# Damn, we're getting fat.



## fuzzybuddy (Oct 31, 2021)

I went grocery shopping yesterday. As I was waiting in the check out line, I started to notice  other shoppers. I'm 40 lbs. (18KG) overweight. As I looked around, I was the thinnest person on line. Most of them were huge. I thought about all the yards of material to cover our butts. Like I said I'm no slouch about being overweight, but these people were obese. No way could you consider us as "healthy".  It was obvious we were all headed for major medical problems. All I could think of was "Damn, we're getting fat".


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## Knight (Oct 31, 2021)

The perks of retirement are. 
1. Having time to search the internet for ways to lose weight. 
https://www.google.com/search?q=way...i57j0i512l7.8324j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

About 482,000,000 results (0.70 seconds) 

2. Being able to take time to prepare meals that promote a healthy weight
https://www.pinterest.com/natashaskitchen/the-most-popular-recipes-on-pinterest/

3. Exercise regularly

see #1.


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## Aneeda72 (Oct 31, 2021)

Knight said:


> The perks of retirement are.
> 1. Having time to search the internet for ways to lose weight.
> https://www.google.com/search?q=way...i57j0i512l7.8324j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
> 
> ...


Or, having door dash delivery lots of yummy stuff and just not worry about it, after all you’ve got to die of something -Covid or candy?  It’s your choice


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## HoneyNut (Oct 31, 2021)

Having the internet to research is very helpful, though I suppose we used to read books to learn about healthy eating.  I feel upset about my daughter not eating healthy enough and having gained weight.  She's in her mid-twenties, she shouldn't be getting overweight already.  I very much regret the food choices I raised her on (like breakfast cereal which is apparently just mostly sugar).


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## Aunt Bea (Oct 31, 2021)

I try to improve my eating habits but I eventually revert to my old familiar choices.

I’m afraid that it will take generations to make real changes in the way we eat.


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## Gary O' (Oct 31, 2021)

fuzzybuddy said:


> "Damn, we're getting fat".


Yeah, if you eat like a hawg, ya gotta work like a dawg.

We moved from the cabin over a year ago, from chopping wood and hauling things, like water
And this lap of luxury in town can become larger in a hurry.

Happily I'm maintaining my girth and have even dropped a few pounds.
The back yard has many garden projects.
Gotta keep physically busy.
If not, gotta at least do the push aways (from the table)


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## WheatenLover (Oct 31, 2021)

I devised an eating plan on which I don't gain weight. It is rather boring, but I got used to it in three weeks. Years ago, I also lost 50 lbs using a similar eating plan, but over several years because I'd maintain a weight loss and then quit using the eating plan for awhile. I've kept it off, though, so I consider it a win.


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## RadishRose (Oct 31, 2021)




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## win231 (Oct 31, 2021)

HoneyNut said:


> Having the internet to research is very helpful, though I suppose we used to read books to learn about healthy eating.  I feel upset about my daughter not eating healthy enough and having gained weight.  She's in her mid-twenties, she shouldn't be getting overweight already.  I very much regret the food choices I raised her on (like breakfast cereal which is apparently just mostly sugar).


If only people would learn to read food labels; they're required on processed foods like cereal.  
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/are-breakfast-cereals-healthy


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## Don M. (Oct 31, 2021)

Obesity is an epidemic....affecting over 35% of our people, and the root cause of 1/3rd of our nations health care costs.  It is not only prevalent among the Seniors, but also people of all ages....it's amazing to see so many school age children carrying excess weight.  Diet and exercise seems to be forgotten by millions of our people.  

I suspect that if statistics were available, we would find that the majority of those who have become seriously ill, or died, from Covid, were also substantially overweight.  

It is pretty normal for people to put on a few pounds when they retire, but so many of those "waddling around" look more like a beached walrus, than a human being.


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## win231 (Oct 31, 2021)

Knight said:


> The perks of retirement are.
> 1. Having time to search the internet for ways to lose weight.
> https://www.google.com/search?q=way...i57j0i512l7.8324j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
> 
> ...


Re:  Having time to prepare healthy meals, I don't like to cook.  I'm OK with 15 minutes to make a salad, but I won't spend more time than that preparing food.  When I don't want to prepare anything, I'll have some fruit & a handful of nuts.  That's much healthier than grabbing a doughnut or a bag of chips.


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## jujube (Oct 31, 2021)

I'm just short for my weight.  Yup, that's  it.....


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## Tish (Oct 31, 2021)

I'm about 10 kg overweight, working hard to get rid of it.


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## win231 (Oct 31, 2021)

jujube said:


> I'm just short for my weight.  Yup, that's  it.....


When I was severely overweight, I'd tell people _"I don't have a weight problem; I have a height problem.  I'm exactly the weight I should be if I was 13 feet tall."_


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## palides2021 (Oct 31, 2021)

I've also seen the obese people when out shopping. They're everywhere. Worse is when I see it in the doctor's office with the staff walking around with bulges everywhere, acting as if it's the most normal thing in the world. It isn't.

I like to use Weight Watchers to keep the weight down and be fit. They have an online presence, so just go on there and log everything. It really works, and I feel good about myself. When I get tired of it, I get off for awhile, and if the weight starts creeping back up (always does), I sign back on.  This is by far the best deal for me. I feel good and like what I see in the mirror. It's a win-win situation. Not just weight, but also health. (No, I don't work for WW)


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## fuzzybuddy (Nov 1, 2021)

I was kind of freaked out by the others in line. Here I was 40 lbs, overweight, and I was the skinniest one there. Most of the customers were women.


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## win231 (Nov 1, 2021)

Don M. said:


> Obesity is an epidemic....affecting over 35% of our people, and the root cause of 1/3rd of our nations health care costs.  It is not only prevalent among the Seniors, but also people of all ages....it's amazing to see so many school age children carrying excess weight.  Diet and exercise seems to be forgotten by millions of our people.
> 
> I suspect that if statistics were available, we would find that the majority of those who have become seriously ill, or died, from Covid, were also substantially overweight.
> 
> It is pretty normal for people to put on a few pounds when they retire, but so many of those "waddling around" look more like a beached walrus, than a human being.


Bingo!  At my heaviest, I'd be lying on the sand, relaxing & people kept pushing me back into the water.
Really frustrating!


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## Ceege (Nov 1, 2021)

With the health problems it causes, they are saying that *sitting* is the new *smoking*.


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## win231 (Nov 1, 2021)

palides2021 said:


> I've also seen the obese people when out shopping. They're everywhere. Worse is when I see it in the doctor's office with the staff walking around with bulges everywhere, acting as if it's the most normal thing in the world. It isn't.
> 
> I like to use Weight Watchers to keep the weight down and be fit. They have an online presence, so just go on there and log everything. It really works, and I feel good about myself. When I get tired of it, I get off for awhile, and if the weight starts creeping back up (always does), I sign back on.  This is by far the best deal for me. I feel good and like what I see in the mirror. It's a win-win situation. Not just weight, but also health. (No, I don't work for WW)


I tried Weight Watchers.  They explained the importance of a balanced diet - which I always tried to follow.
Whenever I had a bowl of ice cream in one hand, I made sure I had another bowl in my other hand.


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## Serenity4321 (Nov 1, 2021)

palides2021 said:


> I've also seen the obese people when out shopping. They're everywhere. Worse is when I see it in the doctor's office with the staff walking around with bulges everywhere, acting as if it's the most normal thing in the world. It isn't.
> 
> I like to use Weight Watchers to keep the weight down and be fit. They have an online presence, so just go on there and log everything. It really works, and I feel good about myself. When I get tired of it, I get off for awhile, and if the weight starts creeping back up (always does), I sign back on.  This is by far the best deal for me. I feel good and like what I see in the mirror. It's a win-win situation. Not just weight, but also health. (No, I don't work for WW)


I have the same reaction when I go to a doctor's office. I expect the doctor to have a normal with and also his nurses...I guess that is not fair so I need to stop that judgment...

Years ago I joined WW after I quit smoking and gained weight that I could not lose on my own.  I even went to work for them part-time after I reached my goal weight because I was unhappy with myself for having to pay someone to tell me how to lose weight. They have good programs...


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## win231 (Nov 1, 2021)

You know you're really overweight when you get on one of those talking scales at the beach &, instead of your weight, it says,
_"One at a time, please."_


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## Robert59 (Nov 1, 2021)

Do you want to feel skinny hang out around fat people. This is what Rodney Dangerfield said. My lady friend is always going on being fat and she is 170 lbs and her friend has a grandson that weighs 450 Lbs.


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## win231 (Nov 1, 2021)

Robert59 said:


> Do you want to feel skinny hang out around fat people. This is what Rodney Dangerfield said. My lady friend is always going on being fat and she is 170 lbs and her friend has a grandson that weighs 450 Lbs.


Anyone can be too skinny, but when you can hula-hoop with a Cheerio...........


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## David777 (Nov 1, 2021)

Many people habitually eat way too large of meal portions that cause their stomachs and gastrointestinal systems to enlarge.  Once that happens their digestive systems by way of mental craving expects one to eat more continuing as a vicious cycle.  Our ancesters never consumed foodstuffs at the rate or frequency modern humans do. A person that consumes smaller portions at meals can enjoy eating just as much as someone regularly pushing in food until they reach a bloating feeling.  Another thing many do is eat too fast, wolfing down large mouthfuls by habit instead of taking time to slowly enjoy savoring each bite of food.  Our ancestors generally consumed far less red meat, fatty foods, and sweets and instead much more vegetables and grains that our gastrointestinal tracks evolved to process safely. Additionally the 3 large meals a day narrative is only a modern idea as food preparation centuries ago required considerable effort so ordinary people only consumed one primary meal.  

One can easily change to a habit of eating only one larger meal each day with just one or two small ones at a snack level. For a couple weeks one will obviously feel more hungry, however the body readily adapts.  I worked decades doing so and my BMI has remained near 22. In fact have gone years at times during career years never eating breakfast.  The only period my weight moved higher was when I worked at a major hi tech corp where they had several subsidized cafeterias with several daily large portion meal choices, especially usual meat meals groups of us spent our lunches at.  That period in my 40s also seemed to age me most until I stopped.


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## Irwin (Nov 1, 2021)

People need to exercise. If you don't, your muscles get weak. Your body was designed for your muscles to help support your joints, and when they don't, the tissue between your joints wears away and you wind up with painful bone on bone arthritis. The problem is compounded if you're obese.


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## Aneeda72 (Nov 1, 2021)

David777 said:


> Many people habitually eat way too large of meal portions that cause their stomachs and gastrointestinal systems to enlarge.  Once that happens their digestive systems by way of mental craving expects one to eat more continuing as a vicious cycle.  Our ancesters never consumed foodstuffs at the rate or frequency modern humans do. A person that consumes smaller portions at meals can enjoy eating just as much as someone regularly pushing in food until they reach a bloating feeling.  Another thing many do is eat too fast, wolfing down large mouthfuls by habit instead of taking time to slowly enjoy savoring each bite of food.  Our ancestors generally consumed far less red meat, fatty foods, and sweets and instead much more vegetables and grains that our gastrointestinal tracks evolved to process safely. Additionally the 3 large meals a day narrative is only a modern idea as food preparation centuries ago required considerable effort so ordinary people only consumed one primary meal.
> 
> One can easily change to a habit of eating only one larger meal each day with just one or two small ones at a snack level. For a couple weeks one will obviously feel more hungry, however the body readily adapts.  I worked decades doing so and my BMI has remained near 22. In fact have gone years at times during career years never eating breakfast.  The only period my weight moved higher was when I worked at a major hi tech corp where they had several subsidized cafeterias with several daily large portion meal choices, especially usual meat meals groups of us spent our lunches at.  That period in my 40s also seemed to age me most until I stopped.


As usual one size does not fit all.  Diabetics require a somewhat strict mealtimes Schedule, as do others with other medical issues.


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## Aneeda72 (Nov 1, 2021)

fuzzybuddy said:


> I was kind of freaked out by the others in line. Here I was 40 lbs, overweight, and I was the skinniest one there. Most of the customers were women.


