Tag Archives: fat

Tipping the Scales: Think of the Children

30 Thursday Nov 2017

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It’s a growing problem: the rounding of America. 57%+ of our children are on track to be obese by age 35:

More than 57 percent of children in the United States will be obese by age 35 if current trends in weight gain and poor eating habits continue, researchers warned Wednesday.

The risk of obesity is high even among children whose present weight is normal, said the report in the New England Journal of Medicine.

“Only those children with a current healthy weight have less than a 50 percent chance of becoming obese by the age of 35 years,” said the study, led by researchers at Harvard University.

Some 36.5 percent of the US adult population is now considered obese, a condition federal health officials define as having a body mass index of 30 or higher.

This future prediction mirrors existing adult trends, with over 70% of our population either just overweight or outright obese. If 57% of the next-gen adults are in the later category, how many will fall into the former? What’s the overall chart going to look like? 80%? 95? All of ’em??

A seemingly unrelated story about a lobster might explain part of the trouble. Might. The Pepsi part, maybe:

“I’m a Pepsi fan 100 per cent. I drink one cup of coffee in the morning and then Pepsi all day. On average it would be about 12 cans.”

12 cans. That’s like 2,000 calories and a month’s worth of sugar. Working on a lobster boat might help burn it. Sitting by the TeeVee or the Xbox will not.

Get up. Move. Exercise. Eat responsibly. Not that hard.

Or, if things, health wise, go south, then go South – to Mexico:

My son had an attack of appendicitis late Saturday night. I knew that the Obamacare inflated prices for surgery in the U.S. would be ridiculous and that the service would likely be impersonal, involve long waits, and be nerve-wracking. I have friends in the medical field so I inquired just for grins. The price for the latest routine appendectomy in my area was, my jaw dropped, $43,000. I read on-line that the average cost for an appendectomy in the U.S. is $33,000. I am not near some of the great direct-pay medical facilities in the U.S. like the Surgery Center of Oklahoma, but I am near Mexico. I chose that option since I have often utilized foreign medical and dental facilities in the past and find the service and prices to be outstanding.

The main first rate hospitals in this part of Arizona are run by the Catholic Church. They, of course, operate under the constraints of Obamacare and other onerous U.S. rules and can’t offer pure free-market rates. So, they are pricey along with all the others.

I opted for the nearby private Catholic hospital in Mexico driving past a Catholic hospital in the U.S. en route. I also drove past the state run socialist hospital in Mexico which of course has deplorable service and doesn’t serve Americans anyway. Most of the private hospitals in Mexico have great service, modern equipment and procedures, and affordable prices. You can actually have extensive conversations with surgeons and the rest of the medical staff. They are very patient, respectful, and understanding. We arrived on a Sunday morning. This counted as an emergency after-hours visit. The fees listed below are higher because of the Sunday call-out for surgical personnel and the extra fee for the emergency room doctor that could have been avoided if I had come during normal business hours.

$43,000 in the US, or $3,000 in Mexico – in a modern, efficient Mexico. Medically efficient, that is; they must be getting the government and insurance rackets wrong with prices like that. Something to work towards, amigos.

Think of the children, especially if you don’t live near the border. The roly-poly, not-so-little children…

Also think of that poor, delicious lobster. I wonder if you could successfully add Pepsi to the butter?

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Hey! Hey! Hey! It’s fat lobster! Fat Albert/Bill Cosby.

Heavyweight Champions of the World!

26 Wednesday Jul 2017

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We’re number one! We’re #1! USA! USA!

Americans are the fattest people on an increasingly plump planet.

Life threatening obesity has become a worldwide epidemic, with 711 million overweight around the globe led by French fry loving Americans.

A detailed report in the latest New England Journal of Medicine is winning alarmed attention in Washington because it finds that American children and adults are leading the obesity parade.

“The highest level of age-standardized childhood obesity was observed in the United States, 12.7 percent,” said the report.

1 in 5 adults in the OECD area is obese. How does your country compare?

“The United States and China had the highest numbers of obese adults,” added the authoritative study.

Obesity is no secret in the U.S., but the continued domestic epidemic, especially after the former Obama administration declared war on it, is alarming officials.

Rest of the world, keep your high: school achievements, IQs, standards of living, and pleasantness. USA number ONE! Da Super Size Nation!

Fat Americans

NPD Group.

I post this when I should be cashing in… Wrapping up the FP fitness chapter; book forthcoming. Someone needs it…

Living Large: Global Obesity Epidemic

12 Monday Jun 2017

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So, it’s not just the people of the U.S. Research finds that about one-third the world’s people are heavyweights.

Around 2.2 billion people – 30 per cent of the total global population – were found to be too fat.

The majority of these were ill as a result.

Levels of obesity have doubled in more than 70 countries since the 80s, according to the major study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

In the UK, a quarter of adults are obese – with a body mass index (BMI) over 30.

It compares to just one in 35 in the 70s.

And one million British kids are also dangerously fat, around eight per cent.

Millions are dying nowadays due to completely preventable causes.

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Supersized! Getty.

This bodes well for an author prepping a fitness and health book. Hopefully all 2 Billion have access to Amazon and $12.99.

Otherwise hope fades quickly. The article concludes, as most mainstream publications must, with a pleas for urgent government action. Why? Why? Why? Does it really take a government program to stop a cheeseburger? I don’t recall that from my personal story.

Anyway, governments and health management don’t really go together well, at least not in the U.S. The GOP just announced it was losing the war to reform ObamaCare – apparently to itself. Typical.

If you need to shed a few lbs. – and if you’re an American, you do – don’t wait on some nonexistent federal assistance that will never come. Do it yourself.

The Not So Big Show

24 Tuesday Jan 2017

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One of my themes here is fitness. When I first kicked off in 2012 I was a large, oozy blob. By the time I reinvigorated things in 2013 I was down 40 or 50 pounds. It’s closer to 80 now, permanent, and I’ve never felt better.

Someone else is making big changes too. Paul White (a.k.a. The Big Show) of WWE(F) fame has recently shed 70 pounds. And he looks great.

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@BigShow / Twitter.

I haven’t watched raslin lately but I do recall when White debuted. He was around 500 pounds. Now, still seven feet tall, he’s under 400. You can bet he’s more dangerous than ever now. And he feel’s better for it.

Congratulations, Big Show!

Now, after you watch the next match, go to the gym.

 

80% And Closing (Not Good)

28 Wednesday Dec 2016

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The Daily Mail reports that now 80% of middle-aged Britons are either overweight or obese. I am confident this reflects on my side of the pond as well.

Britons are so inactive that they do not need nearly as many calories as their parents’ generation, researchers claim. Guidelines suggest an average man requires 2,500 calories a day while an average woman should aim for 2,000.

But these were drawn up around the First World War when adults walked to work and visited friends in person rather than phoning or texting.

Britons are so inactive that they do not need nearly as many calories as their parents¿ generation, researchers claim

Researchers from the London School of Economics who analysed 30 years of data say the modern-day calorie requirements should be slashed.

Dr Joan Costa-Font, whose study is published in the journal Food Policy, said: ‘Typically, life in the 21st century might mean a commute into a desk-based occupation, and three or four meals a day, leading to many people consuming more calories than their lifestyles require.

‘We still eat like our parents did, or worse, but we don’t move around nearly as much as they did. People no longer have to visit each other to hold a face-to-face conversation, they can simply Skype. We jump in the car or the bus or the Tube rather than walking.
‘As lifestyles have slowed down and become more sedate, people haven’t amended their calorie intake accordingly. We should all eat less.

‘The amount of food we eat compared with energy expenditure is simply too much. If people were as active as they were 30 years ago then recommended daily allowances of calories would be fine. It’s very hard to change how you eat from how your parents told you to eat, but we should all eat less today.

I occasionally track various obesity numbers across various demographics. The U.S. in general is north of 70% overweight. 80% is the next natural measure. I once predicted that we are moving towards a virtual 100% score. Four-fifths of the way there, baby.

woman-obesity-chart

And I do not want that prediction to become accurate. Let’s us, the U.S., the U.K. and everyone else, use 2017 to reverse the curse. It can be done! Starting very soon I’m going to tell you how. It ain’t easy but it is also not that hard. You’ll thank me.

1,102 Reasons To Live Fit

16 Wednesday Nov 2016

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Crawling is taking off (slowly) as the new fitness craze. I can see this being big with trend-conscious soccer moms, tired of yoga. It seems a bit regressive and un-intense – literally crawling the floor like a toddler or an animal – for me. But, hey, if it works and you like it, do it.

I’m likely to stick with weights, boxing, and cigars. Others will surely run or walk on. For those looking for something new, crawl away. Whatever it is, do something. Anything. With 70% of the population overweight, obese, grossly obese, or about to expire obese, any little helps.

The 1,102 reasons? Where’d I get that number? That’s the weight of the world’s fattest man – 1,102 pounds. He’s Juan Pedro, a 32 year-old man from Mexico (which is almost as obese as America). Fortunately for him, he’s about to undergo some serious, life-saving treatment:

“He is probably only still alive due to his youth,” added the doctor who estimates that Mr Pedro will need at least six months of treatment to stabilise his body before gastric bypass surgery can be undertaken.

“It’s impossible for the human body to cope with the pathologies Juan Pedro suffers from over a prolonged period, but I think we are just in time,” Dr Castañeda said.

“This is no life; the worst sentence you can give a human being is to make a prison of his own body,” said Mr Pedro.

I say, good for Juan. I wish him nothing but the best. From the story it sounds like he suffers from serious medical issues. I really hope they are just in time to help him regain his life.

Most people, even the American obesity brigade, are not in that kind of bad shape. There is, however, room and need for improvement. If that means crawling, then so be it. Get yer crawl on!

Next Mirage 5 Miles

Cartoon Stock.

Fitness Friday

21 Friday Oct 2016

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Americans, by and large, are by and LARGE. 70% or so are overweight or obese. That’s a problem. And it even extends into the military. Military Times reported yesterday that the number of overweight troops (all branches) is up fourfold from 2001.

Recent military health data shows that about 7.8 percent of the force — or about one in every 13 troops — is clinically overweight, defined by a body mass index greater than 25.

That figure has roughly doubled during the past five years and is up fourfold since 2001, when about 1.6 percent of troops were diagnosed as clinically overweight.

Top Pentagon officials are rewriting the forcewide guidelines for body composition standards and the methods for officially evaluating it. For individual troops, a diagnosis of obesity can stall a career or lead to involuntary separation, making these policies are central to military life.

Some Pentagon officials worry that overweight troops pose a threat to combat readiness because they may not be able to move as quickly in ground combat and if they are wounded, it is more difficult for their buddies to pull them to safety.

In the military some of the overweight, maybe most, are individuals who are muscle-heavy. BMI is a dumb number that does not differentiate between fat and muscle. Still, many soldiers, sailors, and airmen are tubby. Jarheads are safe. The trend is growing like that in the general population.

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Not going to beat the Russians … or the mortality odds. Web Ecoist.

I sat down with a segment of that broader population yesterday afternoon. I was at one of America’s better cigar shops (what’s new?). There, I pounded through my review of The Nine Laws. As I did so I listened to and vaguely participated in three or four conversations.

A crazed Scottish biker raved about drunkenly dodging his armed and angry wife the night before. (Stereotypes exist for a reason, folks…). The rest of the topics concerned personal health. The lack thereof, rather. These men are my friends or at least pleasant acquaintances. They’re middle-aged to older and better off financially and socially than most. They’re also, as a group, a bit on the round side.

Some talked about their recent visits to the doctor. Others were headed to the doctor. One was recently released from the hospital. Blood pressure up. Weight up. Cholesterol up. Medication doses up. Insurance rates up. Etc. Good meals were a frequent side topic. Good Scotch and Bourbon was consumed generously right then and there.

I generally ignored the mildly depressing announcements of ailment and woe.

Then Big Brian walked in. Something was immediately and noticeably different. Big Brian ain’t so big as he used to be. Once somewhere in the 330-350 lb. neighborhood he’s now down to around 270.

His doctor told him to lose weight or die. It scared him into action. And action he took. Drastic action. He adjusted his diet and lifestyle and the pounds began to flee.

He sat down and immediately directed questions at me, the house fitness nut. At 270 he’s ready to start phase two: working out.

This conversation I actively participated in. I recommended one of the best gyms in the Southeast. Work permitting, he’ll sign up next week. I estimate, with steady work, he’ll be down to 220 in 6 months. That’s over 100 pounds dropped in less than a year. That’s amazing.

I say “Big Brian” because that’s his name and because he’s a large man. Probably 6’3″ or 6’4″. He can carry 220 or so in healthy fashion.

Of course, he has choices to make. Given his age, intelligence, and size, he could easily and rapidly convert into a powerlifter or a bodybuilder. It’s possible that in 6 months he might still weigh 270, though of a totally different composition.

I think he’ll opt to go slim and lean. However, it’s nice to have options.

If he can do it, you can do it. The soldiers can do it. 70% of America can too. Become a loser and be a winner.

As for yours truly, I’m doing fine this week. Nothing serious to report. My back has fully recovered from the dead-lifting fiasco last week. I even did a light test set the other day. Things are great, except…

I’m supposed to take a murder of middle school preteen / teen girls to a large amusement park next week. It’s Howl-o-Scream or run Daddy into the ground night or something. I’m sure they’ll have a blast. I ‘d prefer to throw my back again. Prayers, please…

US AG Sec. Says ‘Eat Less’: Truth From A Bureaucrat. Amazing.

05 Wednesday Oct 2016

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I can be a little brutal with the government sometimes. Honest but brutal nonetheless. Still whenever I find a pol or an agency head making sense I try to praise him for it.

Monday, in Washington, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack had two incredibly good points: Americans waste too much food and Americans need to cut their food portions. I agree 100%.

“But the first step, and the one way the USDA can provide help and assistance to meet this need, is to expand on the — on the issue of food waste,” Vilsack said. “A third of the food that we grow, raise and produce in this country is never consumed the way it was intended. It’s wasted.”

“It ends up oftentimes in our landfills as solid waste. In fact, in our landfills today, food waste is the single largest component of solid waste in landfills.”

Vilsack declared that “first and foremost, America can stop wasting food.”

“We can reduce portion sizes, we can have a more informed consuming public,” he said. …

Now, the Secretary and I may have a slight disagreement about the need for these changes. Actually, I bet we each see the others perspective to some degree. Anyway, my primary concern is that 70% of Americans are either overweight, obese, morbidly obese, or so obese that they died while I was typing this sentence.

The amount of food people waste and throw away is staggering – maybe half of what’s produced goes in the garbage. And that’s after Americans gorge on already gluttonous portions. If people ate responsibly we might only need 40-50% of the current national food stock and production.

He’s right about informed choices too. The smaller portions should be of greater nutrient value that the fast food crap people consume today. Consider this picture of Sec. Vilsack himself, preparing to eat on a Navy ship:

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Gregory Bull / AP photo.

What’s on that plate? It looks tasty and actually isn’t all that bad. But it could be better: A cheeseburger on an enriched white flour bun, beans, and what appears to be a giant potato wedge (maybe????). The beef paddy and the beans and perhaps that slice of processed (fake) cheese provide protein. Good. The beans add fiber (and music). The beans also add starchy carbs as does the potato(?) thing and the bun. Not good. You’ll note the absence of anything green.

Carbs, carbs, and more carbs. I estimate that plate carries 800-1000 calories which isn’t too bad. But it’s mostly the wrong kind of calories. If the consumer was going to climb a mountain or do heavy labor those carbs would help. However, a radar operator on a destroyer who just sits in a chair all day will convert those carbs (part of them) into stored fat.

There’s the obesity problem – the bigger the portions of fattening foods, the bigger the obese themselves and the more of them.

Vilsack’s main concern was the growing world population which he insinuates we must feed. I don’t see that as our responsibility. However, if it was, freeing up half of our foodstuff for export would help.

At any rate, follow the good Secretary’s advice and you can become healthier. You might even help the greater world.

Fitness Update, 9/14/2016

14 Wednesday Sep 2016

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Today I hit my low target weight – 175 lbs. That means I’m 80 pounds lighter than I was eight or nine years ago. I’ve been under 200 for almost four years now straight and uninterrupted. This is the second least I’ve weighed in that time period; two years ago I was about 2 pounds thinner than now.

I got here by cheating a little. My exercising has been a little erratic lately; I suppose it mirrors my mentality. I don’t eat much in the summer anyway and lately I have cut way back to compensate for the sluggish gym routine. To be blunt I feel weak, at least when working out.

This I mentioned is my low target weight. I got here by losing some excess fat. In aeronautical terms I’m at the low-end of my cruising speed range. About 192 is maximum speed and 199 is my “do not exceed” speed. Some of you get that.

Now I intend to embark on a strict power program. I’m still making some calculations. The diet and the motivation are the tricky things. That and not getting hurt (too badly). Today was a wimpy leg day followed by a decent secession in the ring (mostly hand work). Tomorrow I’m going to hit legs again kind of hard.

I may throw out some stats from time to time. Like today’s:

Weight: 175, you got that;

Waist: 32 inches (in the a.m.);

Chest: 40-something;

Biceps: ? but kind of small;

Legs: ?? and weak.

…this is kind of discouraging…

Bench: ? but at least 365 (still got that);

Squats: ???we will find out tomorrow;

Deadlift: weak, weak, weak….

Punching: fastish, still powerful, and rather accurate;

Kicks: needs work but can still hit face level;

Hip-throw/body slam: at last check I could still slam my body weight but I hurt the heck out of my shoulder….

Mile run: I can do it…

**Note: I’m over 40 so I reserve the right to substitute: Hammer Strength bench for flat bench; Hammer Strength deadlift rack for bar, and; leg press for the squat rack. I will do this at will and without further announcement. If you don’t like that, buy some books and then F off.

I hope a few of you find this inspirational. The rest of you may find it mildly entertaining.

Oops. It’s 8:30; old man must go to bed now…

Here’s a picture of some weights:

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Walking in America

14 Sunday Aug 2016

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This morning I was nostalgic about something. Couldn’t quite put my finger on it. In an effort to clear and search my mind I went out a few places and, before heading home, took a stroll in the park. I enjoyed myself but it didn’t help my thinking. Honestly, it added more questions and a slight sense of revulsion. After tour among the people I have a few questions for Americans. Most of these are not for my readership in general but rather the population at large.

  1. Why my park? Why Sunday afternoon?
  2. Do you ever tire of being so fat?
  3. There are about 60,000 diet books and plans out there. Ever thought of trying one?
  4. If you had to (to save your life) run a mile right now, could you?
  5. When was the last time you picked up something heavier than a 12 oz. can?
  6. Have you ever read a book, cover to cover?
  7. Why the sulking look on your faces?
  8. Why the shifty looks? Why be scared?
  9. Why the angry looks? I’m not scared.
  10. Did you put any thought at all into that outfit?
  11. Do you own any closed-toe shoes?
  12. Ever heard of a thing called a belt? They make ’em in fat sizes.
  13. People born ugly can’t help it. Others have to work at it. Why the effort?
  14. Why are you so loud?
  15. How many tattoos are enough?
  16. Do you really think the rest of us are supposed to take responsibility for your kids?
  17. Where’s the baby daddy? Even know who he is?
  18. You do know living dirty will kill you prematurely, right?
  19. You’re not even having fun with it, are you?
  20. Your appearance is your business. Yet, why trash up the community?
  21. You seem to like getting in the way, especially in a careless way, even to the point of “accidental” contact. How do you feel about being shoved to the ground?
  22. Your driving is terrible. Do you care at all about others on the road?
  23. Exactly to what extent do you feel entitled? And to what? From whom?
  24. Is everyone you know really named “Dude”?
  25. Would a day without television kill you?
  26. You know TV is 99.8% BS, don’t you?
  27. You seem to like watching sports. Given your personal condition, would you say this amounts to voyeurism?
  28. If you ever discover the Pokemon isn’t real, would you then consider actual reality?
  29. How’s the cotton candy at your “church”? I hear they have a cool rock band.
  30. Name one thing you’ve gotten out of your allegiance to the political state?
  31. Do you realize you’ve been betrayed?
  32. Do you understand you’re the reason it happened to you?
  33. The very system that encourages you to dress, eat, look, and live like that hates you. They consider you an unclean beast of burden. You know that, right?
  34. Do you enjoy your slavery? I’m happy for you either way.
  35. If any of my questions made you uneasy, would you consider coming back to the real world?

Just asking.

Maybe what I was thinking about was the America of my youth. Or, maybe it was some dream ideal. Something I’m looking forward too, perhaps. Those questions I shall ponder.