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  #1   ^
Old Tue, Jul-02-02, 02:29
levi's Avatar
levi levi is offline
New Member
Posts: 18
 
Plan: Lyle McDonald
Stats: 220/202/203
BF:18% / 5% / 5%
Progress: 106%
Location: germany
Default How did you become SO obese?

first of all, this posting is not intended to flame anybody nor to make fun about anyones weight problems.

i really am curious to know how it could happen that you end up 300+ lbs as a male or 200+ as a female.

surely genetics may play a role but i think here in germany there are also lots of people with bad genetics, borderline-diabetes, hypothyrodism and so on but it is absolutely rare to see men or women being 40 or 45% or even more BF.

yes, there are lots of obese people here too, but not THAT obese, do you understand what i mean?

whenever i watch something on tv about the us, say a report from new york and they just show a street and some pedestrians there are SEVERAL poor guys or girls among them who look like 50% bf+ - does it have to do with bad nutritional education in the childhood ? or the constant availability of sugar-foods (well, its virtually the same here in europe, we`ve got mc d, burgwer king, pizza hut, smarties, pop tarts ..., too, so i dont think thats the point)

again, i do not want to blame anybody for being obese, i really am curious about the reason for what i described above.

thanks a lot for your honest answers.
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  #2   ^
Old Tue, Jul-02-02, 05:33
OKwoer's Avatar
OKwoer OKwoer is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 128
 
Plan: Jim's modified CALP
Stats: 483/405/220
BF:
Progress: 30%
Location: Oklahoma City
Default

"How to Win Friends and Influence People" by levi
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  #3   ^
Old Tue, Jul-02-02, 05:53
DarkLotus's Avatar
DarkLotus DarkLotus is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,282
 
Plan: formerly Atkins
Stats: 350/232/225 Female 5' 8"
BF:mooooo/moo/buff
Progress: 94%
Location: Pueblo West, CO
Default

I have read articles recently on a study that persons with lower incomes generally have a poor diet and/or are more likely to be overweight. This does not mean everyone of course. I would guess that not being able to afford the better brands of foods that have less additives and fillers would be one reason that poor people tend to be heavier according to what I read. And, for the record, I grew up poor too

The cheaper brands of foods have all kinds of things in them: for instance, I was comparing two brands of chicken broth, the store brand turned out to contain potato starch and said zero carbs, the brand name did not have any starches at all. So I paid one dollar more per can for the better brand. Not everyone can do that though. Also, just about everything in the grocery store has sugar in it.

Why am I so obese? (And you probably have PO'd some people with this post you know) Let's see...where to start...beer, beer, birth control, genetics, beer, and lack of exercise were my downfall.
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  #4   ^
Old Tue, Jul-02-02, 06:03
Bonnie's Avatar
Bonnie Bonnie is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,497
 
Plan: Protein Power
Stats: 171/135/140 Female 5' 6"
BF:
Progress: 116%
Location: Fredericton, NB
Default

If I could jump in here with my thoughts ...I was never what you would call terribly obese...the problem with anyone who may have a weight problem is the fact that high carb foods are cheap compared to high protein foods... go to any restaurant and what do they serve... small portions of protein loaded with huge portions of fries, pasta and other high carb foods to fill up the plates...I suspect with most North Americans when served this pre LC we were conditioned to eat what was on our plates..now armed with LC knowledge we can just say no to those cheap high carb items being served...

Bonnie
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  #5   ^
Old Tue, Jul-02-02, 07:59
Shark01's Avatar
Shark01 Shark01 is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 568
 
Plan: Shark Cycle Plan
Stats: 410/323/250
BF:
Progress: 54%
Location: Houston Tx
Default

Oh, you don't want to flame anybody huh

Thread titles like this show your ignorance and bigotry very clearly

I don't go around public forums asking why you are SO stupid do I

Why don't you go spend some more quality time in front of a mirror Zoolander
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  #6   ^
Old Tue, Jul-02-02, 08:31
razzle razzle is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,193
 
Plan: mostly paleo
Stats: //
BF:also don't care
Progress: 100%
Location: West Coast, USA
Default

If you're interested, Levi, read Adiposity 101, on the web. Also hunt down articles by David Garner, Susan Wooley, other so-called "anti-diet" researchers.

The main non-glandular cause of childhood obesity is overeating, often on the heels of horrible physical or sexual abuse (sometimes living in the face of drug addicted parents can "do it" for sensitive children), In effect, children numb this unthinkable pain with the brain chemicals that sweets produce.

The main cause of adult obesity is low-cal dieting. Every low cal diet lowers metabolism. Every inevitiable regain of weight on the heels of one adds fat cells (the only time you can add fat cells other than 0-3 years, puberty, and pregnancy).

this last ends up being pretty ironic. Most of the fat people you see got there not through a dirth of dietary self-control, but through too much. Like me, they probably have lived years and years on 500 calorie/day diets or less. This is REALLY hard to do--try it for a couple years and see!--and all it does is change your set point weight up by X pounds (probably differs from individual to individual) per year while lowering your metabolism permanently.

For me, I'd say my set point went up by 5 pounds per year of VLCDs. And my metabolism lowered, so that now, any calorie intake over 1600, even doing two hours of exercise per day, even eating low carb, causes weight gain. I'll be interested to see the long-term effect of this. It's quite possible that steady low-cal eating can extend one's lifespan. If the cardiac damage I did myself with those diets doesn't catch up to me, heck, I might live to 140! (er, must go re-calculate retirement planning)

HTH. There's some great medical journal reading out there (not the popular press stuff, which is bullshit), and if you want to educate yourself, that'd be wonderful. I love to see folks educate themselves out of whatever sorts of prejudices they have. It gives me faith in a better world.
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  #7   ^
Old Tue, Jul-02-02, 08:34
tamarian's Avatar
tamarian tamarian is offline
Forum Founder
Posts: 19,570
 
Plan: Atkins/PP/BFL
Stats: 400/223/200 Male 5 ft 11
BF:37%/17%/12%
Progress: 89%
Location: Ottawa, ON
Default

Hi folks,

This thread was moved from the tripple digits support area to War Zone.

Wa'il
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  #8   ^
Old Tue, Jul-02-02, 08:41
Topazmom Topazmom is offline
New Member
Posts: 13
 
Plan: Protein power
Stats: 248/230/140
BF:
Progress: 17%
Location: Alabama
Default

I personally wasn't offended by Levi's question. As you can see he is from Germany, he may not have been able to get his question across in terms that we respond to. I could be wrong, but I think it is just a question of curiousity. Obesity is a huge problem in America. That is why we are all here right? I don't like the word obese, I never have. But it is there. And I have to admit I am. It is a slap in the face, but maybe that is what I need. Levi's question, coming from someone who looks like him seems insulting, but would we have reacted the same way if his picture was different? I'm not trying to make anyone mad, I'm just giving another viewpoint and I could be way off base. The internet is a cold medium. Sometimes it is hard to get things across to people in the way you really want to. That being said.....

Several things lead to my "obesity". I am the only obese member of my family. My sister and I were raised in the same house with the same parents and from childhood I was the chubby one and my sister was the skinny one. Genetics.....somewhat. Overeating ...mainly! I have eaten emotionally since childhood as well, and there wasn't much exercise involved. That is pretty much it. I'm sure convienence foods have alot to do with it too.

I think eating a high protein, low carb diet is pretty much the way out, and I intend to do it for life.

Whitney
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  #9   ^
Old Tue, Jul-02-02, 09:00
levi's Avatar
levi levi is offline
New Member
Posts: 18
 
Plan: Lyle McDonald
Stats: 220/202/203
BF:18% / 5% / 5%
Progress: 106%
Location: germany
Default

come on, folks! why are YOU so ignorant and intolerant??

once again, it is not my aim to accuse someone for his or her body it is just that i (yes, one of the guys some of you point with your finger at and say "oh no, look at this conceited drug-fed a**hole over there what does he think who he is?") really want to know something about the reasons why north-americans tend to be either super-fit or super-obese in comparison to europeans who are normally - well - more in between of these two extremes.

sorry that my avatar may arouse feelings of being a super-loser, but if a lean person is not allowed to ask not-lean persons why they are obese, this is a sad thing.

everyone can ask me whatever he wants as long it is not offensive and i think this is the way we should cooperate with each other - just by telling every lean person asking unconfortabe questions to shut up and leave your forum you will never find acceptence in public.

so thanks to those who tried to answer my question and uuuh good bye to those i have offended by asking why you play in the triple-digits-league i wnt dae to ask you such terrible things again.
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  #10   ^
Old Tue, Jul-02-02, 10:10
Natrushka Natrushka is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 11,512
 
Plan: IF +LC
Stats: 287/165/165 Female 66"
BF:
Progress: 100%
Default Re: how did you become SO obese?

Quote:
Originally posted by levi
i really am curious to know how it could happen that you end up 300+ lbs as a male or 200+ as a female.


A combination of low fat / low calorie dieting and excessive cardio, severe hypoglycemia and a little insulin resistance had me up to over 241 lbs. I dieted myself fat - it took a few years, it was very frustrating and not much fun.

You'll find mine is a pretty common answer.

As Raz suggested, read Adiposity 101 - it's a real eye opener.

Nat
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  #11   ^
Old Tue, Jul-02-02, 10:35
missbetsy missbetsy is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 172
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 196/137/130 Female 65.5
BF:Unknown
Progress: 89%
Location: Tampa, Florida
Cool Why some of us are overweight...

I really identify with what Nat said. For me, when I was a kid I ates tons of sugar daily and was active and did not have a weight problem. This may have been the beginning of the problems that would lead to my current health struggle. As I got older I started to fight the weight and starve myself. The short version is that eventually, my husband realized that something was wrong after we were married. I had ended up with insulin resistance and PCOS. Once I became insulin resistant, the weight had piled on and no amount of dieting with carbs was going to help me. I am lucky to have a name or label for what happened to me. But it is my responsibility to take control of the insulin resistance / PCOS and the dietary changes that I have to make. The down side of this struggle is that my body demands sugar, and I have to fight it every day. I'm guessing that an inordinate amount of people on this sight also have insulin reistance and, according to studies, 20% of the female population alone has PCOS which goes hand in hand with insulin resistance (hence obesity). Certain trends towards medical problems run among cultural and regional populations, and this may be part of the explanation you are looking for.
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  #12   ^
Old Tue, Jul-02-02, 10:36
Talon's Avatar
Talon Talon is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,512
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 242/203.5/140 Female 64 inches (5' 4'')
BF:
Progress: 38%
Location: Ohio, USA
Default

As an obese person, I am not offended by this question. I think it is something, while uncomfortable, we need to ask ourselves. Is it genetics? Yo-Yo dieting? Emotional Eating? All of the above? Something else?

For me, I think it is a combination. Eating carbs makes me hungrier and craving more carbs, then my body says "Oh boy, give me more still!" and I did. For me carbohydrates are the enemy, they take away some of the self control I didn't think I had, but actually do. Then there is the "high" you get off eating sugar, and when you are down, you want to medicate yourself to feel better - eating a candy bar.

My family is prone to high blood pressure, insulin problems and being overweight. Fortunately for me, I've found my solution/savior - lowered carbohydrate eating. I feel satisfied when full, I don't crave things when I am not hungry. I also don't feel the need anymore to "clean my plate" for all those starving children. How is my overeating going to help starving children?

I think another poster hit another nail on the head - carbohydrate rich foods are cheaper, and easier - and more widely acceptable as "healthy" foods.

Dr Atkins was the start of my healing, fighting those ingrained behaviors and thoughts is all me - and is as individualistic as each of us. Each of us has our genetic makeup, each has their own emotional responses. Some have no emotional eating problems, which is wonderful! Some of us do, and it is up to each of us as individuals to find out what makes ourselves tick.
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  #13   ^
Old Tue, Jul-02-02, 10:38
Atrsy's Avatar
Atrsy Atrsy is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,044
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 050/029/000 Female 5ft, 8 1/2 inches
BF:
Progress: 42%
Location: Pennsylvania
Default

I am not offended by this question, because I sometimes wonder the same thing. I can also agree with the person who said that lower income folks tend to be larger because of the less expensive foods that are very filling (pasta and potatoes). Also advertising in the USA is geared toward cars, junk food, and prescription drugs!

I am sometimes amazed at the girth on the majority of people I see when I'm out. In fact, one year at a fair, my neice and I sat and watched people walk by and we tried to count those who were overweight. It got to the point that if they were not huge, we didn't count them because overweight seemed to be normal!

I was raised in a PA Dutch area (German decent) and those people really eat the stick to the ribs diet. It really surprises me to hear that Germans aren't overweight, too. I always thought it was the cooking that made most of the people in my area overweight.

As for me, I wasn't really that much overweight until I had children. Before that, I averaged 150 lbs. I went up a little with the first two babies, but was about 175 when I got pregnant with my 3rd child when I was 40 years old. It has changed my whole body and I still weight almost what I weighed when I delivered him.

As Nat said, dieting made things much worse. The more I dieted, the fatter I got. I have gotten myself into a situation where it is almost impossible for me to lose weight. This will take time to remedy, but that's why I'm here

Carol
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  #14   ^
Old Tue, Jul-02-02, 10:53
Lessara's Avatar
Lessara Lessara is offline
Everyday Sane Psycho
Posts: 7,075
 
Plan: Bernstein, Keto IFast
Stats: 385/253/160 Female 67.5
BF:14d bsl 400/122/83
Progress: 59%
Location: Durham, NH
Smile Hi

I don't mind either.

I was actually a thin kid, a thin hyeractive kid. I ran, jumped, swimmed... everything. My mother told me it was hard to keep me in the house. But then in high school, I was misdiagnosed with a joint disorder and both my legs were in casts from my ankles to the tops of my thighs. Afterwards I was told no exercise or my conditioned would be worse. Imagine how bored I was!
Now understand growing up, my parents put food on my plate and I had to eat it all or else.
Well, I kept eating all my food, but now I had no way of getting rid of the calories. I went from 140 to 240 in two years.
Then I had children.. and pretty soon 300. Exercise, something I loved had become a stranger.
Its hard to believe I loved the outdoors like I did.
Hmmm... makes me miss the ocean... swimming was my favorite sport.
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  #15   ^
Old Tue, Jul-02-02, 11:11
lilwannabe's Avatar
lilwannabe lilwannabe is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,092
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 244/218/144
BF:48/42.3/22
Progress: 26%
Location: Victoria, BC Canada
Default

This question does not offend me...I think it is a good question. I think I am pretty self-aware...I am obese...that is a fact.

My weight problem started as a child...I was sexually abused, and think that that started it. My mother had me on diets since I was about 7 ...so yo-yo-ing has been a big part of my whole life...

I was never really overly fat until after I turned 30...I was chunky, but not near like I am now...but my depression, and anxiety didn't start until after I was 30 either...I believe it is all tied together...I have tried to stuff my feelings for many years now...I have been afraid to speak up or out when I did not like something, for fear that my opinion doesn't count. I still struggle with this daily...I am afraid people think I am stupid. I am always thinking that I don't have the answers, or because someone else has a different idea on what is right, then I must be wrong. I feel paronoid (sp) that people think I am a waste of space. I think I have let my mom down as she seems more interested in what her husbands family is doing than mine. My father has been absent almost all my life...he chose not to have a relationship with me. My step-father, who is now dead, was very mentally abusive...telling me almost daily what a loser I was...And never once in 20 years ever held me, or told me he loved me. My husband is constantly never satisfied with my small goals. He is always pushing for perfection..(maybe not..but that's how it feels sometimes)...these things all add up to me, not being good enough...food would help me feel better...even if it lasted only a few minutes...The minute I feel like crying...I want to run to sugar. I have a hard time finding things about myself that I like...And all the negative self talk ...well I could go on and on...(apparently I have)

I have been in counselling for a while now to help me deal with these issues...I have read book, watched programs on TV...I pray..and I come here often...these things all help me...I hope to overcome. I want to live happy...and I want to be healthy...

Sorry to have gone on and on...but these are some of the reasons that I have become so obese...
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