You eat too much.

jofjltncb6

May, I suggest that some body fat is needed to keep warm. In the northern hemisphere it is not a good idea to be on a diet, during the coldest months of the year.

Yeah, I use this rationalization to eat more in the winter months too.

:drinker:

minizebu

Bumping to read article later.

ChristineS_51

http://www.kernelmag.com/features/report/6051/you-eat-too-much/

Most of you know this. Many of you don't. You don't get fat by eating the wrong foods or your genetics or whatever. You get fat by eating too much. End of story.

There are no magic diets. There are no evil nutrients. There are no bad foods. If you achieve and maintain a healthy body composition and exercise regularly you will have basically the best physical health you can have within a margin of maybe a couple of percent.

Take ownership of how much you eat and you will succeed. That's what MFP is all about.

This would have to be one of the best things I have read - concise and and sensible. Thanks for sharing :flowerforyou:

Cindyinpg

May, I suggest that some body fat is needed to keep warm. In the northern hemisphere it is not a good idea to be on a diet, during the coldest months of the year.

Yeah, I use this rationalization to eat more in the winter months too.

:drinker:

Ummm... How far north do you have to be? I probably qualify for sure. :drinker:

Geekyfatgirl

What?! This means I can have my mini pumpkin pie blizzard?! WHOOO!

Iwishyouwell

What I love most about this piece, and his follow up, is that he de-emotionalizes weight loss. One of the biggest blunders fat people commit is making their actual weight loss journey too emotional, relying far too heavily on how we "feel". Bodyfat absolutely does affect us psychologically in radical ways, as does anything that we allow to alter how we fundamentally see ourselves (and are seen by others).

But the business of actually shifting pounds, IMHO, needs to be done devoid from as much emotion as possible. You can sabotage yourself for years, decades even, by building your weight loss journey on a foundation of personal feeling. Set a plan, stick to that plan the majority of time, pick yourself up if you fall off, and keep going until it's gone. What do I need to eat, how much do I need to eat, and how much do I need to move to reach my personal goals is all that should matter. I think too many of us have failed because we complicated the entire process with endless emotionality.

MsPudding

And buy a sandwich for the next homeless person you see!

The tramps I come across tend to be the enormously ungrateful alcoholic types. I bought 6 cans of dog food for the last one I saw as his poor dog was obviously suffering in the cold - the tramp in question gave me an evil look, grabbed the dog food and had the bloody audacity to ask if I had any money!

fitfreakymom

And buy a sandwich for the next homeless person you see!

The tramps I come across tend to be the enormously ungrateful alcoholic types. I bought 6 cans of dog food for the last one I saw as his poor dog was obviously suffering in the cold - the tramp in question gave me an evil look, grabbed the dog food and had the bloody audacity to ask if I had any money!

I would have called the authorities on him, if they cannot look after themselves then they have no business owning a pet.

jonnythan

And buy a sandwich for the next homeless person you see!

The tramps I come across tend to be the enormously ungrateful alcoholic types. I bought 6 cans of dog food for the last one I saw as his poor dog was obviously suffering in the cold - the tramp in question gave me an evil look, grabbed the dog food and had the bloody audacity to ask if I had any money!

I would have called the authorities on him, if they cannot look after themselves then they have no business owning a pet.

Then he gets hauled off to jail, the dogs go to a shelter, and probably get put down within a month.

MysteriousMerlin

Please forgive me for sounding harsh, but bite me.

Most of us don't lead happy-go-lucky lives. It's not all sunshine and roses. So yes, I have times I over-indulge, I own that. But I also have employees acting like children and who don't want to be part of a team, I have a teacher husband who is stressed to the max with his job (AND he teaches in Illinois, one of the worst states for it), nearly $20K of emergency plumbing work this year to pay for, and a sick dog. On top of it, we've been trying to conceive for 5 years.

So yeah, I overindulge. I own it. I know it. However, I do work out on a regular basis, and I try my hardest to stick to more healthy foods. It's a daily struggle. There is no one reason why, every person here has their own unique struggle.

jonnythan

Please forgive me for sounding harsh, but bite me.

Most of us don't lead happy-go-lucky lives. It's not all sunshine and roses. So yes, I have times I over-indulge, I own that. But I also have employees acting like children and who don't want to be part of a team, I have a teacher husband who is stressed to the max with his job (AND he teaches in Illinois, one of the worst states for it), nearly $20K of emergency plumbing work this year to pay for, and a sick dog. On top of it, we've been trying to conceive for 5 years.

So yeah, I overindulge. I own it. I know it. However, I do work out on a regular basis, and I try my hardest to stick to more healthy foods. It's a daily struggle. There is no one reason why, every person here has their own unique struggle.

You don't appear to own it all that much if you get offended by someone pointing it out. The entire point is to decouple emotions from the facts.

romancefan1983

May I suggest that some body fat is needed to keep warm. In the northern hemisphere for example it is not a good idea to be on a diet, during the coldest months of the year.

I agree, it's barely into fall and I'm already freezing! But I'm gonna suffer through it and buy lots of sweaters, gloves and hats! Layers will replace the fat and I can live with that LOL :laugh:

MysteriousMerlin

Please forgive me for sounding harsh, but bite me.

Most of us don't lead happy-go-lucky lives. It's not all sunshine and roses. So yes, I have times I over-indulge, I own that. But I also have employees acting like children and who don't want to be part of a team, I have a teacher husband who is stressed to the max with his job (AND he teaches in Illinois, one of the worst states for it), nearly $20K of emergency plumbing work this year to pay for, and a sick dog. On top of it, we've been trying to conceive for 5 years.

So yeah, I overindulge. I own it. I know it. However, I do work out on a regular basis, and I try my hardest to stick to more healthy foods. It's a daily struggle. There is no one reason why, every person here has their own unique struggle.

You don't appear to own it all that much if you get offended by someone pointing it out. The entire point is to decouple emotions from the facts.

I'm offended because it's not that easy. It's not that cut and dried for most people. I myself don't overeat just because I like food. It wouldn't matter how much I exercise or watch what I eat, if I can't resolve the REASONS behind why I do so, I will continue to struggle with the problem.

My sister is a perfect example. She works out like a fiend and has a body to show for it, but let her take a week or two break from it...She's a small business owner with 5 stepkids (ALL teenagers). Her overeating and binging won't simply be resolved by exercise and diet. She's fully aware of her actions, but if she can't get to the reasons behind her binges, she's never going to be completely healthy.

jonnythan

Please forgive me for sounding harsh, but bite me.

Most of us don't lead happy-go-lucky lives. It's not all sunshine and roses. So yes, I have times I over-indulge, I own that. But I also have employees acting like children and who don't want to be part of a team, I have a teacher husband who is stressed to the max with his job (AND he teaches in Illinois, one of the worst states for it), nearly $20K of emergency plumbing work this year to pay for, and a sick dog. On top of it, we've been trying to conceive for 5 years.

So yeah, I overindulge. I own it. I know it. However, I do work out on a regular basis, and I try my hardest to stick to more healthy foods. It's a daily struggle. There is no one reason why, every person here has their own unique struggle.

You don't appear to own it all that much if you get offended by someone pointing it out. The entire point is to decouple emotions from the facts.

I'm offended because it's not that easy. It's not that cut and dried for most people. I myself don't overeat just because I like food. It wouldn't matter how much I exercise or watch what I eat, if I can't resolve the REASONS behind why I do so, I will continue to struggle with the problem.

My sister is a perfect example. She works out like a fiend and has a body to show for it, but let her take a week or two break from it...She's a small business owner with 5 stepkids (ALL teenagers). Her overeating and binging won't simply be resolved by exercise and diet. She's fully aware of her actions, but if she can't get to the reasons behind her binges, she's never going to be completely healthy.

Nobody said it was easy.

It's simple, not easy.

The entire point of the article is that no matter what list of excuses you can come up with, the reason you gain weight is because you eat too much. Pile on as many kids and mortgages and plumbing repairs and pets on top of it as you want: the bottom line is still that you eat too much.

diannethegeek

Please forgive me for sounding harsh, but bite me.

Most of us don't lead happy-go-lucky lives. It's not all sunshine and roses. So yes, I have times I over-indulge, I own that. But I also have employees acting like children and who don't want to be part of a team, I have a teacher husband who is stressed to the max with his job (AND he teaches in Illinois, one of the worst states for it), nearly $20K of emergency plumbing work this year to pay for, and a sick dog. On top of it, we've been trying to conceive for 5 years.

So yeah, I overindulge. I own it. I know it. However, I do work out on a regular basis, and I try my hardest to stick to more healthy foods. It's a daily struggle. There is no one reason why, every person here has their own unique struggle.

You don't appear to own it all that much if you get offended by someone pointing it out. The entire point is to decouple emotions from the facts.

I'm offended because it's not that easy. It's not that cut and dried for most people. I myself don't overeat just because I like food. It wouldn't matter how much I exercise or watch what I eat, if I can't resolve the REASONS behind why I do so, I will continue to struggle with the problem.

My sister is a perfect example. She works out like a fiend and has a body to show for it, but let her take a week or two break from it...She's a small business owner with 5 stepkids (ALL teenagers). Her overeating and binging won't simply be resolved by exercise and diet. She's fully aware of her actions, but if she can't get to the reasons behind her binges, she's never going to be completely healthy.

If I may, I think you're reading something into this post that isn't there. I'm also an emotional and binge eater. I needed a good therapist to help me lose the weight and I'm not finding it easy to keep off. I had to fight through a lot of emotional issues and complications to stay on this journey. But jonnythan's post is still completely accurate. Those emotional issues we all have may make it harder, they may mean we have to approach weight loss differently (by incorporating a mental health component), but they don't change the math.

If you, your sister, your aunt, your best friend, or your cousin's roommate aren't losing weight it's because they're eating more than their body burns. What they do with that information and how they approach their dieting aren't addressed by this post. Ultimately, we all have to figure that out for ourselves.

stumblinthrulife

Please forgive me for sounding harsh, but bite me.

Most of us don't lead happy-go-lucky lives. It's not all sunshine and roses. So yes, I have times I over-indulge, I own that. But I also have employees acting like children and who don't want to be part of a team, I have a teacher husband who is stressed to the max with his job (AND he teaches in Illinois, one of the worst states for it), nearly $20K of emergency plumbing work this year to pay for, and a sick dog. On top of it, we've been trying to conceive for 5 years.

So yeah, I overindulge. I own it. I know it. However, I do work out on a regular basis, and I try my hardest to stick to more healthy foods. It's a daily struggle. There is no one reason why, every person here has their own unique struggle.

You don't appear to own it all that much if you get offended by someone pointing it out. The entire point is to decouple emotions from the facts.

I'm offended because it's not that easy. It's not that cut and dried for most people. I myself don't overeat just because I like food. It wouldn't matter how much I exercise or watch what I eat, if I can't resolve the REASONS behind why I do so, I will continue to struggle with the problem.

My sister is a perfect example. She works out like a fiend and has a body to show for it, but let her take a week or two break from it...She's a small business owner with 5 stepkids (ALL teenagers). Her overeating and binging won't simply be resolved by exercise and diet. She's fully aware of her actions, but if she can't get to the reasons behind her binges, she's never going to be completely healthy.

You will never live a life without troubles. None of us do. My mother died last year. I've spent $70,000 on repairs to my house over the past five years. I just went through a hellish refinance process. My job is stressful. The point is that none of these things, nor the problems that came before them, made me fat. Eating too much made me fat.

If I'd waited until I had no problems to make changes to my diet, I would still be obese. Instead I decoupled my eating from my problems.

Life's problems aren't going away. Except the obesity problem. That is 100% under your control.

MysteriousMerlin

I am often told I am hard to understand when explaining things. I tend to leave out explanations that are clear to me, but may not come across as such to other people. I'm not putting anyone down, merely stating the reason why may not be clarifying what I'm trying to say very well.

"If you achieve and maintain a healthy body composition and exercise regularly you will have basically the best physical health you can have within a margin of maybe a couple of percent. "

This statement bothers me. You can do all the exercises and follow a strict diet, but if you don't resolve the issues behind WHY you're overeating/binging/purging/starving yourself, you're not going to be leading a HEALTHY life or be in the best physical health. Health is all of it, mind, body and soul. To me, the viewpoint of the creator of this thread is only about the physical (body) health of a person. If you can't resolve your emotions behind why you're eating 6 cupcakes in a row or exercising for hours on end to achieve an unrealistic body image, you're not "successful", no matter how good or bad your body looks.

The original post feels more like a tear-down, than a lift-up. It may be just the kick in the pants that some people need, but for me, it feels detrimental to motivation and does not inspire me.

It struck a wrong cord with me. Perhaps I should have just not have replied, as everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but it's not in my nature. The topic just felt wrong to me.

gcs173

It's an interesting concept. Basically, it sounds so easy.

And if it were, MFP probably wold not even exsist. LOL

For a other wise healthy person, this is very true. But delaing with chronic illness, (side effects from meds and pain= not being able to work out), This makes achieving those weight loss goals almost impossible at times.

I do completely agree that the root of the problem is eating too much. In general, we are a polulation that has lost touch with a real portion size...we need to rethink our eating habits in general!!

Maridar

I agree we eat too much and I also support the other point of view that until we are free of problems we'll keep finding solace the only way we know - in food. I also realize that people need to find ways to deal with issues: meditation, sleep, exercise, religion, whatever so that soul food replaces sweets and pasties, etc. It is hard, it is a journey of its own, growing and maturing as a human being and it can happen at 20 it can happen at 65. One step at a time, that's all we can do.

marsellient

We are constantly bombarded in the media by stuff about the "obesity epidemic", the latest magical fat burning food, and "experts" proclaiming that the problem in our diet is fat....no, it's sugar, no, it's insulin resistance, it's too many carbs, its gluten, it's ....whatever can be skewed to devise something people will buy. I think the OP is quite correct,and until I owned this truth and did the math, I couldn't figure out how to get the weight off. So, yes, it is simple, but as someone said, not necessarily easy. The problem is we confuse the WHY we eat too much, with the fact that we do. We confuse the nutrition in the foods we eat with the simple equation of calories in and calories out, confuse health and the numbers on a scale. I even saw a newspaper article recently that had the headline "Weight-loss apps 'missing' key strategies", which is very misleading for MFP if you just read some of the information on the website. So, it's no wonder people get confused. It's hard to make the "noise" around the issue go away!