Thread: America's state of the union: Fatassedness

Americans definitely have gotten fatter, but didn't they redefine what constitutes obesity back in the 80s? And isn't the BMI crap? I'm pretty sure that most, if not all, bodybuilders rate as obese on the BMI.

I stand by my statement that the inclusion of HFCS is the #1 cause for obesity in the US. It's not just the calories, but the messed up stuff it does to your body.

Just so you all know, I live in one of the states where the obesity rate dosent change from graph to graph. Narrow it down to see if you can guess.

Hint*** Not Tennessee or Mississippi

Originally Posted by DOMS

Americans definitely have gotten fatter, but didn't they redefine what constitutes obesity back in the 80s? And isn't the BMI crap? I'm pretty sure that most, if not all, bodybuilders rate as obese on the BMI.

I stand by my statement that the inclusion of HFCS is the #1 cause for obesity in the US. It's not just the calories, but the messed up stuff it does to your body.

HFCS is a small factor, but eating a grain based diet rather than veggie/fruit based diet is mostly to blame. Eat lean meat, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds and most people's health makes a drastic uturn for the better. Unfortunately, we are left to fend for ourselves wrt health because our country treats symptoms. Most people with high blood pressure get high blood pressure as a warning their diet is shit. They take the meds to mask the symptom, but ignore the problem. Then their cholesterol goes to shit, they get meds for that, then they get diabetes and they take meds for that. If they would just tend to the diet when thy got hyprtension to begin with, they would never have to take a single med. But, we're fat and lazy and it's easier to take a pill than alter your lifestyle.

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

HFCS is a small factor, but eating a grain based diet rather than veggie/fruit based diet is mostly to blame. Eat lean meat, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds and most people's health makes a drastic uturn for the better. Unfortunately, we are left to fend for ourselves wrt health because our country treats symptoms. Most people with high blood pressure get high blood pressure as a warning their diet is shit. They take the meds to mask the symptom, but ignore the problem. Then their cholesterol goes to shit, they get meds for that, then they get diabetes and they take meds for that. If they would just tend to the diet when thy got hyprtension to begin with, they would never have to take a single med. But, we're fat and lazy and it's easier to take a pill than alter your lifestyle.

Does the grain-based diet also account for the rise in diabetes since the last-70s?

I wholeheartedly agree that allopathic is lacking in preventative ability. That's why I also include naturopathic medicine and general preventative measures.

That's the weird dichotomy of nature: survival of the fittest and taking the path of least resistance. Modern civilization is destroying the former part, and thereby destroying the people.

Originally Posted by DOMS

And isn't the BMI crap? I'm pretty sure that most, if not all, bodybuilders rate as obese on the BMI.

Yes it's crap. I'm 189 pounds and I am considered over weight at 6'1. All body builders rate obese for sure.

Originally Posted by DOMS

Does the grain-based diet also account for the rise in diabetes since the last-70s?

I wholeheartedly agree that allopathic is lacking in preventative ability. That's why I also include naturopathic medicine and general preventative measures.

That's the weird dichotomy of nature: survival of the fittest and taking the path of least resistance. Modern civilization is destroying the former part, and thereby destroying the people.

Absolutely, but let me clarify something. In no way am I saying people should avoid grains at all cost. Grains have their place in the diet of active people. Athletes, laborers, and people who expend a lot of energy in general should consume grains on a daily basis. The problem with grains arises when you have people who exercise 6 hours a week, lay around 162 hours a week, and have oatmeal for breakfast, pretzels for snack, sandwiches and chips for lunch, pasta for dinner. Somehow we are under the impression that the body's preferred fuel source is glucose because when you feed the body fats, proteins and carbs, the body converts the carbs to glucose and use it the fastest. However, if you are going to use the logic that whatever is burned fastest is the preferred fuel source, you would have to say the body's preferred fuel source is ethanol because your body will burn that before the other 3. This is far from the case. The body's preferred fuel source is based off what you do and what you feed it. If you eat a lot of fat, your body will upregulate the hormones and enzymes required to metabolize fat and if you eat a lot of carbs you will upregulate the hormones and enzymes responsible for using glucose. For the most part, if you eat lots of carbs, you will become a glucose burner and a fat storer and if you eat lots of fat with litle carbs you will become a fat burner/sugar storer. In addition, if you exercise very intensely and often, your body is going to want quick access to energy, so you will see a hormonal environment that is more geared to utilizing glucose as the main energy source so you will crave foods that lend themselves to quick access to glucose, i.e., grains. That's all glucose is, it's the fastest way you can provide support for ATP stores via stored or ingested energy. In addition, there is evidence that your autonomic nervous system (The one responsible for digestion, immunity, heart rate, blood pressure, etc) also goes though a change based on what you eat and do. Your typical type A peeps will be more sympathetic nervous system dominant(Fight or Flight) so their body will burn and crave sugar more than someone who is more parasympathetic dominant (Rest and Digest) who will have much lower cravings for that kind of stuff and would tend to be fat burners. You can actually see this sympathetic nervous system dominance when you give a kid sugar, all of a sudden they get tons of energy and act all wired. Adults have the same response, but instead of having tons of energy, they get irritable and stressed. This is also coincidentally, how most people get IBS and are more susceptible to illness. Your autonomic nervous system is responsible or divying up resources. When you become sympathetic dominant, you get all of the aspects of the fight or flight response. Since you are in imminent danger (Actually, in these days, you are rarely in imminent danger), your body pushes you to the sympathetic side of the spectrum which diverts attention to the muscles and away from digestion, immunity, inflammation, and other things that you don't need when you are fleeing danger. The problem with this is that most people get stressed about shit that is not life threatening (Like getting fired, making a car payment, taxes, etc.). Since your body really can't tell the difference, it goes through the same process as if you were being chased by a lion and your immunity decreases and digestion stops. People under chronic stress have too much sympathetic tone and typically get sick, have digestive issues, hypertension, and a gamut of other issues. The body doesn't like to be too far to either side of the spectrum, so when you are too sympathetic dominant you get sick, injured, or go in a sleep coma for 10-12 hours, essentially resetting you to the parasympathetic side of things.

Now, our obesity/diabetes problem is based on eating the wrong foods for our lifestyle. We are essentially putting high test fuel in a lawn mower. If you have a very active lifestyle, you should consume grains. Probably not anywhere near what the USDA recommends, but you should consume them, preferably later in the day. Stress, diet, and activity all have a huge role in this, but for this most part, no matter how much stress or activity you have going on in your life, if you scale the grains back you lose weight, improve autonomic nervous system tone, become less stressed, and tend to have a lot more energy. Obese diabetics are tired and run down because they are overly sympathetic dominant, which is also why they suffer heart attacks and strokes. This is also why it is hard for them to burn fat, because people with high sympathetic tone preferentially burns glucose for energy, the fat rarely gets touched because they just keep using and refilling their glycogen stores. In addition, your body stores fat and burns sugar in the presence of insulin. In fact, insulin in your blood shuts down fat burning, so people who eat 5 meals a day with grains in all of them have no chance in losing fat. Their weight may fluctuate, but they won't burn much fat.

Originally Posted by ihateschoolmt

Yes it's crap. I'm 189 pounds and I am considered over weight at 6'1. All body builders rate obese for sure.

Really? I'm like 183 or so right now at 5'9 and although I have some fat to lose, I don't feel "overweight".

Originally Posted by danzik17

Really? I'm like 183 or so right now at 5'9 and although I have some fat to lose, I don't feel "overweight".

That's why they are bullshit. Obviously I am no where near overweight, and you probably aren't either.

Thanks for the graph !!

notice the only state the is blue?

Originally Posted by ihateschoolmt

That's why they are bullshit. Obviously I am no where near overweight, and you probably aren't either.

according to this chart i'd be obese borderline extremely obese......but i'm still less than 15% bodyfat right now......these charts are bullshit......once i'm done bodybuilding though in a few more years i'll be more concerned with shrinking and simply training for fitness instead of looks

Yeah, but we are in the small minority. Those numbers aren't skewed because of body builders. They are skewed because people are god damn fatasses.

Originally Posted by KelJu

Yeah, but we are in the small minority. Those numbers aren't skewed because of body builders. They are skewed because people are god damn fatasses.

exactly......plus i'd never want to be less than 165@5'5".....i'm averaging 190-195 now......being short if i wasn't big i'd get little respect.....since i couldn't get taller, i simply got buff

I blame Christians.

Originally Posted by KelJu

Yeah, but we are in the small minority. Those numbers aren't skewed because of body builders. They are skewed because people are god damn fatasses.

Yup.

I was out visiting my Dad this weekend and I went to my sisters dance class... Half of the girls in the class were huge. Big fat whales.

Eating habits in this country have gone to shit. People are clueless when it comes to diet and exercise. It's a problem.

I tell my inactive patients to eat a cave man diet. Lean meats, raw veggies, some fruit etc. If they are super active like myself, then the grains, carbs start coming in. I tell them the food pyramid was designed for farmers who burned 10,000 calories a day plowing the fields, baling hay etc. In fact, I go on to say they should only eat on days the excericise... needless to say, that doesn't garner me a lot of points. I beleive in the health benefits of period fasting. ( afterall, our bodies were designed to do this).