the soccer mom mentality today dictates u SHALL ONLY HUG AND EMBRACE others do not hurt their feelings in any way. everyone must be equal. no tears.

so therefore if I am fat u r fat or neither of us are regardless that you take up 3 seats on an airplane u obese stenchy mass of blobbiness

If I see my children with something they don't need to be eating, I tell them to put it down! Even my son who is at that awkward too tall and too thin phase. He can gain weight with healthy food, not with a brownie at 9 pm! I'm not worried about hurting their feelings or making them mad. I'm worried about their health!

Kidding themselves? Sheesh, only for the past 40 years. Fat, ugly, and stupid...it's the American way.

Good luck with your eating plan Cara.

Yes, good luck Cara. You are on the right track

I live in Alabama and it is like living at a whaling convention. It truly amazed me that so many people can become so obese and still think that they are good-looking.

My pet peeve is those people who are obese and get handicapped plates or mirror-hangers so they can park near the door at the fast food places. Any physician who signs off on a handicapped sticker for anyone who would benefit from the exercise should have his license to practice revoked.

I had a knee replacement a little over a year ago. My surgeon asked me if I wanted a temporary handicapped mirror-hanger. I declined because the best thing for my knee was what I did --- park as far from the door as practical and walk.

I think states should review handicapped plates and mirror-hangers and revoke those which are actually rewarding obesity and are contributing to national scale torture.

How about the fact we no longer go out to do anything. You can go by most parks during the day and the summer and they are completely empty. Where are all the kids? With most families having both parents working and no one to monitor the children they sit home and get fat. Adults aren't working 9-5 any more and with technology most of us are working almost 24-7. Our societal makeup is killing us.

Destroy all the computers, ipads, itouches, xbox, playstation 3, etc etc and all of a sudden people will have to go outside. As technology advances we will see more and more obesity.

This is just more of denying stark Reality that has become passe for our country overstuffed with American Exceptionalists.

I live in Colorado, one of the only, if not the only state, in the US that does not have a majority of overweight or obese residents. The reason that Colorado residents are healthier is that we choose to go outside and participate in an active lifestyle. Sure, there is a fast food restaurant on every corner just like in other states in the country, but eating a Big Mac doesn't have the same effect on your waistline if you spend a couple hours hiking it off. The overweight people in this country need to realize that they've choosen their lifestyle and there is no one to blame for their body size but themselves.

mASS O' BLOBBYNESS, that says it all

Ever watch some of the reality shows on the History or A&E channels? Ever person featured on those shows is obesely overweight, they literally waddle around like those blowup punching dummies. Welcome to Mainstreet, USA folks.

I love how the new theme now on women's shows/magazines is that "Curviness is Sexy!" These mags/shows are starting to realise that by appeasing these people, rather than telling them what they don't want to hear, they will get much more ratings/popularity.

I traveled to Texas a couple years ago for work and was literally laughing at the people coming into a steakhouse, I thought I was on a candid camera skit or something.

There's still plenty of lard to go around in CO! Lived here since 1965.

We are not alone. Living in Chile (no, not on chili), I see more fat people than I did in the USA. It seems to go with national prosperity. Everyone loves to eat, few love to exercise. Here girls especially, but boys, too, start to round out at about ten and by the time they are fifteen, are twenty or thirty pounds overweight. Then they continue to gain because exercise is hard when you are fat. Look at the 33 miners who were trapped last summer, they are tough, muscular men, but mostly overweigh and their families more so. It may be partly dietary (high starch) but it seems to be a national trend. Yet those in government seem to be much less so.

I am now about five pounds over what I was six months ago, but a few pounds under what I was in the United States, 185-187. I came down to 178, perhaps because of advancing age (80) and don't want to get too thin, since older people need a little reserve to fight disease. I now walk at least an hour a day and figure that, while I may not lose much weight, I'll stay fit. See you in twenty years.

Cinclodesfuscus-

I like that... see you in 20 years! You are right-on. Your body is fit and so is your mental health. Good for you!

I used to walk 10 miles in two hours and am now approaching my mid-60's and have slowed down a bit. No one can believe my age when I tell them. It's not about our age anyway, it's about taking of yourself. Eat right, do a little exercise and you will be rewarded with good health in both body and mind.

I'm not skinny mind you - far from it, but I am healthy, and I work 40 hours a week to keep my mind challenged.

Wanna get in shape. . .one word. . .Racquetball! I play racquetball 2-3 times a week and do the elyptical and weights 3 times a week. . .eat smaller portions and try to eat foods that are better. 3 years ago I weighed 325 and for the past 3 years I have been able to keep 125 pounds off. Also, stay away from sugary drinks. . .nothing but water for three years here.

I AM SO SICK OF THESE STUDIES!!!

The survey, conducted by Consumer Reports, also found that while four in 10 admitted being "somewhat overweight," just 11 percent said they were very overweight or obese — a direct contradiction of previous weight measurements taken by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which show that 68 percent of Americans are overweight or obese.

The weight measurement taken: Did they survey the same people they used in the "weight measurement?" Another one of these stupid studies. Did they look at every.single.person. in this country to determine that 68% are overweight? The people that they surveyed, did they actually check these people out to see if they weight 400lbs before answering "I'm a little heavy?"

I see such a mixture of overweight and skinny that I really don't think more than half are overweight. Is overweight being determined by BMI? BMI Index is the most skewed scale ever! A highschool athlete that is pure muscle will be considered overweight by the BMI index!

I also wish they'd stop reporting this crap because then you get d-bags like John C up there that starts the "Fatties fatties fatties" talk. Heavy people can lose weight, I haven't seen a cure for @$$hole yet!!!

For folks over the age of, oh, let's say...forty.

Remember when you signed up for Facebook? You saw recent photos of many of your old friends from high school, people that you hadn't seen for a looong time! And of course, you noticed that most of them were fat.

And then...you realized that you knew that they would be fat. You fully expected them to be fat, and you were right!

PGH, go lose some weight and chill out ;-O

If most people around you are as fat as you are, then you don't see yourself as a fatty, because fat is the norm, you consider yourself normal.

Kimmy,

I live in Colorado too but still see A LOT of overweight people. I know we are one of the least obese states so I'd hate to see what it's like elsewhere, haha.

Yeah I'm overweight, so what? F*ck you. But I'm not on the verge of obesity and diabetes and stuff. I am sick of these unbalanced studies.

Good points, stage II diabetes is quickly becoming our number one health issue and just a few changes can make a huge difference. The easiest (but arguably the toughest) solution is to eat at home and cook from scratch so you know what is in your meal.

I sometimes think it's a matter of comparisions. Someone can be 200 lbs and 5'6, but they look at someone who is 5'4 and 250 and think "THAT person is fat, not I."

I know I did a little of that after I had my first baby just to get me through until I got back into my size 6s.

Side note, I have no idea why people think it's so hard to make your own food at home. I'm the loan "weirdo" in my department who always brings my own lunch when they're all ordering out (or eating something disgusting like a Lunchable), and I cook dinner for my family every night.

It literally takes less than two hours on the weekend for me to plan a week's worth of meals and get to and from the grocery store with my food. If we ordered takeout every night, I'd waste more time than that picking it up on the way home!

There are parts of the South that do have an obvious increased % of obesity (and most of them are at WalMart) but don't say we all look like Mr. Potato head (I sure don't!) and I won't say all yankees are ignorant pricks.

Actually, southern states have lower education levels in addition to the highest obesity rates. So you might have to use a comeback other than "ignorant".

STAGGERING IGNORANCE is the number ONE disease killing Americans.

EXCUSITIS appears to be a close second!

GLUTTONY must be about tied for 2nd.

The odds of getting beyond these 3 seem remote.

We live in a culture that "believes what it WANTS to believe" or whatever ABC, CBS, NBC and PMS-NBC say they should believe... but not question?

It SEEMS people FORGOT how to THINK for them self, but instead seem content to think the way "others tell them to think?"

Our politicians are KEENLY aware of voter IGNORANCE which is so obvious every time they attempt to explain a certain political position... while SPENDING our country in to FINANCIAL OBLIVION ?

And the masses sit there and nod there heads?

Moo, moo, moo and bah, bah... bah!

I'm waiting for a new government program to "assign COW BELLS" to the masses...

how perfectly appropriate!

Kiru,

Sounds like you don't know how to read statistics, look it up - devastating ratios of obesity in the places I mentioned. Thanks for keeping all those bad stereotypes alive! You are doing my work for me!

Sounds like you just proved my point, if you can't actually make an argument - then just insult and defame the messenger. Thanks for keeping all those bad stereotypes alive! You are doing my work for me!

BTW, D-bag, my Father owned a Ranch in ALABAMA - raising cattle & goats (and whatever bean-pod Canola is made from). And yes, I can confirm from first hand knowledge, as they say "Stereotypes are Stereotypes for a reason". And there is a reason I chose to live where I live now...

I agree with you WalkWithMe... I don't remember seeing so many fat people when I was younger. There were chubby people, but the sheer number of people who are just huge has really grown in the past 20 years. The people featured on the Biggest Loser are fast becoming a majority in our country as these are the kind of people I am now seeing everywhere, where before they were just a minority.

Thinking of the enormous costs we will all bear due to the obesity epidemic frankly scares the bejeesus out of me. Sorry, Sarah Palin, but your little speech dissing Michelle Obama's childhood obesity claiming "...parents have the right to make their own choices for their children..." is total bunk. Unfortunately we all live in a world filled with other people, and direct or indirect, the choice to live an unhealthy lifestyle affects EVERYONE, not just yourself and your kids!!!

I made the decision three years ago to get healthy. It was hard work, but even within 6 months I felt so much better and had so much more energy. I continue to follow my routine and will NEVER go back to the lethargic, fat and unhappy person I used to be.

I sure am happy with the way my body is. I wish everybody else was too.

Upon retirement, in Florida, my wife and then I (she pushed me) joined a health club and walked three miles a day (about fifty minutes) on a treadmill. We each lost about ten pounds. I was close to 190 and at 5-9 that's too much. No health club handy here in Chile, but we now walk an hour a day, at least five days a week. We feel much healthier for it.

In Africa, there is a gene which causes steatopygia, which literally means fat butt. Until the nineteenth century, this gene was evolutionarily favored, since it allowed its bearer to draw on a fat supply to survive famine. I believe it is sex-linked, since it seems to be limited to women. The gene also allows its bearer to store fat in the butt in times of plenty. Unfortunately, when slaves came to this hemisphere, many bore the gene and cannot remain thin behind when there is plenty to eat. White people and latinos do not have the steatopygia gene and tend to put on their fat in the gut and around the waist and are unable to draw on that fat as well in time of shortage.

whats portions have to do with u vacuuming them up without taking a breath?

ban happy meals they make me sad

Mom of Four,

I would have to say that portion sizes in Europe are not universally smaller than they are in the Unites States. Neither would I claim that their food is always healthy (although it is less factory made processed junk). But you are correct in saying that soda is not served on an unending tap. I have had quite a bit of experience in many European countries.

The reason that Europeans are much more healthy than Americans is that they are very active! They don't sit around watching 6 hours of TV a day, they don't drive everywhere, they have more leisure time and use it to do physical activity, etc.

You could eat 5,000 calories a day if you were sufficiently active (and probably not too old). Many Americans are so inactive that it is no wonder there are fat people everywhere.

Joshua, I also think national malaise and depression has a lot to do with it. People are stressed and overworked, both of which lead to lack of sleep and high stress levels, which lead to weight gain. I think that lack of money, jobs, huge amounts of debt are also major contributors to obesity. You don't see this in the EU or China or Japan.

Personally I love the huge portions...it means I don't have to make a lunch the next day as I will have left overs:). I'd rather not pay the same amount for a smaller portion just because big Bertha at the table next to me doesn't understand she shouldn't eat the whole meal. However, if the cut the portions AND the price then I wouldn't mind...I'm thinking that wouldn't be what would happen though...

I agree. I think portion size has a lot to do with it. I don't eat at McDonalds or Taco Bell or any other so called fast food. I think it's the nastiest food on the face of the earth. To me the drive up at Chillis or Macaroni Grill is "fast food". But I can order a meal there and split it up to make two or even three, otherwise it is too much food for me all at one time.

We are currently eating twice a day, breakfast about 0900 (retired) and dinner about 1500 or 1600 (3-4). It works fine and with excercise we don't feel hungry often. I carry an energy bar or two now and then for snacking. I'm 80 and feel in good health.

Sounds like what our country needs...

As opposed to the current system where we subsidize the hell out of corn to make all of those disgusting processed foods super cheap and paying farmers not to use all of their land, which helps keep prices on other produce high?

Darling, the food police are already controlling what you eat unless you completely ignore costs when you're grocery shopping.

You're "absolutely right".

It's a good thing I won't be shook down by the police, because I'm not overweight, obese, or morbidly obese. In fact, I'm in the healthy range!

I guess the criminals are always afraid of the police showing up.

Who needs the food police? If we all had to bear the economic cost of the health choices that we make, then we would take more personal responsibility.

Why not rate group health insurance just like car insurance? If you are obese or smoke, you should have higher rates (this is already the case in individual policies, if you can even get them being obese or a smoker). It would not be appropriate to rate based upon non-controllable aspects (age, genetics, gender), but would certainly make sense for increased risk due to lifestyle choices.

Despite all the whining and excuses to the contrary, it comes down to calories consumed verses calories burned. Consume more than you burn and you gain weight. Burn more than you consume and you lose weight.

We all burn calories at different rates. Caloric consumption is not egalitarian. My 18 year old son can eat whatever he wants and will be thin as a rail. I have to be careful what I eat, and my wife even more so. Fair? Maybe not. Reality? Yes. So, it's up to me to either work out more or eat less if I want to maintain or lose weight. No excuses - fat is a choice and all of us pay for the costs of all those bad choices made by others.

Maybe not the food police, but I definately support personal responsibility for the increased costs due to the choice (deliberate or by indecision) to be fat.

I see where you are coming from, but you really don't want health care to be based on things like that. Before you know it you will be charged more because you live close to power lines or you live within 100 miles of a coal plant. Once you open the gates you can't close them.

...not to mention the TSA will be at the grocery entrance to do a full cavity search

Yes, and if you can read and speak proper English then you are a socialist!

Agreed. All my overweight family members and relatives put me on a guilt trip for not eating sweets and all their other disgusting foodstuffs.

Two years ago; I stepped on a scale at my Dr. office. At that time; I had the line of thinking that I was a little overweight; but not very bad. The scale read 285 pounds! I was apalled that I had allowed myself to reach almost 300 pounds before taking action.

I have since joined Curves gym; and over the last 2 years; I've lost 70 pounds and 42 inches. 30 more pounds to go; and I will be in perfect shape. (I'm still at the gym; and still trying..)

Weight loss IS possible; when YOU as an individual decide it's time.

Good for you, Trans. My doctor weighs me with all my clothes on, and I figure I have at least ten pounds of shoes, pants, shirt, wallet, watch, change, keys...etc. Then I come home and weigh myself and find out that all that stuff weighed only three pounds. A rude awakening. Most of us kid ourselves about not being overweight. I am below average in a heavily overweight society (Chile) and it is tempting to be complacent. But most of us know when we are too heavy and what to do about it.

I don't know how tall you are, but if you are, say, five-ten, 185 may be a bit thin, especially if you have put on a bit of muscle at the gym (muscle being heavier than fat). Moreover, you shouldn't let your weight get too low as you age, since you need a little reserve to fight disease. I take it the 42 inches was your waist. Waist is a good indicator; I had a 38 waist between the ages of 45 and 70, then dropped to 36 and got new pants, etc. Now, if my pants get tight, I know I have let myself go.

On the other hand, I don't know that I have ever seen a person 90 or older, in person or photo, who was fat.

Thanks; it's been a long tough road; but I'm getting there. In actuality; I am over 6 feet tall. I WANT to hit 185; but I'll be happy if I can just be under 200 pounds.

The 42 inches I lost is overall.. including hips; waist, bust, arms, thighs and tummy. I was at a size 20 women's, but now am at a size 16. I'm shooting for a size 14.

Wish me luck!

Good for you!!!!!! At least you recognized your issues and made positive decisions.

Excellent job, and may you keep it off.

Good health to you.

G

You are right. In other countries, if you are thin, you are sickly and ugly, and a child is only considered beautiful when it has rolls of fat.

Good for you for making changes for the better in your lifestyle.

Many congratulations.

I've always been a little skeptical of the 'overweight' line, as even at the peak of my fitness...tons of endurance, a body fat percentage below 5% [which is unhealthy], and muscles strong enough that I could carry a car transmission around without a problem...my 'yearly fitness evaluation' claimed that based on my height I was still 20lbs overweight.

That said, I'm too heavy for my liking now at almost 40lbs/foot [230lbs, 6' tall]; I wouldn't say fat [gravity is still my friend, I don't have rippling/sagging rolls or man-boobs or anything], but definitely far too heavy for my liking. 200lbs is about comfortable due to having a tall, broad frame; anything less and my bones start sticking out.

Taking a desk job 4 years ago didn't help, but dietary changes last year stopped the increase; I'm hoping being more vigorous about exercise will see me head back down.

I am concerned that you are too thin. I thought that a healthy weight for someone 5' tall is between 115 and 125, while 5'2" (my height) was between 120 and 140.

Google BMI (body mass index) calculator and plug in your sex, height and weight. It will tell you what a healthy weight is. At 5'4" and 115 lbs, my BMI is in the target range.

Thanks for the laugh.

Ingredients in typical grocery store foods have changed drastically over the past 20 or so years and are contributing to weight gain.

Portions have become larger as well but people are fat and malnourished at the same time.

Most Americans surveyed here eat iceberg lettuce with tons of dressing but have they ever had some kale or chard straight up? Would they know what it was if they saw it?

“Have they ever had some kale or chard straight up? Would they know what it was if they saw it?”

I’m going to say “No.” My mom is a simple woman whose idea of vegetables are an iceberg based salad and corn (I don’t even bother trying to tell her it’s a grain.) Once I tried explaining to her that my family eats a high fiber diet and she asked me what fiber is.

Once when she was eating dinner at my house, she saw my organic salad greens that come in a recyclable plastic box and made some contemptuous comment about my “fancy lettuce.” (Apparently green and not from a bag = pretentious)

Of course, I grew up in a house with unlimited access to soda, chips, snack cakes, etc. so I guess I shouldn’t be terribly surprised at this.

kash, I have the same problem. My family does not want to eat my "fancy" food. If it is not deep fried and out of a box or chip bag it is "fancy".

My mother only ate vegetables if they were creamed. She has had many health problems and she has never been obese. It's not just about weight, although that is so important, it's about all the other health issues that can arise when you eat nothing but chemicals and sugar.

A little long-winded, but completely right.

Long winded? No. Correct? Yes. Sorry, but the truth doesn't always fit on a bumper sticker, like "calories in / calories out" or the usual simplistic (not SIMPLE, SIMPLISTIC) nonsense I see posted by all the "scientists" on this site. Third Chimp actually knows what he/she is talking about, unlike almost everyone else here.

Great points Third Chimp. When I 'dieted' by eating low-fat, high complex carbs, low-fat baked goods (crackers, rice cakes, baked chips), low-fat salad dressing (which is loaded with sugar to replace the fat) - I didn't gain weight (because I was starving myself on something like 1,200 calories a day and was always hungry), but I also didn't LOSE the 20 pounds I wanted to.

When I focus on eating lean meat, lots of veggies (no potatoes), some fruit, and drink lots of water, I lose weight. People should revisit programs/books like Protein Power, the Paleo Diet, and especially The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson -- it's a great read, funny, and really explains what Carbs/Grains do to sabotage weight loss efforts. Not saying this will work for everyone, but for me, it did.

Low fat does not mean hi carb. There is such a thing as protein! If you want to look like an athlete with toned or big muscles, you eat like one. That means 1 gram of protein per lb of your body weight. If you weight 180 lbs, you eat 180 g per day divided into 5 or maybe 6 meals. It's better to do that than overeat with three big meals. If you are trying to lose weight eat much less fat and if possibly less carb calories than protein calories. Exercise does indeed burn plenty of calories. It burns calories while you're doing it and burns it an accelerated rate even several hours after you're finished. And the muscle that is built burns calories just by having it. Drink protein shakes to help you eat enough protein. Protein doesn't have that sugar down feeling that a high carb meal will get you after 2 hours.

Bravo!
Someone actually knows what they're talking about.
The Fat Hypothesis by Ancel Keys is killing hundreds of thousands if not millions annually.
Processed carbs and high fructose corn syrup are killing you.
Do you think Coca Cola and General Mills want the truth to be known?
They're no better than Philip Morris.
Next time you toss your kid a Pepsi give 'em a cigarette too.
Pathetic....The info is in your face you FF's.
Oh, and then there's the cost of health care. But...

Agree with Third Chimp. At one point I was 189 lbs which for my body type was huge. It was not until I did Atkins that I dropped weight. After induction and finally getting the desired weight I continued exercise every day and now I can eat without worry. To feel my best I eat protien and vegetables e.g. grilled chicken and spinach. It is so important once you get to your desired size or weight to exercise. I've found I can run for twenty minutes each day and that is a good minimum to keep me healthy and fit. I can eat pretty much what I want. To get there though I essentially had to train my body to expect exercise and to keep the metabolism up.

Next time you are at the store check the Low Fat option compared to the regular brand. In my experience the low fat is always higher in sugar and carbs. The low fat diet really is hurting a lot of people. I just do not get why the USDA does not see this.

I'm in Texas so some of us in the South are looking our for ourselves. Its sad though how many are not.

Third, you are correct about the carbs. I have never been overweight in my life and I attribute it to one thing. I'm a picky eater. I don't like ice cream, cake icing, doughnuts, surgery sodas, candy bars etc.. They are all too sweet to me. I also don't eat anything that is low fat or fat free because they usually have more sugar. I like the taste of real sour cream and buttermilk ranch. I just don't use half the carton or bottle as a serving. There are two simple things to do to keep you from gaining weight: Sugar control and portion control.

Some of the posters here would enjoy reading "The Journals of Lewis and Clark." You can find DeVoto's one volume version in almost any bookstore (the total journals are eight volumes). The gentlemen walked across half of North America, beginning in 1804, living almost exclusively on meat (often raw) and fish. When they had veggies they were wild, and fruits as well. Try eating a raw bufffalo heart some time. Of course, they had probably the most physically stressful trip anyone ever made. They kept daily diaries, as well. However, not all their stress was physical; they had to meet and negotiate with hostile indians, plan how to cross the Rocky Mountains, ford rivers, and a host of other things that today we would not even consider.

I agree Matt. Parenting isn't always easy and we have to make tough decisions for our kids, but that is the way it goes. I feel it is an abuse in itself to feed children such a poor diet that they are overweight as children, setting them up for a lifetime of difficulties. I don't mean kids w/genuine health issues or that kids shouldn't eat snacks...children need to learn boundaries and that it is a good feeling to eat healthy foods.

@Noone:

Back when Matt and I were kids, it was nearly impossible to be a fat kid...you had to try to gain weight like that. You went outside, you played, you ran around, you biked to the friend's house up the street or over to the store. Nowadays my brother comes home from school, flops on the couch, and doesn't move anything but his thumbs unless he's getting dinner, performing bodily functions, or going to bed. 16 years old, 6 inches shorter, and weighs at least as much as I do.

While we had video games back then [I consider myself a lifelong gamer], while we had other things to do to keep us indoors during rotten weather, they weren't the first, last, and only form of entertainment....and we had an upbringing where going outside and running around was what kids did.

Today's kids are expected to do everything on their own devices; without parents running, playing, and otherwise laying the foundations for an active lifestyle during the formative years. If all a kid learns to do is plop in front of the TV and fress chips during the years before their personality develops, then that's all they'll do when their personality does develop.

It's why, when I get around to having kids, I'm going to have one simple rule for electronics/games/etc: The children are forbidden from using them until after dark unless the weather is foul.

@Fox, the rule in my house is no electronics on school days (except if the work requires the PC), though they know I use the PC when they are at school, that is the only exception (as do they and dad at work). No tv, no video games, ipod, etc for the whole family ... We lead by example for them. People have asked us what we DO if we don't watch tv or play video games at night...haha, well, there are plenty of other fun things to do! =)

We eat as a family almost every single night, even if that means it is late because the kids have activities or dad had to work late...and we eat a homecooked meal. We eat out maybe 2 times a month, my kids cannot stand fast food or most 'junk'. They do like snacks, like any kid, but they understand the value of eating healthy...carrots make them feel great, cookies are a short term rush, etc.

We are not perfect parents, by any means, but we do try to keep things more basic and I think you hit the nail on the head in terms of kids being left to their own devices.

We seem to have become a quick fix society and in raising kids, most quick fixes don't have the best long term results.

You have the right attitude about parenting...one day I suspect you will make a great parent!

@ Noone:

Sounds like you're a step ahead of even where I want to be when I hit that point in my life. I'm a techie by both hobby and profession, so I wouldn't be able to go that far...though I could care less about TV; most of it's junk.

Regardless...I'll have to find a new spine first if I'm going to be the parent my father was. He never had to raise a hand, and hardly ever raised his voice...from day one he made it clear that he made the rules, and once you had an answer that answer wasn't changing...yet always took the time to explain why if asked. With him it was a respect thing, not an authority thing.

The best example in memory is the stovetop. We had an electric range at the time, and when asked why not to touch it (as the elements had stopped glowing) explained that it's still hot for a while even after it stops glowing, showed me how to check for heat. I was six at the time, and it took 20 years and a poorly-adjusted pilot light for me to burn myself on a stovetop.

@Fox, sounds like your dad is a top notch individual!

My spouse is in the tech field and loves to play video games w/my kids, so I know what you mean. All I can say is once you do venture down the path to parenthood, whatever you decide are 'the rules' will be easier to follow when you have that little one looking up to you, given the example your dad already laid out. =)

A few years ago, an article described a survey by pediatricians who asked parents what they thought of their children's weight, ages 3 to 8 or 10. They found that most parents of children that a pediatrician gauged as 5-10 pounds overweight (this in a kid of 60 pounds) felt that their child was "about right." Of course, fat parents were more complacent about the weight of their small children. We see this in Chile daily; just ride a bus or the Metro.

You bring up an interesting point, in that as a society that went through the great depression, our grandparents and those before had it drilled into them to be thankful for their food and clean their plate. Now that food is no longer scare and we can eat on demand, perhaps this mentality that was once benificial, is now a part of the reason for the growing number of fat people in the country.

I've never heard Sara Palin say or recommend eating dessert at every meal. Of course you probably think she said she could see Russia from Alaska (Sat Night Live skit).

You are amazing! Congratulations for having the intestinal fortitude to even contemplate such an event.

Thanks to you and others for your support.

Please keep in mind too that for some people obesity is an eating disorder equal to in severity to anorexia and bulimia.

My wish and hope for all is that we can conquer ALL forms of dietary disorders and learn acceptance and compassion for one and all.

Happy New Year.

G...greetings and kudos from a transplanted "Maine-ah"...good luck with the tri!

Good for you, Critical, though I would think it would be spelled "omnivore."

We eat twice a day and nothing in between. With a little training and proper excercise, you get used to eating less and staying healthy. At 80, I no longer run, but I do walk an hour a day and feel better for it.

Though what constitutes 'fat' has definitely gone from big to huge since I was a kid, The weight-vs-height charts are only right for a perfectly average frame; if bone density, muscle density, or breadth are either higher or lower than 'average', those charts will be wrong.

How do I know? I'm one of them. According to BMI, I'm not 'skinny' until 135lbs...yet at 150lbs, my body fat index was near-zero. Barely an ounce of fat on me, my fitness a danger to my own health, and BMI says I still had weight to lose.

BFI is a much more accurate measure. For males, highly fit is a body fat index of 6-12%; anything below 17-18% is normal.

Ahhhhh...strolling through the mall in a pair of streched-to-bursting sized 52 inch waist pajama bottoms...corndog and Cinnabon in one hand, a 48oz soda in the other...with the wife, grandma, and 3 kids who are all outfitted and snacking exactly the same way!!!

Oh and it ain't fat...it's FLUFFY!

Just more food for the zombies when they invade. At least my family and I are fit enough and in good enough shape to outrun the horde.

Agreed - I got "mocked" by a girl who asked my boyfriend and another guy "wouldn't you rather have a girl with a little bit extra and some b**bs or a skinny girl (pointing to me) without any." They both picked me and she skulked away.

What got me was her "little bit extra" comment. I am a 5'6'' 110 pound runner with b**bs that I think would make me look like a hooker if they were any bigger. This girl was around 5'5'' and topping 175. There is nothing little bit extra about her. This girl was clearly in denial of her size as it seems most Americans are.

Taylor, I'll take a skinny in-shape girl any day! I like b**bs just as much as the next guy, but huge fatty ones just gross me out. I'm sure yours are just fine how they are ;)

I'm with you there, Taylor! I'm 5'4" and about 130 lbs -- not skinny, not fat -- I wear a size 5-7 depending on the brand. I have curves, and I mean real curves not the "I'm fat and justifying it by saying I'm curvy" curves.

I was recently mocked by a much larger girl about how guys want a girl with "large t!ts" and I was too skinny (keep in mind, I'm a D cup, I'm not tiny there). This girl was 5'8" and I'm guessing about 240 lbs -- probably fit into an F cup easily. Sure, her b00bs were huge, but so was the rest of her and it was hard to distinguish actual boob from fat roll until she put on 3 girdles. I'm not always certain about the male mind, but what do you think a normal man would really want??

@Torchy:

I can't speak for every man, but I think what I look for is a pretty average definition of beauty, without buying into the skeletal image: I want a girl that I can hold without being jabbed by bone [but can still feel said bone if I squeeze hard enough], whose figure curves the right direction in all the right places, and whose chest will be fun to play with without stretching to her bellybutton by the time she's 35.

I don't mind a little give for rubbing, but if something other than her b**bs jiggles when swatted [some leeway can be given for butts, but I prefer firm to jutting fjords], it's a pocket of fat. Rolls are a type of bread, not a mark of beauty!

Sorry K-Man, the zombies are after the brains, not the fat. The zombies will end up starving to death.

The other bonus being that it's alot easier to outrun a fat zombie.

I hear you Torchy.....am 5'7, male, and weigh 126lbs. thin? yes....skinny? depends I guess. I walk to and from work everyday - total 6 miles.

At the same time I guess I'm lucky - I eat anything - stay away from anything that says low calorie.

At the age of 50, not a bad thing

It is also a matter of people eating large, but empty dishes with no nutritional value. When a meal is nutritionally dense we feel satisfied, not hungry for more...

Right on...good point about food quality!

...and I don't think enough kids even experience quality foods to know the difference between yummy healthy food and processed food. My oldest child has a friend who always eats before he comes to our house saying he just cannot stand all that health food we eat. We have snacks just like other people (trying to teach the kids moderation and that you can buy a bag of chips and have just a few and put them away), but I cook from scratch, all but 1 or 2 days a month, very little meat, mostly whole grains, veggies, and fruits...damn that health food. ;-) But this kid had never eaten raw veggies before he came to our house...EVER.

Nail on the head. We no longer eat food, as food is expensive and unprofitable. We now eat 'Fewd!-brand genuine imitation pasteurized process high fructose food-type product', new from Dupont and 10/$10 with coupon!

Well said to you both. I noticed that when I started eating home cooked foods, I naturally ate less because of the higher nutrition content and the fact that the additives that stimulate appetite weren't in there.

I've seen studies that suggest that a significant portion of the diabetes and obesity epidemic, both in the US and abroad, is largely due to high fructose corn syrup and other additives and preservatives in our food. It's easy to call fat people lazy, but when is the government going to step up to the food industry to stop adding ingredients know to be deleterious to the metabolism and which have also been show to stimulate the brain's center that controls appetite? Lemme guess, Archer Daniels Midland does NOT want the local family farmer who uses natural farming methods to cut in on their action and billion dollar profits.

Did your doctor tell you what fats to avoid?

not very good advice unless it only applies to processed foods. Many nuts, avocados and other healthy foods have more than 30% fat calories. Then again...the majority of doctors have absolutely no formal nutrition education.

The healthiest meals take the least amount of time to prepare.