Teach the children to love salads, then let them eat 100 pounds of it if they want. They poop it out and it keeps them feeling full alot longer. It's actually recommended in the book "Born to Run" by a woman who had breast cancer. After the mastectomy, she went back to school and became a nutritional therapist. She recommends having a salad for breakfast.

And if running hurts your feet/knees/ankles/hips, get a bike and ride.

Way to go Levi!! We need more people who think like you!!

The truth of the matter is its in the food, chemicals fed to livestock fatten up the animal and you eat the animal consuming the same chemicals. its not always how much or what you eat its what someone did to that food before it got to you. young girls are showing maturity early in years for the same reason watch what you eat and know where it was raised and Vegetables are the items to fill up on, but watch those dips and dressing's nuts are good but only in small portions, grains can be fattening to, rice goes a long way, I fast once a week if you cant handle going hungry eat celery and a salad with Iceberg lettuce and a vinegarett, sweeten it up with a little bee pollen honey. where there's a will there's a way. lots of fruit and raw vegetables easy on the nuts and grains, sparing on the meat. you dont need a doctor only self control.

The young today are fat and overweight because they spend to much time indoors playing video games and watching TV. What happened to playing outdoors, building forts, playing baseball, football, or riding bikes?? You couldn't keep me indoors when I was a kid.. No chores like I had either and most are just plain Lazy.....

They see the McDonald's and Burger King commercials and think how good this total crap food tastes and can't wait to stuff it down their throats.

Another issue is eating healthy costs alot more money than just burgers and fries, it is truely sad that my generation will outlive their own kids.

actually the secret to eating healthy is to eat in moderation. its not expensive to eat healthy but it does require to walk away from a tgable with food still on it

And if running hurts your feet/knees/ankles/hips, get a bike and ride.

Sometimes riding a bike is hard on the knees too, swimming is a good option.

They see the McDonald's and Burger King commercials and think how good this total crap food tastes

You're right. I don't have the data at my finger tips but there have been studies on the addictive nature of the fats and sugars in junk food.

Humans are naturally addicted to sugars, fats and salts..That's why dieting can be so difficult. McDonald's meals are designed to feed into all of those addictions at the same time. Greasy, salty burgers and fries washed down with a shake or Coke.

It sounds like this girl was sabotage by the prominent adults around her. First her parent(s) who allowed her to eat herself to obesity then that damn doctor who seemed to be more focused on selling her weight loss surgery than examining less invasive options even to the point of discouraging her to loose weight through dieting and exercise. At $21,000 a pop, why would he want to risk losing that chunk of change.

then that damn doctor who seemed to be more focused on selling her weight loss surgery than examining less invasive options even to the point of discouraging her to loose weight through dieting and exercise. At $21,000 a pop, why would he want to risk losing that chunk of change.

Exactly Carolyn. I have a friend who had the surgery done, and just like the doctor said, she lost 125 pounds. HOWEVER, everyone failed to address her eating habits, and she promptly gained 150 more. What the doctors leave out, is the little detail about how our stomachs stretch to accommodate the food, and band or no band, it will happen. Now, she has what looks like 2 stomachs. gross.

People like to boil things like this down to one or two simple things: it's not enough exercise or it's this or it's that. When someone gets this overweight, the situation is obviously complex. I agree with the commenter who stated that they didn't address the counselling part enough. Granted, you probably can't force someone who is 19 years old to go to counselling. However, you could make it a condition of the surgery. What really concerns me about this girl now is her purging behavior-her vomiting after she eats. That can kill you in a hurry by getting your electrolytes and your fluid balance out of whack. Many people do not realize the seriousness of this. She may be developing a habit that will be as life threatening as obesity, if not more so; and it may kill her a lot quicker. Take this from a former anorexic/bulimic.

The practical cause for all the fat slobs in this country is that they/we eat like pigs (figuratively speaking), exercise less than any previous generation and far less than is necessary to offset our tremendous caloric intakes. Based upon my FDA- certifiable scientific analysis of the problem;

Fat, lazy or fat and lazy parenting parents will likely have fat, lazy kids.

Primary and secondary schools, which used to require one hour of physical education daily, now require little or none.

Parents, who used to raise their children, now rely on the education system, day care kennels, the street or television to raise their spawns. A good portion do even not bother to prepare breakfast or lunch for their offspring.

When people concerned with children's health (e.g. the First Lady) raise their voices in support of childhood nutrition and exercise, suddenly the nation's 'concerned parents' finally get concerned and get pissy about the government usurping parents' responsibilities without actually exercising any of their own.

The complexity of the issue is, it seems to me, getting a nation so accustomed to over-indulgence on most every level, to consider the implications of people having children who are ill-equipped to raise them whether they be too poor, too ignorant, too selfish or too lazy.

If responsible parents took responsibility for their own children, we'd have far fewer fat-assed, insecure, esteem-challenged, comfort-food-feasting, waddling, healthcare industry-loved, marshmallows destroying our infrastructure and seat cushions at Olive Garden.

