Britain is overweight.

[Oddsocks]

Overweight people have got that way by consuming more calories than they have used. Simple.
.

The simplest way to describe it, when I shifted a hood lump of my excess it’s was a capt intake of 1800 cals a day spread across 5 meals, mainly sugar free in form of sweeties and goodies but replaced with healthy sugars such as fresh fruit. It was salad, steamed veg and more fast carbs less potato’s etc. and every day was a min of a 5k walk cross country with Tuesdays and Thursdays being 12.5k. The speedy loss imho come from the walking not being cancelled out by additional intake.

Taking the exercise away I reckon I could have lost the same amount of weight over a longer period based on stable macros and the calorie cap.

 

[SyR]

People say they don’t have time or fresh food is too expensive. No, they are just lazy, incompetent or both.

It is possible to cook good quality, healthy food cheaply and quickly.

Eating cheap food doesn’t make you fat. Eating more calories than you use does.

I think we also have to keep in mind that in the 50's, 60's etc there were more stay at home wives that would cook the evening meal. These days couples have less time to shop and cook proper meals as they both have careers.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I've known plenty of people who have lived healthily into their 90's and one over 100 who did not do hard exercise. Just walking for them.
It is a modern commercialised myth that the more you exercise the healthier you become and the more weight you will lose.
Running a marathon based on the distance from Marathon to Athens (26.2 miles) is even incorrect. It was originally 25 miles.
Look at the number of people who have sadly died just running half marathons who would probably have lived longer had they not.
All I'm saying is that no amount of food you eat will replenish lost energy which is naturally stored in your body by sleep.

Originally the Olympic Marathon distance in 1896 was 25 miles (40kms), it was then moved to 26 miles at the 1908 London Olympics when Queen Alexandra requested it start on the lawn of Windsor Castle and finish in front of the Royal Box at the Olympic Stadium, she then further requested it was started a bit further back in front of the children’s bedroom so they could watch the start from there, that was a further 385yds.

The random distance of 26.2 miles (the distance ran in 1908, then stuck and was then formally accepted in 1921 as the length of the modern marathon.

You’re welcome.

 

[Hobbit]

There are many fat people who don't exercise - so your statement "Exercise has never been proven to take weight off you. If it did you wouldn't find many overweight people." is inaccurate

Until age 45 my diet was as it had always been. Full of chocolate in its various forms. Lots of the wrong food, and portion sizes that were a bit on the large size. Two butty boxes + crisps + chocolate biscuits, and let’s not forget the bacon sandwich at 10am and the cake at 3pm. Weight approximately 11.5 stone.

Cue a nasty accident, and the football, cricket and golf 6 days a week came to an abrupt end for 2 years. I could play golf twice a week after that but all 36 hole competitions were also a no-no.

Weight ballooned to 17 stone. As much as I’d have loved to carry on all the sports I couldn’t. In fact it was 11 years before I could swim a length again.

For me, very little exercise meant the weight went on.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Overweight people have got that way by consuming more calories than they have used. Simple.

Exercise will not help most of them as they won’t be able to do enough exercise to burn off the calories they consume, never mind the excess they already have stored.

Are underweight people all that way because they don’t consume enough calories or as human beings are some people naturally lighter or heavier?

 

[BiMGuy]

Are underweight people all that way because they don’t consume enough calories or as human beings are some people naturally lighter or heavier?

Underweight people can be from many different things. Some may not consume enough calories, others may not process them.

I’d like to see any evidence that people get fat consuming fewer calories than they use. They would essentially be generating energy from nothing!

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Underweight people can be from many different things. Some may not consume enough calories, others may not process them.

I’d like to see any evidence that people get fat consuming fewer calories than they use. They would essentially be generating energy from nothing!

Define fat though? Is it using bmi? Exact weight for height? 1lb over these limits, 10? etc.

I agree there’s no doubting clinically obese or those who completely over eat causing weight gain, but there are also those who are naturally heavier, through muscle, medication or whatever that, that are classed as “fat”

I still think it’s more of a culture/society issue that can be fixed, but would imo take a generation or 3 to do it.

I generally don’t believe for many of the reasons listed by posters that there is a quick fix.

 

[BiMGuy]

Define fat though? Is it using bmi? Exact weight for height? 1lb over these limits, 10? etc.

I agree there’s no doubting clinically obese or those who completely over eat causing weight gain, but there are also those who are naturally heavier, through muscle, medication or whatever that, that are classed as “fat”

I still think it’s more of a culture/society issue that can be fixed, but would imo take a generation or 3 to do it.

I generally don’t believe for many of the reasons listed by posters that there is a quick fix.

There is no quick fix, you are right there.

Some people are naturally a bigger build than others. And they, like everyone else will have a calorie intake to suit them. Body builders and 18st rugby players are often used as an example as to why BMI is a poor measure. neither are particularly good for long term health due to the strain it can put on your heart and other organs. But both a probably better than being an 18 stone couch potato.
Even body builders wouldn’t get to the size they do without consuming a massive amount of calories, once your internal energy stores are gone, muscle need a lot of fuel to grow.

 

[bobmac]

Eat less, move more. (Connolly, B 1976)

 

[Foxholer]

Here are just a few of the risks of running 26 miles.
Heart damage, kidney damage, DNA damage, bone and muscle injury.
Four reasons not to run a marathon - Big Think

One guy explained to me how after having a gym workout every morning he felt he then deserved a big breakfast.
He looked at least 3 stones overweight and no wonder:
Exercise has never been proven to take weight off you. If it did you wouldn't find many overweight people.
All he was doing was burning off good quality energy produced naturally in his body by lesser quality energy from food which is an inferior supplier of energy.

If you are looking for reasons NOT to run marathons, I can provide plenty more, but those you mention are not particularly good ones for sensible participants!
Did you bother to ask why your 'one guy' was having a daily gym workout? Check the body shapes/sizes of Test level Rugby players. I'm certain nearly half of them would be considered 'overweight' too!

 

[Leftitshort]

Now for the science bit !!!

good quality energy produced naturally in his body by lesser quality energy from food which is an inferior supplier of energy.

??????

 

[HomerJSimpson]

While fast food outlets can churn out burgers and meals cheaply and still make massive profits then nothing will change. Unless going to a McDonalds, KFC or Burger King (and all the others) becomes less of an easy fix to use to feed the family (you should see the queues at our drive through KFC and McDonalds every evening) then I can understand why people choose the option. If there is a correlation between families on lower incomes and being overweight then it would explain why they can feed their kids with a value meal cheaper than cooking at home and worry about the health implications later

 

[Oddsocks]

While fast food outlets can churn out burgers and meals cheaply and still make massive profits then nothing will change. Unless going to a McDonalds, KFC or Burger King (and all the others) becomes less of an easy fix to use to feed the family (you should see the queues at our drive through KFC and McDonalds every evening) then I can understand why people choose the option. If there is a correlation between families on lower incomes and being overweight then it would explain why they can feed their kids with a value meal cheaper than cooking at home and worry about the health implications later

I was trying to find a way of wording that, you covered it perfectly.

 

[HeftyHacker]

Until age 45 my diet was as it had always been. Full of chocolate in its various forms. Lots of the wrong food, and portion sizes that were a bit on the large size. Two butty boxes + crisps + chocolate biscuits, and let’s not forget the bacon sandwich at 10am and the cake at 3pm. Weight approximately 11.5 stone.

Cue a nasty accident, and the football, cricket and golf 6 days a week came to an abrupt end for 2 years. I could play golf twice a week after that but all 36 hole competitions were also a no-no.

Weight ballooned to 17 stone. As much as I’d have loved to carry on all the sports I couldn’t. In fact it was 11 years before I could swim a length again.

For me, very little exercise meant the weight went on.

This has been the crux of it for me. I'd always been able to eat what I want and the 5 days of high intensity sport I'd do every week meant I never gained weight.

When I was into the gym I worked out my metabolic rate was around 2400 calories a day. Add on an hour of rugby or cycling and I was burning a further 900 calories.

Fast forward to a post covid lockdown world with I've a young child and my only sport being golf and my completely physiology has changed. Im the same weight but my shoulders are slimmer, arms smaller and stomach bigger, keep eating like I always have and I'll start ballooning soon i reckon.

2022s problem.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I was trying to find a way of wording that, you covered it perfectly.

I'm getting a little worried. First I hit record scores in the prediction league and now someone says I make sense. Off to lie down in a dark room

 

[SocketRocket]

While fast food outlets can churn out burgers and meals cheaply and still make massive profits then nothing will change. Unless going to a McDonalds, KFC or Burger King (and all the others) becomes less of an easy fix to use to feed the family (you should see the queues at our drive through KFC and McDonalds every evening) then I can understand why people choose the option. If there is a correlation between families on lower incomes and being overweight then it would explain why they can feed their kids with a value meal cheaper than cooking at home and worry about the health implications later

As someone who has raised three children but never bought a MickyD or any lookalikes I'm not sure of the economics. It looks as if a typical burger meal with fries and a drink would be somewhere around £4/5, a family of four would be shelling out around £20 for a meal, this doesn't seem particularly cheap to me.

 

[Oddsocks]

As someone who has raised three children but never bought a MickyD or any lookalikes I'm not sure of the economics. It looks as if a typical burger meal with fries and a drink would be somewhere around £4/5, a family of four would be shelling out around £20 for a meal, this doesn't seem particularly cheap to me.

Happy (kids) meals have generally been £3.00 and that’s with a free toy!

 

[Deleted member 16999]

As someone who has raised three children but never bought a MickyD or any lookalikes I'm not sure of the economics. It looks as if a typical burger meal with fries and a drink would be somewhere around £4/5, a family of four would be shelling out around £20 for a meal, this doesn't seem particularly cheap to me.

A kids happy meal is £2.79, contains a main item, (burger, fish fingers, veggie sticks etc). Chips, apple slices or a.n other. Drink, pop, water or milk.

Maybe enough for a kid up to about 8-9yrs old, if they’ve eaten other meals.

 

[SteveW86]

Yes that's what they try to instill in us. First time was a golf trip to Wales for 3 days, felt bad and said to my trainer and he said don't be stupid. But it's hard when you feel as though your not doing what you feel you should be doing.

Which gym have you joined Simon?

 

[SocketRocket]

A kids happy meal is £2.79, contains a main item, (burger, fish fingers, veggie sticks etc). Chips, apple slices or a.n other. Drink, pop, water or milk.

Maybe enough for a kid up to about 8-9yrs old, if they’ve eaten other meals.

Ah, OK. There's also the adult meals to add and when they're teens I expect it's not far away from what I'm suggesting.

I'm always amazed when visiting the local retail park at the number of cars queued waiting to buy from McDonalds.