Mockingbird:
Congrats on the successful weightloss. It’s all the more impressive considering the obstacles you face in doing it.
Agreed.
Hear HEAR!! Or if one is eating too many steaks or bacon strips, DESPITE what the Atkins diet ninnies think.
My dear idiots:
The type of fat in different foods is better and worse dependant on what it is and how it was processed.
In many ways, bacon is better for you than a doughnut.
I am really doubting you, Snoopy, or fessie have any real knowledge of nutrition or have done any study on diet to see what the real information is.
Part of my work in losing weight was to read a great deal about fat and the way it is processed and changing not only portion size but how I prepare the food.
We’re talking about introducing soy, using plain yogurt to cook with rather than sour cream or mayo, and quite a few other techniques that decrease fat grams and still allow things to taste good.
Bacon may be better for you than a donut, but it’s still got quite a bit of saturated fat, which is only good in small quantities.
True. But even in moderation, bacon is nutritionally better than a doughnut.
Oh, absolutely.
I don’t guess I’m one of those “Atkins diet ninnies”, because I don’t limit the number of carbs I eat, as long as those carbs are from whole grains, milk, fruits and veggies. However, as far as eating too many steaks or bacon strips being bad for you, I should point out that the Atkins diet advocates eating only as much as you need to feel full. IOW, don’t eat if you’re not hungry. I follow this rule, too. Even though sweets and simple carbs are my binge foods of choice, I hold no illusions: if I simply ate every time I felt like eating (even when I’m not hungry), I wouldn’t be nearly as successful at weight loss.
That was me and it grew back just fine thank you very much 
I dunno maybe the offenderati injured themselves whilst venting their spleens all over me and need to rest up for a while. Those people both amuse and annoy me. On the one hand it’s really funny how the Fat Defenders get all worked up in a frothing rage every time someone uses ‘fat’ as a pejoritive or in any way criticizes a fat person for that matter. On the other hand, their vitriolic whining very effectivly drowns out any legitimate discourse, when the topic isn’t specifically about fat. For example I was hoping for some serious discourse on the topic of my rant (bikes and cars sharing the road) but instead got jumped on by the Fat Defenders because I mentioned that my antagonist was fat. Kinda like the sheep in * Animal Farm * if you ask me.
You have some point to this?
To back this point up, my pal Mockingbird and I started Weight Watchers within…um…two weeks of each other, (right **Mockingbird?) I’ve got maybe two weeks on him. I get more exercise. We’re both on the same plan and he started out heavier that I did.
Yet he’s lost twice what I have (I’m only down about 16 pounds). My best friend who started lighter than me is down 20 pounds in the same amount of time. What’s the difference? I dunno. We’re all losing, but at pretty dramatic differences in rate.
So there’s clearly more to the equation than some of the drooling morons would believe.
And regarding the oozing pustules spewing the moronic fat-bashing comments*, all I can say is “Hey, I may be fat but you’re idiots. But I can lose the weight.”
Fenris, with about 30-40 pounds to go, dammit.
*Including the oh-so smarmy "certain level of confrontation is going to be needed " Confront this, :: gives Miskatonic the finger ::, you asshole.
Tarantula, this is definitely the funniest thing I have ever read on Straight Dope, no kidding! ROFLMAO Really, you rock!
But, seriously, folks, in order to preserve anonymity, I try to be as vague as possible about these scenarios - understandable, right, for the reasons gobear indicated.
Anyway, I’m not bitching. My oldest brother, whom I love dearly, must be 300 pounds. By maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly, I’m less than half that. And I’m taller than him.
So, I’m sympathetic to the issues of the overweight. But consider this: I have a friend who’s obese. His diet is pasta, soda, doughnuts, greasy breakfast sandwiches, cookies, etc. He has limited mobility due to his weight, breathes in a belabored manner. Luckily, he hasn’t had any MAJOR problems yet.
But what will it take for him to wake up!
Was I talking about you, or to you? No.
