Difficulties with weight for me, you, or anyone you know...

[AngelMarvel]

This question was posed by Dr T in the "I Wonder" thread. *love that thread... :)

 

Anyway, I feel very passionate about weight and what causes us to be heavy, skinny, or even okay weight. I struggled with my weight over the years with some times being skinny and sometimes being overweight. The best times were those that I could go into a store and buy anything off the rack I wanted.

 

Please read Dr T's message and make some comments on it. I would love to know what others think about this subject.

 

Thanks for your replies.

 

There are different difficulties with weight, it could be too much or too little weight, be a medical problem like mine, a genetic predisposition, food consumption proportions, poor eating habits, nutrition, exercise or other reasons but I know it is likely a combination to these but I wonder which form of weight control is the best there is?  I wonder what or which weight loss program(s) is/are best?  I wonder how to increase weight in a healthy way?  I wonder how to exercise when my legs barely work sometimes?

 

I wonder what people think of calorie reduction, exercise, good nutrition, medication, surgery?  I wonder when concern over weight is too much?  I wonder what portion of all this is self-view/self esteem?  Health driven?  Society with the models and advertising that is put out all over the place so typical woman compare themselves to “touched up” models?  Obviously this is a much larger issue that I is in this OP but it is something I’m wondering about.  Anybody can open a new thread to discuss anything I post so please feel free to take the ball and run on any of these to see where the conversation goes.  

 

Thank you

 

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

Great questions!  In the past I wondered about these things too.  Then I found a book that I believe answers ALL your questions.  Seriously.  It talks about the many different factors that contribute to weight...physical, mental, emotional.  And what to do about it.  (That is my favorite thing about this book, BTW).  It talks about why some people just can't seem to gain weight no matter what they do, and why others can't seem to lose weight no matter what they do.  On his website (I don't think it's in the book--but I read it 6 months ago so I could be mistaken) he talks about how you can exercise even without good use of your legs.  

 

I have been doing this program for six months and things are working out just as he said they would.  In fact, I was thinking about that earlier (before reading this thread) how grateful I was to have found this guy.  I think he is a genius. My food cravings are gone.  I'm starting to crave healthy foods (which is amazing for me!)  And I have started exercising because I feel better and I WANT to move my body.  

 

The book is called The Gabriel Method by Jon Gabriel.  It is seriously awesome.

 

And I should mention Jon lost 200 lbs and has kept it off for 10 years.  

[notquiteperfect]

I second LP.  Check your library.

 

Also - look over these:  http://thecarolblog.com/?tags=&s=weight

 

As far as reasons - I'd add side effects of medications

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

Also - look over these:  http://thecarolblog.com/?tags=&s=weight

 

 

 

 

I love that!  Thanks, I added it to my blog feed!  

 

Leslie

[AngelMarvel]

Thanks for your replies and information. I want to respond more to this, but we are really busy today and leaving town tomorrow, so I don't have time right now for posting much.

 

I do want to say that about a year ago a couple of my friends and I were concerned enough about our health that we all decided that we would open a diets for health living forum. The problem is... right after we started to build it, we all ended up with health issues....with one of the team ending up blind. So, the forum just sits there with not much in it and no idea when we can start building it again.

 

But, I wanted to share a little bit of my story with you of what happened to me and how I ended up losing the weight I have lost. I am going to point you to my diet forum...it's NOT complete at all...but, my story is there. http://www.marvelousartworks.com/dietsforhealthyliving/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8#p8

 

I have done this since Feb 27, 2013 and I continue to lose weight. I do not follow this diet as it is written because I don't think it's good to eat to much meat... I eat more veggies.

 

I finally found something that works for me and it's a way of life for me now. When others around me are not eating healthy or getting fatter while they eat, I am happily eating my way of eating and either maintaining my weight or losing slowly.

 

It took me 1 year to lose 38 lbs, but I believe it's better for me to lose slowly and learn as I go, than to lose quickly and gain it back because I didn't learn a thing about how or why I eat improperly.

 

Chat later. Take care... and happy healthy eating!

[Guest]

So, a few days ago, I was sitting over dinner with my extended family... and they all had those plastic cases with SMTWTFS mark on them that held their daily medications.  One of them had 30 different pills!  And they were talking about this pill is good for this and this pill is good for that, etc.  By the way, over half of them are in the medical field...

 

This is a problem.

 

If you need calcium, eat an orange.  If you need iron, eat spinach.  And, it is even better if you eat spinach right out of a farm close to you.

 

I lived in the Philippines since I was born.  I wanted to migrate to the US but my mother refused to let me go until I hit 95 pounds.  I was 88 pounds then and I would get sick at a drop of a hat.  I didn't eat vegetables and subsisted mainly on fish and rice - lots and lots of rice.  4 years later and a daily intake of protein powder in my milk, I finally hit 92 lbs.  My mom let me fly to the US.  I arrived in the US in September at 92 lbs.  I hit 100lbs in December.  But I was still getting sick at a drop of a hat.

 

I had my first child 10 years later.  By 7 months old, he has been through 3 rounds of anti-biotics for ear infection.  I finally sat down and decided there has to be a better way than this.  So, I went to talk to this Holistic Pediatrician who did not carry insurance.  Our first consultation meeting was 2 hours long - no charge.  I moved my baby to her and self-paid all the way.  I was breastfeeding so the doctor adviced me to change my diet and I followed it.

 

By the time I got pregnant with the 2nd child, not only did I hold a healthy weight, I stopped being sickly.  And I didn't change anything except what I ate.

 

Since that day - my kid is now 12 years old - that kid has not had a single anti-biotic round except for the one time that he shattered his elbow and had to go to surgery.  He rarely takes medication - not even a Tylenol for a headache.  He gets the sniffles, gets fever, he drinks lots of liquids and sleeps for most of 2 days until he feels better.  He is very aware of his body and conscious of his nutrition especially now that he is joining jiu-jitsu tournaments where he gets to meet certain weight brackets so I let him decide how to deal with sickness and just drives him to the doctor to get checked out just in case.

 

My 2nd kid got his first consultation with the Holistic MD at the hospital when he was only a few hours old - I had a scheduled c-section, so his first consult was also scheduled - the pediatrician came to the hospital and checked him all out for 2 hours.  This kid had allergies up the yin-yang.  So I had to change my diet to work with his allergies.  Same thing - this kid has not had anti-biotics except for the one time he had stitches on his eyebrow and the one time he caught pneumonia.  This kid is my sugar-loving baby, though.  He will eat chocolate fudge cake for dinner if you let him.  So, I get to decide a lot of his nutrition for him (different from my older son who chooses his nutrition himself)...

 

But, what I learned from the Holistic Pediatrician I'm applying to myself and it really works.  Eat "real food" and stay active.  With 2 boys, I get to be active... they are into jiu-jitsu with my husband so I get to have 3 hours a week that I can spend either chatting with the other jiu-jitsu parents or running around the parking lot if I choose.  I run around unless I'm too lazy then I sit and chat.  I also do the same thing while waiting for their music lessons.  So, I got a total of 5 hours to exercise without having to spend any money for gym membership.  Running is really great when you're trying to lose weight!

 

"Real food" is much harder in the US.  "Processed food" is 5 times cheaper!  Which is the opposite of the Philippines.  But, it's either spend the money on food or spend the money on pills.  I go grocery shopping every 3 days and stock the fridge with perishable stuff.  The kids are now 10 and 12 and they eat ALL. THE. TIME.  So, I quit doing the 3 squares a day and went to the foraging style instead.  We sit down to dinner and that's it.  The kids would grab a meat roll (their favorite - brocolli slaw wrapped in london broil deli meat) when they get hungry and eat it while passing through the fridge, chug a glass of milk, and be on their way...  or they stuff Trail Mix in their pocket and go biking.  Or they grab boiled egg, or fruit, or carrot sticks... foraging.

 

Anyway, that's how we eat.  And it's been working.  My kid is down to a few allergies so, all in all, he's doing great even starting off as a sickly kid.  I am much healthier now.  My husband has always been healthy...

 

And the Holistic Pediatrician is very pleased with our kids...

[notquiteperfect]

Amen to what Anatess said (except the milk - unless it's raw - major allergen, mucous forming, acidic).

[notquiteperfect]

Remembered a couple other things I've heard about and want to look into further:

 

- "Trim, Healthy Mama" - book

- http://www.simplydivineeating.com/  (listened to a presentation by her recently and it was fabulous and made so much sense)

 

I'm mentioning these because this thread will be old by the time I get around to reading up on them but it might be helpful for others now.

[Guest]

Amen to what Anatess said (except the milk - unless it's raw - major allergen, mucous forming, acidic).

 

We don't do cow's milk - my kid is allergic to it (common ailment for Filipinos, interestingly).  He's also allergic to soy.  And he doesn't like the taste of coconut milk.  So we only drink Almond milk.  We use Silk - it doesn't contain carrageenan.  Almond Breeze does.

[applepansy]

We don't do cow's milk - my kid is allergic to it (common ailment for Filipinos, interestingly).  He's also allergic to soy.  And he doesn't like the taste of coconut milk.  So we only drink Almond milk.  We use Silk - it doesn't contain carrageenan.  Almond Breeze does.

Soy can cause thyroid issues.  I'm sorry he's allergic to it but that might be a blessing in disguise.

[omegaseamaster75]

Has anyone ever seen pictures from WWII concentration camps run by the Germans?

 

Ever see any fat people?

 

eat less and exercise more don't complicate it.

[pam]

Has anyone ever seen pictures from WWII concentration camps run by the Germans?

 

Ever see any fat people?

 

eat less and exercise more don't complicate it.

 

How could you EVER use concentration camps as an example?  Those people were starved, beaten and worked to death.  And those were the lucky ones.

[Palerider]

Has anyone ever seen pictures from WWII concentration camps run by the Germans?

 

Ever see any fat people?

 

eat less and exercise more don't complicate it.

I don't really care for your example.....not very nice

[skippy740]

We imprison you, take away your freedoms, liberties, put you to work, make your meals (I use that term loosely) for you, and be afraid for your own life as well as that of your family... and MAKE you lose weight?

 

Even IF your comparison had any merit (it doesn't), it's also the "we're gonna force you to lose weight or else" plan.

[Guest]

I have two conditions (that I had pre-overweight me) that predispose me to being heavy. I am on 2 medications (types that I can't just "eat an orange" to replace) that increase the risk. So yes, weight has been an issue my whole adult life. If I get over a certain weight, I need even more medications- blood pressure, cholesterol, etc., not to mention strong genetics for diabetes and heart disease. So I go to what some would call extreme measures to keep below that weight. I'm not even thin. Most would consider me overweight. But I work really hard to be where I am, and it keeps me healthier. Bonus is that I feel better, and feel better about myself.

[Saldrin]

I lost 125lbs last year.

[AngelMarvel]

Has anyone ever seen pictures from WWII concentration camps run by the Germans?

 

Ever see any fat people?

 

eat less and exercise more don't complicate it.

BAD example!

 

The eat less and exercise more does not work for everyone. There are many reasons to have your weight go up or down and eating isn't the only reason....and lack of exercise isn't the only reason either.

 

This whole weight thing IS complicated! Just look at all the "diet" books out on the market. People making millions of dollars telling you how to lose the fat and/or even how to gain weight. Eat more of this or less of that and you will lose/gain weight. Yes... complicated indeed!

[Guest]

 

eat less and exercise more don't complicate it.

 

This is wrong advice.

 

More important than How Much you eat is WHAT you eat.  Thin does not equal healthy just like Fat does not equal unhealthy.  You can be Thin and have horrible health because you eat nutritionally deficient food.  And sumo wrestlers may be fat but most of them are very healthy eating nutritionally rich and dense food.  400 lbs is light weight in sumo wrestling - big, fat, powerful, healthy people... as opposed to the 90lb Human Barbie from Ukraine on the "Air Diet".

[pam]

This is wrong advice.

 

More important than How Much you eat is WHAT you eat.  Thin does not equal healthy just like Fat does not equal unhealthy.  You can be Thin and have horrible health because you eat nutritionally deficient food.  And sumo wrestlers may be fat but most of them are very healthy eating nutritionally rich and dense food.  400 lbs is light weight in sumo wrestling - big, fat, powerful, healthy people... as opposed to the 90lb Human Barbie from Ukraine on the "Air Diet".

 

I totally agree with this.  I'm an example of this.  I can eat very little at one sitting.  I take about 5-6 bites and I feel full.  Just ask my kids. They find it hard to believe at times.  But I eat the wrong things (and I realize this) so therefore I am overweight.

 

It's all about training myself to eat healthier instead of what I currently eat.

