Fat and Happy: Why Most People Don't Diet (Breaking - NOT!!!)

Yahoo! - Skeptical Inquirer ^ | 3/2/06 | Benjamin Radford

[paulat]

Fat and Happy: Why Most People Don't Diet

Benjamin Radford Skeptical Inquirer Thu Mar 2, 10:01 AM ET

By now most people's New Years resolutions are as stale as any leftover Superbowl potato chips or Christmas fruitcake. The resolve to quit smoking, or lose weight and get fit, fades quickly. They are great ideas, but the self-improvement fever lasts only a few weeks, and by March gyms across the country are cashing in on unused memberships.

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Why is this? America is often described as a nation of chronic dieters. In a Jan. 16, 2006, cover article in U.S. News & World Report, Amanda Spake suggested that Americans should 'Stop dieting. Stop obsessing about every morsel you put in your mouth, stop weighing yourself twice a day, stop letting your quest to be thin control your life." Good advice—if it were true.

The idea that Americans are obsessed with weight loss is a myth.

Journalists cite misleading statistics such as that Americans spend $33 billion each year on weight loss—everything from fad diets to books to exercise equipment. As impressive as the number sounds, it is not a true measure of commitment to losing weight. Books, diet plans, and Stairmasters don't make people lose weight. People make people lose weight. Spending money is easy; the problem is the follow-through.

The surprising reality is that most Americans are not dieting, and are not really trying to lose weight. If Americans were truly committed to getting fit and losing weight, they would eat less and exercise more. Yet most people steadfastly refuse to do it.

In 2004, the Centers for Disease Control reported that Americans are eating more than ever, and women in particular are eating over 300 more calories a day than they did in 1971. Two-thirds of Americans are overweight, yet fewer than one-third get regular exercise.

The simple fact is that losing weight just isn't that important to people.

A 1993 Yankelovich survey found that over half of Americans said they weren't at all concerned with watching their weight, and studies show that fewer than one-quarter of Americans are dieting. In 2002 Glamour magazine asked more than 11,000 readers what they would give up to slim down permanently. Three-quarters would not give up eating dessert, and only 41 percent would pay $3,000 to be thin forever. Almost a quarter said they would not give up anything to lose weight.

Many of us would like to lose weight in the same way we'd like to get rich by winning the lottery: We'll do it if it doesn't take too much effort. Americans don't want to take the figurative and literal steps to achieve our goals. We want to eat more and weigh less. Diet and exercise—the only proven method for effective, sustained weight loss—sounds good but takes too much willpower for most of us.

The myth that most diets fail has it exactly backward: Instead, most people fail diets. Just about any sensible diet will help a person lose weight. Blaming the diet because the dieter quit is like blaming the unused treadmill for not doing its job. The real solution isn't in fad diets or workout DVDs; the solution is in the mirror.

Benjamin Radford, Managing Editor of Skeptical Inquirer magazine, wrote about popular myths in his book "Media Mythmakers: How Journalists, Activists, and Advertisers Mislead Us."

Fact vs. Fiction on Obesity Scientists Developing 'Invisible Diet' Potential New Diet Trick: False Memories Obesity May Be Contagious, Scientists Say The Most Popular Myths in Science

[paulat]

What do you think about this?

[Ronin]

I'll read it after I finish this Domino's Super Supreme and diet coke.

[CheyennePress]

So much for the Protestant work ethic.

[paulat]

The diet Coke is SO important!!!

[Mount Athos]

sign me up for the potato chip eating contest please

[ECM]

Hmmm, I have single-digit bodyfat...oh, wait, I'm Catholic :)

[Ronin]

Absolutely! If it wasn't for the Diet Coke I wouldn't be able to bend over to reach that bag of potato chips on the floor.

[paulat]

sign me up for the potato chip eating contest please

Wouldn't that give you like "paper-cuts" to the esophagus?

[paulat]

What's the best kind of chips?

[coconutt2000]

My New Years Resolution is still safe and sound. I gave up drinking alcohol, and haven't had any yet.

