Weight

[The Doctor]

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7692672.stm

So the world's heaviest man just got married. Good for him.

We hear a lot these days about weight issues: rise in levels of obesity or stories of folk starving themselves to stay thin.

Are we too hung up on our weight? Does it really matter so long as we're happy? Do you worry about your weight?

-Ralph

[Bogatan]

Generally no, but when I began to edge towards the 16 stone mark earlier in the year I did get a bit concerned. I'm pretty good at not putting weight on 90% of the time, but whenever I do eat too much christmas and other celebrations or just boredom, lack of excericse or whatever it goes up a bit and I dont try and lose it. So my weight has been increasing steadily for the last 10 years.

Its not so much how much I weight though its more how I feel. As I hit 16 stone I felt unwell. Also it was the point were it meant buying a whole new set of jeans and trousers and quite a few new tops so I was focused on losing the weight.

I've been on Wii Fit every day for 8 weeks (after going in to hospital in August there wasn't much I could do) and even though I haven't really lost weight I feel so much better and its got me thinking about what I'm eating.

Andy

[Stomski]

And now it's time for Stom's right wing view of the day! (ba ba de baaaa! <-- crappy fanfare)

If people become a burden on society due to things that are within their control, I think they need to reevaluate their life choices.

However, I'm blessed with never being close to overweight, nor being skinny, so I would say that.

That was Stom's right wing view of the day!

I'm Steve Tomski, and I approve the irony in this message

[Hero]

I lost up to 4 stone this year and trying to lose more but not overdoing it either. I don't feel much lighter but definitley cleaner on the inside (I think I said this before on the sausages thread).

===KEN

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Oct 28, 2008 11:07:58 GMT The Doctor said:

So the world's heaviest man just got married. Good for him.

Good for him getting married, but not good for him being the world's heaviest man.

I think people can be obese and happy, and they can make themselves unhappy trying to lose weight. However, in cases where the weight is influenced by the lifestyle, I think that on the whole the sort of lifestyle that leads to a healthy weight is more condusive to happiness than the sort of lifestyle that leads to an unhealthy weight, e.g. spending some time out of doors, whether walking a dog, gardening, playing sport or simply exploring, generally increases both health and sense of wellbeing. Walking briskly to work makes me feel good. (On the other hand, while I can see how going to the gym makes people lose weight, I myself can't see any other pleasurable aspect to that practice. Maybe others can, but when the weather's OK I think it's a shame for people to pay to go indoors to do physical exercise...)

And there's also the parental aspect. When I see groups of school kids there are plenty of overweight kids among them. But when I'm out at the wetlands nature reserve and I see families there with kids, the overweight kids are nowhere to be seen. I assume most of them are indoors - and on average not having as good a time.

Of course I realise lifestyle isn't the whole story. Some people get fat very easily, as soon as they take their eye off it. Like my father I annoy people by not getting fat regardless of what I eat. But lifestyle in general is an important element in both weight and happiness, and I maintain that in many cases there is a connection between the two.

Martin

[grahamthomson]

I've never been personally bothered by my own weight. It's up and down most of the time anyway. Although I do prefer the way I feel when I'm on the lighter side.

[The Doctor]

I've had some weight problems in the past, which had a pretty bad effect on my health. It is something I worry about on a daily basis. It's not entirely rational, I know, but the fear of putting a lot of weight on again does frighten me immensely.

-Ralph

[grahamthomson]

If you feel like to need to take more control of your eating habits, then maybe a weekly menu (if you're not already planning your meals, that is) might be an idea.

I plan my meals for the week ahead on Saturday morning, nice and early. I have four meals a day. Then I get all my meat and fruit/veg from the market and then groceries from the supermarket. And that's that, really.

I know then that I'm in control of what I'm eating (also flexible enough to swap meals depending on what I'm in the mood for). It's also very good for keeping spending to a minimum (I only buy what's on the shopping list) and stops wasting food as well. And if I know I'm out for drinks whatever, then I simply don't buy anything in for that time.

If you're worried about putting weight on without realising, maybe a food diary and regular weigh ins might be another idea. This could also help if you're feeling a bit under the weather/sleepless because you can look back in the diary and see if any particular foods are causing the problem.

[Hero]

For me, weight loss is still very mandatory as I'm medically declared obese and have been told I need to lose as much as possible if I want to live to see 40. Scary stuff to be told but I am actually glad its given me the freindly kick up the jacksie I need to get motivated into doing something about it.

[Deleted]

My weight of recent keeps on flitting between 14 and a half stone and 15 stone but it doesn't bother me too much. I'd like to lose a bit of weight but my lifestyle of alcohol and the odd pizza and plate of chips wouldn't allow it. That said I have lost a fair bit of weight since I was at school which I am thankful for but I think I would worry if I start to look obese.

[Hero]

I let myself go a bit over the last couple of months including Christmas but have not put any weight back on. I'll start running again soon and hopefully get my Wii-Fit back. Aside from that, trying to stay active as possible.

People ask me what my secrets are for dropping stones. For me aside from disciplinary cutting down and ditching the rubbish, I had to change my eating culture too.

The French have it spot on where they have meals separated on different plates, avoid condiments and TAKE TIME eating. Taking time is important to enjoy your food rather than scoffing it quickly and suddenly wanting more. Chewing food for longer in your mouth before swallowing can make a whole lot of difference. Plus drinking more water really helps too.

Weight for me is a big issue. I may have dropped a few sizes but no way am I in the clear yet. I am pretty open that I have a weight problem and more open that I am doing something about it. I hope what I share with other people can be (as a bonus) helpful too.

[Dark Stranger]

Ken is completely spot on. Eating slowly (around 4 times as slow, chewing each mouthful 20 times or so) slows down your intake, and you feel full earlier, and as such, don't over-eat.

I've been steadily losing weight this past year by eating normal stuff, cutting out nothing at all, but just eating slow, and stopping the minute I think I may be full.

It takes your stomach 20 minutes to send the "full" signal to your brain, so if you're firing food into you, by the time the "full" signal is sent, you've over-ate a lot.

Try it! Just eat slow, you'll be amazed at how little food it actually takes to fill you, and the weight falls away normally.

[Shockprowl]

My downfall is freakin' shift work. I miss training all the time, I eat crap snack food midle of the night. I'm forced at gun point to drink larger and red wine, oh no wait, that last one's nothing to do with shift work...

[Hero]

Do you get short lunchbreaks Shockprowl?

[The Doctor]

One of the reasons why I would never do shift work again is because I rarely had time to eat properly and developed bad habits which were difficult to shake and partly contributed to weight gain later on.

-Ralph

[Hero]

I had simular issues back in 99 when I was readjusting my body clock to work the twighlight shift at Tescos. Never again and not for me, but props to anyone who can hack those hours because I can't. I packed that in within a month.

Nowadays, life is at least a lot more structured.

For breakfast I love a good smoothie. Strawberry and Advacado being one of my favourites (an acquired taste though) or berry and apple. (Iceland do frozen berries for using on gataeus)

Snackage in the day is volkormbraat (hope the spelling is correct), which is basically bread made from rice, seeds etc. Morrisons do a fantastic selection box of volkormbraat bread packets including pumperknickel and so forth. £1.50 I think...

Basically I choose the brown wholemeal varieties of bread, pasta, rice etc which are more filling or at least convincingly more filling.

Wii-Fit is in my house again, but I still prefer a good morning run outdoors.

I also find these very helpful (and quite affordable). I try to stay 140 at most times which is my fat burning level.

[The Doctor]

I have muesli or grape nuts for breakfast most days, porridge sometimes. Generally, I prefer wholemeal bread.

-Ralph

[karla]

good for you doctor!
I can't eat breakfast in the mornings, just don't feel hungry, but you saying porridge makes me feel hungry now

[The Doctor]

I never used to eat breakfast as I am not usually hungry first thing in the morning. I had to train myself to get in the habit. I find it cuts down on snacking.

-Ralph

[Hero]

Fair play to you Ralph.

[kayevcee]

I can't function without breakfast. I have to eat quite regularly but I get full fast, as the Scots contingent will attest.

My weight problem is that I don't have enough of it. I hover between 7.5 and 8 stone, and no matter how much I exercise I can't seem to improve my feeble strength and flimsy musculature because I don't eat enough to increase or even maintain my weight while I'm doing it. God damn it. What probably doesn't help is that the last time I actually felt hungry was when I was on chemo and taking steroids. No eating problems then- anything they put in front of me got hoovered up. It was awesome. If they didn't taste like uranium and make my face look like a red balloon I'd still be on them now.

-Nick

[dyrl]

Hm. Interesting subject and discussions.

I've gone from being a skinny lad to being a somewhat pot bellied older chap.

The funny thing is though that I STILL can't keep my pants on. I swear to god no matter what size I buy they always start falling off - no matter what belt I use.

I think this is because I don't have a stiff or rock solid gutt, but rather am very elastic. It's not even flabby - not that bad or big - but just literally very elastic.

I have a super fast metabolism - always have - and so I can chow down large amounts of food and have it metabolized fairly quickly. I'm "fat" when I leave the restaurant or the dinner table and "skinny" the next day.

But, as I age, I've noticed that my metabolism isn't as good as it used to be. Also, both my girlfriend and I love to eat out together - and I've always joked that the sure fire way to gain weight is to find someone you love, because then you stop caring about stuff like that and just enjoy life together.

Exercise wise, I walk a lot - with my dog(s) and I have recently started doing a kilometer a day on the exercise bike.

I really really enjoyed weight lifting at the gym, but whenever I signed up for a monthly membership I could never discipline myself to go longer than a few weeks - if that. It got worse when my girl and me decided to sign up together because she is absolutely impossible to get out to the gym when she's tired - and of course she wouldn't let me go alone.

Also generally do a bit of physical work - carrying fire wood every day - nothing back breaking or heroic - but just a bit so as not to dry up too quickly.

I do regret, however, that I no longer play basketball. I played when I was in high school - and it was fantastic fun and probably did a lot for my health that I never noticed.

I'd love to take up a sport again - but the real problem is that I haven't got anybody with whom to do so. The best I can do is play badmington (spelling?) with my girl in the spring and summer - which actually is quite fun and a good work out, because it's the kind of game you can play together outdoors without needing much skill and you do break a sweat and move lots.

I guess overall I am in the "average" boat. I've got a decent figure and good build. If I eat too much junk, I fall to pieces, but thankfully I am able to eat lots and enjoy it without falling to pieces.

One little blessing from life,

Pete

[Hero]

Hey Pete, have you tried drinking more water?

I don't do the gym anymore either. I could'nt get myself to go regularly as I should, but found it easier and money-saving to go out on morning runs for the best part of an hour or failing that use Wii Fit on a rainy or icy day.

===KEN

[dyrl]

You know- I already drink tons of water. Water is - as strange as this might sound - my favorite drink. I like it for the taste. I drink gallons of the stuff daily, not just to meals. And I feel pretty bad if I don't drink lots of water.

Pete