Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

What Really Makes Us Fat
New York Times ^ | June 30, 2012 | Gary Taubes

Posted on 05/27/2013 2:35:55 PM PDT by Altariel

A CALORIE is a calorie. This truism has been the foundation of nutritional wisdom and our beliefs about obesity since the 1960s.

What it means is that a calorie of protein will generate the same energy when metabolized in a living organism as a calorie of fat or carbohydrate. When talking about obesity or why we get fat, evoking the phrase “a calorie is a calorie” is almost invariably used to imply that what we eat is relatively unimportant. We get fat because we take in more calories than we expend; we get lean if we do the opposite. Anyone who tells you otherwise, by this logic, is trying to sell you something.

But not everyone buys this calorie argument, and the dispute erupted in full force again last week. The Journal of the American Medical Association published the results of a clinical trial by Dr. David Ludwig of Boston Children’s Hospital and his collaborators. While the media tended to treat the study as another diet trial — what should we eat to maintain weight loss? — it spoke to a far more fundamental issue: What actually causes obesity? Why do we get fat in the first place? Too many calories? Or something else?

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Miscellaneous; Science
KEYWORDS: atkins; atkinsdiet; atkinswasright; calories; carbs; diet; fat; garytaubes; obesity; theatkinsdiet; weight
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 141-146 next last
To: flintsilver7
I burn a lot of calories, too.

My experience has been enough to make me not willing to pick up and cast any stones.

/johnny

61 posted on 05/27/2013 4:05:04 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: JRandomFreeper

How many calories do you burn? It would take quite a bit to offset that. I can sometimes burn 2,000 on a high exercise day, but I’m also taking in 3500-4000 or more on a day like that. I would also lose weight quickly if I sustained that.

Also, it’s fair to not cast stones. I would argue that the general rules, whatever they might be, should be expected to work in most cases. If people aren’t achieving their weight goals, then they are overestimating or underestimating either caloric intake or caloric burn (or both). That’s a far more likely case than people who just have the metabolism of a hummingbird.


62 posted on 05/27/2013 4:09:04 PM PDT by flintsilver7 (Honest reporting hasn't caught on in the United States.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: Mr. K
good protein is all you need to lose weight

And I was told I need to gain 10-15 pounds and to add more protein to my diet.

63 posted on 05/27/2013 4:10:52 PM PDT by Gabz (Democrats for Voldemort.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: yefragetuwrabrumuy; Valpal1

I think that there are some chemical agents (flouride in the water,pesticides, etc) that have wrecked havoc with the thyroid and other hormones of a large percentage of the population in the lsat 40 years.

The thing is, I believe that there are probably some people who have some kind of genetic issue that makes them more vulnerable to having their thyroid knocked out of whack by these modern chemicals . For others, the environmental toxins dont cause the same damage.

My mom has thyroid issues, but never gained weight. Out of 5 kids in my family, now 4 of us have thyroid issues and must take thryoid medication. My brothers both struggle with weight a lot, and my sister and I do some, not extreme, but definitely some. We were quite slim when young and dont eat much different, definitely dont eat more quantity now.

I definitely lose weight and feel better on a low starchy carb diet. I think it is because of the damage to my thyroid by the environmental toxins, with the thyroid damage I just dont metabolize starches as well. But again - that is probably a hereditary weakness. One sister never got the thyroid problems and she remains slim even in late 40s, but she eats more toward a low fat diet - not extreme but that just works better for her.

So guess what I’m saying is there may be segments of the populations with “weak” genes that tend to be susceptible to environmental damage to the thyroid, leptin, and other regulating hormones. Maybe that’s a partial clue to the weight epidemic in this country. (I’m talking about people who dont snack on Krispy Kreme donuts every day! :) )


64 posted on 05/27/2013 4:11:45 PM PDT by boxlunch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

Okay, I give up! What’s a brumuy? No dictionary carries it.


65 posted on 05/27/2013 4:15:01 PM PDT by kitkat (STORM THE HEAVENS WITH PRAYERS FOR OUR COUNTRY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Paisan

Just wondering if you are a generally stable person emotionally. I’m a wack job.


66 posted on 05/27/2013 4:18:29 PM PDT by huldah1776
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Altariel

Taubes is brilliant. I’ve corresponded with him a great deal, and relied heavily on his research for the chapter on Ike’s heart attack in “Seven Events that Made America America.” I think he’s dead on with his fat theory.


67 posted on 05/27/2013 4:21:03 PM PDT by LS ('Castles made of sand, fall in the sea . . . eventually.' Hendrix)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: flintsilver7
who just have the metabolism of a hummingbird.

Or a polar bear.

Hummingbirds do burn a lot of calories. Sit and watch them sometimes\. Hovering using powered flight is probably the most expensive thing (in calories) in the animal kingdom.

I burn a lot of calories just in normal life, not to mention doing the work in the garden or shop or house or under extreme environments that require metabolic changes.

And then, I also do PT. Fairly harsh PT for someone of my advanced broken-ness.

/johnny

68 posted on 05/27/2013 4:21:30 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: Paisan

Charcol brickets are very high in calories...

I prefer the steak.


69 posted on 05/27/2013 4:23:08 PM PDT by American in Israel (A wise man's heart directs him to the right, but the foolish mans heart directs him toward the left.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

Do you have any links so I can read up on the bacteria theories? Are there any supplements that help increase the skinny bacteria?


70 posted on 05/27/2013 4:27:39 PM PDT by bigtoona
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Paisan

Works out to 3000 calories per pound.


71 posted on 05/27/2013 4:32:25 PM PDT by American in Israel (A wise man's heart directs him to the right, but the foolish mans heart directs him toward the left.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Altariel

I have lost 50 lbs since last year at this time. Please anyone pm me if you need help. No gimmicks no spam no mlm no sales pitches nothing but honest advice.


72 posted on 05/27/2013 4:39:45 PM PDT by GlockThe Vote (The Obama Adminstration: 2nd wave ofo attacks on America after 9/11)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gorush

>>Wheat! Stop eating it and watch the fat dissolve.

Almost nobody eats any wheat at all in the Asian Oriental countries, and there is an ever-increasing obesity problem.


73 posted on 05/27/2013 4:53:50 PM PDT by expat1000
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Rusty0604

I went low carb - and moderate fat and hi protein and have lost tons of weight.


74 posted on 05/27/2013 4:55:36 PM PDT by GlockThe Vote (The Obama Adminstration: 2nd wave ofo attacks on America after 9/11)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: GlockThe Vote
If I had lost 50 lbs in the last year, my daughter would have posted a real final opus for me on FR. It is pre-written. It does name names.

Don't denigrate having a buffer. I live on a margin. You might do better than me in bad times.

/johnny

75 posted on 05/27/2013 4:56:24 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: JRandomFreeper

“I eat more than that for first and second breakfast.”

hahaha youre a HOBBIT!!!!


76 posted on 05/27/2013 5:04:06 PM PDT by bagster
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: GlockThe Vote

it works. when the gov’t started telling people that too much protien wasn’t good, eat more carbs, I blame them for all the obesity. Plus making sugar so expensive they switched to highfructose corn syrup.


77 posted on 05/27/2013 5:04:25 PM PDT by Rusty0604
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: bagster
Or German from the 1600s. Including beer with breakfast.

Besides, I have aesthetically appropriate feet, in comparison to rest of my body.

I also have a first and second lunch. But only one supper.

/johnny

78 posted on 05/27/2013 5:08:07 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: muir_redwoods

I’m only 6’1” and just dropped below 200...getting back to my H.S. wt. of 167. (failing that goal will not devastate me) Born in ‘51.


79 posted on 05/27/2013 5:09:16 PM PDT by gorush (History repeats itself because human nature is static)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

sounds good...can you explain this for us stupid people?


80 posted on 05/27/2013 5:09:18 PM PDT by God luvs America (63.5 million pay no income tax and vote for DemoKrats...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 141-146 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson