Busting the fat myth

[hhfarang]

Yes, as sand_dancer and Richard point out... it's simple math. If you want to maintain your weight you have to take in the same amount of calories you burn, take in more on a daily basis and you will gain, take in less than burned on a daily basis and you will lose weight. This is from a fatty that knows this because I've been a lifelong exerciser and have been both skinny and fat during my life, both because I either burned more than I ate or ate more than I was burning.

My problem is moving here (as in moving my body). I exercise an hour per day (6 days) in an air conditioned room. I cannot do anything that involves going outdoors in this climate, so that hour is all the exercise I get leaving me (excluding 8 hours of sleep) 15 hours per day to be an eating, drinking, couch potato.

Lets face it, I can make a 1000 calorie salad, and if I eat 3 of those a day, I will gain a couple of pounds per week even with my current level of exercise, so what you eat may affect your overall health or the way you feel, but how much you eat (no matter what it is) vs how much you move per day is the answer to weight control.

[Arlo]

^ How about swimming? Its good for you and you can stay cool in the pool.

[hhfarang]

^ I love swimming in the ocean.... guess I should have moved to a place that has that crystal clear blue water instead!

[MrPlum]

Everyone knows 'eat less, exercise more' will help you lose weight. It is hardly a shattering revelation. Nor does 'everything in moderation' help you unless you define what you regard as moderate. One sweet coffee a day is 'moderate' but can still make you fat if it has condensed milk and chocolate syrup. You can binge on salad and leafy greens until they come out of your ears and lose weight. So. Not everything in moderation. You can double your swimming laps from 10 to 20 or more and not see any weight loss. So much for 'exercise more'.

Most dieters will lose some weight but that last bit of belly fat refuses to budge. Then there are those that flip-flop. They put it straight back on again. And those whose metabolic imbalance sees them store fat rather than burn calories. And those who diet only to see their bodies go into fasting mode. The body will hold on to its fat stores, no matter what you do. Or those with an under-active thyroid. You may also be the right weight for your constitutional type and will never achieve that waif-like model figure. Look at Serena Williams. You just have to accept. And when you are older, with arthritic knees and obesity, there is no way you should be stressing your weight-bearing joints with impact exercises, such as jogging. Or running in the noonday sun as I have seen some do struggling up Hin Lek Fai.

Losing weight deserves a topic of its own.

Coming back to the OP's article about the alleged myth of high-fat diets increasing cardiovascular risks. How many of those taking statins are wondering if they are actually being harmed by the advice or medications they have been given?

‘Focusing on an elevated blood cholesterol concentration as the exclusive cause of coronary heart disease is unquestionably the worst medical error of our time.

‘After reviewing all the scientific evidence I draw just one conclusion - Never prescribe a statin drug for a loved one.’

[sand_dancer]

Plum

Why do you have to take things and twist them......?

Have you been an @rse all your life.....? Or is it something that you just work really hard at......?

Everyone knows 'eat less, exercise more' will help you lose weight. It is hardly a shattering revelation

Nobody...... But nobody..... Said it was....... So why the sarky comment ..... ?

Nor does 'everything in moderation' help you unless you define what you regard as moderate

Are you so incapable of lateral thinking...... That you cannot understand...... That moderate is individual specific.......

One sweet coffee a day is 'moderate' but can still make you fat if it has condensed milk and chocolate syrup.

Here's a hint..... If one a day is making you fat..... Try using your lonely brain cell...... And only drink one per week......

You can double your swimming laps from 10 to 20 or more and not see any weight loss

That's because swimming is good for cardiovascular and toning..... Not weight loss......Amazing...... Every day is a school day......

And when you are older, with arthritic knees and obesity, there is no way you should be stressing your weight-bearing joints with impact exercises, such as jogging. Or running in the noonday sun as I have seen some do struggling up Hin Lek Fai.

Have you never heard of low-impact...... Non impact exercise.......? No-one suggested High impact exercise...... Running in the mid-day sun or struggling up Hin Lek Fai...... So why did you feel to mention any of them....?

Really showed your level of intelligence and knowledge with that post.......

Edit: To correct a Typo

[Takiap]

It will be interesting to see what others think about.....

Where's your view? Avoiding the squishy-tomato throwers?

What took them so long? Heretics have been pointing out for years, the high cholesterol theory was a multi-billion $ fraud. Spawning a massive low-fat food industry, providing employment and riches to the medical profession and stupendous drug sales to 'Big Pharma'. Nice to see some vindication. How many millions have been harmed or killed by these 'misinterpreted' studies?

Mr P, for what it's worth, I agree with the article, in that I think the whole "low fat" diet thing is a load of rubbish. I agree with the Swedish government in other words. Saying that, I have never paid even the slightest bit of attention to eating a healthy diet, as I've stated on the forum before. My taste buds determine my diet, not people in white coats.

I also believe that people are all different, and have different nutritional needs. As a child, I did however have to eat whatever was put down in front of me, both at home and later in boarding school.

As an adult, maybe I've been lucky in that I simply don't enjoy sweet stuff, and neither do I enjoy processed foods. Again, it's my taste buds that determine what I do and don't eat. I also don't live in fear of dying. We all have to go, and I want to enjoy myself while I can. I am 50 years old and I have absolutely no idea what my sugar levels are like, just as I don't know what my cholesterol levels are like. I'm really not at all interested. I'm sure my body will tell me when something is wrong.

I would bet my life on it that if I went for a full check up in the morning, I'd probable be sent home with a carrier bag full of meds, and in my mind, that's the beginning of a slippery slope.

As far as weight is concerned - well I've never been overweight in my life, but that's probably due to the fact that I have typically always eaten a low carb diet. Why have a helping of tasteless rice on my plate if I can have two steaks instead? I'm also fortunate in that my appetite seems to be totally dependent on my level of activity, and as a result, I often go without food for a day or two. Again, I don't believe in the whole "meal time" thing. Instead, I trust my stomach. When I'm hungry I eat, when I'm not hungry I don't.

I guess what I'm saying is that my thoughts on this matter are a million miles away from what is considered the "norm".

So far I've been lucky in that I have never spent a day in hospital. I feel fine apart from my semi retired smokers lungs and my partially deaf ear, neither of which has anything to do with my eating habits.

[MrPlum]

My taste buds determine my diet, not people in white coats.

Many people do not realize their taste buds have been trained to respond to certain tastes. Sweet, sour and salty is the basic SAD (Standard American Diet). Bitter, astringent and pungent are rarely seen on the plate. The lack of 'bitter' taste in particular, has many consequences.

As far as fat is concerned, do you eat butter, cream, animal fats or natural oils? What % of your diet would you say this constitutes? More than 10%?

I also believe that people are all different, and have different nutritional needs.

Agree with this. We should listen to our own bodies. Many, though, ignore their bodies signals.

I would bet my life on it that if I went for a full check up in the morning, I'd probable be sent home with a carrier bag full of meds, and in my mind, that's the beginning of a slippery slope.

No danger of you being over-medicated.

So far I've been lucky in that I have never spent a day in hospital. I feel fine apart from my semi retired smokers lungs and my partially deaf ear, neither of which has anything to do with my eating habits.

Being able to turn a deaf ear must be very useful.

[sargeant]

Due to a busy schedule and inclement weather have not done any exercise for about two months
Met a forum member today and had a bike ride total 54 KMs got my bearings wrong and added an extra 10 Kms
As known i lost 30 kilos of flab went from 112 kilos down to 82 kilos.
I found i was short of energy @82 Kilos and so my weight went up to 84 kilos which suited me fine so that is my target weight.
I have put on 1.5 kilos during my 2 month sloth up to 85.5 Kilos
The weight loss during just this ride alone was almost 1 kilo accepted i will probably put half of that back on by re hydrating but i will be back at my target weight in less that a week.

I have not changed my diet i eat butter use butter for frying and baking and love belly pork

And i have taken it off and kept it off by exercise

But that is me and i wont TELL anyone they should do it i recommend it but it is entirely up to the individual however i suggest one doesn't listen to people who have not done it (and only know what they read on websites ) listen to the people that have succeeded.

[buksida]

The one week detox I do every six months always drops a couple of kilos for me. It all goes straight back on again when I'm in beer mode though ...

[sargeant]

Just completed another 45 kms trip with a fellow member i have to admit i will probably miss my target of 84 kilos by about a quarter of a kilo after re-hydration but another couple of short runs and i will make it.

Exercise is vital to keep one healthy

[heartofmidlothian]

Don't really understand this detox stuff. Surely the way to stay healthy is to exercise and eat well, instead of poisioning yourself every 6 months by drinking salt water! I guess most people just dont have the will power to exercise and eat well.

[cozza]

Mr P you're spot on about the fake sugars ie fructose (corn syrup). My mum has had some of her stomach cut out and has had to really watch her diet as she cannot digest food properly and thus she gets chronic fatigue, so bad she was having cortisone just to get out of bed. A good example of not breaking down energy or calories not converting to energy.

The simple truth is that calories and carbs are not all "equal". A calorie is basically the measurement of how fast something burns but it doesn't take into account how our body handles that energy...if it can even use it at all. Closest comparison (I can think of) is a car engine, you need a certain type of fuel for a certain type of car ie diesel, the fuel can still be petroleum based but it would have different consequences on the wrong engine, a good example of this is cows milk. Try doing a workout after eating a pizza or a big mac.

To say that we need to 'just' move more and eat less IS correct, and depending on how you choose to do that movement your body will "evolve" by either building muscle and/or burning fat as stored energy...ever tried going down to 5% body fat percentage...think about how you feel when you've had the runs for a few days and are all dried out, pretty similar.

My point is that if we are to get technical and look under the microscope at whats the most efficient way to achieve fat loss, then I would say from my experience and learning that you can eat more of certain foods than others and depending on your goals/training routine eating more energy rich foods after/before working out is quite popular.

[hhfarang]

Try doing a workout after eating a pizza

I'm certain I have done that a few times...

[cozza]

Try doing a workout after eating a pizza

I'm certain I have done that a few times...

Yea...me too...hehe

[buksida]

Don't really understand this detox stuff. Surely the way to stay healthy is to exercise and eat well, instead of poisioning yourself every 6 months by drinking salt water! I guess most people just dont have the will power to exercise and eat well.

Where did I say that it doesn't include exercise? Not a drop of salt water consumed either, a simple detox removes poisons from your body, just avoid meat, dairy, oil, sugar, junk/fast food, caffeine and alcohol for a week and you'll notice the difference and drop a couple of kilos.