Why so fat?

[Cron]

I found some notes I took from an old National Geographic article a few years ago. I thought people here might get some use out of the notes being posted.

From
"Why are Americans so fat?"
by Cathy Newman.
National Geographic. August 2004. Pages 46 - 61.




1 in 3 Americans is obese, twice as many 3 decades ago

15 percent of children are overweight or obese, a three fold jump from 1980

Being overweight is associated with 400,000 American deaths per year.

Being overweight increase the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes,
colon cancer, breast cancer, and endometrial cancer.

The Center For Disease Control reports that adult women are eating 335 more calories per day then they did in 1971. Adult men are eating an extra 168 calories a day.

1 pound of fat is about 3500 calories. An excess of 250 calories a day will
put on 26 pounds a year.

Being overweight or obese is a matter of taking in more calories then are used.

Most overweight and obese people are out of caloric balance,
but only by a tiny amount of calories per day. A 250 calorie deficit per day
will subtract 26 pounds a year. Check this related thread out:
What does 200 calories look like?

A calorie is a calorie is a calorie.

The effects of bariatric surgery can be undone by people snacking lightly,
but continuously throughout the day.

The United States, Russia, Thailand, South Africa, Egypt, Turkey, Germany
and the UK have the highest obesity rates.

France ( yes France ), Italy, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Pakistan, India, China, Colombia, Brazil and a handful of African countries have the lowest
obesity rates.

Proper serving size for fruit: the size of a baseball
Proper serving size for a burrito: the size of a bar of soap
Proper serving size for a steak: the size of a deck of cards
Proper serving size for pasta: the size of a computer mouse
Proper serving size for potatoes the size of a light bulb
Proper serving size for butter: the size of 1 die(dice sp?)
Proper serving size for cheese: the size of three dominoes



How Americans have come to take in more calories over the years:


1954 - Burger King hamburger: 2.8 oz 202 calories
2004 - Burger King hamburger: 4.3 oz 310 calories

1955- McDonald's French Fries: 2.4 oz 210 calories
2004-McDonald's French Fries : 7 0z 610 calories

1900-Hershey Bar: 2 oz 297 calories
2004-Hershey Bar: 7 0z 1000 calories

1916-coca cola: 6.7 fl oz 79 calories
2004-coca coal: 16 fl oz 194 calories

1950-movie popcorn: 3 cups 174 calories
2004-movie popcorn: 21 cups( buttered) 1,700 calories



How Americans have come to burn fewer calories over the years:


play a video game for 30 min 53 calories
play basketball 280 calories

ride a lawn mower for 30 min 88 calories
push a lawn mower for 30 min 193 calories

go to a car wash 35 calories
wash your car ( 30 min ) 104 calories

order take out food (1min): 1 calorie
cook a meal ( 1/2 hour ) 70 calories

load a dishwasher for 10 min: 23 calories
wash dishes (30 min ) 80 calories

email a collegeuge( 1 min ): 2 calories
walk to a collegue's desk ( 1min ): 4 calories

ride an elevator for 2min: 3 calories
take the stairs for 2 min: 19 calories

watch tv ( 30 min ) 35 calories
play cards ( 30 min ) 52 calories

( above based on a 150 pound human )

[and]

Another thing I heard on the radio today that contributes to this is that when people count the number of calories they consume..... most of them DO NOT count the drinks they drink, and drinks account for 22% of caloric intake...

[Cron]

Originally Posted by and

Another thing I heard on the radio today that contributes to this is that when people count the number of calories they consume..... most of them DO NOT count the drinks they drink, and drinks account for 22% of caloric intake...

Amen.

You only need an extra 250 calories a day to put on 26 pounds in a year. Most sodas, juices, and other drinks have that. I can easily guzzle down several a day and still feel like I have room for solid food.

I convinced a coworker to give up soda for a month and she dropped 5 pounds without trying ( her eating habits are pretty bad ).

I have heard more than a few stories of people dropping 30 lbs doing nothing other than giving up soda and other beverages for water.

[elainevdw]

Originally Posted by Cron

Amen.

You only need an extra 250 calories a day to put on 26 pounds in a year. Most sodas, juices, and other drinks have that. I can easily guzzle down several a day and still feel like I have room for solid food.

I convinced a coworker to give up soda for a month and she dropped 5 pounds with trying ( her eating habits are pretty bad ).

I have heard more than a few stories of people dropping 30 lbs doing nothing other than giving up soda and other beverages for water.

That's what my brother used to do. Anytime he wanted to lose 10 lbs, he just stopped drinking soda and getting fast food. And heck, it worked like a charm!

[Cron]

I have a lot of people tell me that they cannot tolerate the taste of plain water.

My diet was pretty shitty growing up, but one thing my parents did right was that we drank ice water.....only at meals.

Soda was a special treat. Usually once a week my Dad would go get Chinese Food or Pizza for us so my mom wouldn't have to cook. He would get 1 quart of cola ( the biggest bottle at the time ) that would be split between the 4 of us.
We would each get one tall glass.

I now see people walking out of stores with one quart cups of soda, just for themselves. I've heard the stories about kids growing up on drinks instead of water so I guess that is why they don't like the taste of clean ice water, particularly if they are prediabetic......as many are.

[impaul99]

Originally Posted by Cron

I have a lot of people tell me that they cannot tolerate the taste of plain water.

My diet was pretty shitty growing up, but one thing my parents did right was that we drank ice water.....only at meals.

It is actually much healthier for you not to drink water with your meals. If you're eating water rich foods (veggies, fruit, etc.) you won't need to have water to wash it down with. The water (or pop) we drink with meals interferes with proper digestion by diluting the enzymes and acids that want to digest the meal.

The best time to drink water and eat fruits is between meals. Since I've started eating healthy I've found it really easy not to drink any fluids with my meals since the food I'm eating is already so water-rich. I then drink my water between the meals.

[Cron]

Hi Paul.

I never saw a vegetable other than lettuce until I was a teenager.

[gberardi]

Originally Posted by impaul99

It is actually much healthier for you not to drink water with your meals. If you're eating water rich foods (veggies, fruit, etc.) you won't need to have water to wash it down with. The water (or pop) we drink with meals interferes with proper digestion by diluting the enzymes and acids that want to digest the meal.

The best time to drink water and eat fruits is between meals. Since I've started eating healthy I've found it really easy not to drink any fluids with my meals since the food I'm eating is already so water-rich. I then drink my water between the meals.

Wow, really? I've had problems eating certain foods without drinking something to help. Otherwise, I can get hiccups, I think specifically with sticky foods like peanut butter or beans. Then again, maybe I am eating too much too quickly...

[impaul99]

Originally Posted by gberardi

Wow, really? I've had problems eating certain foods without drinking something to help. Otherwise, I can get hiccups, I think specifically with sticky foods like peanut butter or beans. Then again, maybe I am eating too much too quickly...

I look at foods as either clogging or cleansing. Foods that are rich in water are cleansing foods as they contain the water your body needs to process them. It's a really good way to increase the amount of water in your body because water rich foods like vegetables contain filtered, live sources of water inside them.

When you eat clogging foods, that is foods that are not water rich like a peanut butter sandwich, you would naturally have to sip some water with it, but I try to combine such foods with water-rich foods like soups and stuff. So if I'm going to have a sandwich and it doesn't have a lot of veggies in it, I'll eat it with a soup and use that to send the food "down the pipe".

If you must drink fluids, sip enough to help you swallow, but don't forget to chew as that coats the food with saliva and try to save your water drinking for in between meals.

[impaul99]

Originally Posted by Cron

Hi Paul.

I never saw a vegetable other than lettuce until I was a teenager.

Lol, no wonder you had to chug water with your meals

I used to do the same thing, and most people I know still do.

In fact, most people do very little today to help their digestive system. We do so much to make it hard for our digestive system to properly digest food. Maybe that's why 60% of North Americans are deficient in essential nutrients. It's like we're stuffing our faces with food, but we're starving inside no different then the poor kids in Africa.

[elainevdw]

Originally Posted by Cron

Hi Paul.

I never saw a vegetable other than lettuce until I was a teenager.

Oh god, I hear you! While I wasn't quite so vegetable deficient as a kid, even now, at 24, there are times the produce department of the grocery store completely befuddles me. Or my boyfriend's mom will cook some really common veggie I've never had before. Beets are the only thing that comes to mind at the moment.

My mom says that they were too poor to feed us fresh produce when we were kids, which is why most veggies I'm familiar with come out of a can. What a limiting way of thinking -- sure, a can of something can be $0.49, but you can get two ears of corn for that much, practically. The only "expensive" produce is organic, and it's still cheaper than a platter of pre-sliced carrots and celery.

Thankfully, I think she's seen the error of her ways. Or she finally has enough income to not worry about it. She's become the Veggie Queen since my brothers and I moved out.

[escapee]

This thread reminds me of ......



Kevin carter

[BanditFlyer]

Originally Posted by escapee

This thread reminds me of ......



Kevin carter

How's that?

[Radek Pilich]

Speaking about drinking with meals, a year ago I was used to drink a lot during eating. Today I dont drink anything and it doesnt matter what I eat. I simple drink a glass of water 20 minutes before meal and another glass of water an hour after the meal. Its really good, try it yourselves!