Cause the men were too fat to get out of the car


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## JimBob1952 (Nov 1, 2021)

Looking at old photographs (50s-60s-70s) it's amazing how skinny people were.  

Lots of people smoked back then, but still...does anybody know what happened?  I can't figure it out.  There are enormously fat people everywhere in the US.  There must be multiple causes, but I don't know what they are.


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## JimBob1952 (Nov 1, 2021)

I will say one thing.  When I played sports as a little kid, parents didn't bring "snacks."  We were lucky to get water.  Now a designated parent brings juice packs and cookies.  That wipes out the calories burned from playing the sport.


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## Aneeda72 (Nov 1, 2021)

JimBob1952 said:


> Looking at old photographs (50s-60s-70s) it's amazing how skinny people were.
> 
> Lots of people smoked back then, but still...does anybody know what happened?  I can't figure it out.  There are enormously fat people everywhere in the US.  There must be multiple causes, but I don't know what they are.


People used to eat broth for a meal, yup a bowl of broth made from bones.  Breakfast was oatmeal.  Food was hard to come by and candy was truly a treat.  It’s mostly the abundance of food that has caused the problem.


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## GeorgiaXplant (Nov 1, 2021)

I'm not one of the "we". I used to be, though. It took a year and a half to lose a whole lotta pounds, and in that 18 months, I had to learn how, when and what to eat all over again.

From time to time I've put on some extra pounds and then had to struggle to get it back off. It's easy to pack it on, not so easy to get it off.

To paraphrase Scarlett O'Hara, as God is my witness, I'll never be fat again.


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## Packerjohn (Nov 1, 2021)

I don't want to preach here and I don't want to pretend that I know it all.  I don't!  However, this morning I was in a grocery store and looked at some of the stuff that they sell.  There were bags and bags of chips, weird cookies with pink icing on it and bags and bags of high calorie candies. You know what I bought?  Here it is:  2 bananas, small box of blueberries, small box of raspberries and 3 containers of Yogurt.  I have posted before that I enjoy eating healthy, I do floor exercises 5 times/week and I walk outside 5 times/week for about 1/2 hours.

Your body is designed to keep moving.  Simple fact:* if you are eating too much but not exercising to burn off those calories, the food you eat turn into fat. * Simple fact.  Think of your body as your temple.  Be good and be kind to your temple.  Abuse it and you will pay the price.

Oh, by the way:  They used to say that the young people needed to say* NO to drugs.*  Well, some folks out there and there are millions of them, they need to *say NO to eating in restaurants and say NO to buying junk food.*  At the same time, they need to say* YES *to walking and exercise. 

Sorry, but that is the way the cookie crumbles!


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## win231 (Nov 1, 2021)

Irwin said:


> People need to exercise. If you don't, your muscles get weak. Your body was designed for your muscles to help support your joints, and when they don't, the tissue between your joints wears away and you wind up with painful bone on bone arthritis. The problem is compounded if you're obese.


Exercise makes me hungry.  Then I have to eat more.


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## win231 (Nov 1, 2021)

Packerjohn said:


> I don't want to preach here and I don't want to pretend that I know it all.  I don't!  However, this morning I was in a grocery store and looked at some of the stuff that they sell.  There were bags and bags of chips, weird cookies with pink icing on it and bags and bags of high calorie candies. You know what I bought?  Here it is:  2 bananas, small box of blueberries, small box of raspberries and 3 containers of Yogurt.  I have posted before that I enjoy eating healthy, I do floor exercises 5 times/week and I walk outside 5 times/week for about 1/2 hours.
> 
> Your body is designed to keep moving.  Simple fact:* if you are eating too much but not exercising to burn off those calories, the food you eat turn into fat. * Simple fact.  Think of your body as your temple.  Be good and be kind to your temple.  Abuse it and you will pay the price.
> 
> ...


Speaking of cookies, if you break a cookie into pieces, the calories float up into the atmosphere.


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## dseag2 (Nov 1, 2021)

Don M. said:


> Obesity is an epidemic....affecting over 35% of our people, and the root cause of 1/3rd of our nations health care costs.  It is not only prevalent among the Seniors, but also people of all ages....it's amazing to see so many school age children carrying excess weight.  Diet and exercise seems to be forgotten by millions of our people.
> 
> I suspect that if statistics were available, we would find that the majority of those who have become seriously ill, or died, from Covid, were also substantially overweight.
> 
> It is pretty normal for people to put on a few pounds when they retire, but so many of those "waddling around" look more like a beached walrus, than a human being.


So true.  And obesity does increase the chances of severe Covid symptoms.  I won't copy/paste.  There are many articles.

But to be fair, there are many in our population who can't afford healthy food and feed the family at McDonald's or who live in "food deserts" where decent grocery stores and healthy food don't exist, and they can't afford to travel long distances.


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## dseag2 (Nov 1, 2021)

Irwin said:


> People need to exercise. If you don't, your muscles get weak. Your body was designed for your muscles to help support your joints, and when they don't, the tissue between your joints wears away and you wind up with painful bone on bone arthritis. The problem is compounded if you're obese.


You're so right.  I work out and take Collagen Peptides for joint health.  I want to be mobile for as long as I possibly can.


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## dseag2 (Nov 1, 2021)

David777 said:


> Many people habitually eat way too large of meal portions that cause their stomachs and gastrointestinal systems to enlarge.  Once that happens their digestive systems by way of mental craving expects one to eat more continuing as a vicious cycle.  Our ancesters never consumed foodstuffs at the rate or frequency modern humans do. A person that consumes smaller portions at meals can enjoy eating just as much as someone regularly pushing in food until they reach a bloating feeling.  Another thing many do is eat too fast, wolfing down large mouthfuls by habit instead of taking time to slowly enjoy savoring each bite of food.  Our ancestors generally consumed far less red meat, fatty foods, and sweets and instead much more vegetables and grains that our gastrointestinal tracks evolved to process safely. Additionally the 3 large meals a day narrative is only a modern idea as food preparation centuries ago required considerable effort so ordinary people only consumed one primary meal.
> 
> One can easily change to a habit of eating only one larger meal each day with just one or two small ones at a snack level. For a couple weeks one will obviously feel more hungry, however the body readily adapts.  I worked decades doing so and my BMI has remained near 22. In fact have gone years at times during career years never eating breakfast.  The only period my weight moved higher was when I worked at a major hi tech corp where they had several subsidized cafeterias with several daily large portion meal choices, especially usual meat meals groups of us spent our lunches at.  That period in my 40s also seemed to age me most until I stopped.