My last year's resolution, to lose weight is also finally coming around. Cutting out alcohol helps.

[napscoordinator]

I think the main point is fat and HAPPY. If people are happy being overweight than so be it. Government should certainly not be involved. As far as taxpayers paying for added expenses, well they have insurance. I think that everyone eventually will use medical in their lifetime so that excuse to me does not cut it. I am not overweight at all, but if I was and happy than what business is it of anybody else especially the government.

[Ronin]

Plain salt. I have never been fond of the bbq or other weird flavors they come in.

I am in Japan, so I can't really help you with the brand names. I distinctly remember a fondness for Nally's from my childhood, though.

[taxesareforever]

When they stop making food that tastes good, then, and only then will I consider dieting.

[kb2614]

Living is bad for your health. Now, enjoy that porterhouse steak and a beer!!

[ThirstyMan]

The myth that most diets fail has it exactly backward: Instead, most people fail diets.

I see what you mean, "breaking news"? -- not!!!

More like "No Duh!!!"

[onyx]

LOL!

[Caipirabob]

I've lost 30 lbs this year on the "pie diet".

[Ninian Dryhope]

"What do you think about this?"

The guy is just stating the obvious truth.

To eat less means one has to put up with some hunger and deny oneself some pleasurable eating experience and to exercise more, one has to take time away from doing something more pleasant and put some physical effort into the exercise.

Anyone who eats less than their energy requirements, will lose weight. No exceptions. There is no magic formula of certain foods that one must follow to lose weight. Those diet books just make the authors lots of money.

More protein and less fat and carbs help one eat less calories while feeling less hunger, but mostly it is a matter of want to.

I say the above as a person who has lost over 70 pounds since October 3, 2005 by doing some walking and eating less.

[ECM]

Good post, but in my experience nobody loses that kind of weight without serious caloric deficit and signifigant amounts of cardio (at least not in 6 months.)

[browardchad]

When they stop making food that tastes good, then, and only then will I consider dieting.

That's easy -- just buy all those "nonfat" versions of real food. I grabbed some nonfat Ricotta by mistake last week, and the stuff could definitely turn you off to food forever. Ditto nonfat cream cheese, with the consistency of semi-hardened glue, and a host of other nonfat, lowfat, no-taste glop. Yum.

[Glenn]

There is no magic formula of certain foods that one must follow to lose weight.

Magic? No. Commonsensical? Yes.

I've Indian ancestry and the men in my family all suffer from "feast or famine" syndrome. When I cut fat grams to < 20 per day, I lost 110 lbs in 8 months. I had to boost them to 40 to get back to a reasonable weight. There are sophisticated factors at work in most of us, I believe.

[Ninian Dryhope]

Live and learn.

Now you know at least one person.

I have been tough on the calories. I have been on a protein sparing modified fast of my own making. Whey powder isolate, egg whites, tuna, salmon, spinach, broccoli, mainly. 1.3 grams of protein per Kilo of ideal body weight. Once I get to 95 to 150 grams of protein in a day, I stop eating. Three scoops of whey protein, a cup of egg whites, and a cup of skim milk has 95 grams of protein and 510 Kcal. A can of wild salmon has 35 grams of protein and 150 Kcal. So if I were to eat that one day, which I have done many times, that would be 130 grams of protein and 660 Kcal.

I am usually below 800 Kcal for the day.

I am taking a multivitamin; a calcium, zinc, and magnesium supplement; a couple of Vitamin C tablets, and a fish oil caplet every day.

No cardio, but I walk for an hour at lunch and an hour after dinner at the fastest pace that I can maintain.

I use an electronic digital scale, accurate to 2 tenths of a pound and weigh myself every morning.

I keep track of my weight, and what I have had to eat that day in terms of what it was, how many grams of protein it contains, and how many calories it contains, in an Excel spreadsheet.

Total weight loss as of this morning: 71.8 pounds. Average weight loss per day: 0.48.

[tonycavanagh]

re :I'll read it after I finish this Domino's Super Supreme and diet coke.

LOL you see a tubby with gut buster special and a diet coke

[Ninian Dryhope]

It all depends on how hungry one is. When my daughter complains that nonfat cottage cheese does not taste good, I tell her that if she were really dieting, nonfat cottage cheese would taste like the ambrosia of the gods.

If a can of tuna-fish, right out of can, is the only thing that I had to eat all day, man that tuna tastes good and it is gone way too fast.

[Big Giant Head]

Two-thirds of Americans are overweight,

This is crap. I am in the best shape of my adult life, having done manual labor for a while. I have built muscle mass and lost body fat. Wifey and I looked up my BMI and found that (gasp) I'm OBESE!! So, where I am a healthy and fit 220 pound guy wearing maybe ten of fifteen extra pounds of fat, they see me as one of the two-thirds of "Americans that are overweight."

BMI is used as a way to figure your health insurance, too, so healthy people like me get the maximum screwing on premiums.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"There are sophisticated factors at work in most of us, I believe."

Well, we are the ultimate creation of an All Powerful God, so I would say that there are some sophisticated factors at work in ALL of us. One factor that is common to almost all of us is that we want something for nothing, hence, all the FREE offers that make big money for the advertisers and cost us lots of money.

In the same way, marketers and shysters make big money telling people that they can lose weight in a painless way, and that is just not in the cards.

If you had compensated for lowering your fat intake by increasing your carbohydrate intake, you would not have lost any weight.

One could lose weight by eating nothing but fat, as long as the 100% were low enough in calories, for example, two tablespoons of fish oil, which by the way, has 120 Kcal. You would lose weight, but it might not be that healthy for you. On the other hand, I have read scientific studies that had people fasting for four weeks and those folks lost weight and were fine. After an initial period of losing muscle mass, the body compensated and consumption of muscle mass was greatly reduced after the first couple of weeks.

[Paulus]

good job!!!

If I were you, in the not so distant future I would start looking at exercise programs (walking is great) and concentrate on building muscle. FWIW, I have also found "The Zone" helpful in keeping weight off. Dave Draper's "Brother Iron, Sister Steel is likewise very well recommended.

[Ninian Dryhope]

It sounds like you are overweight, not obese.

The BMI calculators typically have disclaimers that say that if you are an athlete or body builder, one could have a very low percentage of body-fat and still have a high BMI, since there is no way for a simple formula to take into account that muscle weighs more than fat.

BMI for obese is 30. BMI for overweight is 25.

The two thirds of Americans being overweight is probably about right, since I do not see many hyper-fit folks walking around on the streets.

I need to get down below 200 to stop being overweight. I intend to get well below that. I remember being fit at 175 pounds as a young man, so that is my goal weight now.

[Big Giant Head]

After an initial period of losing muscle mass, the body compensated and consumption of muscle mass was greatly reduced after the first couple of weeks.

The best way to lose fat is to gain muscle mass, which involves exercise. But that involves not losing weight, 'cause one gains muscle. This is what's happened to me. When I got out of high screwl I was a healthy 165 pounder. I got fat, up to 280. But carrying all that weight helped build muscle mass underneath it all, and then I started working hard. Now I'm in very good shape at my current weight, and I weigh 55 lbs more than when I graduated.

I would rather have my current weight and muscle mass than be thin. I'm stronger and can do more work.

[summer]

I don't know if I can believe this article -- I think many people really are trying to lose weight. They may not be succeeding all the time, but companies like Weight Watchers have been around for decades, and continue to attract new members. That's not to say everyone who joins loses weight, but clearly, people are still joining.

[Big Giant Head]

Yes, I'm over 30 on the BMI. It's useless.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"good job!!!"

Thanks. I have a good incentive. My daughter graduates on May 13 and I want to look as good as possible on her big day.

"If I were you, in the not so distant future I would start looking at exercise programs (walking is great) and concentrate on building muscle."

Yes, now that I have walked long enough to build a bit of a base, I am looking into a couple options. One is to buy some Nordic Walking poles to use while walking. This should take a little strain off my knees and give my upper body a bit of a workout.

The second is to join the wellness program at the local community college. I called them yesterday, and they said that if I come in next week, they will prorate the fee for the rest of the year, which runs from August 30 to August 30.

They have a pool that opens up at 5:00 AM and they have three weight circuit training rooms with cadio equipment that stay open until 10:00 PM.

Walking outside at noon at work has been great this winter. It has been sunny and warm almost every day this winter here in Houston, but it was over 80 yesterday, so it is only a matter of time before it will be way too hot and humid to come back to work after walking outside for an hour. The air conditioned gym should do nicely and I can do the Nordic Walking either before work when I do not swim or in the evening after the sun has gone down.


"I have also found "The Zone" helpful in keeping weight off. Dave Draper's "Brother Iron, Sister Steel is likewise very well recommended."

Thanks for the tips. I will keep these in mind.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"I would rather have my current weight and muscle mass than be thin."

One can never be too rich or too thin.

Perhaps those extra pounds are in your head?

I have not done any physical labor for many years and hope to never do any again. Back when I did do physical labor, it was nice to be able to eat plenty and not gain weight.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"people are still joining."

Then the pain starts and people drop out.

[ECM]

"I am usually below 800 Kcal for the day."

This would be a severe caloric deficit, literally starving yourself thin (and I don't mean starving in a freak-out sort of way)--this is exactly what I meant when I said it would take a "serious" caloric deficit, so I'm not sure I fully see your point. In fact, this would be more like a severe caloric deficit and, unless you're tiny, this is half your BMR, so I think you've pretty much proved my point (simply cutting more cals and doing less cardio, rather than doing say, 1200 cals/day and walking a few miles/day.)

In any event, I do congratulate on your weight loss--it's impressive any way you slice it--but I do have to wonder: what was your bodyfat % before you lost the weight and what is it now? How much muscle have you lost? Even on a very high protein diet, you must have lost significant amounts of muscle in the process (it simply isn't possible to lose that much that fast and spare yourself of that problem.)

[Mr. Brightside]

I'm happy, being fat and happy.

[PeteB570]

I do not eat in moderation. I love all the bad foods starting with the breakfast group and finishing off the evening with buttered popcorn.

I could stand to drop a few pounds but when that medium rare cowboy cut with the loaded baked potato hits the table I start eating.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

Two-thirds of Americans are overweight,

This is crap. I am in the best shape of my adult life, having done manual labor for a while. I have built muscle mass and lost body fat. Wifey and I looked up my BMI and found that (gasp) I'm OBESE!! So, where I am a healthy and fit 220 pound guy wearing maybe ten of fifteen extra pounds of fat, they see me as one of the two-thirds of "Americans that are overweight."

You know...I believe those BMI figures are closer to reality than you might think. A couple years ago I discovered a low carb diet and decided to followed it to see if it would work. Other people I knew did and had some good results. I went from 340 lbs to 245 in 8 months. Being 6'5", I felt pretty thin (seeing as I could buy clothes from "regular" stores again). For two and a half years I maintained my weight somewhere around 245-260...if the size 38 pants started to get snug...I quickly changed my habits. Now, technically...the BMI index would still put me at "overweight"...and I must agree. As of a month ago... I got "tired" of having that extra 25-40 pounds and started to restrict carbs and sugar from my diet and exercise a bit more. I hope to reach 205-210 in a 2-3 months, I think it really is the weight that I should be at.

[PeteB570]

My girls are gong through the vegetarian stage so they are getting all the "fake" meats. Put enough lettuce, onion, tomato, pickle, ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper on them and you can hardly tell the difference.

OK, I lied. I miss the grease dripping down onto my fingers.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

If a can of tuna-fish, right out of can, is the only thing that I had to eat all day, man that tuna tastes good and it is gone way too fast.

I can attest to this...I eliminated sugar and high carb/starchy foods from my diet, and while one goes through 3-10 days of a withdrawal period from them, I can honestly say that I don't crave them anymore...sugar/bread/noodles/other higher carb foods actualy repulse me!

[sergeantdave]

The five food groups -

1. burgers

2. chips

3. fudge

4. beer

5. cigars

[arizonarachel]

There is a really great website that can also track other things for you - it's: http://www.fitday.com. It is free, and you enter in your foods for the day, it calculates your totals for cals, fat, protien and carbs, and you can also enter in the activities you do. Check it out! (I'm using it right now to track calories for an upcoming vacation, hoping to lose 15 lbs!)

[Capriole]

I don't know if I can believe this article -- I think many people really are trying to lose weight.

Yes, they're trying--but not very hard.

Fat people often say to me, "Oh, I just can't lose weight." I ask them, "How far did you run this morning?" I have yet to hear a fat person say, "I went for a two-mile jog this morning, and when I'm done with work I'm going to swim 40 laps and do some weight-lifting." But this is what it takes to lose a lot of weight, particularly if you are a woman with a woman's hormones. Not many people are willing to do that.

[RogueIsland]

and to exercise more, one has to take time away from doing something more pleasant and put some physical effort into the exercise.

I run and find that quite pleasant. People find that hard to believe, I suppose.

[coop71]

Fit Day is the best! I've used it throughout my pregnancy to track daily intake of fat, protein, etc. Prior to pregnancy, I've used it to track calories as a weight loss tool. It works.

It keeps you "honest" if you use it faithfully, and you can plug in your own foods if they don't have it listed.

[arizonarachel]

It's one of my favorite sites, and has really helped me to track what I'm eating. For instance, right now, I'm trying to lose weight for a vacation @ the end of May. I have my goal weight set and a date set, so I know how many lbs I need to lose / week in order to meet my goal. I need to make sure I am at least below 1850 calories / day in order to meet my goal. The "custom nutrition goals" help you to make sure you're staying within healthy ranges. I cannot say enough good things about that site..before it, I thought coffee and diet soda were calorie free, when they aren't!

[Ninian Dryhope]

In my opinion, there is quite a bit of wiggle room between useless and perfect. The BMI is not a bad rule of thumb, but it is not super accurate, but then it was never designed to be super accurate or ideal for each and every body type.

[summer]

I have yet to hear a fat person say, "I went for a two-mile jog this morning, and when I'm done with work I'm going to swim 40 laps and do some weight-lifting." But this is what it takes to lose a lot of weight, particularly if you are a woman with a woman's hormones. Not many people are willing to do that.

Actually, I think this is what turns people off to losing weight -- the very tasks you mention and the way you describe those tasks.

Meanwhile, in truth, doing ANYTHING helps. And really fat people need to know THAT. A HABIT of activity is more important starting out, than any amount of time. If a really fat person can only walk for five minutes to the mailbox and back before becoming exhausted, doing that each day is still a start. It's an important start, too. And, then, do a little more each day from there, even if it's only a few more steps. Eventually a person will be able to do more. But you have to start somewhere.

I think this is what very fat people really need to hear -- that doing SOMETHING, ANYTHING, does count. And creating the habit of daily activity counts more that anything when you're just starting out.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"Even on a very high protein diet, you must have lost significant amounts of muscle in the process (it simply isn't possible to lose that much that fast and spare yourself of that problem.)"

I do not know exactly what my percentages were before or now, but I do know that the research does not support your contention that it isn't possible to lose lots of weight without losing significant muscle mass.

I read up a good deal on the research done on the Protein Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF) before and during this diet, and the best, most sophisticated research shows that as long as a person eats at least 1.3 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of ideal body weight, one does not lose protein from one's body. They have checked it out in various ways, including nitrogen in the urine.

Even when they compared the muscle loss of groups of people eating various amounts of protein, including a group eating nothing at all for four weeks, after a couple of weeks the body adjusted to what was going on and the muscle loss nearly ceased.

Do some research in the serious medical literature and you will see that I am right. Doing research in scholarly articles using Google is easy now.

[durasell]

I know a fat guy who lost significant amounts of weight simply by packing a large baggie filled with carrots and celery every morning. He substituted the veggies for candy and soda water for soda.