The real skinny: Dieting's a bunch of baloney

Atlanta Journal Consitituion ^ | July 20 2003 | SANDY SZWARC

[King Prout]

if you go on to describe the texture of cottage cheese, I will yak.

[freedumb2003]

>>I eat what I want to eat... do have a rapid metabolism (genetically inherited)<<

So said I, lo those many years ago. Skinny as a rail and signs up on every "all you can eat" place to keep me out if they want to stay in business.

Then, reality caught up with me. My metabolism slowed down but my lifestyle, predicated on an "inhereted metabolism," did not speed up, so I got a bit rotund as a result. This led to many health problems, including high blood pressure, high cholestorol and heart problems.

Suffice it to say, I started eating right (especially breakfast) and excercising (I brisk walk daily) and all my health problems rolled off with my weight. I know of what I speak.

My final word on the subject:

1. People who think they can legislate health are a bunch of self-important busybodies trying to create a Nanny State just to bask in the glow of their own righteousness. People have the freedom to eat as they wish.

2. Articles that suggest that true obesity are the result of anything other than overeating and under-excericizing are damaging (except in very rare cases of true medical conditions) in the extreme. They give the impression that the individual is somehow off the hook. Put down the Big Mac and walk to the salad place. Have a good breakfast, then a small and reasonable lunch and dinner. Don't starve, but watch the saturated fats and cholestorol.

3. If you are young, get into the habit of excericising and eating decently. It pays off later and it is a lot easier than picking the yoke up later in life.

[King Prout]

Going by my family history, my metabolism will begin to slow down in about 20 more years.
I eat "properly". I eat what my body demands. No more, no less, and nothing else.
I "exercise" to some extent. I no longer run six miles a day like I did in the Army, but I still exercise. Mainly, I walk. I take care of some hefty chores on a daily basis. I use my body like a machine. On the weekends I practise kenjutsu. I don't go to the gym, though - that sort of unbalanced exercise does not appeal to me at all.

[tickles]

So I ate tons of fresh fruits, vegetables, and brown bread (still do.) And low-carbohydrate diets would have me eat very little of them, correct?

>>>>>>>>>

not necessarily, I believe that Suzanne Summers diet plan includes fruits and grains. But if you think that Atkins and anyother low carb plan doesn't include veggies you're wrong. they all include veggies, mostly those with lower carb counts. Califlower makes good fake mashed taters or potatoe salad. :-0

[DB]

Please go to the link on post #72.

I really think you need to reconsider eggs and meat.

[DB]

Thanks for the great link!

Slowly the truth is immerging...

[freedumb2003]

>>I "exercise" to some extent. I no longer run six miles a day like I did in the Army, but I still exercise. Mainly, I walk. I take care of some hefty chores on a daily basis. I use my body like a machine.<<

Well, thatr's a little more complete. I guess I have become an advocate of the upper-end-of-the-lower spectrum school. I want people to know that they have to do SOME kind of excercise REGULARLY and EAT SOMEWHAT DECENTLY (not even super-healthy) to keep from getting terrible health problems.

It is amazing how little effort is needed. I'm sorry if I came down on you with so little info -- presumptuous on my part indeed. But I didn't want people to think they could wander life with a Whopper in one hand and "fast metabolism" in the other (having been there and done that with disasterous results).

Sounds like you have it down pretty good.

(btw: I think people who run 6 miles a day when the DON'T have to are a little touched in the noggin' -- no offense to our Freeper runners out there).