Call it an intervention if you prefer, but there are plenty of overweight people with poor eating habits well in denial.
I’m fat and I have some food issues.
A few examples
We used to supply donuts for our students, I would go all day and not eat any. After class however if I did not put the box with any remaining donuts in the trash, I would start eating. One donut was too many and the rest of the box was not enough. Damned if I know why, but I no longer bring donuts in.
I can work all day long without eating, and it does not bother me. But if there is food around my stomach will start to growl and I am hungry.
At Thanksgiving after I am done eating, I have to stand up and leave the table, otherwise I will continue to pick at the leftover food on the table until I am ready to pop. Again I don’t know why. My sister has this same reaction to a table full of food.
Why am I this way? I have no freaking clue. My mother never forced me to clean my plate, never gave the children are starving in China routine. I don’t know, but I do work to prevent from putting myself in a position where I know I will over eat.
Food is different from smoking, or drinking or other vices. You can go your entire life without smoking, and be healthier for it. You can live very well without drinking. But try to live without food. A bit of a problem there.
Along with that is changes in the American lifestyle. When I was a kid in the late 50’s early 60’s I would go out and play outside or ride my bike for hours upon hours at a time. I recall more than once riding my bike over 50 miles in one day with my buddies. My parents would see me leave in the AM and many a time I did not return until almost dark. If a parent did that today, the media would horsewhip them. Today kids stay inside playing Nintendo. Compare the calories burned between an afternoon of Nintendo and 50 miles on a bike. Furthermore there have been changes in the food we eat. When I was a kid, a vast majority of mothers stayed at home and cooked dinner. Now mom is working to pay the bills. Dinner is likely to be a fast food special. Even that has changed. When I was a kid Mickey D’s sold a burger for $.015 and a small bag of fries and what is now a small Coke this was considered a meal. Looking at the BurgerKing website this meal has 705 Calories. Not really a diet meal, but in a healthy lifestyle not really a problem. Nowadays nobody gets a small burger, small fries and a small Coke. Now it’s a Double Whopper combo meal King sized. Which according to BK tips the scale at, are you ready for this? TWO THOUSAND NINETY CALORIES (2090)! I’m sorry that is not a meal, that is a days worth of calories. Unless your are getting lots and lots of exercise like Mr. Miskatonic (or Lance Armstrong Go Lance!)
Now have that double whopper for lunch, and go out for Pizza for dinner and a couple of donuts for breakfast, what are we talking about here 4500 Calories? 5000 Calories?
[Richard Jenni] It’s not your fault your fat.
Well is kinda your fault you put the food in your mouth[/RJ]
Is there an easy answer? From a societal point of view I have no clue. My brain hurts trying to think up a way to make America skinny without infringing on the freedom of its people. I think getting people to take responsibility for their own actions is a great start. Maybe getting another President like Kennedy to fire up the public about physical fitness.
From a personal point of view I am going to shut down now and go work out. I am going to lose this extra weight.
And only you, the Avenging Marauder can save them from their obesity, right? Whaddaya do? Roam around the countryside telling fat people they’re disgusting?
Spare me.
Trust me. No-one needs or wants you to tell them that they’re fat. They know.
And what do you expect will happen anyway? As you walk up to an unsuspecting person and say “Hey, did you know, you’re really fat!” and your victim to slap their face, “Home Alone” style and say “MY GOD, AVENGING MARAUDER! You’re RIGHT! I am overweight! I would never have noticed! Bless you, Avenging Marauder!” as you ride off into the sunset? :rolleyes:
Mr. Miskatonic, the article that you linked to was written by a man without any bariatric credentials at all. His is an attorney and a journalist – with a reputation for making absurd claims not founded on current scientific research. The New York Post is not known for reliable reporting.
Please remember that people who are addicted to alcohol, hard drugs and smoking are able to break their addictions by never indulging in the thing they are addicted to. The obese cannot do that.
Here are some of the topics of current research that bear looking into: neurotransmitters, hormones, gut peptides, catecholamines, cannabinoids, B-endorphins, opioids, beta adrenergic receptors, growth hormone treatments for obesity, histime as it relates to obesity, leptin as an energy regulator, leptin resistance, seratonin as it relates to appetite, set points, calcium and weight loss, thermogenesis, metformin, etc.
Mostly what I have seen discussed here is hedonics. SDMB is supposed to be about fighting ignorance. Too many in this thread are perpetuating ignorance with their uneducated claims.
I doubt that the OP was about concern for the doughnuts eater’s health.
I agree with you that parents need to keep watchful eyes on what their children eat and how much exercise they get. But after a person becomes an obese adult, you can only make things worse with confrontation. It is not anyone else’s business.
Also, some teens use food as a means of control that is part of a rebellion against parental authority. It results in eating disorders involving both anorexia and obesity.
As for my own experiences, I lived on nothing but liquids for six months and completely lost interest in food. I would have continued to stay on the liquids for the rest of my life if the doctor had allowed me to. (He was my source for the liquids so I couldn’t just ignore him.)
For five years I have had, by choice, a stomach the size of an egg. I often forget about eating altogether until late in the day or evening. Yet I remain overweight but comfortable after losing 150 pounds.
FunkySpaceCowboy, if you don’t bring the subject of fat up in your OP, we won’t comment on fat. Your post was particularly annoying since it came on the hills of another thread by someone whose car was hit and who also somehow felt the weight of the offending person was a factor.
Insulin resistance syndrome.
Insulin resistance and obesity.
Metformin and weight loss.
The metabolically obese, normal weight person.
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Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple. I quit drinking. I quit drugs. I quit smoking. The operable word is “quit.” One cannot quit eating forever. Instead, a whole new way of eating, even existing, must be adopted. Old habits and preferences can’t simply be ignored but must be redirected. There is no “cold turkey” in eating. What was an obsession must become balanced and for many people it’s just not as easy as some of you make it sound.
Bear in mind also the number of people who die every day because they were unable to defeat their addictions to drugs, alcohol, and smoking. Sure, there are successful former addicts. There are also successful former fat people. But there are still plenty of people who haven’t yet found the strength needed to break these habits and the snottiness of people who do not share their problem does not help.
That you could give this piece of offal positive regard says more about you than I cared to know.
I’d give you the finger, but that is more effort than you deserve.
Zero to strawman in two posts. Impressive but not a record.
For the record, there are people who deny they are fat. An old GF of mine was once the only skinny person in an office she worked at (and don’t let anyone tell you this taunting street doesn’t go both ways, she was constantly derided for being skinny). One of the fellow workers was getting married and kept saying how she was going to be a size 8 by the time of the wedding. I met her once, her skeleton might have fit into a size 8 dress. This might be dismissed as a quaint delusion…but what does it mean when the person has actually bought the size 8 dress? This person also seemed to think that chomping on bite size candy bars all day was the road to superthin.
I don’t run around telling people “You’re fat”. I confront people who have basicly let media and bad science tell them that they are predispositioned to be fat. I’ve had a person I know complain to me about how it was unfair that I was skinny and that there was nothing they coudl do about their weight. When I had enough I pointed out the constant snakcing they did through the day, and how it totally countered their efforts to “diet” which consisted of eating a salad for lunch twice a week. Said person mostly got the message and has lost a signifigant amoutn of poundage.
Another friend (and coworker) had a serious problem. He had a chronic case of depression that led him to overeat. I was good friends with his wife and we both confronted him and pointed out his failing health. He needed to diet, but our main agenda of this confrontation was to get him to seek help (and eventually anti-depressants) for his depression. He is also losing weight. To his credit, he never tried to blame glands or genetics for his wieght.
So if you don’t like what I really do, and must invent some kind of self-rightous fantasy about what I do to feel self-rightous. Go ahead and fuck yourself.