You're exactly right.  Prior to retirement we used to go out to lunch frequently (I worked from home) and we would eat large portions.  Our dinner portions were pretty large as well and I was still always hungry.  Since retirement we eat salads for lunch 5 days a week with chopped-up chicken for protein.  I do strength training so I need the protein.  I'm rarely hungry anymore and our dinner portions are half what they used to be.  Like you, my BMI is also low.


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## David777 (Nov 1, 2021)

When one looks at the amount of various types of food along isles at supermarkets, consider that is a reflection of the actual food products being bought as someone has got to be buying whatever. My county Santa Clara with about 2 million people is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse anywhere.  At most supermarkets the long isles with potato chip, cookies, sweets are obviously a major favorite.  Also in the frozen food section lots of greasy foods like pizza and other microwavable meat meals.  Large isles full of soft drinks, beer, and alcohol.  I wonder who is consuming so much of such then look at the bodies in checkout lanes.  Of course our prosperous county also has an abundance of greasy fast food restaurants.  I love eating many of these things too, however don't make such a regular habit.  Last Saturday had a delicious salty fried chicken thigh for $2.69 at a Safeway I might buy every couple weeks.  Today for my main meal I mic'd a russet potato and the day before a frozen package of lima beans.


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## dseag2 (Nov 1, 2021)

I live in Dallas County, so I can relate to your comment re: diversity and food purchases.  And don't get me started on the sweat pants and leggings.

We do also treat ourselves to something relatively unhealthy like a hamburger every couple of weeks.  We haven't had fried chicken recently but it's sounding good.  It has just moved to the top of the list!


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## Irwin (Nov 1, 2021)

I tend to pig out whenever I drink alcohol, so it's a good thing I only drink once a week, if that. Otherwise, I control my intake and eat fairly balanced meals... meat, carbs, and veggies... you know, your typical pizza toppings.


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## JimBob1952 (Nov 2, 2021)

RadishRose said:


>




Ok, this is horribly caloric and all that, but where can I buy one?


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## Pepper (Nov 2, 2021)

Ugh


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## GeorgiaXplant (Nov 2, 2021)

After DH and I retired, we started eating our main meal around 1 pm and just something light around 6 or 7 in evening. The reasoning behind it was that we moved around a whole lot more between early afternoon and early evening so eating a big meal later in the day was more likely to go to "waist" and not as likely to digest as well as eating earlier.

Sedentary? Not good. A long walk, even a leisurely one, is better than not moving around at all. Wheelchair bound? Google exercises for wheelchair bound. You don't have to be a power walker or a runner to call it exercise.


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## JimBob1952 (Nov 2, 2021)

dseag2 said:


> So true.  And obesity does increase the chances of severe Covid symptoms.  I won't copy/paste.  There are many articles.
> 
> But to be fair, there are many in our population who can't afford healthy food and feed the family at McDonald's or who live in "food deserts" where decent grocery stores and healthy food don't exist, and they can't afford to travel long distances.




The food desert myth has been debunked repeatedly.  The real problem is ignorance and bad choices, not access to healthy foods.   Taking a family of four to McDonald's for dinner costs much more than a healthy dinner at home ever would.   

https://news.uchicago.edu/story/foo...trition-gap-between-rich-and-poor-study-finds


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## Don M. (Nov 2, 2021)

I've also noticed a "common trait" among those substantially overweight when going through the grocery store checkout....their cart always seems to have a bunch of beer and/or diet soda in it.  Consuming large quantities of those "drinks" is a sure recipe for gaining weight.


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## win231 (Nov 2, 2021)

JimBob1952 said:


> The food desert myth has been debunked repeatedly.  The real problem is ignorance and bad choices, not access to healthy foods.   Taking a family of four to McDonald's for dinner costs much more than a healthy dinner at home ever would.
> 
> https://news.uchicago.edu/story/foo...trition-gap-between-rich-and-poor-study-finds


Yes, healthy food is much cheaper.  Even a 99-cent can of beans is healthier than a cheeseburger & fries.
But maybe not as much fun.


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## Packerjohn (Nov 2, 2021)

win231 said:


> Exercise makes me hungry.  Then I have to eat more.


A couple of years ago when I was 73 I showed a neighbour lady how I can get up quickly from lying on the ground with absolutely no help or support from anyone or anything.  She was really amazed and said she could never do that.  My secret is not secret at all.  Just keep fit by walking, exercise and keep active.


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## fmdog44 (Nov 2, 2021)

That is the reason Americans died by the Covid more than other countries proportionally. Also. notice TV ads and how fat some of the people are because fat is the new norm.


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## Aneeda72 (Nov 2, 2021)

fmdog44 said:


> That is the reason Americans died by the Covid more than other countries proportionally. Also. notice TV ads and how fat some of the people are because fat is the new norm.


The overweight people in commercials are due to the efforts of others to end discrimination against various groups-has nothing to do with norms, IMO.  Also it’s hard to sell plus size clothes when modeled by size 3 people; and all those snack foods.


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## dseag2 (Nov 2, 2021)

JimBob1952 said:


> The food desert myth has been debunked repeatedly.  The real problem is ignorance and bad choices, not access to healthy foods.   Taking a family of four to McDonald's for dinner costs much more than a healthy dinner at home ever would.
> 
> https://news.uchicago.edu/story/foo...trition-gap-between-rich-and-poor-study-finds


Interesting article.  I stand corrected.  It's the "ignorance" factor instead.


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## MickaC (Nov 2, 2021)

Don M. said:


> I've also noticed a "common trait" among those substantially overweight when going through the grocery store checkout....their cart always seems to have a bunch of beer and/or diet soda in it.  Consuming large quantities of those "drinks" is a sure recipe for gaining weight.


I learned some time ago that......beer, any carbonated liquids, sparkling wine stretches your stomach.....so therefore room for a lot more of everything.


