Study Shows Why It’s Hard To Keep Weight Off

[alp227]

Source: NY Times

For years, studies of obesity have found that soon after fat people lost weight, their metabolism slowed and they experienced hormonal changes that increased their appetites. Scientists hypothesized that these biological changes could explain why most obese dieters quickly gained back much of what they had so painfully lost.

But now a group of Australian researchers have taken those investigations a step further to see if the changes persist over a longer time frame. They recruited healthy people who were either overweight or obese and put them on a highly restricted diet that led them to lose at least 10 percent of their body weight. They then kept them on a diet to maintain that weight loss. A year later, the researchers found that the participants’ metabolism and hormone levels had not returned to the levels before the study started.

The study, being published Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine, is small and far from perfect, but confirms their convictions about why it is so hard to lose weight and keep it off, say obesity researchers who were not involved the study.

They cautioned that the study had only 50 subjects, and 16 of them quit or did not lose the required 10 percent of body weight. And while the hormones studied have a logical connection with weight gain, the researchers did not show that the hormones were causing the subjects to gain back their weight.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/health/biological-changes-thwart-weight-loss-efforts-study-finds.html

---

The bottom line is that there are always going to be fat people even if everyone suddenly abstained from eating candy, cakes, and burgers and drinking soda. And fat does not necessarily equal unhealthy.

[Bladian]

1. This might be a little overly sensitive of me...

But I don't know how I feel about the use of the word "fat" in the article. I just feel like it has a negative connotation. Super negative. So does obese, obviously, but obese I just feel is more "clinical." Call me crazy.

[kestrel91316]

3. "Fat" is not an epithet. It is a medical and scientific term.

[Tunkamerica]

5. obese?

differently weighted?
gravitationally challenged?

[Bladian]

6. Yup, I knew I shouldn't have said anything. nt

[Tunkamerica]

30. seriously. is there a better descriptive term? overweight seems euphemistic for some,

fat as a desriptor's been around for over 1000 years according to dictionary.com.

Corpulent? I don't know that everyone would know what that meant.

i was trying to be funny earlier, but i had no idea fat was offensive and thought you were kidding.

[redqueen]

58. Fat as an adjective is most definitely a pejorative word.

As a food substance or a type of tissue it is accurate. Overweight or obese would be accurate adjectives to use for a person.

[BiggJawn]

82. Accurate, perhaps, but still offensive.

"Obese". The word sounds nasty, hell it even LOOKS nasty. "Obese"... "Obscene"... "O'Beast"...
I might be moved to punch somebody who called me "obese" to me face.
I don't mind "fat" because that's what it is, baby!

[redqueen]

90. Less offensive than fat, however,

because it is a clinical term.

Individual tastes may differ from social norms, but they don't change them unless they appear in significant enough numbers to actually change the social norm. And at this point, "fat" is considered a pejorative word.

[BiggJawn]

98. "Mongoloid" used to be a "clinical term", too.

Just because it's clinical doesn't mean it isn't insulting.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

[redqueen]

99. Yes, maybe in 50 years the same will be true of 'obese'.

[Bladian]

83. You're right, I'm sorry.

I've just been dealing with that word lately (my girlfriend's friends apparently think an appropriate way to poke fun at her is by saying "Haha your boyfriend is fat!") and so it's a touchy subject. But you are right, and I apologize.

[No Elephants]

85. No need to apologize for what you posted or for how you feel.

You have a perfect right to your thoughts. opinions, reactions and feelings, and to post about same, just as those who disagree with you have a right.

You are far from the first person to take offense at the word fat and mocking "fat" remarks are considered insensitive on this board. For example, we cannot refer to Justice Scalia as Fat Tony or the post may be alerted on and deleted.

Hearty welcome to DU.

[Katashi_itto]

91. Having a higher personal gravitational field than the norm.

Is that subtle enough?

[defendandprotect]

2. Undereating to loss weight is a huge mistake -- you will regain it and more -- !!

[totodeinhere]

9. That often happens, but to be fair, there are people who lose a lot of weight and keep it off

indefinitely. It is very hard to do and many people eventually decide it's not worth the effort to do it, but it can be done if you are extremely motivated and if you are willing to accept being hungry all the time. Fortunately I don't have a weight problem, but if I did I doubt if I could do it. But hats off to those who can.

[defendandprotect]

12. Very few -- that's why weight loss companies stay in business ... if they were successful...

they'd be out of business --

The odds are against undereating to lose weight -- you destroy your system --

The only thing to do is to change what you eat -- not quantity --

And, also likely that many of the hormones in animal-fed are also harming humans

and creating weight gain --

Plus the sugars and salts and trans fats in fast food diets!

Exercise will also help as long as you maintain it --

Some of the heaviest people on the planet were the most successful dieters!!

[JI7]

13. in some bad foods quantity is important

i think it's better to have a little bit of some junk foods than to deny it completely. just eat a smaller amount of it.

and eat larger portions of low calorie healther stuff to feel full. eat the healthy stuff first so you aren't that hungry and then have the smaller amount of junk. you might not even want it since you might be full. and it would satisfy any cravings you might have.

[defendandprotect]

20. Who is recommending "bad foods" -- ???

Again -- the nutrition of our foods -- fruits and vegetables -- has been destroyed

by chemical fertilizers -- which is one of the reasons why people continue to get a

signal to eat when they have already eaten!

Plants are not only your nutrition -- they are your medicines -- and that's why there

are now gatekeepers to deprive you of access to many of them!

[JI7]

23. no, people are fat because they eat a lot of crappy food, not because they eat too many veggies

and fruits.

[totodeinhere]

24. If you are like some people and smother your veggies with butter

or margarine or smother your green salad with high fat dressing then yes you can gain wight on veggies too. My weakness is too much salad dressing and that fat free dressing is nasty.

[defendandprotect]

26. Neither margarine, butter nor salad dressing are vegetables or fruit -- !!

If you eat animal or dairy products you will have health issues -- !!

Mix up EVO -- extra virgin olive oil -- with balsamic vinegar -- delicious --

keep it handy --

PLUS, simply EVO and apple cider vinegar - if any of these salad dressings are

too acidic -- add sweet orange juice to them -- or an unsweeted natural raspberry jam -

or honey -- honey is great for salad dressings.

Keep at it, you'll find a mix you like -- and keep it handy!


There are many vinegars - but love balsamic!

[totodeinhere]

89. I realize that. My point was the it's all well and good to eat veggies but if you

eat them with a lot of butter or margarine or dressing then you might be defeating your purpose.

[No Elephants]

33. If you ever develop a weight problem, here is a trick you may want to try.

Keep your salad dressing on the side and dip your fork into it before "forking" the next peice of tomato or lettuce or cuke or whatever.

You will still get the taste, but will ingest much less dressing. And, if that is not enough, don't dip the fork, but lightly dip one forkful of salad at a time into the dressing. You'll probably still ingest less dressing than if you drown your plate of salad in dressing.

Meanwhile, try to wean yourself down to less dressing, not because of weight, but because fat is not the greatest thing for your heart. You can do it--and enjoy it!

I used to take two and a half teaspoons of sugar in my coffee. Now, I take none and got so used to it that I prefer it. Same with drinking water instead of soft drinks. Water is now truly my favorite beverage. Nothing else quenches my thirst.

You just have to be a bit patient until your new preference kicks in.

Happy healthier eating and drinking!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

97. The spray on dressing is a good alternative.

Gets it on most of your salad without drenching it with calories.

[defendandprotect]

64. Olive oil is heart healthy and will lower your cholesterol -- use Extra Virgin O/O ---

Better to mix your own salad dressing -- but if you do buy it watch sodium

content and stay away from dressings with dairy products in them.

And often they also contain sugar --

[defendandprotect]

25. Our vegetables and fruits have been made into "crap" -- however, yes, processed foods are crap!!

And like many of our other problems this is another caused by corporte takeover

of government and our agencies --

and corporate takeover of our schools/lunches!

[boppers]

38. "if you are willing to accept being hungry all the time."

Wow. First world problem.

I accept it, and eat daily. Poor me.

[Missy Vixen]

44. What's that percentage of success, and how many people does it contain?

>Fortunately I don't have a weight problem, but if I did I doubt if I could do it. But hats off to those who can.<

And this is the bottom line. We've seen it for years now. Those who aren't fat or dealing with a weight loss situation still claim it can be done, despite more than the above-referenced study that states weight lost will be regained within five years' time.

:eyes:

[CBHagman]

46. You don't have to be "hungry all the time."

A decade ago I was carrying 20-plus extra pounds and dropped them over a period of months when my doctor had me change my diet (mostly to do with saturated and trans fat) and begin exercising. My weight's fluctuated a bit since then, but mostly the pounds have stayed off, due to following the very good instructions I got from nurses and doctors.

I suspect our global weight gain has a lot to do with lifestyle changes of the past two decades in particular, and possibly other factors. The study mentioned above intrigues me, because it would explain a bit more what's at play, but it doesn't sound conclusive.

[totodeinhere]

74. My mother lost a lot of weight a few years ago. And she still claims to be hungry to this day,

I don't know, it might be psychological. But I do admire her for keeping it off in the face of that. And she does faithfully go to her health club three times per week.

[CBHagman]

75. No, I believe her!

There are times of the day when I am very hungry, but then I've been like that all my life.

About exercise: One thing nurses told me was that the recommended guidelines for exercise changed from 30 minutes of exercise three times a week to more like 45 minutes to an hour of exercise five or six times a week. So I have a pretty strict rule about daily exercise and can't skip it more than a time or two in a week.

[Nikia]

95. Could it be possible that there is a genetic difference?

That for some people eating less leads them to be satisfied with eating less while others get strong cravings. There could be varying levels of hormonal response.

[Historic NY]

4. Bingo i'm in that category, fighting with a 10% gain.....

its harder when you get older.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

7. If you take in more then you burn off

there will no loss. No matter if it's healthy food or junk. We have to burn the excess or it's stored as fat. :shrug:

[defendandprotect]

14. No -- animal fat is something your body has no idea what to do with ....

in fact, some think that as it is accumulating on your body it increases your chances

of cancer because your immune system cannot detect cancer cells thru the animal fat!


The kind of fat your body needs comes from vegetables/fruits -- like Avocados.

Salt from fresh vegs like cole slaw --

Natural sugars from fruit -- sweet pots, carrots --

PLUS the chemicals and preservatives in our foods is very harmful --

We've had this problem of "fertilizer chemicals" being thrown on our foods for decades

now and it's taking an effect in lower nutrition -- that's why people are eating but still

hungry!

Nor is animal fecal matter fertilizer!!



Organic foods are also being destroyed --


If you're eating simply fruits and vegetables, anything you overeat will be stored without

adding weight to your body --

Notice the populations of the 30's and 40's you see on the screen -- they were eating much

less of animals -- and the animals were herbivores.

The fruits and vegetables they were eating were mainly organic.

[Lorien]

15. So true. Anyone who doubts this information needs to see the documentaries

"Forks over knives", "Food Matters", "Fat, sick, and nearly dead", and "Dying to have known".

[defendandprotect]

18. Thank you - good to see you commenting on this --

Should have also mentioned that our plants -- vegetables, fruits -- but also

every plant is a source of not only nutrition but our medicines!!


Many have been destroyed even before we've had an opportunity to recognize what

they can do for us.

Many plants used by women to prevent pregnancy -- to interrupt conception -- to

abort a pregnancy were destroyed by partriarchy in an effort to control women and

reproduction!


But obviously in order to create a chemical/drug industry for profit, much had to

be eliminated can controlled -- including public knowlege of plants and their uses.

That certainly was done in the "witch burnings" -- for one.

All of this knowledge has been destroyed and moved up into hands of gatekeepers!



:hi:

[RobinA]

56. Please Name Me

a plant that has been shown to prevent pregnancy. You can't "destroy" knowledge.

[defendandprotect]

62. RU486 is based on such a plant, for one -- !!!

In that case, the egg is prevented from attaching to the lining of the womb -- !!

Lemon juice will kill sperm, for another -- !!!

"You can't destroy knowledge" -- ???


Knowledge is being destroyed every day -- by Fox News, by scrubbing of info from

the internet -- and certainly over tens of thousands of years by patriarchy!

Knowledge is destroyed every day by our national security state -- CIA -- and

now even Obama if you read the news yesterday re his latest attack on FOIA--!!


Some of the information does still exist -- as in the case of RU486 --




ROFL

[RobinA]

84. Well, If RU486

does come from a plant, and lemon juice does kill sperm, doesn't that kind of walk all over your argument? Lemon juice is in the grocery store and RU486 is available with a prescription. The patriarchy must be falling down on the job.

I stand by my statement that knowledge cannot be destroyed. Scrubbing it from the internet, whatever that means, doesn't destroy the knowledge, it just removes it from one place.

[Kali]

21. I don't think there is one single valid fact in this whole post.

animal fat is something your body has no idea what to do with:wtf:

your immune system cannot detect cancer cells thru the animal fat:wtf:

The kind of fat your body needs comes from vegetables/fruits:wtf:

Salt from fresh vegs like cole slaw:wtf:

this problem of "fertilizer chemicals" being thrown on our foods for decades now and it's taking an effect in lower nutrition -- that's why people are eating but still hungry!:wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

Nor is animal fecal matter fertilizer:wtf:

Organic foods are also being destroyed :wtf:

If you're eating simply fruits and vegetables, anything you overeat will be stored without adding weight to your body:wtf:

the populations of the 30's and 40's you see on the screen -- they were eating much less of animals -- and the animals were herbivores.:wtf:


not even 17% scientifically literate. PLEASE take a 4th grade science class!

[defendandprotect]

28. Actually, all you're saying is you are unfamiliar with the information -- !!

But the non-response response was indeed enlightening -- :eyes: ROFL

[Tunkamerica]

32. Maybe you just need to be more clear.

The post seems kind of disjointed. I had trouble understanding many of the same points.

[defendandprotect]

63. Sounds more like you are

confused by a lack of traditional punctuation --


One excellent source for all of this info is Dr. Neal Bernard's

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

If you're truly interested in the subject, you might find it helpful --

http://pcrm.org/

[No Elephants]

35. Read things written by Dr. Andrew Weil, who has taken many science classes,

I am not vegan, but I acknowledge it is a healthier way to eat, especially for your heart.

[alp227]

49. But don't humans need meat to survive?

http://www.healthylivingnyc.com/article/117

Try living vegan in infertile rural lands or in cold winter climates.

[No Elephants]

55. Obviously not, as many people are vegan and many cardiologists and other doctors

recommend that diet above all others.

I've never tried living vegan anywhere. If I did, I would probably try it in Boston first.

However, with all that has been written about the subject, I am sure someone who is passionate about eating vegan has written about eating vegan in cold climates and infertile rural areas.

Living vegan, as opposed to eating vegan, seems to me to be primarily for the good of non-human animal and not a matter of human health. While I am certainly not opposed to that, it is a horse of a different color (which I would not recommending eating).

[alp227]

76. what about the role of meat in human evolution?

http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/99legacy/6-14-1999a.html
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/02/0218_050218_human_diet.html

and then how those malnourished kids in third world countries whose diets are restricted to rice and beans and who rarely eat meat?

[LanternWaste]

80. Post hoc ergo prompter hoc.

"are restricted to rice and beans and who rarely eat meat?"

Post hoc ergo prompter hoc.

[boppers]

40. Who need science when we have OPINIONS!

More powerful than facts, reason, or logic!

And, even better, EVERYBODY can have them! No classes to make sense of it, no changes needed because of others, everybody gets to have their own!

[defendandprotect]

65. Science is merely and only observation of nature ...

People readily understand that when they eat animal/diary products they grow fat!

People readily understand that when animals are turned switched from herbivores to

eating other animals -- even road kill -- then anyone who eats those animals is being

exposed to something quite different from the traditional animal-based diet.

People understand the basis of Mad Cow and that it is the source of Alzeheimer's.

People understand the overall ill effects on health of eating animals/dairy -- from

obesity to cancers, from diabetes to high blood pressure and strokes.



If you're unfamiliar with this info and truly interested, I'd try Dr. Neal Bernard

at Physicals Committee for Responsible Medicine --

http://pcrm.org/

[No Elephants]

70. As if scientific medical studies have never conflicted with each other.

[Tunkamerica]

31. What animals do we regularly eat that are carnivores? I guess pigs are

omnivores. Some fish are carnivores. I'm having trouble thinking of carnivores we eat regularly.

[No Elephants]

36. It is not only the carnivore issue. The diets of animals in, say, 1920, were

healthier for OUR bodies than the diets of animals today. And the animals were not as fat themselves because they were moving around and not fed things just to make them fatter. Not to mention things like being juiced up with hormones.

Hormones in foods are making girl reach puberty earlier and earlier, some as young as 9. That means they will hit menopause earlier, too, because females are born with all the eggs they will ever have--and some things, like smoking--will kill eggs.

So many physical/health issues in females relate to the ages that a female's periods began and stopped.

[Tunkamerica]

42. Girl did reach puberty early.

That does mean that. Obviously.

Also, huffing paint will kill eggs; and running really fast while playing ovaries as drums.

Girl will live forever with the power of vegetable.

[No Elephants]

54. For you, I recommend a strict diet of bunnies with pancakes on their heads.

[RobinA]

59. OMG!

What nonsense. Menopause does not come when a woman "runs out" of eggs. How fat the animal is has nothing to do with how much fat you get by eating their meat.

[No Elephants]

69. Really? Women have periods after all their eggs are gone or dead? Do tell.

Got a link for that?

(No need to bother God about anything. Google will do.)

"How fat the animal is has nothing to do with how much fat you get by eating their meat."

You'd best put that obese straw man on a diet so you can knock him down again easily because I never said anything that like eating fat animals makes you fat or eating thin animals will make you thin.


Nonsense that, dearie.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

72. Yes, menopause is the period of a womans life after her menstrual cycle has ended.

However, most women have around 10,000 eggs left when they reach menopause, and to be clear menopause technically begins 12-months after a woman's last period. Their eggs are just no longer "ripening" due to hormonal changes. Most of a females eggs are of course not ever "ripened" leading to either menstruation or pregnancy, since we start out with between 1 and 3 million eggs. By the time we reach our first menstruation were already down to only around 400,000.

