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Utah leaner in a country that's too fat
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Anonymous, I don't think you're correct. We went to Disneyland and it looked to me like everybody there was obese.
I'm not sure I understand how anyone could tolerate weighing 300-400 pounds. Somebody explain this to me.
What a very, very odd double standard.
And if we're going to a national health care plan, how about higher rates/fees for those who don't take care of themselves, who are above the healthy body fat limits? But please don't base it on weight. When I was at my lowest body fat index, I was technically overweight because muscle weighs more than fat.
Perhaps government-backed gym memberships and funds to improve outdoor activity areas like hike & bike trails?
Amazing how many people will turn up their noses at a caffeinated drink, but don't hesitate to consume copious amounts of trans fat. Think about it.
However, the proper term is epidemic, a pandemic is an epidemic of global nature, and that clearly does not describe the situation.
In fact, the US is the only country in the world where obesity can be considered an epidemic. No where else do people sit around on their butts, drive a quarter mile down the street to the 7-11 to get a triple-gulp and eat the fattiest big mac they can find. No, this is a problem unique to lazy American's.
I've been all over country and it appears that the south and mid-west have the most really fat people. Utah appears to be one of the thinner states. That said, poor eating habits and heavy alcohol consumption everywhere in the US are fattening us all up.
I also love the ignorant statements that there are no fatter people anywhere than in Utah. Brilliant. That person must have only lived in two places, the amazon jungle and Utah.
What a very, very odd double standard."
Actually, its not a double standard at all. Healthy diet and exercise doesn't mean you can never eat unhelathy food, it just means you should do so in moderation and exercise to offset the unhealthy food. You know, enjoy the activity while taking preventive steps to avoid health problems.
I agree with "double standard" above, STD's, smoking, obesity, are ALL preventable but the BIG QUESTION is: can we figure out a way to tax them like the smokers?
Sadly, I am one of them, as is my husband and his family. I put on my weight when I had my one and only child, never lost it. Now that I am 55 and have aches and pains, I am starting to see how this affects me. My husband and his family are all much heavier and I am telling his kids to try to do something now, cause it will affect them later.
Today is my new years day and I am starting back on the treadmill and all the goodies are gone. Will I get thin, no, but I can lessen myself a little.
But people, I have asthma, and can't be around smokers, but I do not look down on them. Don't look down on me because I am fat and don't think that I am not healthy, I pretty much am for the most part.
To "Double Standard": your sophist anaology actually makes a better case for comprehensive sex education.
Allow me to demonstrate: we know that people should abstain from all unhealthy foods, but their biological urges cause them frequently to fail in that endeavor. So the best thing we can do for is to educate and equip them with strategies to be healthier, i.e., exercise and moderation; stressing all the while that the only way to completely mitigate the risk of obesity is to become a vegetarian distance runner. Knowing, of course, that many people will fall short of that lofty ideal and require from us the knowledge to maintain a degree of safer moderation.
Unassailable, no?
People need to learn about FOOD Inc. Learn about a food system that has lobbied congress to hide what's in our food, where and now our food is processed.
Why are we letting arsenic in chicken or carbon monoxide in beef? Show the public how much corn sweeteners are used in our foods.
It's against the laws of 19 states to speak against the food industry. You can be sued for questioning whether you are reconsidering eating e coli laced burgers.
You can have a healthy kid on day and a dead child 12 days later all because feeding beef corn increases the amount of e coli in beef. Feeding beef grass seven days before processing would help mitigate this.
The government can't recall meat. The processors must. These republican laws that put big corporations over American lives need changing. Who will pay the medical costs of the American diet?
"Today I speak to all whose freedom to choose has been diminished by the effects of ill-advised choices of the past. I speak specifically of choices that have led to excessive debt and addictions to food, drugs, pornography, and other patterns of thought and action that diminish one’s sense of self-worth. All of these excesses affect us individually and undermine our family relationships... Unfortunately however, additional debt is incurred when we cannot control our wants and addictive impulses. And for both debt and addiction, the hopeful solution is the same–we must turn to the Lord and follow His commandments." wonder when food addictions/lifestyle choices that result in obesity will be a temple recommend question.
Healthy, organic quality food costs more and requires effort.
Why not start treating obesity for what it is? It's an addiction to food. Church leaders lament alcohol, tobacco, drugs, porn, etc. but don't talk about destructive behavior when it comes to food. Yes, some people are more susceptible to obesity than others, but isn't that true for all forms of addiction?
I worked for decades on Health Behavior/Preventive Medicine as a federal employee. It all comes down to one's internal locus of control (one has to WANT to be healthy). Rules and laws and taxes do little to change health behavior. Each person must really want to be healthy or lose weight or whatever. Then they can achieve it.
Another thing health is not always directly tied to weight (BMI). I know of many people with higher BMI's that get proper exercise and eat right that are in much better condition that the average or lower BMI person that doesn't live an otherwise healthy life style.
All I am saying is that it is not as simple as many of you are trying to make it. Weight does not always equate to health and there is no one answer to the whole health question.
I think we should deport "fat legals".
I think you're better off being a consistant user of chew, weed, or an occasional drink than a fat pig that can't control yourself when around food.
Call me a jerk but I can't stand looking at fat people. It's like looking at someone wearing dirty clothes and hasn't bathed in weeks, it's disgusting
Either the recession isn't as bad as they say, or the stimulus bill must be working better than we thought...
//I'm not sure I understand how anyone could tolerate weighing 300-400 pounds. Somebody explain this to me.//
I wish I could this is a real head scratcher.
Do most people have no sense of moderation or shame?
Seriously, Its impossible to avoid High Fructose Corn syrup and Hydrogenated vegetable oils but I make sure they are way down on list of ingredients if I do get something w/ those chemicals.
Fresh produce sold in grocery stores today have 20-50% LESS nutitional value than they did twenty years ago. From the evidence I've seen, American's have to eat considerably more today than they did in the past just to recieve the same basic nutirition. Sadly, even eating "health" in our country isn't what is used to be. Having to eat 30% more of the good/health foods will seriously undermine anyones efforts to stay fit and thin.
Canned soup or the ingredients to make soup at home?
Ground chicken or ground beef?
Hamburger Helper or the ingredients to make a baked chicken dinner?
Snack cakes or fresh fruit?
Soda or juice?
Now, which of those options are healthier?
One more factor to add in: You have 1 hour between jobs to fix dinner and feed the family - which options fit into that time constraint?
It is cheaper and faster to eat unhealthy, fattening food - which is why so many living in or near poverty have health problems.
Oh, now pretend you live in a poor neighborhood and go exercise at either 5 am (before you have to get the kids up) or at 11 pm (after the kids are in bed and the dishes done).
How much less fuel would we have used in the last 20 years hauling around less weight if we didn;t have an obesity epidemic? probably enough to fuel Al Gore's palace for a month or two.
The struggle I have with living with the "Saints" here in utah is the same sin as the Pharisees - "Hypocrisy".
But, you should hear the screams of WoW violator for my occasional Coke on a hot summer day [not an addiction].
Or my enjoying a walk or short hike in the foot-hills with my wife on a Sunday afterchurch [breaking the Sabbath].
The real issue is the attention given to one behavior, while completely turning a blind eye to a much bigger problem by some LDS Church leaders.
No-one wants to acknowledge the Elephants in the Room!
(sorry, this is one hit a nerve and is a real sore spot for me....)
I ride a bike (to stay healthy and reduce emissions),
We grow my own organic fruits and vegatables,
We produce our own heat and electricity,
and we recycle whenever and wherever possible.
It's not convienent, and we are mocked constantly by our neighbors...but we do it becase it blesses us physically, emotionally and spiritually.
[P.S. ...yes, we're liberal "thinkers", LDS and living in Utah]
For you who think losing weight is easy or that there are quick fixes, I might mention that a huge body (pun intended) of research on the subject shows that obesity is an extremely complex problem, involving genetics, biochemical, social, and environmental issues. Please, show some compassion for those who obese.
I agree. Though, I do love a good burger from Carl's Jr and Green Tea.
re: Dear No job... | 12:39 p.m. July 1, 2009
You can eat better. You just need to be more studious and picky. Of course, eating more fiber and drinking more water would not hurt either.
re: Look Again | 2:12 p.m. July 1, 2009
Exactly.
Diapers come to mind real quick.
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