[Suzie]

I have two conditions (that I had pre-overweight me) that predispose me to being heavy. I am on 2 medications (types that I can't just "eat an orange" to replace) that increase the risk. So yes, weight has been an issue my whole adult life. If I get over a certain weight, I need even more medications- blood pressure, cholesterol, etc., not to mention strong genetics for diabetes and heart disease. So I go to what some would call extreme measures to keep below that weight. I'm not even thin. Most would consider me overweight. But I work really hard to be where I am, and it keeps me healthier. Bonus is that I feel better, and feel better about myself.

 

Hi Eowyn, did you ever consider go vegan? I know quite a few people who don't suffer anymore of asthma, cholesterol, high blood pressure and they are no longer in need of meds once they became vegan.

[mdfxdb]

Has anyone ever seen pictures from WWII concentration camps run by the Germans?

 

Ever see any fat people?

 

eat less and exercise more don't complicate it.

Not a bad example.  I believe Omega has been listening to Dr. Laura, who has used this analogy multiple times.  For those that don't know she is a Jew...

 

At the end of the day weight loss is about portion control and exercise.  The two need to go together with more emphasis on portion control over exercise.  

 

Per Jillian Michaels "you can eat yourself out of any exercise program"

 

In other words it doesn't matter how much you exercise if you can't stop shoveling crap down your throat.  

[pam]

Not a bad example.  I believe Omega has been listening to Dr. Laura, who has used this analogy multiple times.  For those that don't know she is a Jew...

 

At the end of the day weight loss is about portion control and exercise.  The two need to go together with more emphasis on portion control over exercise.  

 

Per Jillian Michaels "you can eat yourself out of any exercise program"

 

In other words it doesn't matter how much you exercise if you can't stop shoveling crap down your throat.  

 

Sorry but it's a horrible example.

[omegaseamaster75]

Sorry but it's a horrible example.

It is an overly simplified and extreme example used to make a simple point.

 

I apologize if I have offended anyone

 

My theory still stands, barring diagnosed medical issues there is really no excuse to be fat.

 

Eat less exercise more.

[pam]

It is an overly simplified and extreme example used to make a simple point.

 

I apologize if I have offended anyone

 

My theory still stands, barring diagnosed medical issues there is really no excuse to be fat.

 

Eat less exercise more.

 

I agree with you on some of your comments.

 

I will admit that I was offended by your comments.  6M people died during the Holocaust.  These people were put through things that I would hope that none of us ever have to go through.  

[SpiritDragon]

Not a bad example.  I believe Omega has been listening to Dr. Laura, who has used this analogy multiple times.  For those that don't know she is a Jew...

 

At the end of the day weight loss is about portion control and exercise.  The two need to go together with more emphasis on portion control over exercise.  

 

Per Jillian Michaels "you can eat yourself out of any exercise program"

 

In other words it doesn't matter how much you exercise if you can't stop shoveling crap down your throat.  

 

As a health and fitness professional I get to delve into research on obesity fairly often as well as work with people struggling with weight on a near daily basis. I can assure you that for most portion control alone does not work. It is far more complicated than calories in and calories out. Although this is a fundamental element to whether or not people gain weight it is not the end of the story.

 

There are multiple factors to consider outside of calories in and calories out. First of all as anatess mentioned it is more important what is eaten than how much, especially when referring to the volume of food. This is because hunger is set up on a feed back loop that is complex in its involvement of nutrient levels, hormone levels, and signals from stretch receptors in the stomach itself. Thus if you eat foods that have more bulk to them with less calories you'll be doing better than eating tiny portions that pack a caloric wallop, but even if you ate a food that is voluminous but is lacking in nutrient density it only meets one of the requirements to signal satiety. Beyond that you have physical conditions such as low thyroid function, adrenal fatigue and so on that can predispose certain individuals to weight gain. Some of us are blessed with naturally more fidgeting that burns more calories all the time while others are cursed with bodies that are always in energy conservation mode (would be a blessing in a starvation situation). These are only some of the physical side, never mind the mental/emotional aspect. 

 

Exercising more can also be a two-edged sword. There are people who are considered non-responders to various types of physical activity. For some long bouts of aerobic activity will stoke the flames of fat burning and for others it simply stokes an increased appetite that overcompensates for what the exercise tried to accomplish. High intensity interval training has been shown to be more effective for most individuals, but the biggest problem here is that it requires already being at a certain level of fitness that the obese individual isn't at. 

 

I don't want to be misunderstood here as saying that diet and exercise don't work however, because they do. But it isn't always as simple as it seems.