Not that this really has anything to do with this conversation. I just thought you may find it interesting information.

[No Elephants]

77. Thanks. I said "dead" but maybe I could have used a more scientific term.

Perhaps, "eggs that are just not doing their thang any longer?"

I did not realize the number we start with was that high. Very interesting.

Always good to hear from an eggspert. Thanks again.

[RobinA]

86. My Bad

you mentioned in a discussion about current food making people fat that animals today are fatter than in the past. I assumed that your point must be that people eat fat animals and become fatter as a result. Now I have no idea why you were mentioning fat animals.

As for menopause, I'm not about the run around the internets to find you a basic human biology lesson. You can believe me or not.

[boppers]

37. Chickens eat worms (and each other) as preferred foods.

Nasty little beasties.

Not *entirely* carnivores, though.

[defendandprotect]

68. Most animals used for "meat" were herbivores ... however, US resurrected a suicidal plan from

hundreds of years ago to use feed animals to other animals --

It had a disastrous effect then -- and has created new disasters this time around as well!

And I'm rather amazed that many here seem to be unaware of this -- but cattle industry has

worked to fight the info. US taught Europeans to feed dead animals to other animals -- in

US that included road kill.

This has led to Mad Cow which is Alzheimer's -- takes 20 years to show up in humans.

But, since cows are around longer usually than chickens, the impact can be seen on their bodies --

and often these animals showing these effects were sent to slaughter houses!

Chickens, sheep usually don't live long enough to show the effects.

Again -- this is a suicidal practice -- and the first time around made it quite clear.


Oprah ran this story at one point and was sued by the cattle/ranching industry which doesn't

want it known. In Great Britain as they realized how widespread the problems were moved to

declaring it a problem with "Hoof and Mouth Disease" and shot all the cattle.

Poof! No more questions -- problem solved!


Lots of info on this on internet -- turning animals into cannibals has a long sad history!

[RobinA]

87. Mad Cow

is Alzheimers? Maybe you should worry less about destroying knowledge and more about getting some.

[truebrit71]

88. You had me right up to the hoof and mouth = shot all the cattle...

The Brits slaughtered their cows due to Mad Cow disease.
The Brits slaughtered their pugs due to Hoof and Mouth disease.

Two entirely different events.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

50. Maybe so

however your post, and the original, doesn't mention the amount of activity in any given persons day to day life. Lack of activity will create conditions for weight gain. Or as Newton put it,'a body at rest tends to stay at rest' :bounce:
In the interest of full disclosure I am about 40 pounds heavier than I ought to be. In determining what to do about it, I discovered I am too sedentary.

[No Elephants]

34. Yes, but that skips over what it takes for your body to burn off

a fatty food versus what it takes to burn off veggies with no butter or sour cream or other fat on them.

Some foods and beverages speed your metabolism and some slow it.

And, no matter what food you are eating, you want to be able to eat enough of it to feel satisfied.

You are going to get one results if you eat potato chips until you feel satisfied and a very different result if you eat undreseed veggies until you feel satisfied.

So choosing the right foods is very important.

[hedgehog]

8. I am becoming convinced that the obesity epidemic is a result of

eating the wrong kinds of foods. i.e too much simple carbohydrate and of a lack of micronutriants and lower vitamin levels in the current food supply.

I am working in South Korea right now . There are no snack machines in the office and no one snacks. At lunch we are served a free meal -a self serve buffet of kimchi (think cabbage with vinegar and lots and lots of hot pepper), a protein (fish filet or tofu), leafy vegetables, rice and a broth with onions or other sliced vegetables. As people leave the cafeteria, they drink a cup of cold water or hot sweet tea - plum tea, lemonaid, brown rice tea etc.

In the stores, the local Korean sweets aren't very sweet or rich by Western standards. A bag of chocolates yielded a number of individually wrapped squares about half the size of a Hershey kiss.

So, we have a diet heavy in greens and vegetables, with protein. Carbohydrates are offered at the end of the meal. Sweets are eaten very sparsely.

I have yet to see an overweight Korean adult or child!

[totodeinhere]

10. Right, yet Americanized Asians who acclimate to an American diet can be as obese as anyone else.n/t

[TuxedoKat]

11. I noticed

the same thing when I was in China, didn't see any overweight people, although I've read there is an obesity problem there too. I lost weight very easily while I was there too, eating mostly protein and vegetables.

[Lorien]

16. "With protein"; I'm sure that animal protein is NOT a huge part of their diets

as it is here. The massive China Study linked the regular consumption of animal proteins with an increased risk of serious diseases, particularly cancer. Studies have also been done that show that generations of a family from Asia can remain slim...until they move to America. Within one generation they usually start to show excess weight and health issues.

[hedgehog]

27. I really couldn't say about that. I know I had fish twice and tofu once

in the cafeteria. Ther must have been something the other days, but I have no idea what! Meat is very expensive, but the markets are full of fresh fish, shell fish and octopus.

[defendandprotect]

19. +1 --

[defendandprotect]

22. Exactly -- and as someone else is pointing out, you see what happens to Asians who live in America!!

At least those who abandon an Asian style diet!!

[No Elephants]

39. Food is a huge issue. So is a sedentary life style. And genes have a role, as does.

how fat a baby you were when your body was making fat cells. Once those cells are there, they will demand food. You can deny them, but it will be uncomfortable.

Sufficient sleep and stress management play a role as well, but exercise helps with both of those as well.

Our genes and the number of fat cells we created in our bodies as babies are two things we cannnot change, but we can address the rest.

I once saw a photo of a busy street corner in Harlem (USA, not Holland) in the 1950's, people of various ages crossing the street, standing around talking to each other, etc. The photo stopped me cold.

One woman out of maybe 30 people was slightly plump by today's standards. The rest were thin. One man was so thin, his belt was bunching his trousers around his waist because he had had to pull it tight to keep up his trousers.

But, we would not see that photo today. For one thing, many of those people would be indoors, watching TV, using computers, listening to CD's that are not scratchy, etc. instead of walking around and interacting with friends and neighbors. For another, processed foods and junk foods and a sedentary lifestyle would have made all of them heavier and some much heavier.

[Stuart G]

47. About the sedentary life style...

We as a nation need to find time to walk, exercize, keep moving for at least a half an hour a day. Seems easy?
Well it aint. I have sucessfully kept weight off for many years. I still love food, but...well? No, I don't eat what I want and crave...

For most of the last 20 years, I have found a way to keep moving for at least a half an hour to 45 minutes a day,..walking, exercize, cleaning house, etc It ain't easy, sounds like it is...but it ain't. Yes, there are cravings...so what? Big deal..
I would rather not eat chocolate than get fat...and have another heart attack..................enugh said...

[No Elephants]

57. I am so glad you recovered. Best wishes on keeping up with healthier habits.

From what I understand, ideally, you do both cardio (e.g., walking), which burns fat, as you know, and strength training (e.g., lifting weights).

The latter builds muscle and muscle burns fat, even when the body is sleeping!

[slackmaster]

17. Food tastes good.

Exercise is hard.

[boppers]

41. I can think of at least one daily exercise that's a lot of fun.

However, it requires a partner.

[Stuart G]

48. Exercize is not hard ...define it.

Walking at a steady, moderate pace is not that hard..say 45 minutes a day..cut in half, 20 and 25.

And not binging every day. but occasioanlly.. and minor binges,..not huge ones...

[slackmaster]

52. No, exercise isn't really hard. Clearly my remark was meant as sarcasm.

Being intentionally obtuse on the Internet is easy.

[RobinA]

61. You Aren't Going

to lose weight by walking 45 minutes a day. Ask me, I know.

[No Elephants]

73. Good thing Stuart G did not know that or he might not have had such good results

getting thinner and staying thinner.

But, why should he believe his own years of experience when he can take a poster's word to the contrary?

[No Elephants]

29. Being thin difficult for many Film at 11.

[joe1991]

43. People LOVE making excuses

May I submit two pieces of evidence:

1. Look at any photo of a concentration camp.

2. watch any episode of "the biggest loser".

...I believe we find two indesputable facts:

A. eat less and you will lose weight.

B. eat healthy portions and excercise and you will lose weight.

everything else is just whiney excuses.

The only "trick" is finding what regiments/activities work best for you.

I currently use a calorie counting app on my phone, a small stack of workout dvds, an elliptical, and biking and swimming when there's time.

[Missy Vixen]

45. Oh, since you were successful, everyone is?

>1. Look at any photo of a concentration camp.<

Considering the fact that those in a concentration camp were denied the 800 calories a day the WHO requires to even stay alive, that's beyond ridiculous. Were those in the camp able to work, for example? They consumed so little food their organs shut down, but hey, they were THIN! They must be healthy, then!

>2. watch any episode of "the biggest loser".<

Oh, I see. If you're willing to work out several hours a day, you can lose weight! You'll be thin! Plus, you're doing so in an artificial construct most would not have the time and money to maintain, but hey, you're the expert, aren't you?

I know it'll come as a real shock to you, but there are those who regained the weight after appearing on "The Biggest Loser". It's not a perfect solution, either.

>everything else is just whiney excuses.<

Maybe you need to get over yourself.

When you've had documented weight loss of over thirty pounds that you kept off for over five years, c'mon back. We'd love to hear about it.

:eyes:

[joe1991]

60. I understand reality is hard to face

My simple, scientific-based point was eating less and exercising more ALWAYS results in weight loss.

I don't know anyone that has died from eating too little, but I've known quite a few that aren't around anymore because of being overweight.

We have an obesity epidemic in this country that is costing all of us, so it's long past time to sugar-coat and deep fry it.

personally I've kept my weight down for over a decade, and I normally only workout for 10 minutes a day.

It's a battle and I'm not here to brag, just motivate. Get mad and buy a punching bag.

If you're not losing weight, you're making excuses.

[Missy Vixen]

71. You can can your personal attacks right now

"Reality is hard to face"? Uh, you have no idea what my life is like. I wasn't lucky enough to have the kind of metabolism issues that are cured with ten minutes of an exercise DVD once a day. Discounting me with your snide little comebacks is not "motivation". It's bullying, just like YOUR hero, Jillian Michaels. (You might want to check out why she's not appearing on The Biggest Loser anymore, BTW.)

I not only do not believe you've "kept your weight down" for over a decade (gosh, how convenient that you don't post specific numbers,) I do not believe that you "maintain" with ten minutes a day.

I wish you luck in the future. You'll need it.

[LanternWaste]

81. I imagine the only thing we love more than excuses...

I imagine the only thing we love more than excuses is the sense of moral judgement onto others of whom we have zero relevant knowledge beyond mere guess work and projection...

[Taverner]

51. Your body adapts. Millions of years of evolution for that.

Conversely, if you eat smaller amounts of food all your life, your body becomes more efficient at getting the nutrients from the food you do eat.

[RaRa]

53. After 10 years of being overweight

I was just about to give up. I wasn't obese, just on the lower cusp of overweight BMI. That was 4 years ago and I'm now at 43 in the best shape I've ever been. On the surface I ate less and started working out. But the success came from figuring out what worked for me, rather than incorporating an outside system. I discovered that I like to eat 80% of my calories between noon and 3. So, I don't eat dinner. I thought I had to to set an example for my kids, buy I sit with them and sometimes eat a little, but they know that mommy is serious about exercise and eats a lot in the afternoon. Not the worst example to set. I still like the sweet crap way too much. Funny, I pay almost no attention to calories anymore; I've learned to read my body's cues - today it gives me the right ones. The key is gradual change rather than setting goals that lead to failure.

[Dover]

66. What worked for my uncle who was not only obese but diabetic

was a true and persistant change of eating habits. It was really hard for this meat and potatoes (and beer) guy to do, but now he can't imagine going back to his old eating style. The thing that made it easier on him was that his wife took classes to become a
vegetarian gourmet chef, which she thoroughly enjoys and might never have pursued otherwise. What she ended up doing was serving meals with lean meat on weekends but served delicious vegetarian meals the rest of the time (good carbs only and very little sugar). Of course he also gradually increased his exercise (mainly swimming, walking, stretch yoga and later some weights training).
The pounds just melted off and he never looked back. What struck me was the change in his energy and his whole demeanor. He
was more relaxed, self-possessed and happy. AND his diabetes went away! He and his wife's relationship also got closer, probably
because they both threw themselves into this change and had fun with it.

Just anecdotal and certainly not suggesting that as a solution for everyone. My point in sharing it is that he's kept the weight
off for over 6 years. They never looked at it as a diet, per se, but real lifestyle change.
BTW, their new love for vegetables also led them both to begin gardening and it's become their passion.
So they took lemons and made lemonade. :pals:

[alfredo]

67. Taking weight off and keeping, it off in my case, took a

lifestyle change. Portion control, and increased activity has allowed me to keep my weight off. I didn't have to lose much weight, and I have an athletic past, so my case might be different from most.

Maybe expectations of weight loss need to be tempered with reality. I saw 20 lbs a reasonable goal, I lost 15 lbs and felt comfortable with that. I also found it easy to maintain that weight. Can I lose more, probably. Can I keep it off, not sure. But any loss will be done gradually.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

78. they never mention THYROID trouble and autoimmune diseases.

Thirty or forty million people in the U.S. have a thyroid problem. usually the thyroid is dead due to Hashimoto's disease, which is an autoimmune disorder. Millions have glandular disruption, probably due to chemicals and unknown compounds in food. Millions have adrenal exhaustion, due to the stressful lifestyles we all are put through at work, etc. Doctors ignore adrenal exhaustion too.

I got yelled at all my life by the bossy grandmother to eat more. She cooked crappy boiled to death greens that I would not touch, no matter how much I got yelled at. I'm a supertaster and very picky about my food. I was not fat when I was young, but I gradually added pounds as I got older. I acquired Hashimoto's disease when I was a pre-adolescent. I was put on Armour thyroid but not enough to make me an energetic person.

Autoimmune disorders run in my mom's family. Grandmother was blessed with an overactive thyroid. She thought that everybody else was lazy. I had to sleep 12 hours a day so I was lazy, in her opinion. She really messed with my head because she was so critical of everybody because they didn't meet her overachieving perfectionist standards.

Doctors are refusing to treat thyroid trouble. They give women inadequate amounts of thyroid, or T4 only (synthroid), when they might need T3 and T4 both, or give women anti-depressants and tell them it's all in their head.

Start reading here: www.stopthethyroidmadness.com

http://thyroid.about.com

http://www.adrenals.web.org

http://www.thyroid-rt3.org

It's not as simple as calories in, calories out, as a physicist would say. Human metabolism is not comparable to Newton's laws of motion. It involves chemical reactions of great complexity.

And it is true that if you eat fewer calories, your metabolism will slow down to conserve the calories you take in.

https://eaware.org/

http://www.adrenals web.org/

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/NaturalThyroidHormonesADRENALS/

http://faqhelp.webs.com/

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/NTHA-Chat/

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RT3_T3/

http://www.thyroid-rt3.com/

[Locrian]

93. good post

I've had adrenal and tyroid issues - finally under control. You know what was (is) a major cause of my issues besides stress. Wheat. Wheat is horrible for you in so many ways, lots of it in terms of weight gain etc.

Wheat has been genetically modified in the last 50 years to resemble NOTHING of the 4ft amber waves of grain we think of. It's all dwarf heavily mutated.
This guy wrote a whole book on it. The data, science isn't new. Its just nobody pays attention.

http://www.wheatbellybook.com/wheatbellybook/ps/index?keycode=185994

Excuse the sensationalist title - but the data and info is there. Guy's a cardiac doctor - has seen a lot first hand.

http://www.amazon.com/Wheat-Belly-Lose-Weight-Health/dp/1609611543/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319757445&sr=8-1



Manifestor_of_Light - try giving up wheat for a few weeks - what do you have to loose? It doesn't cost anything and it could dramatically change how you feel. Understand you can feel WORSE as it has an addictive widthdrawl effect on some people.

[undeterred]

79. Eating.

That's why.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

92. I'm glad you know everything. (SARCASM)

[NRaleighLiberal]

94. I guess I will see....Starting late Jan, I lost 50 lbs. no longer obese, just overweight

(according to the BMI charts - 6 feet, large frame, went from 258 to 208). My wife and I did Weight Watchers - it was very successful because it was about being honest about what we ate. We ate well, and ate good food (still do) - it is about portion control and food quality/choices, and physical activity certainly helped.

So, this is the part of "I guess I will see" - can I maintain? continue to lose? I've hit a plateau for a month or so - amazing because I am eating the calorie (= points in WW terms) to keep losing, but things are a bit stuck. Time of year? Certainly less activity - after all isn't it hibernation time? (ha ha)....my hunger ebbs and flows, but is pretty well in control. We eat all the fruits and veggies we want (they don't "count"). Things we've reduced considerably - alcoholic beverages (definitely empty calories), desserts, cheese, bread,and portion sizes.

I do hope that next year at this time I will be at my current weight, or even a little less. But there is much more to weight loss than just food, and just activity - it is very complex, and I suspect, very different for different people.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

96. That's why excercise should accompany diet.

It helps increase one's metabolism.

An exercise regimen should be somthing one enjoys otherwise they're not likely to stay with it.

At least what's worked for me.

[BlueIris]

100. Sometimes I think it will take a miracle to make Americans face up to The Food Thing.

Yes, I know there are other contributing factors. Yes, I know that not all overweight, or even obese people are considered unhealthy. I also don't believe the obese should be publicly mocked for their disorders, nor denied access to doctors, housing, and the same professional opportunities those of us who are of normal weight get to enjoy. I have posted all that on this website many times.

Still, the bulk of all people who are overweight and obese are in that state because they eat too much, eat too much of the wrong foods for their body type, and can't or won't make a commitment to change. Obesity is not a good or acceptable health status. The hoardes of people wallowing in denial about their poor health are doing quite a bit of damage to themselves, their families and this society. It's embarrassing and even shameful to me that so many continue to refuse to see this, and will probably use the preliminary 'findings' of this study to justify their awful choices.

[Exultant Democracy]

101. I highly doubt it with the way we use resources

there is a good chance that if we don't pull out of our tail spins that once again like in the past only the very rich will be able to afford to get fat. The rich of course will also be able to afford the most high tech plastic surgery so unless fat is in the vogue (not unheard of) then there may be almost no fat people.