34% Americans Obese, 33 percent Overweight

MSG is a huge problem that no one wants to acknowledge.

Do you know how they make mice and rats obese in the labratory so they can do experiments? They feed them MSG. The American diet is full of it. Because the food producers know people do not like MSG, they disguise it under benign sounding names like modified vegetable protein.

If you actually take the time to look into the history of MSG usage, you will see it corresponds with obesity rise, especially in children.

And not only does it make you fat, it is addictive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-pnzj0c06Q

 

sarah, you could (and should) be a model

As for weight issues in low income areas, you have to understand though, that these areas are purposely fed to obesity. If you've noticed, fast food franchises are more prevalent in such areas than they are in richer neighborhoods. I wont get into detail right now, but basically, liquor stores , gun stores, and fast foods are usually more common in poor areas. I remember reading an article where LA even went as far as banning fast food joints in poor neighborhoods. i havent read an update on that tho, prolly because there isnt one.

Also keeping fit/staying in shape is an equation which has so many variables in it; and while nutrition is a major variable in this regard, you have to remember that an even bigger variable is MOTIVATION [a term rarely used in poor neighborhoods]......The rich folks to me, have every mean to stay in shape. There is usually only ONE (ONLY ONE) fast food joint in most rich neighborhoods. Trust me i know, and they have grocery stores (that are open 24/7 btw) that sells the freshest foods and bread costs much less than they do in poor neighborhoods.. They have money to shop at GNC to get all their vitamins there, they can afford a monthly gym membership, and they can also afford such foods as fish, which are extremely rich in omega-3, and last but not least they are more motivated (enthusiastic) than their poorer peers.....so.....no excuse for a rich girl to be overweight, but its sad(and it pisses me off) that i see so many of them being just that

However ive also lived in ghetto infested areas, and i wouldn't blame some of them for being the way they are. Like brittany said, sometimes people have to go without eating, and not eating, even for a sngle day has so many negative impacts on the body and especially on the brain (not only effects your motivation but also the chemical balancing in the brain), that rebounding to a state of being physically(and mentally) fit would be extremely hard. It would be even harder if you werent in shape to begin with.

I think LA took a positive and economically affluent measure to ending this cycle by banning fast food joints in poor neighborhoods; and more cities should do the same. I mean, sure it might have some affect on the fast food industry-economically, but the impact such actions will have on the future health of its residents are colossal.

 

I think that's where you will see a huge difference between the US and other countries. I live in an ag area in CA and it's still very cheap to go to Taco Bell vs the fruit stands/farmer's markets all over. Fruits and veggies are plentiful and at good prices here, but you don't see people lined up to get them like you do at the fast food places. Just seems like more people are going to go for the dollar menus at the fast foods rather than several oranges for the same. People are overly busy and running through the drive through is much easier/quicker than going home and preparing a meal.

 

I'm making a wild guess here, but I think you would actually have more help of eating oranges then McDs food. You know, three oranges and you don't get hungry for another hour, McD? Takes about five seconds before you need food again.

It might be that we have a different relationship to cooking here.. Eating fast food is somewhat shameful and bad. I mean, if you ask people over 15 what their fav food is, almost no-one says hamburgers or pizza.. People go out of their way to sound cool and claim things like "yeah, I really love those lebanese meze-thingies, but the east african kitchen really intrigues me".

 

Top Army recruiter weighs fat camp for recruits

By SUSANNE M. SCHAFER, Associated Press Writer

FORT JACKSON, S.C. – The Army has been dismissing so many overweight applicants that its top recruiter, trying to keep troop numbers up in wartime, is considering starting a fat farm to transform chubby trainees into svelte soldiers.
Maj. Gen. Thomas Bostick, head of the Army Recruiting Command, said he wants to see a formal diet and fitness regimen running alongside a new school at Fort Jackson that helps aspiring troops earn their GEDs.
Bostick told The Associated Press that obesity looms as "a bigger challenge for us in the years ahead" than any other problem that keeps young people from entering the military, including lack of a GED or high school diploma, misconduct or criminal behavior and other health issues such as eye or ear problems.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090112/ap_on_re_us/military_recruiting_obesity

 

I know navy recruiters, in the philly area, have morning run clubs for people ( I do recall a smoker in the group, how ironic is that) within the Delayed Entry Program, and others interested in joining. It's a good way to lose weight and increase your cardio, which is a big part of basic training across all branches. As for Fort Jackson, If I recall correctly, it's the only recruit base on the East Coast (and maybe the army, not sure) that houses and trains both genders. Ft Benning is the home of the infantry (which is where recruits going for one-station training, basic then infantry go), and is not built to house women. Since Jackson houses both, it's going to have bigger numbers by default.

 

Too fucking much and this thread will cause a stir, I even contemplated on posting about it but folks will post to defend obesity...

 

flame suit

check..

like you said, threads like these usually cause upheaval

 

ah im skinny I guess I should be in a museum or something the last of a dying breed.

 

Not too long ago, there was an article on Yahoo about the 20 absolute worst foods you can eat at a restaurant. What shocked me most was the amount of calories and fat grams. And the worst offender? A TURKEY burger at Ruby Tuesdays that had like 2000 calories and over 100g of fat. Tack on fries and a coke and you're looking at consuming more calories in one meal and WAY too many fat grams for a whole week than you should be eating all day.

There are many reasons Americans are so obese. Eating out and thinking you're eating "healthy" is a myth. Portion sizes everywhere are completely OUT OF CONTROL. And you go to a place like Cheesecake Factory and they have a healthy salad menu options that have salads that are UNDER 600 CALORIES?? WTF?? It's a SALAD. But, those can be so deceptive, too.

Bottom-line: if people ate out less, and prepared their own foods - where they know what exactly is all in it, and just walked for 30 mins, 4 times a week, our obesity problem wouldn't be nearly as bad as it is today. Oh, and of course, we all have to go back to eating normal portion sizes again. :lol:

 

Why why WHY do people eat that sort of stuff? It sounds horrible!

And yeah, from what I've read, the portion sizes in the USA are quite a lot bigger then the ones here.
If you really want to eat that much food, then make more of it vegetables and fruit. Still hungry after dinner? Make another salad. And no damn dressing on it. Buy kilos of tomatoes and eat those. Eat a whole cucumber. Just. stay. away. from. the. fat.
Best thing about eating more "real" food is that you regain alot of your sense for taste. Instead of just dumbing down your mouth with burgers, fries and pizza, you fine-tune it.

*food-nazi*

What would help most though, is to make proper side walks and hiking trails over the US and then ban motor driven vehicles. Give everyone a free bike. Or give discount on vegetables and fruit for overweight people. And ban coca cola. I have so many good ideas. I can be head food nazi in US, it could be my new career. ^__^

edit:
found this:
http://www.divinecaroline.com/article/22178/49492-portion-size--now
interesting and scary read.

 

Yes, that article is sooo correct!! Between bigger plates and more food, Americans are eating twice and up to at least 3 times as much food in one sitting that they should be eating. Couple that with not getting enough exercise, and it's a recipe for obesity.

After I typed out my post, I remembered how even the fast food restaurants are going crazy with the drink portions. A medium used to be 20 oz, and now they've changed the medium to be 32 oz in a lot of places!! I always get screwed with that. LOL. I've learned to ask what size their medium is before I buy it. It's crazy.

 

Ok Im a obese person. So ill weigh in on this issue. A lot of the posters above are right the fact that 1. Fast Food is cheaper and more convient to obtain here in America is a high reason for the obseity in the US. It just easy and taste good very good.

The fact that we get larger portions is another factor as well. I mean man go to Wendy's for a medium meal you would ahve swore you ordered a super size.

working out isnt talked about enough here. I think part of the problem is that we see a lot of shows with these super fit folks doing the workouts and think there is no way we can be like that. We dont realize that it takes time to be in that shape and even good eating like some of the above posters said.

I recently curbed my eating habits. i was ok with exercise but eating was bad. I have noticed a big differance in energy and mental level. Now I am not super skinny im still very large, but Im getting smaller slowly but surely.

Enviroment also play a factor. if you in a household and neighborhood where being large is acceptable then thats what your gonna get as a atttitude and lifestyle. I know plenty of folks who are smart and attractive but make me look like a twig. They eat tons of food and never work out they have given up. They are good people, but they just dont believe "exercise is for them".

Which brings me to my next point...If no one is there to show you the benefits of working out then you wont know. if no one is there to encourage you to get started, then it will never happen. Because of the enviroment issue of peer pressure is not at work folks just simply dont ahve the motivation..

Finally, Americans have very little time to do anything after working long days. I gotta get up early and then workout late to get any exercising done. This is off a 8 hour work day I cant imagine what the 12 hour folks do or how they do it . with so little time in the day for on self, folks just dont do it or feel they dont have the time to do it.

Finally we have folks like my roomate who know they need to do it, but are too prideful to do it . They make up any excuse not to do it. now although he weights like 35 pounds less than I do, I can beat him in a long distance race . If we ran for about 30 minutes i would pass him in the 20 minute mark and not look back. I dont even wan to imagine how soon i would pass him now that im eating better and working out and ahve more energy. Some folks just don see the need to work out or try to

 

No there arent you need to come here for about a month you will see the answer then. Also most foods are injected with hormones and chemically injected as well .

 

Here is a link to an article on Yahoo. It's not the same one I read months ago, but it's a good eye opener, nonetheless.

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/24416/20-worst-foods-in-america-2009

 

To all the articles that warn people away from caloric disaster I say, "so what?" It is my contention that you eat what you want, provided that you're also willing to burn it off. If you to eat a large cheese pizza, then you have to run 5 miles, jump rope for 30 minutes and lift weights for an hour on that same day.

If you're exercise averse, then you need to pay greater attention to the amount of calories you consume on a daily basis.

 

I agree on that,too.

Plus even if you don't have lots of time to work you can always find little ways to be a little more active.
Take the stairs instead of elevator for example.
Once I watched a video of how to work out more muscles during doing housework.That was pretty interesting

 

Is today "Resurrect a Thread Day"?

 

LOL! I think it is, but I'm rather enjoying it....Nice to see some of those threads again.

 

Yes I wanted to bring some interesting(well in my opinion) older threads back up. For a while I wasn't active here at all and was too lazy to catch up.
Today I didn't really know what of the new topics to post to....so solution:digging up older threads.Lol