The “Eat Less” Diet
Once again as I stroll these lonely crowded streets I have it shoved in my face am reminded of the differences between developing countries and those that have peaked and have started to stagnate.
My significant other was in Korea only five years ago, and is shocked by the bastardisation modernization of the culture here in such a short time. Nowhere is this more obvious then in the chains of Dunkin Donuts, KFC, McDonalds and Starbucks. Every major street seems to have at least one of theses, and it is around these Mecca’s of imported culture that we see the transition of Asians youth from the petite and slender stereotype to the rounder version that is starting to appear. Dairy, sugar, fats, these have always been around, but until the fast food arrived they were always a very minor part of the culture.
Yes I’m ranting about food again, but on a purely detached and intellectual level I assure you. It breaks my lecherous heart to see fat Korean girls… it really does… and the only culprit I can see is the fast food chains. Sure there are always a few folks that are bigger the average, but obesity is a modern, and self-inflicted disease.
Before food became abundant, and when manual labour was the mainstay, there simply weren’t obese people. Eat less, exercise more, that is the common sense mantra to weight loss. I used to think that some people had a legitimate excuse, glandular problems or maybe even the pseudo-psychological ‘food addiction’ excuse. I’ve changed my mind. People are fat simply because they eat too much, and with the introduction of high fat, low nutrition foods, eating too much leads to obesity. The problem begins in those ‘developed’ countries we hear about, places where people have the time to eat long meals, and where food is cheap and plentiful. If you take into your body enough calories to maintain eight people then of course you are going to end up looking like a zeppelin.
Gluttony, if you’re religious then its a sin, if your not then it is a waste of natural resources and a way to commit slow suicide.
Pointless fact for the day
Hollywood started as a temperance colony in 1887, a sober alternative to the bright lights and temptations of downtown LA. I’d like to leave you with one of Hollywoods finest imports Kate Beckinsale
“Hollywood: teaching the world its only natural to hate Americans”
Good read! Thank you!
Trackback by Nutrition Blog | 26 March, 2008 |
Er, you do know that Kate Beckinsale is a Hollywood _import_? She’s British, not American.
Apart from that though, spot on.
you do realize that photo of kate beckinsale, along with most magazine/advertisement related photos of celebs or models, is photoshopped, right? and, that many female hollywood exports are painfully anorexic looking right? but then again, you already admitted to be a superficial douche bag who only considers the “physical” disgust reaction to obese/overweight ppl. if you knew anything about the obesity literature, which you painfully don’t, you’d know that most obese/overweight ppl have at one time or more lost the weight and then gained it back. it’s this cycle of yo-yoing weight and dieting that is turning ppl fatter and fatter and these fluctuations in weight are actually more detrimental to a person’s health than being slightly overweight (…drastic fluctuations in weight have been associated with cardiovascular problems, diabetes, chronic joint problems, etc…). And, if you’ve read anything into Ancel Keys classic Minnesota starvation studies, you’d know that “prolonged semi-starvation produces significant increases in depression, hysteria and hypochondriasis as measured using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), a standardized test administered during the experimental period. Indeed, most of the subjects experienced periods of severe emotional distress and depression. There were extreme reactions to the psychological effects during the experiment including self-mutilation (one subject amputated three fingers of his hand with an axe, though the subject was unsure if he had done so intentionally or accidentally).[1] Participants exhibited a preoccupation with food, both during the starvation period and the rehabilitation phase. Sexual interest was drastically reduced and the volunteers showed signs of social withdrawal and isolation. The participants reported a decline in concentration, comprehension and judgment capabilities, although the standardized tests administered showed no actual signs of diminished capacity. There were marked declines in physiological processes indicative of decreases in each subject’s basal metabolic rate (the energy required by the body in a state of rest) and reflected in reduced body temperature, respiration and heart rate. Some of the subjects exhibited edema (swelling) in the extremities, presumably due to the massive quantities of water the participants consumed attempting to fill their stomachs during the starvation period.” Additionally, these people, all men, whose daily caloric intake was only reduced by 500 calories as they were taking in 1800 calories as opposed to 2300 calories (akin to your whole eat less scenario)lost only around 3lbs in the last 12 weeks of the study as they totally fucked up their metabolism. When they were taken off of semi-starvation mode and allowed to eat whatever they wanted, they ate uncontrollably (consuming an excess of 8000 calories more than what they normally consumed prior to entering the study) as their bodies could no longer properly regulate their metabolism and let them know when satiation (fullness) had occurred. Not only that, but their body composition changed from about 15-21 percent body fat prior to the study (in the normal range) to about a 50% increase in body fat after the study. This is akin to what happens to obese/overweight ppl when they drastically cut calories – they initially lose some weight but gain all of it and more back because they’ve totally screwed with their brain chemistry and their basal metabolic rate. If anything, obese ppl shouldn’t necessarily consume less food…just replace the high sugar/over-processed foods with healthy alternatives and get enough exercise. But, given that most healthy and organically grown food is super-expensive, especially compared to its deep fried, overly-salted counterparts (McDonald’s anyone?), it isn’t difficult to see why a busy lifestyle (no time to cook, sit down, and actually enjoy the flavors of a meal) and a tight budget (the obesity rate among poorer Americans is on the rise) can lead to obesity. May be when fresh, unprocessed and unrefined foods like fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, etc… becomes less expensive, ppl who aren’t upper middle class and higher will be able to afford to buy it.
All excellent points, however you’ve missed the point of the post. That aside, it is always great to get a well written and coherant response to anything I’ve written.
Before I even attempt to rebut I’d just like to point you to the ‘about this page’ section so you understand why I’m not presenting case studies and reviews of nutrition studies. This is a ‘knee jerk’ reaction style page, not one with academic pretentions or any real depth, take that as you will. I don’t currently have access to the sort of textbooks that more serious analysis would take, mostly because I’m living out of a backpack, nor do I intent to spend the weeks working on a paper that feel necessary for that sort of precision.
Having said that I am aware that an active lifestyle is far more effective then a reduction in caloric intake. I’m aware that a drastic reduction in caloric intake, especially when not combined with increased physical activity, can be detrimental both physically (as the body goes into to a type of metabolic shock) and mentally (as chemical changes due to diet can effect hormone and neurochemical activity). However I’ve never seen a study that said increased activity is bad for you, nor have I stumbled across one that suggested gradual reduction in calories over a long period was harmful.
Granted nutrition was hardly my specialty, but I have picked up a few nuggets of information over the years. Firstly body-weight (allowing for gradual increased in middle to late years) is usually set in the formative years… maybe I should have titled the post “Get you lazy arsed kids into some sport?” Also the benefits of increased activity have massive benefits to the individual (reduction in chance of heart disease, diabetes, circulation problems, and some cancers), to the state (reduction in medical support and citizens with obesity related conditions unable to work), and even to the private sector in construction costs.
As to the cost and availability of unrefined foods…. I can’t talk about every nation, but certainly in Korea it is cheap enough to eat healthily even if most of the cheap fruit, vegetables and meat are imported.
Warning: This Photo may bare no resemblance to the living subject
………… Photoshop…. Why do you think I selected this photo? *SIGH*… every image in every magazine, every publicity photo, online profile pictures, and resume images all tend to be edited. It is yet another symptom of our superficial, lazy, and pointless consumer culture, deal with it. Hell, the last time I got passport photos the shop ‘tweaked’ my damn face so I looked 5 years younger and a damn sight more rested.
That was my reasoned response. Would you like my ‘Douche Bag’ one?