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Breaking the Obesity Cycle

I read this book last month and highly recommend for those interested in the subject. It's focused on adult weight loss not child, but I imagine both are linked. The real culprit seems to be insulin levels, and like any drug, the body develops resistance to it. Constant sugary foods and no activity is a recipe of obesity.

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I read this too and highly recommend. It's more about what you eat and when, ie fasting, than how much.. Sugar and highly processed carbs without fiber are very addicting and the worse things you can eat. He refers to many studies to show calorie counting only works in the short-term. He also wrote the Cancer Code and the Diabetes Code.
 
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I don't think anybody should have to pay out of pocket for a gym membership. It should be a benefit that is paid by your health insurance, if we're being really serious about this. Would probably save the insurance company a ton of money having a healthier insured pool

Or another idea is that there are community health centers built and operated by your local parks & rec dept that is free to local citizens.

Just being active is 99% of the battle. Also need to monitor your calories intake and calorie burn. A Garmin watch is great for tracking the burn, really gives you insight on how active you need to be. I am on a "diet" per se. Starting Jan 1 last year I decided to make some lifestyle changes. I was overweight, the numbers would say obese but I wasn't a fat ass like so many of the people you see. I carried my weight well and more resembled an offensive lineman, call it athletically obese. Makes sense since I was a defensive lineman in college.

Basically, I cut out the carbs and processed foods. Started going to the gym and hit the elliptical for an hour a day until I melted off enough pounds to safely run. Also, hit the golf course 3-4 times a week and walked 9 holes on weeknights and 18 on weekends. That's 3.5 to 7 mile walks right there. Too cold to golf now so am back at the gym 5 out of 7 days. Last night's workout was 50 minutes on the elliptical, 20 minute run, and 20 minutes of weights - bench, flies, curls, and triceps. According to my Garmin watch I burned 950 calories.

I've lost 70 lbs since Jan 1 and have a goal to burn about 30 more. I've hit a wall in the weight loss dept the last few months but my body is changing and shrinking as I replace fat weight with muscle weight, so I don't really sweat weigh-ins as long as my body keeps changing and looking more athletic. The weight will take care of itself.

If you don't want to be fat you don't have to be and you really don't have to give up food if you don't want to you just need to work off what you take in. Obviously, if you add a diet to your plan it makes it easier.
On your first point I really don’t think cost is the main reason people don’t join a gym. He’ll, I think Planet Fitness is about $10/month. It comes down to being disciplined enough to do it.
 
Also educating folks that you don't need to go to a gym or run around a track to be active. Just plain walking is an absolutely fantastic way to get exercise. I feel like some folks don't understand that. They think if they have to be active, it's going to require running or hitting up a gym, which the word "gym" alone probably spikes some folks' anxiety. I know I REALLY did not want to start going to one, but after the first few times the anxiety went away and I was good from then on out.
My wife and I started walking in late May. We have a park with a 3/4 mile track around it a block from our house. We use it when necessary but love to walk on the outskirts of town in the country. We live in Sgt Bluff just south of Sioux City. On weekends we go all over walking in different parks and along the river. It's addicting. We have been on the treadmill during this cold snap but I will bundle up and walk outside if it's not too windy but that isn't very often. Going to join a health club downtown in Sioux City which is close to where we both work. It has everything including an elvated track that is 10 laps to the mile.
 
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There are many babies that are born unusually fat. More than just normal baby fat. You will also see 2-3 month olds that are observably obese. Are they being crammed with formula or breast milk to gain all of that weight? Not exercising enough?

I don't think anybody is promoting the idea that genetics are the only cause of obesity but they definitely play a part. Behavior/habits also play a part but it's more complicated than that. There are psychological challenges with some people. Body type is also a factor. Google ectomporph/endomorph/mesomorph. Some people stay lean naturally while others have to work to get or stay lean. Combine lots of endomorph body types with low will power, psychological issues, bad learned behaviors growing up etc...
our boys were 9 lbs 11 oz and 9 lbs 7 oz. They are 21 and 13 now and both thin but look good. They are very conscious of what they eat. Sometime too much imo.
 
Not sure it’s genetics. I’d need to see data for that. If it is, it would be a complicated path (not autosomal dominant and involvement of multiple genes). I think it’s environment. Cities versus suburban sprawl. Obese people spend a lot of time not moving. It’s changes in perception of average/normal weight, what is a reasonable portion of food, access to cheap calories, hobbies, etc. Being obese with the exception of some health conditions (eg hypothyroidism) is ultimately very simple (too many calories in and too few out) and also difficult to deal with (people have set points and habits they establish that are incredibly difficult to change).
I think you may have a faulty assumption on the overweight percentages in the city vs the country.
 
Oatmeal is recommended to lower your blood sugar.
Not really, most of it is quick carbs that jacks it.

In general... anything processed can raise it. Steel cut oats without sweet items added may be better

 
Not really, most of it is quick carbs that jacks it.

In general... anything processed can raise it. Steel cut oats without sweet items added may be better

My doctor recommended it because I was having some stomach issues, but another effect is that it lowers both cholesterol and blood sugar if your having problems with either.

Oatmeal Benefits​

Oatmeal’s claim to fame is its proven ability to lower bad (LDL) cholesterol. Chalk that up to a type of soluble fiber called beta glucan.

Eating oats is linked to an average 7% drop in LDL cholesterol, research shows. Many other things also affect your heart's health (like what else you eat, how active you are, and whether you smoke), but oatmeal is a simple heart-smart start. Oatmeal also:

  • Lowers blood sugar levels
  • Provides antioxidants
  • Promotes healthy bacteria in your gut
  • Helps you to feel full to manage your weight
https://www.webmd.com/diet/oatmeal-benefits
 
My wife and I started walking in late May. We have a park with a 3/4 mile track around it a block from our house. We use it when necessary but love to walk on the outskirts of town in the country. We live in Sgt Bluff just south of Sioux City. On weekends we go all over walking in different parks and along the river. It's addicting. We have been on the treadmill during this cold snap but I will bundle up and walk outside if it's not too windy but that isn't very often. Going to join a health club downtown in Sioux City which is close to where we both work. It has everything including an elvated track that is 10 laps to the mile.
The outdoor walking is what I love. Seeing all the wildlife is a great way to start the day. The cold weather does suck though. Usually low-mid 20's are my cutoff point. Unless it's windy, then it's low 30's. There's few things I hate more than doing cardio stuff indoors. I'll have to suck it up this winter though, I was bad last winter and put on a few extra lbs that I wasn't attempting to.
 
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On your first point I really don’t think cost is the main reason people don’t join a gym. He’ll, I think Planet Fitness is about $10/month. It comes down to being disciplined enough to do it.
I wish we had a Planet Fitness. I drop $89/month for a family membership at the University Wellness Center here. It's worth the money, to me, but given costs of places like Planet Fitness I wish it was cheaper and more in line with those prices.
 
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I wish we had a Planet Fitness. I drop $89/month for a family membership at the University Wellness Center here. It's worth the money, to me, but given costs of places like Planet Fitness I wish it was cheaper and more in line with those prices.
I live in Minot, ND. I figured if there’s one here every place in the world must have one. Ha ha
 
The outdoor walking is what I love. Seeing all the wildlife is a great way to start the day. The cold weather does suck though. Usually low-mid 20's are my cutoff point. Unless it's windy, then it's low 30's. There's few things I hate more than doing cardio stuff indoors. I'll have to suck it up this winter though, I was bad last winter and put on a few extra lbs that I wasn't attempting to.
I love walking when the snow is falling and wind isn’t blowing. It’s so quiet.
 
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The outdoor walking is what I love. Seeing all the wildlife is a great way to start the day. The cold weather does suck though. Usually low-mid 20's are my cutoff point. Unless it's windy, then it's low 30's. There's few things I hate more than doing cardio stuff indoors. I'll have to suck it up this winter though, I was bad last winter and put on a few extra lbs that I wasn't attempting to.
yeh cold is bearable if the wind is low. Sunshine helps.
 
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yeh cold is bearable if the wind is low. Sunshine helps.
Although we walk at night on the outskirts of town in the country. A friend sent us a picture of a mountain lion in a corn field in that area recently. Probably passing through but going to have to get some Bear Repellent at Scheels. They say they are skittish around humans and noise is a good deterrent but I want to have something just in case.
 
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My doctor recommended it because I was having some stomach issues, but another effect is that it lowers both cholesterol and blood sugar if your having problems with either.

Oatmeal Benefits​

Oatmeal’s claim to fame is its proven ability to lower bad (LDL) cholesterol. Chalk that up to a type of soluble fiber called beta glucan.

Eating oats is linked to an average 7% drop in LDL cholesterol, research shows. Many other things also affect your heart's health (like what else you eat, how active you are, and whether you smoke), but oatmeal is a simple heart-smart start. Oatmeal also:

  • Lowers blood sugar levels
  • Provides antioxidants
  • Promotes healthy bacteria in your gut
  • Helps you to feel full to manage your weight
https://www.webmd.com/diet/oatmeal-benefits
I've found that oatmeal spikes my glucose level. I've also found that some of the new, high protein oatmeal doesn't spike my glucose level nearly as bad. I still have to be careful because the oatmeal makers still want to add sugar to some of their varieties, which negates the purpose of the protein.

Here's one that I do.

iu


I advocate high protein, minimize white carbs, minimize sugar. Fruit juice is usually worse than soft drinks. White carbs are almost like eating sugar once they hit your liver.
 
I've found that oatmeal spikes my glucose level. I've also found that some of the new, high protein oatmeal doesn't spike my glucose level nearly as bad. I still have to be careful because the oatmeal makers still want to add sugar to some of their varieties, which negates the purpose of the protein.

Here's one that I do.

iu


I advocate high protein, minimize white carbs, minimize sugar. Fruit juice is usually worse than soft drinks. White carbs are almost like eating sugar once they hit your liver.
I've seen this stuff but never bought it. May have to give it a try.
 
I've found that oatmeal spikes my glucose level. I've also found that some of the new, high protein oatmeal doesn't spike my glucose level nearly as bad. I still have to be careful because the oatmeal makers still want to add sugar to some of their varieties, which negates the purpose of the protein.

Here's one that I do.

iu


I advocate high protein, minimize white carbs, minimize sugar. Fruit juice is usually worse than soft drinks. White carbs are almost like eating sugar once they hit your liver.
I have to eat breakfast with a protein or I get lightheaded and woozy by mid-morning. What other breakfasts do you make? I usually have two eggs plain or a couple spoonfuls of peanut butter. Getting bored with that.
 
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I have to eat breakfast with a protein or I get lightheaded and woozy by mid-morning. What other breakfasts do you make? I usually have two eggs plain or a couple spoonfuls of peanut butter. Getting bored with that.

You can get 1/3 of your daily protein intake out of a piece of toast made from one of the ancient grains, Spelt and Einkorn are pretty easy to find and making bread out of them is easy
 
I've found that oatmeal spikes my glucose level. I've also found that some of the new, high protein oatmeal doesn't spike my glucose level nearly as bad. I still have to be careful because the oatmeal makers still want to add sugar to some of their varieties, which negates the purpose of the protein.

Here's one that I do.

iu


I advocate high protein, minimize white carbs, minimize sugar. Fruit juice is usually worse than soft drinks. White carbs are almost like eating sugar once they hit your liver.
That's funny I buy that brand, we buy their pancakes and muffins for the little ones also. Great brand.
 
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