close to my BMI requirements, of not right there.. I only kept one when doc went, why are you gaining? Side effect of the medication and thyroid disfunction

By your standards I should have been loosing like a mother... I was eating 1000 calories in a good day and was still gaining.

Ah off the med, taking zynhroid... wallla... it was genes, see and side effect

By the way, my sis is a Registered Dietitian... and no, this is not state of the art for years, but the last ten. Led chiefly by research into diabetes and FTO gene, as well as starvation response.. chiefly this change is coming in the last five

Up until ten years ago the standard in caloric reduction was anywhere from 20-30% cut in intake.

The slowly going up, all the way to even normal intake, is the last ten years... sorry, that is the point

The way you have people loose weight is changing under your feet... fast.

[paulsby]

104. define

define "NORMAL"

"it is not less calories

In some cases it is definitely not LESS CALORIES

But NORMAL caloric intake

And that is the point"

the reason why people GET obese is that they , over the course of YEARS they lie to themselves about the fat they are putting on, and taking in an ABNORMAL amount of calories. thus, those people save a fair amount of that energy as fat.

by definition, if you want to change, to upset homeostasis, you must do what is ABnormal (for you), because what is NORMAL is what got you there in the first place.

"By your standards I should have been loosing like a mother... I was eating 1000 calories in a good day and was still gaining. "

1000 (kilo)calories is way less than i would recommend to almost anybody, especialy if they are working out. they will almost certainly cause starvation response, which is counterproductive.

note also that calorie count is not really "where it's at". iow, if i have trainees decrease portion size, improve macronutrient ratio, add fiber, add water, etc. they ALWAYS lose fat. it's not rocket science

"By the way, my sis is a Registered Dietitian... and no, this is not state of the art for years, but the last ten. Led chiefly by research into diabetes and FTO gene, as well as starvation response.. chiefly this change is coming in the last five"

dietitians are WAY behind (on average) sports scientists and sports nutritionists. they are part of the whole AMA/FDA/USDA/cabal that is just way behind the curve.

she may be an excellent one, but on the whole, they are way behind the curve.

"Up until ten years ago the standard in caloric reduction was anywhere from 20-30% cut in intake.

The slowly going up, all the way to even normal intake, is the last ten years... sorry, that is the point

The way you have people loose weight is changing under your feet... fast. "

no, it's not because the stuff we do WORKS, and it was never about simply cutting calories 20-30%.

also note that i, and other trainers have had GREAT success with, for example, ephedrine/caffeine stacks.

the FDA, not to mention nimrods in congress (biden led the charge), and big pharma did everything in their power to TRY to ban its sale as a dietary supplement. because it works, its damn cheap, and it takes money away from MD's and big pharma and their expensive, dangerous diet drugs.

[nadinbrzezinski]

105. So in summary your point is that science and the AMA and ADA

are part of the conspiracy

Ok...

I will take the science over you, sorry...

Have a good day

We will not agree, AT ALL...

Why? In my view it is you who is behind the power curve

Have a good day

And you are part of an industry that depends on the status quo, not the other way around

(Oh and medicine, as in genetic manipulation, is the next frontier for many maladies... including obesity, which is not your garden variety need to loose 10 or 20 pounds eiher)

[paulsby]

107. please don't set up strawmen...

it's not a "conspiracy".

people have agendas, prejudice, etc.

for example, the AMA has historically operated under a "disease" model, and a when in doubt, give drugs to cure the SYMPTOMS approach.

most doctors (MDs) know fuck-all about nutrition or PREVENTIVE medicine, which diet is a huge part of.

one of my clients was a MD, and anaesthesiologist. iow, he had metric assloads of medical training. i asked him how much training he had in nutrition, and he said "about 8 hours". he asked me all the time BASIC questions about nutrition. it was STAGGERING that medical professionals who are supposed to treat people know next to nothing about proper nutrition, when it is such a HUGE part of health, injury prevention, immune system strength, etc.

