The Obesity Thread

Really I’m kind of an outlier. I’m 6’6 380 with no other health problems at 40. I walk an hour a day and went on a 15 mile hike in the mountains last weekend. Of course from time to time I’ll go through stretches where I eat things no one has any business eating especially when I’m stressed out. Of course I’m a bipolar with a history of anxiety problems who can be very compulsive.
 
I have a couple of points to make on what has come up here and in the Covid thread.

First, I don't think obesity is always the result of laziness or that it's a choice, even when a person has no underlying physical cause of their obesity. Imagine a single mother who works two jobs. She doesn't have time (or child care) to go to the store often and when she does she needs to make her money stretch. So she buys shelf stable, highly processed foods. She can't afford a gym or exercise equipment. She again doesn't have child care to go jogging and the area she lives isn't safe enough for that anyway. She's overweight but she doesn't have a whole lot of ability to eat right and exercise not to mention she doesn't have much knowledge on how to get into shape and little in the way of instruction.

That happens more than people think.

Next, I think there's a feeling that choosing things over exercise is always a bad choice. Before Covid hit, I was working at a job that required a long commute. The earliest I would get home is 7:30. I had a choice. I could go have a workout or I could spend time with my infant son. During the first 3 years of my son's life I put on 30 pounds. I don't regret that choice at all. I don't act like it was the healthy choice, but it was the right choice.
 
I have a couple of points to make on what has come up here and in the Covid thread.

First, I don't think obesity is always the result of laziness or that it's a choice, even when a person has no underlying physical cause of their obesity. Imagine a single mother who works two jobs. She doesn't have time (or child care) to go to the store often and when she does she needs to make her money stretch. So she buys shelf stable, highly processed foods. She can't afford a gym or exercise equipment. She again doesn't have child care to go jogging and the area she lives isn't safe enough for that anyway. She's overweight but she doesn't have a whole lot of ability to eat right and exercise not to mention she doesn't have much knowledge on how to get into shape and little in the way of instruction.

That happens more than people think.

Next, I think there's a feeling that choosing things over exercise is always a bad choice. Before Covid hit, I was working at a job that required a long commute. The earliest I would get home is 7:30. I had a choice. I could go have a workout or I could spend time with my infant son. During the first 3 years of my son's life I put on 30 pounds. I don't regret that choice at all. I don't act like it was the healthy choice, but it was the right choice.

Funny how kids will do that to you. The year before my older son was born, I ran the DC marathon and came close to qualifying for Boston. I thought well I'll train harder and do it next year. It turns out that was the last marathon I ever ran.
 
You can YouTube exercise videos that you need no weights or a large space.

I’m sorry striker but it’s super easy to get the information needed to live a more healthy lifestyle.
 
You can YouTube exercise videos that you need no weights or a large space.

I’m sorry striker but it’s super easy to get the information needed to live a more healthy lifestyle.

Let's add to it then. The woman has no in home internet and has a pre-paid cell with little to no data. And if you can't pair exercise with healthy eating habits, you're going to have a very difficult time losing weight or staying healthy.
 
Funny how kids will do that to you. The year before my older son was born, I ran the DC marathon and came close to qualifying for Boston. I thought well I'll train harder and do it next year. It turns out that was the last marathon I ever ran.

It really is. I ran a Tough Mudder not long before I had a kid. Half marathon with tons of obstacles. I intended to run them in the future. I've not been close to that shape since.
 
It really is. I ran a Tough Mudder not long before I had a kid. Half marathon with tons of obstacles. I intended to run them in the future. I've not been close to that shape since.

part of it was my mindset....i wanted to keep improving my times...so once that wasn't gonna happen i lost interest...also i changed jobs that year...so i can't blame it all on my son
 
There are things and choices You make every day. They can be the right ones, or they can be wrong ones. Just don’t placate yourself and give
Your mind the Pat on the back for no reason.
 
There are things and choices You make every day. They can be the right ones, or they can be wrong ones. Just don’t placate yourself and give
Your mind the Pat on the back for no reason.

I agree. I don't make excuses and try to convince myself I made healthy choices. I decided what my priorities were and at that time, exercise wasn't one of them.
 
Let's add to it then. The woman has no in home internet and has a pre-paid cell with little to no data. And if you can't pair exercise with healthy eating habits, you're going to have a very difficult time losing weight or staying healthy.

Sure in these multi variable hypotheticals it’ll be difficult. How large of a percentage do we think this is though?
 
Sure in these multi variable hypotheticals it’ll be difficult. How large of a percentage do we think this is though?

Among the poor demographic, probably a fair percent. Lack of access to good food is a huge problem for poor individuals. Eating healthy can be expensive and/or require frequent purchasing of highly perishable food. So that's a big issue. Overall it's still a relatively small percentage. I'm more putting it out there that there are going to be a fair number of people in situations where getting in shape isn't really an option.
 
Among the poor demographic, probably a fair percent. Lack of access to good food is a huge problem for poor individuals. Eating healthy can be expensive and/or require frequent purchasing of highly perishable food. So that's a big issue. Overall it's still a relatively small percentage. I'm more putting it out there that there are going to be a fair number of people in situations where getting in shape isn't really an option.

I think everyone has accepted the fact there is a certain percentage, a small one, that have significant obstacles.

The rest have no excuses.
 
The only commonality with getting into shape is the work. Not lack of info or upbringing, nothing economic, not usually a disease found in 1/30,000... just how hard you want to work

There’s no excuses, no shortcuts , no pill.

It is hard because your mind is programmed to be comfortable. But you can program it to find real power in the work as well. It also translates to other parts of life like confidence and self esteem.
 
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Sheetz is selling deep-fried oreos. I would like to change my opinion and say that is the reason everyone is obese.
 
Sheetz is selling deep-fried oreos. I would like to change my opinion and say that is the reason everyone is obese.

Welp, I know what I’m doing when I break this diet. Didn’t know you were from around these parts.

On the other hand, weighed in at 267.4 today. 8.8 pounds lost and 33.94 miles on the treadmill since 3/1!
 
Welp, I know what I’m doing when I break this diet. Didn’t know you were from around these parts.

On the other hand, weighed in at 267.4 today. 8.8 pounds lost and 33.94 miles on the treadmill since 3/1!

Going out for my first jog of the year today. Weather is finally breaking.
 
Welp, I know what I’m doing when I break this diet. Didn’t know you were from around these parts.

On the other hand, weighed in at 267.4 today. 8.8 pounds lost and 33.94 miles on the treadmill since 3/1!

The comedian Andy Frampton (local guy, but hilarious) posted a review. It's good.
 
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