How can some people not get why they are overweight?

[disneysteve]

Some of the frappucinos are HIGHER in FAT and CALORIES than a Big Mac!!!! She said that she sees regulars come in and get 2 throughout the same day! Those 2 drinks are more than double the calories & fat you need for a WHOLE day. It's just crazy. And I'm sure these same people can't figure out why they can't lose weight!
Trish

I used to ask patients how much coffee they drank, mainly out of interest for their caffeine intake. Now I've learned I have to get specific and ask what size and what type of coffee drink they are having. Many people will say they have 2 cups of coffee a day when what they really mean is what you are describing - 2 fancy coffee drinks from Starbucks with 40 grams of fat and 1200 calories.

I read an article in the paper recently that many restaurant chains are eliminating or cutting back on the healthy menu options they started offering a few years ago because hardly anyone orders them. All the focus groups say people want healthier options, but when those options are made available to them, nobody orders them.

 

[NMAmy]

I read an article in the paper recently that many restaurant chains are eliminating or cutting back on the healthy menu options they started offering a few years ago because hardly anyone orders them. All the focus groups say people want healthier options, but when those options are made available to them, nobody orders them.

You know, we were at Appleby's and my 14 yo dd saw something on the Weight Watchers portion of their menu that looked interesting. I told her to go ahead and order it and she said, "Will they let me order that?" I was perplexed and told her, "Sure, why would you think they wouldn't?" She told me she didn't think she could order it because she wasn't overweight which is when I explained that it was just a healthier option and anyone could order it. We also teased her a bit about the big scale they have in the back that they make customers get on before they can order it--sort of like the height stick at WDW.

But this did make me wonder--is there a certain stigma that some people feel ordering from the Weight Watchers portion of a menu?

Frankly, we don't eat out often, I'm not overweight, and I make healthy, lowfat meals at home. When we do eat out--I tend to go for something that I wouldn't make at home, no matter how many calories it is or how bad it is for me. Since it's more of a special occasion, I live it up a bit and so does DH.

 

[MizBlu]

Curious to hear your thoughts, whether weight is an issue for you or not.

As a doctor, you are aware of the fact that certain meds (Paxil, Zoloft, and the rest of the SSRI's) cause a person to put on weight. I know the drug companies don't like to emphasize that, but facts are facts.

So, it isn't always because someone doesn't know how to push themselves away from the table.

 

[lmhall2000]

Dear STeve!

Thanks so much for posting this...and thanks so much for taking the time to not stop talking up lifestyle modifications.

* I've been thin and I've been obese

* My story in short..thin as a rail as a child, a little chunky through puberty but grew up and thin at 14-15..parents went through a five year rocky period (more like boulder rocky) and I put on 100 pounds in 9 months...any red flags here that food is my comfort? But my first year in college I lost it ALL! No Freshman 15 for mua. Kept it off for 9 years until my first pregnancy. Nauseous for 38 weeks and only food kept the nausea at bay. 2 more pregnancies in 2 years put me at 258. I've now lost 75 of those extra pounds and am knocking at Goal's door. (I was in a car accident that left me with 3 degenerated discs with no fluid and horrendous back issues)...but getting ACTIVE was the cure for me. I now walk 25 miles a week...I still use food as comfort but I'm trying to make Spinach my friend instead of french fries.

* Portion control is the key issue with Americans and obesity...let them have all their fried fast foods but if they ate the right portion they wouldn't be fat just have bad cholesterol and other related issues.

* I was in pharmaceutical sales for 7 years and most of my docs said they just give up on pushing lifestyle mod's because the patients come in asking for a pill to fix it. But there are those out there who just need that reminder to eat well...heck, fix them a monthly eating plan that is well-rounded...ask them how that menu compares to their own and tell them if they try to modify their diet to look more like the sample month...they'll see those results!

*When I injured my back, I was given all kinds of prescriptions...I don't like medicine, I want my body to heal itself with my help...only one out of 5 doctors really took the time to show me 5 exercises to help my hamstrings which in turn took the pull out of my back muscle...he was a top pain doctor in Seattle...now if the first 4 docs had said that instead of trying to push surgery or pain blockers..then I would have saved myself future pain.

I'm not saying lifestyle mod's are the cure but it sure is the ounce of prevention that will save our country billions in health care costs...so keep doing what you're doing!!!! And don't fear the flamethrowers!
Tara

 

[kadaten]

Here is my 2 cents as someone who has taught in the public school system. I graduated HS in 87. We were required to have physical ed EVERY day of the week in HS. Where I have taught in an elementary school, they had it once a week. My ds is in kdg and has PE once a week. My dd just finished her freshman year and they are not required to have any physical ed classes at all except for 1 semester during their entire 4 years. True, they offer many extra curricular activities, but many kids will choose not to participate. Our family is active, so I think we're ok, but I really feel like the public schools let our kids down in this regard.

While I agree that PE should be part of the school curriculum, it is NOT the school's fault that kids are overweight. Outside of genetic reasons, that falls strictly on the parents....who buy the kids' food, set examples, and monitor their child's activity level (or don't....).

Me, I'm overweight, and I know it's because I like things that aren't great for me (sweets, fast food, etc) and that I'm not as active as I should be. Genetics probably plays a part, too, as my mother's entire family is overweight, many in the extreme. Plus, some of the meds I'm on are not friendly to the waistline.

Like most people, I have a number of struggles, and weight just tends falls at the bottom of my priority list right now. Foodwise we resort to convenience foods more than I'd like 'cause that's what we have time for. And I have a hard time finding the time to exercise....which is something I really don't enjoy doing. I guess I have a hard time forcing myself to do things I don't like (exercise, cooking a healthy meal rather than take-out of a less healthy meal, etc.).

I will say, though, that because I am overweight, I redouble my efforts to ensure I don't set my kids up for the same thing. I ate horribly as a kid and I refuse to do that for my kids. I try to make sure they eat fruits and veggies, few sweets, lots of protein, less carbs, (basically try for balanced!) and get lots of running around time for exercise and fresh air. They could eat better, but what 3 and 4 year olds couldn't? As for now, I'm happy with their health and hope that one day I can get myself there!

But I would not even pretend to be unaware of the reasons I am overweight.
Interesting though....not a single doctor in the 7-8 years I've been overweight have ever mentioned it to me. I wonder.....do they assume I know I should be doing something about it OR is it the untouchable third rail that noone wants to talk about?

 

[disneysteve]

As a doctor, you are aware of the fact that certain meds (Paxil, Zoloft, and the rest of the SSRI's) cause a person to put on weight.

Yes, some meds might cause weight gain. The SSRIs, mood stabilizers like Zyprexa and Seroquel, epilepsy and migraine meds like Topamax and various diabetes drugs including insulin. In fact, when I see a poorly controlled diabetic, I always warn him that as we get his sugars under control he will likely put on some weight.

These are not the people this thread was about.

 

[Marseeya]

Yes, some meds might cause weight gain. The SSRIs, mood stabilizers like Zyprexa and Seroquel, epilepsy and migraine meds like Topamax and various diabetes drugs including insulin. In fact, when I see a poorly controlled diabetic, I always warn him that as we get his sugars under control he will likely put on some weight.

These are not the people this thread was about.

Maybe the title of the thread should be less general. It wouldn't be so offensive if you would have said "Why can't SOME people get why they are overweight?"

SOME of us fatties do have a brain.

 

[disneysteve]

Maybe the title of the thread should be less general. It wouldn't be so offensive if you would have said "Why can't SOME people get why they are overweight?"

Thank you. That's an excellent idea. Where were you 4 months ago? I changed the title.

But I would not even pretend to be unaware of the reasons I am overweight.
Interesting though....not a single doctor in the 7-8 years I've been overweight have ever mentioned it to me. I wonder.....do they assume I know I should be doing something about it OR is it the untouchable third rail that noone wants to talk about?

Thanks for posting.

I think it is a disgrace for a doctor to ignore a patient's weight. That is just as serious a health problem as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol which no reputable doctor would think of ignoring. Of course, that doesn't mean your doctor needs to bring up your weight at the first visit or when you come if for an ingrown toenail, but to ignore it completely is inappropriate in my opinion, especially if there are related health conditions like blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, arthritis, etc.

 

[Marseeya]

Thank you. That's an excellent idea. Where were you 4 months ago? I changed the title.

Four months ago I was griping about your assertions without realizing what it was that peeved me off about the whole thing. It wasn't until today that I realized where my objection stemmed from.

Anyway, thanks for changing the title. That one little word makes a difference. That's the power of language.

 

[Forevryoung]

That original patient sounds like some of my moms She is a nutrition therapist.

One of her many stories:

Nutritionist: "So what do you have for breakfast?"
Client: "Eggs and bacon"
N: How many eggs? How much bacon?
C: How many eggs are in the carton? How many pieces of bacon in the package?
N: You have a whole carton of eggs and a package of bacon for breakfast every morning? Do you have a snack?
C: Yes, and my snack is Grape Nuts (the cereal)
N: Great do you use whole milk? Skim milk? (thinking this could be a good thing, not a sugar laden cereal...)
C: Ice cream, I put the cereal on top

And the conversation continues... The client wondered why he was close to 300 lbs. At least he was going to her to learn how to change his diet

 

[paigevz]

Well, I'm fat. I did it to myself, but I didn't really know I was doing it until it was done. It just sort of crept up on me! I had knee surgery and stopped being so active, and started watching TV and eating. I met dh, who, at the time I met him, was just slightly overweight..........I didn't know then that he had battled obesity his whole life from toddlerhood...........and I began to eat what he ate.....and matched his amount. I had my appendix burst, spent some time in hospital, and again, knocked down my activity level. I started teaching, I stopped walking across college campuses and drove to work. I got pregnant, and ate as much as I felt like after my early morning sickness. I gained 40 lbs, and only lost 10 of it after the baby. I continued to gain for years, at a slow but steady rate, and here I am! I had baby 2, but actually lost weight with him, as I was very sick. Last year I started REALLY watching what I ate, but didn't exercise, and I lost 65 lbs. I've gained back 30 of it. I know I'm fat, and I wish I could go back and never let this happen. It's so much harder to go backwards than it is to do it right from the beginning. If I'd known every cookie, every beer, every chips and candy and every time I drove instead of walked counted, I'd've been more careful. I'm not lazy, I live my life, but don't do extra exercise. I would take the stairst up 2 flights rather than an elevator to be quicker. I do morning exercises with my 2nd graders and run their playground lap with them........but that's it. I do overeat most of the time. Occasionally, I'll decide to do better.........it lasts less than a week, and I fall back into old habits. I don't blame anyone, I know what I'm doing, it's just really, really hard to stop. I will say that everytime I see a show, talk to a doctor, or read a post or news article about this, I try again for a few days. Eventually, I hope it'll last longer than a few days! I will say that I don't eat differently now than I did as a kid........except for eating out, because we lived in the middle of nowhere...........I was taught to eat this way......we always had sodas, chips, candy bars, meat and potato dinners, heck, potatoes with everything! Eggs and bacon for breakfast, full fat milk. I have changed a lot of that.........no candy or sodas in my house, I never eat eggs or bacon, buy low-fat milk, no chips.........still have meat dinners, but potatoes less often as sides (although I replaced that with rice dishes or mac and cheese instead of veggies), plenty of fruit, though still not many veggies.........I just can't get into veggies..........grew up on a farm, and have hated veggies my whole life, having to plant, hoe, week, de-bug and harvest the stuff. Anyway, I know WHAT I'm doing wrong, I just find it nearly impossible to STOP. I would bet most people like me are the same way.

 

[bicker]

Just a clarifications: The mentioned medications do not cause weight-gain. The weight-gain associated with those medications is a second-order condition. It stems from decreased metabolism. Patients still have the opportunity to monitor their condition while on such medications and elect to balance their intake with their new, lower metabolic rate. It is important to case these situations without biasing the patient against health, by making it sound like the weight-gain is inescapable.

 

[Holly]

Most people are fat because they eat too much and don't exercize. It's as simple as that.

I have a good 25 pounds I need to lose, and I totally own up to the fact that it's still here because I don't put much effort into losing it.

 

[MizBlu]

Yes, some meds might cause weight gain. The SSRIs, mood stabilizers like Zyprexa and Seroquel, epilepsy and migraine meds like Topamax and various diabetes drugs including insulin. In fact, when I see a poorly controlled diabetic, I always warn him that as we get his sugars under control he will likely put on some weight.

These are not the people this thread was about.

I understand that's not the ones this thread is about, but it is amazing how many people don't realize weight gain is a side effect of their meds.

I think a large part of the problem with weight in this country is that many are fixated on "3-squares a day" when the "3-square" idea came about when people actually worked on the farms.

My DH told me that during combine season, they would eat up to 5 square meals a day, but they were working. Who does that anymore?

But, like you, you see people looking for the magic method to lose weight (pills, sweat suits, etc.) and the only true way to lose weight is diet and exercise.

 

[Disney_1derland]

I also find it very interesting to watch a group of children at a party. The skinny kids can take or leave food, but the heavy kids are drawn to the food--they seem to really be drawn into eating. These are young kids, so I know that little secondary gains are gotten from eating, but there is something in their make up that makes them need food more than other children.

We see this every day in our house. Our eldest child is very small, very thin, very small framed. Our youngest is a heavier body type, has been since she was born. She could way the same at any age as our older child but still look chubby. It's been a very weird experience for us because it's hard to understand how 28 pounds can look so different on two bodies that are basically the same size. The youngest is just bigger. She's also the one who is driven by food and has been since the day she was born. We have to really limit what she eats because if we don't say no she'll eat nonstop all day long. The other child eats and eats well but is not constantly asking for food.

We combat her requests for food by stopping whatever we are doing and engaging her in a physical activity. A walk, a round of basketball, riding her bike, etc. That works most of the time to distract her but when we are done the first words out of her mouth are SNACK! We are just trying to instill healthy habits and hope that she will learn them and they will keep her from battling weight problems later in life.

My hold childhood people told me I was fat. Now I look back at pictures and I wasn't fat at all, just bigger than other kids, but now, I see myself as fat and so now I am overweight I guess it was a self fulfilling prophecy. I already thought I was fat so I didn't see myself actually getting fat. In the past two years I've lost 60 pounds and still have about 60 more to go, it's a slow but steady process but every day it is a choice I have to make and some days I make the right choice and somedays I don't.

 

[scanne]

I had a conversation like this with my WW leader yesterday. It is a shame that people choose NOT to let themselves be educated on healthy eating. My in-laws are a prime example. They are overweight (obese) and don't get it. When my MIL orders a hoagie, she gets oil AND mayonnaise on it. I told her how fattening that is and that it would clog her arteries and she was like "The lettuce and tomatoe will balance it all out." It's a shame, but unfortunately a lot of people put up a mental block when it comes to nutrition. And it drives me CRAZY that my FIL is constantly offering my DS cookies and candy! When I ask if they have fruit in the house they just sort of laugh it off because they DON'T!

 

[Marseeya]

I had a conversation like this with my WW leader yesterday. It is a shame that people choose NOT to let themselves be educated on healthy eating. My in-laws are a prime example. They are overweight (obese) and don't get it. When my MIL orders a hoagie, she gets oil AND mayonnaise on it. I told her how fattening that is and that it would clog her arteries and she was like "The lettuce and tomatoe will balance it all out." It's a shame, but unfortunately a lot of people put up a mental block when it comes to nutrition. And it drives me CRAZY that my FIL is constantly offering my DS cookies and candy! When I ask if they have fruit in the house they just sort of laugh it off because they DON'T!

OT: A hoagie??? You wouldn't be from SW Pennsylvania, would you.

 

[Planogirl]

I read an article in the paper recently that many restaurant chains are eliminating or cutting back on the healthy menu options they started offering a few years ago because hardly anyone orders them. All the focus groups say people want healthier options, but when those options are made available to them, nobody orders them.

This is interesting to me. We can all keep on demanding that places like McD's offer healthier foods but I'm willing to bet that the vast majority of people still order Big Macs and fries. These restaurants are in business to make money and if we don't go in and order the salads and fruit and other better menu items, these options will simply go away.

It's really not up to McD's or doctors or government officials to make sure that we eat right, it's up to us and only us.

 

[disneysteve]

My DH told me that during combine season, they would eat up to 5 square meals a day, but they were working. Who does that anymore?

The Amish!

There was a study done not long ago showing that the Amish eat more calories and a high percentage of calories from fat and refined sugar, but they have very little trouble with obesity. Why? Because they still lead very physically active lives. They had the study participants wear pedometers. The average Amish man logged 18,000 steps/day. Women logged 14,000. The average American, in contrast, walks significantly less than 10,000 steps/day. Their obesity rate: 4%. Ours: 31%.

So it isn't just about what you put in. It's also about what you burn off.

 

[Disney Doll]

Whoa Steve!!!! You are one brave guy!!!! Starting a weight thread!!!

I agree wholeheartedly that there are folks who have no idea about healthy eating. I also think there's a lot of "psyche" tied up in food & eating & eating habits.

I also think many folks don't have the patience to lose weight the proper way, by behavior modification, lifestyle changes & exercise. In our society, we like the "quick fix" & instant gratifcation. Let's face it...changing your lifestyle is hard & doesn't happen quickly. That's why "diet pills" are so popular. That's why so many folks are going for gastric bypass or banding...quick fix...unfortunately, what folk don't realize about those procedures is that if you don't change your lifestyle habits, the weight can come back on.

BTW, being a fat person, I know of what I speak.