i am not "against science" but unlike you, i understand how to be skeptical, and how to read peer reviewed studies.

the AMA and JAMA have sponsored SO MANY studies , that are so laughable its ridiculous and that those of us "in the know" debunked years before they finally had to admit they are wrong.

recall, it was the AMA for example, which claimed For YEARS, that supplemental vitamins were not beneficial, and specifically ,megadosing vitamin C had no clinical effect. lol

and remember that the AMA and big pharma work hand in hand to promote a "drugs first" model.

like i said, i frigging LIVE on pubmed and have read more nutrition studies than i doubt you ever will, but i also know that "science" doesn't mean that every nimrod who publishes a study is correct in their conclusions or their methodology. lets remember, for example, plenty of studies supported that tobacco was NOT addictive and did NOT cause cancer. lol.

you have to have sufficient medical background and knowledge to be able to read studies (and not just abstracts) to ferret out methodology, strengths, weaknesses etc.

my methodology

1) works
2) is supported by science

[nadinbrzezinski]

110. Not a straw-man here

but reality is that DIETS, TRADITIONAL DIETS DON"T WORK... that is the point I've made, will continue to make and will continue to scream from the rooftops until the day I die.

TRADITIONAL DIETS DON'T WORK, DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR YOUR BODY ON THEM!

I also found it interesting that you forgot to address that I was gaining on 1000 calories due to THYROID disfunction (common problem today in an older population) or the fact that it was a SIDE EFFECT to a medication... common among a a certain group of meds... that is where the SCIENCE comes in. That pesky science...

As to the superdozing of Vit C... the evidence is not 100% that it works, and the kidney stones (possible side effect) are real... not to say that some folks don't benefit, but others do not... that is the point

As to giving vitamins to people... been common practice since I remember. I got VITAMINS as a kid... and I'm middle age... I still take vitamins, when I remember actually..

As to the knowledge MDs, have, yeah you're right, that Anesthesiologist knows crap... NOT HIS SPECIALTY. why the ADA fought for years to get more input... now try to ask that anesthesiologist about his field of study, such as oh pain control... he will dance circles around you.

Now ask a bariatric specialist, with a good nutrition team behind him or her... that is why HE\SHE is a specialist... and had had MORE THAN a few hours in nutrition training... alas bariatric medicine is a recent specialty... brought about by the modern epidemic

Biased much?

As to the Theory of disease in American medicine, I suspect I have read far more peer reviewed articles on the history of the AMA and its tendency towards disease process than you will read... in your lifetime

I am almost willing to bet that you are not aware that this is an actual field of study in the subspecialty called history of science...

By the way, the fun ones are not nutrition, but pregnancy... now that is FUN... FUN... FUN.

Now I will stick to the science thank you... and can judge peer reviewed articles as well. For some reason, I have the ability to think on my feet and understand them. Don't know why.

Perhaps since I am not a dummy one...

[paulsby]

112. the reality is

as i keep saying.

for most people DIETS don't work because a diet is just a rule set. the issue is adherence/discipline TO THE DIET, which most people admittedly fail at. generally speaking, the diets which work best are those that aren't just methodologically sound GIVEN perfect adherence, but that are easier to adhere to.

supplements help this. for example, many clients found that ephedrine/caffeine was very effective at (among other things) blunting appetite, which goes a LONG way with those who don't have rock solid discipline, in FOLLOWING the diet.

"I also found it interesting that you forgot to address that I was gaining on 1000 calories due to THYROID disfunction (common problem today in an older population) or the fact that it was a SIDE EFFECT to a medication... common among a a certain group of meds... that is where the SCIENCE comes in. That pesky science... "

the vast majority of obese people are not obese because of thyroid issues. as i have said, SOME people are obese at least partly because of medical issues. in THOSE cases, those need to get addressed. fwiw, all my clients got a complete blood workup - that means i already knew their thyroid hormone levels, as well as testosterone levels, fasting blood sugar, etc. before we started.

the point, going all the way back to the beginning, is that most obese people are obese because of the personal choices they make/have made, not because they are slave to the evil genetics monster, and that fixing their lifestyle habits and diet WILL cause bf loss, but it not fun, not easy, and requires discipline.

yes, some clients will benefit from thyroid meds (i know more than a few bbers with healthy thyroids who have used thyroid meds too, but that's another story), etc. but most just need to start eating better, and exercising.

again, most diets "don't work" because a diet is only as good as one's adherence to it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

113. again, most diets "don't work" because a diet is only as good as one's adherence to it.

whatever

Have a good day

[paulsby]

115. inconvenient truths are still truths nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

116. Inconvenient truths that are no longer absolutes,

by the way the inconvenient truth is the failure rate of what we have been doing for fifty years, that 95%

Insanity is to continue to do what doesn't work

Again have a good life

TRADITIONAL DIETS DON'T WORK that is the inconvenient truth, regardless of how you try to escape that reality

[paulsby]

119. nobody disputes

that traditional diets don't work

(i don't do"traditional diets" fwiw)

but the primary reason they don't work is because people fail to adhere to them.

dieting is not easy.

like i said, the effectiveness of the diet is integrally related to whether the person has the willpower to follow it.

part of the reason why my trainees had success was i recommended supplementation that helped adherence, and i designed diets that were easier ot adhere to.

but the basics remain true. most obese people are obese because they eat far more than they burn.

reverse that, and they lose fat.

[nadinbrzezinski]

120. Whatever, call NIH, there is a grant in there

I am not kidding

Even perhaps a noble in medicine or chemistry

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

121. This is kind of like when the conservatives say condoms don't work.

Because people keep getting unwanted pregnancies and STDs.

Condoms, and diets, work fine. It's the people misusing them that's the problem.

[paulsby]

122. i have a job

and i am not pursuing a nobel, but i appreciate it.

day after day, sports scientists/trainers use what WORKS.

it DOES work.

my coach for instance has trained some of the best athletes in the country, including those who go to the olympics. clearly, his methodology works.

is it science based? sure, but the science has largely FOLLOWED the innovators (bulgarian/russian methods), not the other way around.

iow, the best coaches experimented, applied some scientific principles and came up with stuff that worked. DECADES later, science caught up and helped explain WHY it worked.

what is reality is that you can't take out the human factor. when you talk about diets, unless you put the person inside a room and monitor every thing they put in their mouth, you have to rely on ADHERENCE. this is qualitatively different than, for example, drug studies, where you CAN control every mg that goes in their bodies.

genetics matter for sports (and diet). i am never going to squat 1000 lbs. but i can improve my squat. we are somewhat stuck with, for example, our ratio of Type IIa, IIb/x and Type I muscle fibers. we can optimally train, but we aren't converting type I to type II.

similarly, some people can eat whatever the fuck they want and maintain low bf. others need to work very hard.

[nadinbrzezinski]

123. You are working with a small number of the population

Elite athletes by definition are NOT me, or any regular folk...

that is the point

And I am serious

You found what has eluded the rest for decades

Call NIH, Serious

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

124. The National Institute of Health recommends both diet and exercise for weight loss.

Also: it recommends weight loss.

I'm not entirely sure where you're going with this train of thought.

[Obamanaut]

125. So does the Mayo Clinic (see post 103, with link)

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/metabolism/WT00006

[nadinbrzezinski]

127. But that is coming from the sciency side of the equation

the point I have been making all along

[Obamanaut]

128. From the link "Take in less and you lose weight." and there is more

at the link. Nowhere does in mention bad juju in the water, discombobulators in the environment, fat cells, etc. Just simply exercise more, eat less, lose (not loose btw) weight. Real life, not "sciency" at all - exercise more, eat less, lose weight. Now, wasn't that easy?

[nadinbrzezinski]

129. Mentions metabolism right? What do you think they used at the Mayo Clinic to

write that?

Oh I guess you miss that they're a MEDICAL CENTER

Their doctors (hopefully) have read all that juju, (you have a problem with science don't you) studies on fat cells, changing metabolsim and all that ju-ju that you think is magic, just like genetics

Yours is the magical thinking here, not mine

read it again, DIETS DON'T WORK

They haven't for 95% of dieters for the last fifty years

Ask yourself why?

All that ju-ju is part of it.

Insanity to keep doing what we know does not work

[Obamanaut]

130. Your words "Insanity to keep doing what we know does not work"

Ok. Keep "walking to the kitchen for exercise", keep the bicycle inside because there is road construction between the house and the coffee shop (can't walk there, eh?), keep saying (and obviously believing) that fewer calories in does not result in weight loss, keep inching your "set point' up to compensate for/justify the larger number on the scale while saying that the body intuitively knows what weight it wants to be - but don't be surprised when the local news team "film at 11" comes by to watch them remove the side of the house for you to exit.

[Obamanaut]

103. As one ages, or as one's weight changes for whatever reason

one must, in order to maintain a specific body weight/make up, modify the caloric intake both content and quantity as well as the amount of exercise. Muscles use more calories, muscle cells don't want to continue forever as we age so we must compensate for the changes in metabolism.

Here's part of an article from Mayo Clinic


<snip>
Common belief holds that a slim person's metabolism is high and an overweight person's metabolism is low. But this isn't usually the case. Weight isn't necessarily directly linked to metabolism.

Instead, weight is dependent on the balance of total calories consumed versus total calories burned. Take in more calories than your body needs, and you gain weight. Take in less and you lose weight. Metabolism, then, is the engine that burns these calories.
<snip>
(Much more at link)http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/metabolism/WT00006

Here is a really good site. Provides exercise suggestions for each part of the body. We used this when Miz O was recovering from her motor scooter accident. It was reviewed for me by the rehab place she was going to, and they liked it. We augmented what the therapists were doing for her with some of the items we found here. There are weight loss and nutrition sections as well. To navigate the whole site will take some time. I have no financial interest in anything here http://www.exrx.net/

At that time I was a member of a local gym. The manager is a competitive body builder. The gym staff was already aware of this site, and use it

[paulsby]

108. that's pretty good stuff

but it drives me nuts when so called medical professionals use WEIGHT as a proxy for fat.

i used to be a marathon/5k runner and surfer. my weight was 170.

it is now 215, but my bodyfat is LOWER. so, the first thing they need to do is stop using WEIGHT when they actually mean FAT.

just a peeve of mine, because it is medically inaccurate and discounts an entire segment of the population (athletes) whose weight is only loosely correlated with bodyfat levels.

i will put that site in my list of links to reference. thx.

[Obamanaut]

114. I mentioned in another thread about BMI being a simple ratio of

height to weight. Using that, I am overweight (body fat measurements are much better I think, and give a more accurate picture.) 66 yr old male, 5'8", 200 lbs. Miz O and I are not embarassed by me being seen in public in a tee shirt and jeans. It is harder to maintain than it was 30 or so years ago, but with bicycle, yard work, dumbbells and a reasonable diet (everything I eat, not a fad one) one can manage. I do keep a food journal, and average 1400 - 1500 cal intake per day. I use a salad plate, eat 4 - 5 times per day, smallish portions, and don't eat anything later than two hours before bedtime.

That site is a very good one. I use it a lot.

edited to add blurb re body fat measurement

[Manifestor_of_Light]

87. I'm learning about allergies.

I got some blood tests done by Genova.

www.genovadiagnostics.com

It showed what my food allergies were. I'm sure that the inflammation due to food allergies is probably not helping me to lose weight.

I also got tested for my Toxic Element Clearance Profile. Shows ratio of element to Creatinine.
The answer for that is apparently chelation IVs.

The doc also told me I have leaky gut syndrome, which has a lot of cross-reactivity in foods.

This doc does bio-identical hormone replacement as part of the weight management. Testosterone builds muscle and increases metabolism. Both men and women secrete less as they age. This clinic inserts pellets under the skin.

[upi402]

92. Gym was too expensive, so I've gained weight

I still eat smart but find my gym time has changed to time around food. I had to cut the gym expense as the economy cut my hours of work in half.

[lukasahero]

94. Not sure where you are but look for a Planet Fitness

It's only $10/month here in my area. Seriously. If you need the motivation of a gym to get active, it's definitely worth the cost.

[nadinbrzezinski]

95. You can't afford the gym, I get it

go down to the local mall if you can and just walk... early in the day is best to avoid the crowds if you can

Or when you go get groceries, do laps around the store

Things like that will do wonders...

[paulsby]

109. strongman style training

doesn't require a gym or even conventional weights, and can be done quite effectively on a budget.

some good exercises:

1) pushing a car (especially uphill). GREAT exercise, form of GPP. i do car pushes as part of my training (competitive strength athlete).

2) lifting heavy stuff - logs, boulders, whatever. you can get used truck tires usually for free (they are glad to get rid of them because it saves them disposal costs) and do tire flips and such. again, this is a common training methodology for strongman training and is a great full body exercise.

3) pullups. if you have a playground or school in your area, you almost certainly have an outdoor pullup bar. when i was in mexico, for a while i did not have access to a gym. i went down to the local park and did a workout where (using various gripping arrangement), i kept doing pullups until i reached 150. that is a phenomenal workout. you can do some pushups too, to employ the "push/pull principle"

4) sledge hammer work. swinging a sledge is an awesome fully body exercise. you can smack your truck tire with it. it's very plyometric.

5) wood splitting. also great workout. and you can even find somebody to pay you for it, sometimes.

[chrisa]

106. My problem with diets:

Many of them are unsustainable. It takes only weeks for people to realize how much they suck, and then go back to their old ways.

Choose a diet that you can realistically sustain (that you aren't forcing yourself not to eat sweets forever, or only eating the same thing every day).

[nadinbrzezinski]

111. You have a problem with traditional diets

they don't work

For the reason you just stated

I haven't been on a diet in a while... ok I have to limit some my carb intake and definitely sugars, due to diabetes, but after that I use intuitive eating, it works.

And chiefly, it is sustainable over the long haul... aka the rest of my life

[mwooldri]

117. You are correct: diets on their own don't work.

It's everything that makes it work.

I also blame the American lifestyle. People are too wedded to their cars, so no incentive to get out and walk, cycle, take the bus or train. In many areas, there aren't any buses or trains to take... plus everything is spread out too far to effectively walk or cycle to.

An active lifestyle where you're getting up and moving and not "driving a desk" for 8 hours a day 5 days a week... plus driving - oh and when you do things you got to drive to get there and when you get there you're doing sit-around activities: the movies, eat out, watch a sports event...

Mark.

[nadinbrzezinski]

118. What you said about the US is true, and quite a bit of

re-engineering of our cities is in order

BUT...

If this was limited to the US, and it is not... you'd be 100%

There is more to this than just the Western lifestyle

After all Mexico tops the US in obesity \ diabetes rates right now (WE ARE NOT NUMBER 1, WHEW) and living in the UK, NHS is also facing epidemic proportions

Yes, lifestyle is part of it, but not the full answer

(and it will cost billions to re-engineer US Cities, but the end of cheap oil will force that anyhow)

[jeffrey_X]

126. Good posting

Lifestyle change >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> diets

[B Calm]

131. Avoid carbs and anybody can lose weight!

[LWolf]

132. Nice post

about a topic I've been struggling with all of my life.

Thanks for bringing it back around to me.

:hi: