Obesity is a serious problem in our society and it's a real tragedy to see overweight parents teaching their kids really bad habits. I'm not a "fat shamer" in any way - I'm all for people being comfortable with their bodies and the campaigns which accompany that; but that doesn't mean we should excuse or overlook being unhealthy because you're now comfy with being 'fat'.
I've coached my son's soccer since he was a toddler and he's currently in MUSC u10. Every single year we've had a boy on the team who's overweight. I don't mean a little chubby, I'm talking that they have man-boobs (boy-boobs?) It's horrible to see because the parents are culpable for this and it will only worsen as it becomes more socially acceptable to be overweight because the people who speak out about it seem to be instantly labelled as bullys.
This is one of the things that sickens me the most. I am disgusted and hate seeing kids at 5 or 6 years old with severe obesity and weighing upwards of 2 or 3 times what their normal, healthy weight should be. These kids have no control over their situation because they have to eat whatever crap their parents feed them.
I don't know what sorts of programs currently are in place in our health care system but in my opinion the government and the health system need to step up to the plate and do something about these types of situations. It is absolutely unacceptable to be filling your kid with crap, sugar and empty calories to the point that they are obese at such early points in their life.
I've coached my son's soccer since he was a toddler and he's currently in MUSC u10. Every single year we've had a boy on the team who's overweight. I don't mean a little chubby, I'm talking that they have man-boobs (boy-boobs?) It's horrible to see because the parents are culpable for this and it will only worsen as it becomes more socially acceptable to be overweight because the people who speak out about it seem to be instantly labelled as bullys.
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1) For those that suggest that people living longer will COST the system more... it could be in some cases. Guy works from the age of 20 to 50 when he dies suddenly of a heart attack. Virtually no cost. However, is that the society we want? Where we die before we have a chance to retire?
On the topic of parents and overweight kids, Dr. Freedhoff spoke on Ottawa Health Day where he has normal weight clients that are coming to see him regarding overweight children. He won't take children on as patients. He takes the PARENTS on as patients. From my reading on the internet, in the cases where normal weight parents have overweight kids, the parents are typically "thin and unhealthy" in that they eat empty calories that keep them going, but get no activity and have bad health markers from malnutrition.
Many of the people I speak to are parents that are not losing weight for themselves; they are losing weight and changing their diet to be better role models for their children.
... the people who speak out about it seem to be instantly labelled as bullys.
Depends on how you speak out about it. I listened to Calgary's own Dr. Arya Sharma's speech he did in Kingston last week. He talked about how this is an issue that MUST be raised, but it has to be raised delicately. Even if it has the remotest possibility of appearing as fat shaming, it WILL be taken that way. Because obese people are generally predisposed to feeling crappy about their weight and about themselves. So it needs to be handled with kid gloves rather than attacking with a hammer. Which is where I have an advantage.
"I'm healthy and your not. You should stop being fat, fatty!" will not work.
"I've been where you are and I hated it; let me help you.... " works a lot better.
I am sure there are people who have done more research into this but from a purely anedoctal and personal level I can say that price has little to no effect on my eating habits at all.
I am fat, not obese (I think), but my weight doesn't stop me from doing anything or affect my job. I make enough money that cost of groceries doesn't really play a factor in what I do or don't buy.
I don't eat healthy because healthy food tastes like crap and stopping at Subway, McDonalds, ordering pizza etc. is much easier than planning, organizaing and making a "real" meal. I don't like fruits and veggies, not a fan of chicken, rice is awful.
If the price of chips went up I would just pay the extra cost. If fruits and veggies were cheaper they still taste awful to me. I guess they could make fast food ridiculously expensive and there would be a point where I would be forced to change my eating but that seems pretty doubtful to me.
Edit: maybe I missed it and the point is just to get money from me to supplement the potential money I will cost the system?
So you are essentially lazy and have been trained to enjoy salty, fatty foods with glutenous proportions in a pursuit of a temporary hedonistic lifestyle. As someone who has seen the end result of your lifestyle (think no legs from diabetes) and sees how much that the disease of obesity costs the healthcare system and people's quality of life (you are likely obese by the way - and if you miraculously aren't, you will be), make some healthy food. Buy a slow cooker, get some lentils, some quality spice and herbs, develop your palate. It won't be as momentarily satisfying as a McDonald's Hamburger, but it will feel a lot better in the coming weeks and years... for the rest of your life actually. Take the small steps, order a salad at McDonald's, don't douse it in dressing and don't get the one with a tonne of deep fried chicken on it. The thing is it isn't your fault that you enjoy those foods, it is how evolution and biology has trained you to be, your body needs salt, it needs sugar and historically these have always been in short supply. This is the only time in our history that these needs are in excess and your body doesn't know this, it just craves more and more.
I challenge you to plan your meals for a week, breakfast, lunch and supper... look at the costs of eating healthy, see how much money you save. See how much better you feel after a couple weeks. Your body will crave soft drinks and salt, but don't give into the temptation.
I know when I stopped drinking all soda a couple years ago, I would literally crave the sugar or the taste of sweetness, but after I got over the cravings, I realized that I didn't even enjoy the taste of the sweetness, it was nauseating to me as to how much I ingested. Since then I have lost roughly 40 pounds and feel much, much better with myself and with my life. I am not slim by any stretch but I just feel better. Heck I don't look anything like my passport or my drivers license. That is a source of pride for me.
Edit: Buy some spaghetti squash, get some tomatoes, onions, basal, garlic and some assorted spices, plus whatever else you like. Bake the shaghetti squash in the oven, saute the food with some olive oil, combine them and make an absolutely delicious meal. It will taste great! Have a side of some spinach salad with some pecans and strawberries. You can have a great, filling meal for less than it would cost to buy a meal at the local Burger King.
Last edited by Mean Mr. Mustard; 11-20-2014 at 02:57 PM.
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Depends on how you speak out about it. I listened to Calgary's own Dr. Arya Sharma's speech he did in Kingston last week. He talked about how this is an issue that MUST be raised, but it has to be raised delicately. Even if it has the remotest possibility of appearing as fat shaming, it WILL be taken that way. Because obese people are generally predisposed to feeling crappy about their weight and about themselves. So it needs to be handled with kid gloves rather than attacking with a hammer. Which is where I have an advantage.
"I'm healthy and your not. You should stop being fat, fatty!" will not work.
"I've been where you are and I hated it; let me help you.... " works a lot better.
I don't know if pussyfooting or delicately approaching these types of situations is really the best way of implementing change. I would probably encourage more of an aggressive campaign similar to smoking and drunk driving where the aim is promoting that such activities are harmful, dangerous and unacceptable. There are certain ways of tackling the subject aggressively without bullying or shaming.
Because taxing cigs at crazy rates has made people stop smoking...
A lot less people do smoke. Also the people who smoke do it less. Most of the people my age that I know smoke do so socially now. I know few people who smoke 1-2 packs daily, which used to be so common that employers would give paid smoke breaks.
Although taxing unhealthy food really isn't fair. Some people need high calorie diets and eating junk food in moderation isn't bad for you.
I don't know if pussyfooting or delicately approaching these types of situations is really the best way of implementing change. I would probably encourage more of an aggressive campaign similar to smoking and drunk driving where the aim is promoting that such activities are harmful, dangerous and unacceptable. There are certain ways of tackling the subject aggressively without bullying or shaming.
It is interesting but I think that you need a combination of both approaches, it needs to be impregnated on the person that there are ramifications to the lifestyle they are leading but at the same time that needs to be countered with a helping hand of... this is how you can make the changes necessary. It is more mentoring than it is bullying in my opinion. One can not be pusillanimous in their approach but they also must avoid just being an overly aggressive jerk.
I don't know if pussyfooting or delicately approaching these types of situations is really the best way of implementing change. I would probably encourage more of an aggressive campaign similar to smoking and drunk driving where the aim is promoting that such activities are harmful, dangerous and unacceptable. There are certain ways of tackling the subject aggressively without bullying or shaming.
The difficulty is the bullying and self image issues many overweight people have. Most overweight people are not happy with their situation. Making them feel worse about themselves is not a solution.
So you are essentially lazy and have been trained to enjoy salty, fatty foods with glutenous proportions in a pursuit of a temporary hedonistic lifestyle. As someone who has seen the end result of your lifestyle (think no legs from diabetes) and sees how much that the disease of obesity costs the healthcare system and people's quality of life (you are likely obese by the way - and if you miraculously aren't, you will be), make some healthy food. Buy a slow cooker, get some lentils, some quality spice and herbs, develop your palate. It won't be as momentarily satisfying as a McDonald's Hamburger, but it will feel a lot better in the coming weeks and years... for the rest of your life actually. Take the small steps, order a salad at McDonald's, don't douse it in dressing and don't get the one with a tonne of deep fried chicken on it. The thing is it isn't your fault that you enjoy those foods, it is how evolution and biology has trained you to be, your body needs salt, it needs sugar and historically these have always been in short supply. This is the only time in our history that these needs are in excess and your body doesn't know this, it just craves more and more.
I challenge you to plan your meals for a week, breakfast, lunch and supper... look at the costs of eating healthy, see how much money you save. See how much better you feel after a couple weeks. Your body will crave soft drinks and salt, but don't give into the temptation.
I know when I stopped drinking all soda a couple years ago, I would literally crave the sugar or the taste of sweetness, but after I got over the cravings, I realized that I didn't even enjoy the taste of the sweetness, it was nauseating to me as to how much I ingested. Since then I have lost roughly 40 pounds and feel much, much better with myself and with my life. I am not slim by any stretch but I just feel better. Heck I don't look anything like my passport or my drivers license. That is a source of pride for me.
Edit: Buy some spaghetti squash, get some tomatoes, onions, basal, garlic and some assorted spices, plus whatever else you like. Bake the shaghetti squash in the oven, saute the food with some olive oil, combine them and make an absolutely delicious meal. It will taste great! Have a side of some spinach salad with some pecans and strawberries. You can have a great, filling meal for less than it would cost to buy a meal at the local Burger King.
Honestly If he won't even eat chicken or rice and groups them as "undesirable healthy food" I don't think you're gonna make a difference by talking about lentils and developing his palate. Can't save everyone.
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Originally Posted by JobHopper
The thing is, my posts, thoughts and insights may be my opinions but they're also quite factual.
The thing is I doubt that he even enjoys the taste of the "food" that he mentioned but rather the salt content is what keeps him coming back every time. The burgers don't taste like beef, the cold cuts don't taste like turkey or chicken, they all taste like salt and preservatives. Actually having real food, the strange thing is, is that it tastes like... food.
I've gone through many cycles of being off fast foods long enough that they taste disgusting, but as you say and as Barney knows the brain doesn't stop wanting what it wants and it doesn't take much to get back into wanting it.
Keeping away from drinks with sugar is the only thing I've been able to maintain for a long time now, but that's much easier to do.
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Probably already been said, but there is a reason they are food scientists.
Their sole goal is to design food-like products that trigger targeted neuro and endocrine responses and cause you to crave more ... and more importantly, purchase more.
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Last edited by scotty2hotty; 11-20-2014 at 03:54 PM.
It is hard to argue with your brain and your internal desire to satisfy oneself, but people do it all the time, if we only did what we feel like I would gorge myself on whipped cream but that obviously isn't feasible because the bandstand would never be double bolted.
I really think nutritional science needs to be a mandatory course in the public education system. Teach people young, and teach them often. I think this is a grassroots approach that could have very positive results in the long run.