FYI, I have seen this before (what I spoke of in my earlier post of someone developing bulimia after bariatric surgery.) When I was in treatment for anorexia, there was a girl there being treated for bulimia who had had bariatric surgery and had actually lost a good bit of weight, apparently. (No one could tell what she weighed because she kept herself wrapped in blankets all the time.) Her life was in serious danger because of her eating disorder.

Behavior modification is what is needed. This and a strong desire to look and feel healthy. I hurt my back and gained 70+ pounds. After getting medical care, I was able to join Weight Watcher's. A friend and I worked together to become healthy again. It took about a year to lose the pounds I gained. Two years later, I've maintained my weight. Is it easy? No! Can it be done? Yes! You have to deal with the emotional piece, the food and the exercise. You also have to pay attention and plan ahead a little once in a while.

As far as children being over weight, in my opinion it comes from poor choices within the family unit. Turn off the TV, the computer and the gaming system.....get outside and do yard work, walk the dog, wash the car, etc....cook healthy meals togeher and sit down together and eat them! If you modify your behavior and learn how to live healthy, you can do it!

Weight Watcher's is a lot cheaper than 21K too! No wonder we have the problems we have in this country. Pay 21K for something that probably will not work, with no support to increse the probability of success and raise the cost of medical insurance premimums for the rest of us.

In 2000, I was 15 years old and weighed in at 270lbs. Starting in preschool, I had been put on numerous diets and fitness plans. Here and there, my weight would yo-yo and the lowest I ever got to as a teen was 220lbs, but it slowly creeped back up no matter how little or what I ate, or how active I was.

After seeing a few family members of mine have the gastric bypass (which is quite different than what it is now) and see the results, my parents agreed to help me in my quest to get the same thing. I worked my butt off for an entire summer to pay for the airfare to fly my mom and I to Seattle, hotel expenses, and anything else that insurance didn't cover. Spent the summer going for lots of tests to make sure I could survive such a surgery and a psych evaluation to make sure I could handle it mentally.

After it was all done, I came back to AK and started high school. Within a week, I had lost over 20lbs and felt amazing. I was warned to take it easy for a month and stay on the strict liquid diet, then move to soft foods at super small portions. On top of that, I was suppose to drink protein shakes and take vitamins to supplement the nutrients that were no longer being absorbed through my digestive system. Being a dumb kid, I skipped on my shakes and such, which caused a lot of problems that I still pay for today. When my protein levels drop, my legs swell and retain up to 15lbs of water weight. Being in my late 20s now, I'm working on having my 3rd baby and the biggest problem with pregnancies is the baby takes any and all extra nutrients that I supplement with.

Even though because of my own stupidity, I have complications from the surgery, I wouldn't change the fact that I did it. If it wasn't for the surgery, I'd probably have diabetes (showed signs prior to surgery), lots of joint and back problems, social issues and even worse self image issues. My point is not every person is overweight because of lack of activity or they eat too much or the wrong thing. Some people struggle with it each and every day and work their butts off to change it, but it doesn't always work the same for everyone. I feel for the people who struggle, the people who go through the surgeries and either don't lose weight or the ones who gain it all back. I'm happy to say that after 2 babies, I was 165lbs and hope to be back to that, or maybe even a little less after this one.

Best of luck to any people out there who consider the surgery out of necessity, or have already gone through with one of them. I hope it is all you expected and more.

Please understand, I'm not against this. I'm against it not being used as a last resort, with all the supports in place to increse success. It is not fair to the person having the operation, nor to the rest of us if supports are not in place. This child should have never been a candidtate because she could not even follow the pre-op diet. Like anything else, it takes committment, hard work and more hard work to achieve success. There are no easy rides.

For me, I was terrified of having an operation, so I tried it the old fashioned way first. It worked, so I and my insurance company were spared.

The operation took about 25 minutes. Child Health Plus, a state insurance plan for low-income families, covered the $21,369 cost. Medicaid in almost every state and many private health plans now cover bariatric surgery, often more readily than diet or exercise plans.

This is an example of fraud in the system. Every organization should decide where to invest in order to combat the fraud: preventative software products or pay the penalties for committing fraud after the fact?

This girl of 17 never should have had this surgery, it's so obvious it's insane (or I am).

Pat

Please define how it is fraud. I am unsure of current gastric bypass surgery but it was around $50,000. If you mean it was fraud as you don't feel it had a chance in the first place I MIGHT side with you. The surgeon of course is going to push for the surgery vs all other options.

$21,000 compared to the cost of insulin, dialysis, knee injury, back injury reduced earning potential makes sense at a first glance. Presuming of course that the surgery is the silver bullet, which it is NOT.

As described by this story, patients need to modify behavior just like any other weight loss method. Resolving the reason(s) for eating so much in the first place would go a lot further in time than this quick fix instant gratification. Here is a reality for those considering either surgery. ASK thousands of questions. Speak to people in the support group who are post-op at all stages from week 1 through 52 weeks. Food for thought (pun intended) try eating only what you would be allowed post-op for six months and adhere to the diet 100%. You will lose the weight, learn better habits and save yourself a LOT of suffering

A word to the partners of those having surgery. Do not eat the excess food on your partners plate. You will end up needing the surgery yourself. Yes everyone feels guilty throwing out the extra food. Eat smaller portions with your partner. Not AS small but less.

JCamp, according to adoptive studies, pigging out and being lazy is not the only reason for being overweight. Adopted children mirror their birth parent's body mass, rather than their adoptive parents. This information is not new, yet I was shocked to learn it myself (university genetics class / topic of heredity).

Then think about this. All you have to do is eat 100 extra calories a day (equivalent to a large apple), and you will become obese within a few years. That's it! Just one apple a day - doing the same things you always did. Then factor in age (muscle loss), and you will become obese without doing anything different.

How does that equate to pigging out? I'd love to hear your argument.

I would totally agree that some people do have pigging out issues, but not all and probably not most. And I do think the surgery has way too much risk for any long term benefit.

But, it usually works. That's hard to argue with.

the real crime here is that this girl was 250 pounds at 17 - parents should be in jail for child neglect - the doctor is doing what is best for this morbidly obeise young lady or we can watch her die in a couple of years or become disabled

Ternan: Excellent post! We have had these "self-image experts" leading the charge over the past few decades, teaching people to AVOID DAMAGING someone's self image?

As a result of all that "self-image counseling" what do we have?

We have an entire nation of overfed, overweight, morbidly obese children who will all DIE too young... after living depressing, lonely and sick lives, in and out of doctor's office and riding in Ambulances after suffering the FIRST and LAST MASSIVE HEART ATTACK?

But hey... it isn't their fault... don't blame them or their ENABLING family members who continued to buy more and more food, taking YEARS off the lives of their children every time they go to the super market and buy more trashy food.

Blame everybody and every thing... but "don't HARM their self image?"

peace :-)

It should be a crime when parents enable or condone habits, or behaviors in their children that lead to an overweight child. Prevention is the only real answer. Teachers need to report a fat kid just like an abused one...as they are one in the same. If parents cannot prevent this they should be legally punished some how. It is a real case of child endangerment that needs legal action!

As the problem is ongoing, prevalent, and not getting any better it could be in the name of national security as we have lost an entire generation to lives of uselessness in every aspect of what it means to be a human. These huge beings cannot defend themselves, support themselves, or live independent lives. They are becoming victims of their own unhappiness and of the "loved" ones who keep feeding them and telling them it is not their fault. How is giving alcohol to minors any different than over-feeding obese minors?

I do not need a lecture on the value of all human life. If it is so valuable to everyone why is it not cared for and protected from exploitation? We protect the criminals in prison better than these "imprisoned" young people.

Prevention at all costs. For a happier, longer life for all of us.

A 19-year-old can drive and get her own food. Long before that she can take food out of the refridgerator without her parents knowing about it. If she has brothers, you can hardly expect her parents not to keep food in the house-otherwise you'd be complaining that they starved the brothers. I've been bulimic and desperate for the numbing of food, and a person who is emotionally hungry will overeat on rice or potatoes or cereal-so just keeping junk out of the house doesn't cut it. If she goes to other peoples' houses she can get food there. She can also get food at school. Unless her parents follow her around every second of every day and control every morsel that goes into her mouth (and then you would get them for being too controlling), they cannot stop her from eating too much if she is determined to do so from a fairly early age. When I was bulimic I kept a spoon in my purse so I could stop at the grocery store on the way anywhere and get "comfort food" to eat in the car. No one knew about it, and no one could stop me. I'm generally a very truthful person, but I could lie like a rug when I was in my eating disorders. I wanted to be numb, and eating and purging made me numb. It also almost killed me. Starving had the same effect (or it made me feel so lousy I didn't CARE how else I felt.) I've had people tell me that eating themselves into oblivion made them feel numb. Some people drink to feel that way.

I had a friend in high school who overate probably because of a need for love with food being a substitute. She had a horrible family situation and so on...There was nothing you could do to stop her short of following her every second of every day, even into the bathroom. And then what would you do? Yank the food out of her hand? Telling her she was fat just made her feel less loved and made her eat more. She needed major counseling, not a food cop.

Obviously, I don't know this girl's situation. I can say that what helped me and what has helped others is to find out why they eat or don't eat or purge, to find out why they want to be numb or why they feel so empty and hungry all the time when their bodies should be full. It's much harder to do that than to go on some diet or exercise program or to have surgery because you have to face things you might not want to face, but it's well worth it. And if you find that you don't actually have anything to look at, you can always do the diet or the surgery anyway...

It should be a crime when parents enable or condone habits, or behaviors in their children that lead to an overweight child. Prevention is the only real answer. Teachers need to report a fat kid just like an abused one...as they are one in the same. If parents cannot prevent this they should be legally punished some how. It is a real case of child endangerment that needs legal action!

As the problem is ongoing, prevalent, and not getting any better it could be in the name of national security as we have lost an entire generation to lives of uselessness in every aspect of what it means to be a human. These huge beings cannot defend themselves, support themselves, or live independent lives. They are becoming victims of their own unhappiness and of the "loved" ones who keep feeding them and telling them it is not their fault. How is giving alcohol to minors any different than over-feeding obese minors?

I do not need a lecture on the value of all human life. If it is so valuable to everyone why is it not cared for and protected from exploitation? We protect the criminals in prison better than these "imprisoned" young people.

Prevention at all costs. For a happier, longer life for all of us.

The parents may not know where the child is getting their food. I was overweight in school. My parents made balanced meals, didnt keep junk food in the house, we rarely went out to eat ( mainly because it was a drive to get anywhere) and yet i managed to gain weight.

Some times it is genetic. I have two daughters. one is taller and thin as a stick and eats like a horse. The other one eats less, but is shorter and thicker ( ie a mini me). They can eat the same things(though the younger eats less of it), exercise the same amount and the younger one just gains weight. She even prefers raw veggies and fruits to eat, doesnt like chocolate so much and drinks water. yet she is thicker build , and she eats the same or less then her thin sister.

you cant put all of the blame on the parents ( unless you blame their genetics) and you cant expect the parents to act like food nazi's.. my dad did and to this day my sister still hides food all over the house. Teaching healthy eating habits, making sure that kids are active.. are what is needed. Some kids will be thick no matter how littlethey eat.. stop making them feel like a failure just because you are one of the lucky ones who are thin and willowy

Sorry but unless you have had the lapband you have no room to talk. Malpractice?? The lapband is a tool, it's not a quick fix and any educated person who has researched the lapband knows that. How do I know? I lost over 200 pounds with the lapband, had 3 beautiful babies and have never once felt like I made a mistake.

Facts... 1. You can cheat if you want too.. that's up to you if you want to be successful or fail. 2. You have to have a great dr and be willing to stay (and pay) on top of your fills. 3. Without support, you are wasting your time. 4. Not everyone is banished to this life of not eating anything they want. 5. The lapband is a tool. It helps you learn how to portion your food and not to over eat. 6. Any thing worth doing is not going to be easy. Anyone with a lapband knows, it isn't easy.

I can eat whatever I want. Some things are harder than others and the only real difference is I don't eat a lot of any one thing. I don't have to take supplements or vitamins and I'm doing just fine. The best thing that the band taught me? That I'm worth losing the weight I've lost and I don't ever want to be where I was before. That is why I just drive on past McDonalds, this tool has taught me I don't need (or want) it.

I would have given a million dollars to be able to have this surgery in high school. If it's changed my life so much in 5 years as an adult, I couldn't imagine what it would have done even in just one year of High School.

Congratulations! However, there is only a small part of your post I do not agree with. If this were done in high school, I'm not so certain you would have had the success that you've experienced. Simply because at that time, you lacked the maturity to make this kind of committment. There is a reason children are still considered minors until the age of 18 and have limitations placed upon them until the age of 21.

Once again....Congratulations for working hard and achieving the success that you have achieved.

Yes, type II diabetes might be the least of her worries.

exactly right this incrediablly fat young lady is doomed ot be fat until she is willing ot make life style changes- she see's no need so more power to her. whatever just keep her off the welfare rolls i am tired of paying for other folks stupid decisions in life

Weight loss surgery is not a cure -- it is merely a tool to help you lose weight. I had bariatric surgery six months ago and can easily say it is the best decision I ever made. In these first six months I have lost 79 pounds and am losing more every single day. This young woman has mental issues regarding her eating that cannot be trumped with any surgery or procedure. Another poster on here was completely accurate: the liquid fasting before surgery is not just to clean out your system and shrink your liver, it is also to ensure that you are willing and able to stick to the dietary changes. Another person's weight is nothing to laugh about or make insensitive comments about their need to stop stuffing their faces or get off their butts and exercise. It is truly not that simple. What is simple, though, is making the decision that you are either going to help yourself or you are not. This young woman has not yet made the decision that she is going to help herself. She is relying on the procedure to magically make her thin. Until she realizes that it is entirely up to her and weight loss surgery is only a tool to help her get there, she will continue to suffer the effects and ridicule of obesity.

This young woman is still a child with her body and brain still growing. I too agree there has to be some mental issues or just lack of maturity. I'm glad the surgery is working for you. I think she was way too young and the doctor set her up to fail and guess what, she did. A surgery that was mostly paid for by others should have been spent on a more successful story. If she wanted this to work, she would have spent money on the gym (she says she couldn't afford) but we all know she was at the dunkin doughnuts and restaurant below her apt spending money.

Avoid the frozen foods, except for the frozen veggies and fruits. They can help make a quick, healthy meal on a busy night. Stir-fired vegetables, with whatever meat you prefer used sparingly (or no meat at all) are quick, tasty, nutritious, and low-cal.

quit with avoiding this or avoiding that - the only thing you need to do is show moderation when eating its not a crime to actually leave a table with food still on it

You mentioned not having meat. Beans or legumes are fine but you must have 20-30 g of protein at every meal. Not only for nutritions sake but it helps you feel full longer.

Don't know where you got that info, but protein requirements are determined by your current weight, so they're not the same for everyone. You need .35 gms protein per lb. of body weight (if I recall correctly). Per day. It's not necessary to divide it evenly between meals. Yes it does help feel full, as do whole grains. Great book to read about food is Food for Life by Neal Barnard, MD.

Agreed you need protein, and it is more filling. But as you said, it can be obtained from other sources. I can generally find a bag of stir-fry vegetable with beans or peas, or they can easily be bought separately and added. That said, I generally use chicken or steak. Combining it with so many vegetable is a good way to stretch a small but adequate serving of meat and make it a large enough meal to be satisfying.

And many are much too liberal with their serving sizes of meat. The size of a deck of cards - that's a serving. All restaurant portions are at least twice that. Even steaks bought in the grocery store often exceed it, but most families seem to think each individual at the table needs a 10-oz steak. Most of us don't need nearly as much meat as we think we do.

Only in America do we eat so much meat. Dried beans of all varities are good, with NO meat. Meat (beef) is a treat. Fruits and veggies and several small meals are good.

Almost forgot salmon is wonderful for us.

Exactly, I'm mostly vegetarian ( even more so after watching the Meat Video...youtube it, but only if you have a strong stomach and are willing to shut it off...), the comments after it about "But we need meat!" are completely false! Probably billions of people around the world get most of their protein from legumes, nuts and other sources.

Guys, no offense, but after the first 20 suggestions and do's and don't's, my eyes start to glaze over; and I start thinking, "This is too hard." It makes me want to give up on any kind of program. (That's because I've had programs shoved at me until I could scream!) I don't think I'm alone in feeling that way. I'm for the moderation thing. My nutritionist told me that no foods should be forbidden; however, I had to really eat them-that is, I had to put them in my mouth and really taste and experience them with all their texture and taste. It should take me a minute to eat a Hershey's kiss as I slowly let it melt on my tongue and make it a completely sensual experience. She told me to eat what I wanted and to stop when I was satisfied. I had to get in touch with that "satisfied," or just-full feeling to be able to do that. I was never to eat until overfull. Believe me, I got tired of chocolate or cookies or whatever after a while and I wanted veggies-a LOT of veggies!

Everyone should do as their doctor recommends, but my nutritionist's advice has worked for me. (No, she was not against meat or sugar. She didn't even tell me to eat low carbs, just to eat more complex carbs. I do try to keep it closer to natural-i.e., butter as opposed to margarine; orange juice as opposed to some substitute with artificial sweetener; real pasta-usually whole wheat-as opposed to some low carb concoction with who knows what in it!) I studied human physiology in college-in fact, it was a class that gave med school credit if you got an A or a B-and I know what sugar and carbs do in the body. The trick was getting in touch with my body's cues. BTW, my BMI is fine today.

MusicGirl23

I just watched the "meat videos" on youtube. I still love my meat and wish I had the tools the plants to for pulling cow hide. I have seen the big plants and the tool they use can pull all the skin from a cow in less than a few seconds. Having that would make cleaning deer so much easier.

Just a little background on those videos. They took the worst of the worst and called it the norm. In the videos they gave stats that are not true. Quite a few of the slaughter of the cows in the videos were done at Kosher plants. They used the Kosher video because it is far more graphic than standard slaughter plants. Best way to tell if its a Kosher plant, if when a cow is being slaughtered there are no more than one or two cows in the picture and if there is no more than one or two workers.

A heads up. Most all plants(cow, pig, chicken, fish, turkey, goat) have state or FSIS staff onsite. If anything is done that is not according to code the plant is written up and can face shutdown. Not saying they have the chance to catch all things but don't let videos like that fool you.

Just have a little background before playing into their game with videos like that.

musicgirl. we do actually need meat in our diet. we are omnivores ( please open your mouth and look at your teeth). if you do not eat meat from animals you need to supplement because the protien from meat is different than from non meat sources and is lacking ( usually B12 is suggested as a supplement) and if you go vegen or vegetarian without adequete dairy products that are supplemented with Vitamen D you need to add that as well. We are built to eat meat, grains, fruit, vegetables.. everything that is edible. Our body needs us to eat that way because even if we can do without one group and survive, it is just survival. protein fills us up, gives us the nutrients we need to burn more fat by creating more muscles. without an adequate supply, you may lose weight but you lose muscle and the fat burning bonus from it.

Troy, walk a mile in someone's shoes first. I tried EVERYTHING to lose wight (including all your subtle suggestions) with absolutely no success....actually more often I would GAIN weight from the muscle mass I would gain running, yoga, etc with my huge poundage....like doing aerobics with 180lb weights, makes you build huge muscles real fast. I had the surgery 2 years ago and weight loss is now effortless. I gain 5 -10 lbs...hit the gym for a week and its gone. My poor 15 yr old daughter now has to deal with the same issues I had. She eats a nearly perfect diet, plays high school sports and yet still weights 215 at 5' ft 6". Obviously there are some people in their situation because of their lifestyle issues but its not a one size fits all cause & effect .....or solution.

I'd love to be a fly on your wall. While I am fully aware that genetics plays a big role, there are always things we can do to be healthier. But, your point is taken.

I understand, Pine Walker, because I struggle with my weight, too, despite watching what I eat and excercising pretty vigorously. I also tend to put on muscle when I exercise - my dad's family are all naturally muscular, even when they don't exercise, and I inherited that. But, even before your surgery, if you put on muscle when you exercised, it was still healthier than not exercising.

Pine, I have that same problem. I would like to lose some weight, but no matter what kind of exercise I do, I bulk up instead of slimming down. I don't want to look like a bodybuilder! I think it's extremely unattractive, especially on women (like me). So if I want to lose weight and not look like a freak, I need to rely solely on diet, and it's really hard to lose weight with diet alone.

I like being strong, but I often wish I didn't have so much muscle on me. It's not very feminine, and I hate my "steel tree trunk" legs. I want to wear knee-high boots, but my legs are too big, and there's not an ounce of fat on them. You can't really trim muscle. I feel like a freak. :(

I hear ya, Megidolaon. Even before I started participating in sports, I had huge calves and quads, even when I was underweight. Men have even remarked that they wish they had calves as muscular as mine. Now that I work out a lot, boots pinch, if they fit at all - some don't even come close. I don't mind the muscle in my upper body so much, but the amount in my lower body makes buying clothes difficult - if they fit my hips, they're too tight on my thighs. I don't think muscles are unattractive, really, but clothing designers don't account for them.

But, I like the way working out makes me feel, and if I don't, I pretty much have to starve myself just to maintain, and I get really grumpy when I'm hungry all the time. So, what can you do?

Meg, most woman who strength train with weights do not use 180 pound weights, UNLESS they are trying to bodybuild! Anyone would bulk up using that much weight . Have you tried pilates or yoga? It's great strength training and a wonderful way to achieve long, lean muscle without bulk.

Pine Walker, why would you do aerobics using weights? Why not just the aerobics, walking (while swinging your arms)?

Not sure, but maybe s/he means that, due to his/her own body weight, the aerobic exercises were also a form of weight-lifting that caused an increase in muscle mass. Holding a yoga pose or doing lunges in an aerobics class would use more muscle for an overweight person than for a slim one.

Maritza - I've done yoga for years, though I do it more for stretching and spiritual reasons than fitness. I have severe arthritis in my spine, so I can't do anything high-impact anymore. My legs have retained their crazy muscle bulk, though. I used to do tons of dancing, but I never did any strength training. My legs have always been really muscular. I guess it's just how I'm built.

I've never done pilates. I'll have to see if there are any classes. It seems similar to yoga, but appears to be more active and have more cardio, so hopefully that will help. I really want to keep yoga spiritual, so I don't want to mix it up with fitness, you know? But pilates for fitness I can try.

Thanks!

the 180lbs is the persons weight. i am overweight but my legs have always been pretty tight and muscular because it is like carrying a backpack(and front pack) of weight around every day. You have to build up decent muscles or you wouldnt be able to move at all. That is why any time i see a large person in one of those scooters it makes my heart cry a bit because unless you seriously cant walk at all.. sitting in those things makes you weaker every day.

Meg, you can look in a plus size store for shoes and they have boots that come in the wider calf variety. They usually start around size 7 ( which sadly is too big for me so i cant get knee high boots, though i can get some really cute kids ankle boots ). This would also help if you needed thigh highs for something, they carry them in the plus size and if your legs are thicker ( even if the rest of you isnt) then these might fit you better.

Tseripa - I have actually done that (looked in plus-size establishments for wide-calf boots - Torrid.com is a great site for them!), and I have found some great boots! But Torrid has moved away from "funky" clothes and shoes (my style) and moved towards more "mainstream" stuff, so they don't have a lot in the way of boots anymore (at least in seasons other than winter). I just wish I had a wider (pun not intended) selection, because I'm kind of a fashion whore and want boots for every outfit! :D

so your still overwieght is the message your sending because you have yet to learn moderation in your life- sucks ot be you

If I am correct GBP refers to gastic bypass. There is a monumental difference between bypass and gastric band.

rac...there is not a one size fits all solution to this problem.....nor is the problem itself a one size fits all cause & effect. The surgery was absolutely successful for me. Sometimes, people overindulge and are lazy and sometimes people's gene's tell them they will be a certain weight just like their hair color or height. Can you oversome your genes? absolutely, but sometimes it takes a bit of help. When the scale starts to go the wrong way for me now, it takes very little extra effort to regain my ideal weight....that is the result of SURGERY and not my efforts or nature's.

that includes things like "whole grains" Which, btw, are no different than eating a Snickers Bar.

Seriously? I have never heard that. Gonna have to go do some research on that little detail, because if it's true, then people need to be aware of it, especially since whole grains are pushed at us as a necessary dietary ingredient.

Most spend a fortune on fast foods. It's cheaper to fix a proper meal than it is to eat that junk but there again to a lot of Americans now days they think that "fixing" a meal means a tv dinner, frozen pizza.

Stop feeding your kids sugar and carbohydrates and yes that includes things like "whole grains" Which, btw, are no different than eating a Snickers Bar.

This guy obviously never took human physiology or nutrition. I have no idea where he is getting his info unless he is trying to make a distiction between the label "whole grains," which means essentially nothing and the label "100% whole grains," which actually means true whole grains. The nuts in the Snickers Bar alone would make a difference in the nutritional value. The nuts keep the Snickers from being all carbohydrate and, in fact, add a measure of healthy fat. Aside from that, 100% whole grains tend to be digested more slowly than simple carbs like the sugar in the Snickers Bar because most 100% whole grains contain a measure of fiber, which naturally slows down digestion and helps you feel full longer. The 100% whole grains also keep your blood sugar from rising as fast and crashing down as hard as the simple sugars in the Snickers. It is true that the nuts in the Snickers would also add some fiber and could help attenuate the blood sugar rise as well. Some of the effects might be similar due to the nuts, but 100% whole grains are quite different from a Snickers bar. Something with the label "whole grain" probably is not a lot different.

Actually, I am a biochemist. Furthermore, there is nothing whole about whole grains. If you were to eat whole grains, the would simply come out the other end....whole. Whole grains must be ground and therefore refined for consumption. Which, in turn, jack your blood sugars levels through the roof.

the girl had no interest in lsing weight - just not something that is important to her at this point so lets quit wasdting time and energy on her. She is morbidly obese - the problem solves itself in a few years and saves the healtcare system a few hundred thousand trying to care for someone that destroyed their own body

poshyjoshy: congratulations on your success and your common sense approach - lord it is truly refreshing to hear from a intelligent person occassionally in here.

You said quite a lot. It didn't have much to do with this girl, but you said a lot. You hate unions and you think you work harder than most people. Oh, the word is "lose" and not loose. You go ahead and have no sympathy for others and that is your choice. Hopefully you will always be perfect and need no help from anyone. If you ever find you aren't and you do need help....well, I hope someone shows you some sympathy. Cool beans on how amazing you are.

obesity is a choice - no one is born fat - yes some folks have medical conditions but lamost eveyone of those is treatable.

But, but, it's so haaaard to do! I don't wannnnnna do all that stuff! Hey, the new Jersey Shore is coming on after the next two hours of reruns! Get some snacks and let's watch tv!

The real elephants in the room...

I had to laugh. :)

There are no bad foods. Overeating and lack of exercise are what cause obesity. You obviously are a socialist since you have the notion of imposing huge taxes on bad foods. Who gets to decide which foods are bad? I detest anyone who wants to strip away one more right and freedom of choice that Americans are entitled to under the US Constitution. By the way, apples metabolize as glucose (aka sugar) in the body, so come again with your fat and sugar line. By the way there are good fats called monounsaturated fats, like those found in olives.

lord it is always someone or something elses fault - do you folks never take responsibility for your own stupid decdisions in life? your fat because you eat like a pig and you eat all the wrong foods - no one has a weapon to your head making you eat that @!$%#

Yes, apples *ARE* bad for you. You should never, ever eat fruits in which you eat the skin. That's the quickest way to cancer. Try as hard as you can, but you will NEVER be able to wash off all those layers of caked-on pesticides.

Go certified organic...much better.

I would not take your advice, and I hope no one else does either. You do realize that you need a certain amount of carbohydrates for proper kidney function. Otherwise you can end up in a state of ketosis which is deadly; that is why you ran to the restroom so much -- very dangerous and you were lucky. See my post 17.2 above. Do not overeat and get plenty of exercise to keep the weight off.

It's the carbs that will kill you, and as Americans we get way too many of them. Nothing works better to keep your ass fat.

There are no essential carbohydrates, like there are essential proteins and fats. The Inuit lived exclusively on protein and fat, and an explorer who visited them came back to "civilization" and lived on the same diet on his own, with no ill effects. Ketosis isn't deadly. It's a natural process in your body. Ketoacidosis in diabetics, which is a totally different process, is a symptom of a deadly problem. You're getting the two mixed up.

They just taste so much better.

Sithmaith, you are dead wrong. Ketosis is deadly because it damages the kidneys, and I am not getting the two mixed up. Ketosis is when the body has no glucose for energy and the body starts using muscle protein for energy. As a result the kidneys are having to process and discard protein which strains the kidneys, ie, kidney failure if the state of ketosis goes on for too long.

It's important to remember that there are both simple and complex carbs. You do need to have complex carbs. The brain can not burn fat or protein only carbs.

I thank you for such a simplified way of controlling your diet. My step daughter is a beautiful active outgoing 13 year old. She is so short that as an eighth grader she is as tall as the 4th graders. Since I met her she has always been overweight. At three it was almost cute but now it is a cross she bears. I have tried everything. Diets, food restrictions, excersise programs, portion control but have been unsuccessful in helping her. I constantly worry about helping her to be a healthy weight without hurting her self esteem. As a footnote both parents have a history of being obese children. The mother is 5 foot tall and overweight. Father has history of being overweight and is moderately overweight now. Your article was helpful...thank you. I would like to mention to those of you that have never been overweight and think it is just lazy obviously do not understand. Overweight people already deal with cruelty and abuse and prejudgment. Your articles that are so critical are just what they are used to. Nothing you can say to them will be any worse than what they think of themselves when they look in the mirror. I am looking for suggestions that we have not tried. We have counted carbs....portion control .....no sweets.... no pop....no snack foods except fresh fruit and veggies....plenty of water. Excersise programs ....obstacle courses...with little or no results. I need help to help her without jepordizing her self esteem

Get her to see an endocrinologist, especially as she is short...there MAY be some issues going on, like thyroid, pituitary etc.

Boomer, hilarious dude!

And Mom I need more brothers and sisters so we can apply for more food-stamps and get a really big TV.

This teenager admitted in a post-op appointment that she didn't know how to eat in moderation. In my mind, if she couldn't eat in moderation or follow a restricted diet before surgery, she isn't likely to after surgery.

Despite her doctor's concerns about her health if she remained obese, she seems to have issues related to food and her obesity is just a symptom of other problems. Of course, obesity can lead to other physical health issues, but first she has to learn how to deal with food. It sounds like she didn't make any improvement on that front either before or after surgery.

My husband has tried unsuccessfully for years to get healthier and lose weight for good. He might have finally found the motivation to do so. I am willing to support him and let him take the neccessary steps, but I can't make him not over eat or sneak food. If adults that know better have trouble with obesity, then I wonder why a doctor thinks that teenagers can beat obesity without the proper preparation and mentality to do so.

I would consider making sure I stay under 1200 calories a day and exercising 7 days a week pretty hard. Most thin people don't live my life style. I lost over a hundred pounds 3 times in my life at 13, 18, and 30. After a few months of maintence I gained it all back. Less than 5% of people who loose 100 pounds keep the weight off for good. This time I've lost 130 pounds and I know I can keep it off.

honk, i did the same thing. I could recommend a great product that really ups the metabolism and kills appetite. does this sound like spam? im not, the brand name is not so important, the key ingredient is geranium. the brand i use is oxyelite pro, but there are many other brands at gnc, i just can't think of any others right now, just google it. its really powerful stuff, i almost threw up the first time i took it, but then got used to it. gives you energy like crazy.

Fat kids were bullied and ridiculed until they stopped eating like PIGS and NO ONE ever committed suicide as a result of "emotional abuse".

What makes you so sure these people never committed suicide? Did you follow all of them for years afterward? For some people it doesn't catch up to them until years later, and THEN they become depressed and commit suicide. There is a suicide epidemic in this country, but you are so positive that no one ever committed suicide because of "emotional abuse." I've been around quite a few people who were suicidal due to emotional abuse. I'm not saying all of them do it because of being teased for their weight, but maybe you should reconsider your stance about emotional abuse. It sounds like you were one of the bullies.

I was wondering if the know it all has a degree in phys. Ed. or some sort of knowledge rather than just opinion. Maybe the loathing expressed comes from once being one of those "rare" fat kids from back in the day? Also how old is the know it all? I'm one of the kids that got picked on all thru school for being tall and super skinny. Was thin way in to adulthood too. At probably 44 the metabolism started to slow down. Had a disabling injury at 48. Now 51 and about 30lbs. overweight, just can't tell it as much on me because of height. Never thought I could get overweight until now. Heck in the past try as I might could not gain. Now I know that as we age we can end up gaining even if we once were so skinny we could, (as the teasers would say) "hide behind a telephone pole". Speedy get a life!!

Palm Harbor, Florida tells it like it is and it seems there's at least a two fatties on here who like having their lardasses coddled at all costs. Gentlemen, instead of blasting Speedy for telling it like it is, how about putting that doughnut down, unhinging yourselves from your computer screen and go get some exercise? Hmm?

Wow, Jenny, so you have eyes that can see through a computer? What makes you so sure we are "fatties"? We can't be normal weight and have the opinions or real experiences we have had? I'm strongly tempted to tell you my (normal) BMI, but I think we all know what they say about assuming...

I have actually had the eating disorders of anorexia and bulimia. I was in treatment for anorexia, and I've shared that many times on here. The irony was that when I was almost dying people were constantly telling me how great I looked and asking how I lost the weight! (I wanted to answer them that I was anorexic and was almost killing myself.) That's how screwed up our society is about weight and appearance. I assure you that no one coddled me even for anorexia. They believed in the tough approach to treatment where you constantly get kicked in the pants all day long. For me it was not all that effective other than it initially made me focus my anger on following my food plan. Ultimately, however, that shaming approach made me just want to die (which is not good when you are anorexic). I later wound up in a better program.

I don't think that shaming people is the best way to get them to do anything. It may work for a while, but eventually the person can become paralyzed by the shame. People need a better motivator like doing something for a personal goal or to live to see their grandkids or for the joy of living. My daughter was a huge motivator for me in my recovery-she caught me in the act of bulimia and then learned about eating disorders in school a few days later and came home crying that I could die. I wanted to live for her before I wanted to live for me. Just telling me to eat or telling someone to put down a donut by shaming them ain't gonna cut it for most people I don't think.