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## Packerjohn (Nov 3, 2021)

It's a strange society that I live in!  There is a lot of pressure to accept people who are fat.  Apparently "fat shaming" is a no no.  We are told that big (or fat) is acceptable.  We may stop "fat shaming" but every doctor in this country and others will tell you that being obese just shortens your life.  The heart has to work that much more.  The extra weight is hard on your knees.  Most people who snore at night are over weigh.  Usually the mental self image of fat people is not all that good. You have difficulty walking and you have to wear those terrible flannel pants with elastic waist bands and where it writes "Sport" on one of the legs.  And sadly, fat people are usually the 1st candidate for those electric scooters you see in the malls when they get older.  Their legs have given up and they are no longer mobile.  When I was in China, a young Chinese student told me that the people in mainland China are all skinny because rice is in their daily diet.  However, in Hong Kong where there are MacDonald restaurants is where you find the fat Chinese.  That is something to think about?  Anyone here for burgers and fries?  How about a Whopper with extra large order of fries?


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## Aneeda72 (Nov 3, 2021)

dseag2 said:


> Interesting article.  I stand corrected.  It's the "ignorance" factor instead.


Yes and the kid factor, the poor tend to have more kids and the fastest way to shut them up is fast food.


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## Aneeda72 (Nov 3, 2021)

Packerjohn said:


> It's a strange society that I live in!  There is a lot of pressure to accept people who are fat.  Apparently "fat shaming" is a no no.  We are told that big (or fat) is acceptable.  We may stop "fat shaming" but every doctor in this country and others will tell you that being obese just shortens your life.  The heart has to work that much more.  The extra weight is hard on your knees.  Most people who snore at night are over weigh.  Usually the mental self image of fat people is not all that good. You have difficulty walking and you have to wear those terrible flannel pants with elastic waist bands and where it writes "Sport" on one of the legs.  And sadly, fat people are usually the 1st candidate for those electric scooters you see in the malls when they get older.  Their legs have given up and they are no longer mobile.  When I was in China, a young Chinese student told me that the people in mainland China are all skinny because rice is in their daily diet.  However, in Hong Kong where there are MacDonald restaurants is where you find the fat Chinese.  That is something to think about?  Anyone here for burgers and fries?  How about a Whopper with extra large order of fries?


Your post really stereotypes people.  Yes, fat shaming is out-guess what-any type of shaming of human beings it out.  

Thought you might have notice that, but you are old and probably not up to date on the world.  and you probably shuffle around in loose pants, a shirt with buttons, and slippers on your feet.  These words, would of course, be stereotyping an elderly person and elderly shaming.

Now that you mention doctors, do you notice a lot of doctors are overweight-physician heal thyself.  . Very few people wear flannel, except on the winter, it’s so very hot.  I think you mean sweat pants which are not made of flannel but do have an elastic waist band.  Most everyone wears sweat pants, thin and fat and obese, old and young, cause they are comfortable and comfort is ”in”.

Lots of ”fat” people walk a lot.  Lots of obese people became obese because of medical issues which prevented them from exercise or thyroid issues or issues where, like me, they take prednisone or other drugs.  Try losing weight on that drug, try not gaining weight on that drug, and other drugs.

As for rice, it’s a carb, you gain weight on rice and it raises your blood sugar more than ice cream.  I know this, I have throughly tested this issue.


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## charry (Nov 3, 2021)

I’m not !! Lol....I must walk 10 miles a day , indoors ...lol...


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## WheatenLover (Nov 3, 2021)

MickaC said:


> I learned some time ago that......beer, any carbonated liquids, sparkling wine stretches your stomach.....so therefore room for a lot more of everything.


My dentists have always emphasized that drinking soda takes the enamel off one's teeth.


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## charry (Nov 3, 2021)

WheatenLover said:


> My dentists have always emphasized that drinking soda takes the enamel off one's teeth.


The enamel will come off eventually with age !!


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## WheatenLover (Nov 3, 2021)

dseag2 said:


> Since retirement we eat salads for lunch 5 days a week with chopped-up chicken for protein.


My daughter was talking to an Australian friend who wanted to know what cultural shocks he would encounter if he visits here. The first thing she told him about was the large portions most restaurants have.

I eat salad nearly every day. Today, I looked at my daughter's grocery list, and the only thing on it was sweets and popcorn. I added meat and produce, along with instructions to carefully check the produce for mold. If even one piece has mold on it, that means the mold spores are on nearly every piece. This, according to my daughter's college biology professor.

I have noticed that the grocery stores here sell moldy produce to the unwary. I tell the produce managers about it, and they always look surprised. Of course, they are not. Entire displays of strawberries have every single package with multiple moldy fruits, and these are usually on the bottom. It occurs mostly with berries, tangerines, and any fruit sold in bags of 3 lbs.


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## Aneeda72 (Nov 3, 2021)

WheatenLover said:


> My daughter was talking to an Australian friend who wanted to know what cultural shocks he would encounter if he visits here. The first thing she told him about was the large portions most restaurants have.
> 
> I eat salad nearly every day. Today, I looked at my daughter's grocery list, and the only thing on it was sweets. I added meat and produce, along with instructions to carefully check the produce for mold. If even one piece has mold on it, that means the mold spores are on nearly every piece. This, according to my daughter's college biology professor.
> 
> I have noticed that the grocery stores here sell moldy produce to the unwary. I tell the produce managers about it, and they always look surprised. Of course, they are not. Entire displays of strawberries have every single package with multiple moldy fruits, and these are usually on the bottom.


I agree.  Always check for mold.  I’ve been served brown lettuce in restaurants, yuck.  Here, if there is a broken egg in the container at the grocery store, the entire box has to be thrown away.  Yup, it’s that dangerous for food poisoning.


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## WheatenLover (Nov 3, 2021)

Packerjohn said:


> It's a strange society that I live in!  There is a lot of pressure to accept people who are fat.


I don't like it at all when people are fat-shamed. They already know how much they weigh, and the last thing they need is ugly comments. The comments don't help, and they do hurt. I have also seen people (mostly men) who fat-shame women, when they themselves are very much overweight. That takes a lot of family jewels, under the circumstance. I tell them so, in a polite way - like the previous sentence.

I heard plenty of ugly comments directed toward my SIL/best friend.She weighed over 300 lbs and was 5' tall. She was also the most friendly, loving, compassionate, talented, and empathic people I have ever met. 

I'd tell the person that those comments are ugly and don't help my SIL. Usually, the ingrate would tell me that it was none of my business. Of course it was!  I replied that she was my SIL and I loved her dearly. Frankly, I thought the (usually loud) comments were everyone's business, since they were spoken to humiliate my SIL in public. I'd have gone after anyone who said those things to her privately, too.


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## WheatenLover (Nov 3, 2021)

charry said:


> The enamel will come off eventually with age !!


Perhaps, but also maybe people who take care of their teeth and don't drink sodas keep their enamel.

I say this as a person who never developed a taste for soda, so here's hoping I keep my enamel where it belongs -- on my teeth!


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## JimBob1952 (Nov 3, 2021)

WheatenLover said:


> I don't like it at all when people are fat-shamed. They already know how much they weigh, and the last thing they need is ugly comments. The comments don't help, and they do hurt. I have also seen people (mostly men) who fat-shame women, when they themselves are very much overweight. That takes a lot of family jewels, under the circumstance. I tell them so, in a polite way - like the previous sentence.
> 
> I heard plenty of ugly comments directed toward my SIL/best friend.She weighed over 300 lbs and was 5' tall. She was also the most friendly, loving, compassionate, talented, and empathic people I have ever met.
> 
> I'd tell the person that those comments are ugly and don't help my SIL. Usually, the ingrate would tell me that it was none of my business. Of course it was!  I replied that she was my SIL and I loved her dearly. Frankly, I thought the (usually loud) comments were everyone's business, since they were spoken to humiliate my SIL in public. I'd have gone after anyone who said those things to her privately, too.



Fat-shaming and unkind comments are totally unacceptable.  But it's a fine line.  If your dear friend were a heavy smoker or drank too much, you would probably encourage her to quit or cut back.  Obesity is just as deadly, plus it prevents people from enjoying many aspects of life.  I wrestle with this with my daughter, who is overweight.  She is a lovely person, hard-working and kind.  But I think she would enjoy life more if she were fit.  For now I'm just keeping my mouth shut.


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## WheatenLover (Nov 3, 2021)

JimBob1952 said:


> Fat-shaming and unkind comments are totally unacceptable.  But it's a fine line.  If your dear friend were a heavy smoker or drank too much, you would probably encourage her to quit or cut back.  Obesity is just as deadly, plus it prevents people from enjoying many aspects of life.  I wrestle with this with my daughter, who is overweight.  She is a lovely person, hard-working and kind.  But I think she would enjoy life more if she were fit.  For now I'm just keeping my mouth shut.


She is dead. She died from a massive stroke at age 46. She already knew the facts, and that obesity can be deadly. She started taking diet pills when she was about 8 years old -- her parents made her do it. They could have taken a much more positive approach, but way back then, I guess doctors thought that was okay.

My daughter is overweight, too. I do not talk to her about it unless she brings it up, and only if it fits into the conversation. She knows all about the dangers of being overweight, although she is not morbidly obese.

I have one friend who smokes, although not heavily. She has tried to quit many times. She knows the damage smoking can do. She had 1/3 of a lung removed when she had lung cancer. She is an adult. She keeps her smoking a secret, as much as possible. This cuts down on how many cigarettes she smokes. I have encouraged her to quit smoking, but she says she can't. There is no point to me harping on this subject.


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## David777 (Nov 3, 2021)

Would advise anyone in this era discussing weight issues on public websites to never use the adjective fat.  More acceptable if used sensitively in discussion is obese or overweight.


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## charry (Nov 3, 2021)

WheatenLover said:


> Perhaps, but also maybe people who take care of their teeth and don't drink sodas keep their enamel.
> 
> I say this as a person who never developed a taste for soda, so here's hoping I keep my enamel where it belongs -- on my teeth!


Ditto ....I’m a water drinker


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## WheatenLover (Nov 3, 2021)

charry said:


> Ditto ....I’m a water drinker


I drink 10-12 cups of water a day. It's so much because that's what my oncologist recommends. It is hard to drink that much water, although I am pretty used to it now. I used to drink 8 cups per day.


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## charry (Nov 4, 2021)

WheatenLover said:


> I drink 10-12 cups of water a day. It's so much because that's what my oncologist recommends. It is hard to drink that much water, although I am pretty used to it now. I used to drink 8 cups per day.


A litre and half I was recommended, plus your usual drinks ...
I drink flavoured water, mixed with sparkling water...
I never drink from the tap .....


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## StarSong (Nov 4, 2021)

The pendulum has swung from obese-shaming to obese-normalizing.  Neither extreme is good.  In the 50s and before, obese children were extremely rare.  Back then meals were made from "real" food.  Today's Standard American Diet (acronym SAD - how apt is that?) is high in fat, sugar, salt and processed foods (which themselves are high in fat, sugar, salt and all manner of chemical additives). 

Americans are so busy genuflecting before the altar of capitalism, that we allow corporations to poison our population and destroy our bodies in the name of almighty profits, then we resentfully pay big pharma, doctors, hospitals and healthcare workers to try to ameliorate the damage done over decades.



JimBob1952 said:


> The food desert myth has been debunked repeatedly.  The real problem is ignorance and bad choices, not access to healthy foods.   Taking a family of four to McDonald's for dinner costs much more than a healthy dinner at home ever would.
> 
> https://news.uchicago.edu/story/foo...trition-gap-between-rich-and-poor-study-finds


As someone who eats a 95% plant based diet I can say with some authority that it's much cheaper to eat beans, rice, whole grains, fruits and veggies (fresh, frozen or canned) than to buy meat, dairy and processed foods.   Even more so with animal-based food products ratcheting up in price.     

Anyone with a crockpot can pull together a healthy, delicious meal in the morning for that night's dinner. The internet is loaded with recipes for healthy meals.  

Making real (not instant) oatmeal on the stovetop is a snap, but many continue to opt for bacon or sausage and eggs, biscuits and gravy, fried potatoes, and pancakes swimming in butter and syrup, then wonder why they're suffering with health problems.

*Carbs do not make people fat.* It's the butter and sour cream on the baked potato that do people in. The butter on the bread. The oil (even olive oil) and cheese on the pasta. The fats and sugars in pastries. The avocado on the toast. The fat in virtually every animal based product people eat (even steamed skinless chicken and fish). Combine sugar, fat and salt and it's a double whammy. I love chocolate, too, but control my intake. 

McDonald's chicken nuggets?  Talk about a  nutritional disaster - 6 pcs are 270 calories, 140 of which come from fat.  Yuk.  

Our obesity crisis isn't hard to figure out.  Just look at what people buy at McDonald's, Starbucks, Taco Bell, Chick-fil-A, Wendy's, Subway, Domino, KFC, Dunkin Donuts, and other popular chain restaurants.  Hint: They're not there for the black coffee and the salads...  

Rant over.


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## Denise1952 (Nov 4, 2021)

fuzzybuddy said:


> I went grocery shopping yesterday. As I was waiting in the check out line, I started to notice  other shoppers. I'm 40 lbs. (18KG) overweight. As I looked around, I was the thinnest person on line. Most of them were huge. I thought about all the yards of material to cover our butts. Like I said I'm no slouch about being overweight, but these people were obese. No way could you consider us as "healthy".  It was obvious we were all headed for major medical problems. All I could think of was "Damn, we're getting fat".


I've been studying/reading about this for a year come January and am convinced the American people (and other countries as well possibly) have bought into a lot of lies about The Standard American Diet.  Even athletes are learning that high-carbs for energy and low-fats fail to make a strong body, or build up immune systems.  I now agree since "having" to change (diagnose with T2 Diabetes Jan. 2021) to what I call the Keto diet which can work for meat eaters, vegans or vegetarians as well. 

To explain it simply, it's training your body to burn fat for it's main fuel source, for lack of carbs.  The percentages are something like High fats (good and healthy fats including saturated fats which we've proven are good for us) then our proteins, and then keeping our carb intake below 50.  I was not overweight, but I can tell you I was over healthy fat percentages.  I've lost from 140, down to 117 since in 5 months.  Lately I'm stable as I admit I do walking regular, and a rowing machine.  I'm 68, feel maybe 10 years younger.  I struggle some days as I have a few issues I battle, and have to keep up that battle.  Losing the weight has helped so much, and I lost most of the weight without any exercise except walking my dog.  Then I felt and looked too thin so got focused on strengthening/toning muscle.

I love youtube videos on Insulin Resistance and Keto, and of IR can be present (a warning of diabetes to come I've read) long before diabetes shows up.  You DO NOT need to look or even be overweight to get diabetes, I do believe that.  Youtube, Pubmed, and many more places to do your homework if you want to find healthy ways to lose weight.  You have to weed out the "fad" crap though, it takes work to take responsibility for your health and not leave it all to the doctors.

One guy I think is top-notch that I follow on Youtube, is Dr. Benjamin Bikman.  Here's just one video to see if you might be interested.  He doesn't try to sell stuff:


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## JimBob1952 (Nov 4, 2021)

StarSong said:


> The pendulum has swung from obese-shaming to obese-normalizing.  Neither extreme is good.  In the 50s and before, obese children were extremely rare.  Back then meals were made from "real" food.  Today's Standard American Diet (acronym SAD - how apt is that?) is high in fat, sugar, salt and processed foods (which themselves are high in fat, sugar, salt and all manner of chemical additives).
> 
> Americans are so busy genuflecting before the altar of capitalism, that we allow corporations to poison our population and destroy our bodies in the name of almighty profits, then we resentfully pay big pharma, doctors, hospitals and healthcare workers to try to ameliorate the damage done over decades.
> 
> ...


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## JimBob1952 (Nov 4, 2021)

StarSong said:


> The pendulum has swung from obese-shaming to obese-normalizing.  Neither extreme is good.  In the 50s and before, obese children were extremely rare.  Back then meals were made from "real" food.  Today's Standard American Diet (acronym SAD - how apt is that?) is high in fat, sugar, salt and processed foods (which themselves are high in fat, sugar, salt and all manner of chemical additives).
> 
> Americans are so busy genuflecting before the altar of capitalism, that we allow corporations to poison our population and destroy our bodies in the name of almighty profits, then we resentfully pay big pharma, doctors, hospitals and healthcare workers to try to ameliorate the damage done over decades.
> 
> ...




Not a rant.  Very cogent argument for eating properly, and some good tips on how to do it.  Kudos.


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## StarSong (Nov 4, 2021)

Thanks, @JimBob1952.


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## win231 (Nov 4, 2021)

Everyone has their theories for what causes obesity.
As someone who dealt with obesity for half my life, I can say we're all not the same.  What causes obesity in some people will not cause obesity in others.  One size doesn't fit all.


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## Denise1952 (Nov 4, 2021)

True, but I have to say it's never hurt me to explore what's out there for information to see if "a certain size might fit me" and the one I talked about did.  One problems is a lot of people want a quick fix, so they might choose the wrong information to try because it's easier.


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## WheatenLover (Nov 4, 2021)

charry said:


> A litre and half I was recommended, plus your usual drinks ...
> I drink flavoured water, mixed with sparkling water...
> I never drink from the tap .....


We filter our water, and we drink flavored water. I don't like having to recycle all those water bottles, so today I am putting a new filter in the water pitcher so we can resume drinking water from the tap. We have the world's biggest supply of water flavorings, so that should be fine.


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## John cycling (Nov 4, 2021)

Denise1952 said:


> Even athletes are learning that high-carbs for energy and low-fats fail to make a strong body, or build up immune systems.



No, that's not true.
ALL of the fastest top distance runners in the world train and compete based on a high carbohydrate low fat diet.
It is not possible to train hard and compete at a high level on a high fat, high protein diet, and eating that way is not healthy.

I've been on a high carbohydrate, low protein (but plenty enough), low fat roughly 85/10/<5% diet for the last 50 years, which has saved my life many times over.  Out of curiosity I got a testing kit a couple of decades ago and tested my blood glucose during a hard repetition workout that lasted for more than an hour.  During that time I pricked my finger numerous times to check the readings, and found that knocking my blood glucose level out of whack from normal was virtually impossible.  Those finger pricks hurt, so I threw away the kit and never did that again.

It is important to differentiate between simple sugars, which can raise blood fats when used excessively, and complex carbohydrates which do not.  This is because simple sugars can go into the bloodstream quite rapidly, for example at a rate of 200 calories per minute, whereas complex carbohydrates trickle into the bloodstream at a relatively low rate of up to 2 to 3 calories per minute.

As *diabetes is caused by excessively high blood fat levels*, it's cure and prevention is the result of reducing those high blood fat levels by a diet that is *low in fat*, and *high in complex carbohydrates.*
.


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## Irwin (Nov 4, 2021)

StarSong said:


> ... but many continue to opt for bacon or sausage and eggs, biscuits and gravy, fried potatoes, and pancakes swimming in butter and syrup...
> 
> ... It's the butter and sour cream on the baked potato that do people in. The butter on the bread. The oil (even olive oil) and cheese on the pasta. The fats and sugars in pastries. The avocado on the toast. The fat in virtually every animal based product people eat (even steamed skinless chicken and fish). Combine sugar, fat and salt and it's a double whammy. I love chocolate, too, but control my intake.



Stop it, you're making my mouth water!


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## David777 (Nov 4, 2021)

Nope enjoy eating healthy staying lean.  David's lunch today that is typical. Half a $1.58 12oz package of iceberg lettuce adding in small sliced tomato, sprinkling of colby jack shredded cheese.   Blue cheese dressing. Half cup of Kern mango nectar juice. So less than a buck total.   Tuesday's lunch mic'd an 86 cents can of S&W black beans, sprinkling in some shredded cheddar cheese.


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## Denise1952 (Nov 4, 2021)

John cycling said:


> No, that's not true.
> ALL of the fastest top distance runners in the world train and compete based on a high carbohydrate low fat diet.
> It is not possible to train hard and compete at a high level on a high fat, high protein diet, and eating that way is not healthy.
> 
> ...


It's true for me, and others, but I never said everyone believed it which of course is true.  The data first came out back in the 60s but many still don't believe it.  Diabetes comes after the body develops Insulin Resistance.  Did you watch Dr. Bikman?  He's just one I've learned how to adjust my diet from.  I'm no doctor or scientist, but have learned from them.  I won't argue though, I like to share my find with others that want to know a bit more information than they most likely get from a conventional doctor, take it or leave it.


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## charry (Nov 5, 2021)

WheatenLover said:


> We filter our water, and we drink flavored water. I don't like having to recycle all those water bottles, so today I am putting a new filter in the water pitcher so we can resume drinking water from the tap. We have the world's biggest supply of water flavorings, so that should be fine.


Good idea WL ...


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## StarSong (Nov 5, 2021)

Irwin said:


> Stop it, you're making my mouth water!


Lest you think I don't indulge now and then, I'm hosting a two day baby shower (Saturday in-person and Sunday drive-by) this weekend.  About 50 people, all told.  

In anticipation, yesterday I made a triple batch of my double chocolate brownies, plus two batches of mini pumpkin muffins that'll have vegan (or regular) cream cheese frosting, plus I made chocolate dipped and drizzled pretzel logs.  

The other foods aren't nearly as indulgent.    

The pretzel logs are party favors, and many of the muffins and brownies will also be distributed to those who want to take some home.  Most sweets still remaining by Sunday night will get packed up for my son and daughter-in-law to take to their respective workplaces Monday morning.  

I learned the following from @Happyflowerlady and have it posted in my kitchen as a reminder:
*Eat what you should when it doesn't matter so you can eat what you want when it does matter.*


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## win231 (Nov 5, 2021)

StarSong said:


> Lest you think I don't indulge now and then, I'm hosting a two day baby shower (Saturday in-person and Sunday drive-by) this weekend.  About 50 people, all told.
> 
> In anticipation, yesterday I made a triple batch of my double chocolate brownies, plus two batches of mini pumpkin muffins that'll have vegan (or regular) cream cheese frosting, plus I made chocolate dipped and drizzled pretzel logs.
> 
> ...


What time should I be there?


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## StarSong (Nov 5, 2021)

win231 said:


> Everyone has their theories for what causes obesity.
> As someone who dealt with obesity for half my life, I can say we're all not the same.  What causes obesity in some people will not cause obesity in others.  One size doesn't fit all.





Denise1952 said:


> True, but I have to say it's never hurt me to explore what's out there for information to see if "a certain size might fit me" and the one I talked about did.  One problems is a lot of people want a quick fix, so they might choose the wrong information to try because it's easier.


I agree with you both.  

The key is to work the problem until you find a solution. Success only comes from eating less, eating healthier, reducing portions, and being mostly vigilant but allowing yourself enough wiggle room that you won't abandon ship at the first indulgence.

And Win, the party starts tomorrow at 2:00 PM, Sunday at 11:00 AM.


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## Denise1952 (Nov 5, 2021)

StarSong said:


> I agree with you both.
> 
> The key is to work the problem until you find a solution. Success only comes from eating less, eating healthier, reducing portions, and being mostly vigilant but allowing yourself enough wiggle room that you won't abandon ship at the first indulgence.
> 
> And Win, the party starts tomorrow at 2:00 PM, Sunday at 11:00 AM.


I realize every "body" has different issues, or at least different levels of issues to deal with.  Like a person that drank too much alcohol, how much damage has been done.  I have more than I think as I was thinking about it last night.  I spent a lot of time eating poorly, drinking too much in my 20s, and and smoking.  Mostly eating poorly up, and right on through to my 60s.  That's a long time so I can't expect everything to be healed, and it definitely isn't.  Progress is what I've made, and don't try to tell anyone I've found a quick fix.  

One thing I also want to add is that I've found, and I'll say for me, eating too little doesn't work for me to lose weight (the right weight meaning, not losing lean muscle, but from fat-store).  I found eating the right amount of food was crucial to me "fueling" my body to enable me to lose from stored fat, including cellulite, which I read in many articles "you can't lose cellulite" but I have, so go figure.  Enough outa me but thanks for your input StarSong.


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