The hardship diet: losing weight the Cuban way

Jlopez201

I find this article very offensive. As if starving were a choice.

PomegranatePriestess

When your country's dictator is starving you and then someone comes along and thinks "This is actually good for you!" - that's messed up. Just knowing friends who got out of Cuba and knowing they left because they were hungry and their government wasn't providing them enough of the basics - that kills me. This article is awful.

Of course this would have nothing to do with your country's imposed embargo...

Since this was done in 1960 and I wasn't even alive yet... I guess they couldn't ask me if I supported it before they went ahead and did it. Because, you know, normally every single person in America is asked before the government goes and does something.

lacurandera1

More calories expended than consumed= weight loss. Why is this news?

Bc so many people think they can take a pill or drink a drink and lose weight. If people were more and better informed, what should be common sense wouldn't be news.

cmcollins001

Between 1990 and 1995, the average Cuban consumed fewer calories than they expended each day, leading to an average weight loss of 5kg.

I wonder what the TDEE-20% (eat more or you won't lose weight) fanatics have to say about this. Oh, I guess they could claim that the weight loss was "lean" body mass. I'm pretty sure these people were dropping fat like crazy. I've always been wary of posting this in the forums, but I often think of the concentration camp victims and how they ate VERY little and worked from dawn 'til dusk. I didn't see any overweight people leaving those camps. Oh, and before I get attacked, I agree that forced starvation and labor are horrible. Voluntary "starvation" and exercise... not so much.

What's interesting about your statement is that you have the attitude as though the "TDEE-20% fanatics" are trying to hurt anyone. Eating at a deficit is what drops weight. Period. But if you don't have to eat at a very low calorie, then why would you? Most people give up trying to lose weight because they are fooled into believing that they have to eat really really really low, then in most cases, that type of diet is more harmful than helpful.

Also, just because you don't see any overweight people leaving concentration camps, doesn't mean you saw any healthy one leave there either. Malnutrition, messed up metabolism, poor health in general...not exactly a goal to strive for, at least in my book.

It's the misconception that thin = healthy that is surprising me. Thin does not always equal healthy.

parys1

Between 1990 and 1995, the average Cuban consumed fewer calories than they expended each day, leading to an average weight loss of 5kg.

I wonder what the TDEE-20% (eat more or you won't lose weight) fanatics have to say about this. Oh, I guess they could claim that the weight loss was "lean" body mass. I'm pretty sure these people were dropping fat like crazy. I've always been wary of posting this in the forums, but I often think of the concentration camp victims and how they ate VERY little and worked from dawn 'til dusk. I didn't see any overweight people leaving those camps. Oh, and before I get attacked, I agree that forced starvation and labor are horrible. Voluntary "starvation" and exercise... not so much.

What's interesting about your statement is that you have the attitude as though the "TDEE-20% fanatics" are trying to hurt anyone. Eating at a deficit is what drops weight. Period. But if you don't have to eat at a very low calorie, then why would you? Most people give up trying to lose weight because they are fooled into believing that they have to eat really really really low, then in most cases, that type of diet is more harmful than helpful.

Also, just because you don't see any overweight people leaving concentration camps, doesn't mean you saw any healthy one leave there either. Malnutrition, messed up metabolism, poor health in general...not exactly a goal to strive for, at least in my book.

It's the misconception that thin = healthy that is surprising me. Thin does not always equal healthy.

Many, if not most, people who were fortunate enough to survive concentration camps, were emaciated and near dead.

capnrus789

Things weren't a whoel ot better before that either. My wife is Cuban, came here on a tiny boat. I don't have 1st hand experience, but I've heard the stories and seen pictures.

LaLouve_RK

But Cubans have such an awesome Arroz Congri! :happy: YUM.... drooling just thinking about it! :sad:

Ivian_

Yeah...I'm not too sure I even want to read that article. :noway:

theCarlton

When your country's dictator is starving you and then someone comes along and thinks "This is actually good for you!" - that's messed up. Just knowing friends who got out of Cuba and knowing they left because they were hungry and their government wasn't providing them enough of the basics - that kills me. This article is awful.

Of course this would have nothing to do with your country's imposed embargo...

You are incredibly misguided. If you think Cuba's leader(s) are suffering the same mistreatment as its citizens, you could blame the US embargo. But, as in most dictatorships, the top is resting comfortably while the bottom struggles to survive. Our embargo isn't causing their leaders' greed. It's also not the reason they've shut themselves out from most of the world.

ctalimenti

Yeah...I'm not too sure I even want to read that article. :noway:

It's very tame and again, just an observation.

ZoeLifts

Yeah...I'm not too sure I even want to read that article. :noway:

No need to read the article. You can see an example of the sort of thinking it took to write it reading some of the comments in this thread.

iulia_maddie

Yeah...I'm not too sure I even want to read that article. :noway:

No need to read the article. You can see an example of the sort of thinking it took to write it reading some of the comments in this thread.

That's because a lot of people live in a bubble and are incapable of empathy. I mean, it can't be that bad, they have Arroz Congri!

jamk1446

Between 1990 and 1995, the average Cuban consumed fewer calories than they expended each day, leading to an average weight loss of 5kg.

Deaths from diabetes began to fall in 1996, five years after the start of the weight loss period, and remained low for six years. Deaths from heart disease and stroke which had been declining slowly since 1980 suddenly went into free fall from 1996, while deaths from malnutrition increased by 500% and the average lifespan of Cubans decreased overall

Fixed

Thank you

liittlesparrow

God forbid an article says to lose weight you don't have to eat all frikkin day.

-_-

BeachIron

Sure, a country is intentionally starving it's citizens and that gets the positive spin in the press. Brilliant. Next up, the North Korean, Nazi, and Stalin diets . . . FFS

jamk1446

God forbid an article says to lose weight you don't have to eat all frikkin day.

-_-

God forbid people get upset because this:

Sure, a country is intentionally starving it's citizens and that gets the positive spin in the press. Brilliant. Next up, the North Korean, Nazi, and Stalin diets . . . FFS

LoraF83

Between 1990 and 1995, the average Cuban consumed fewer calories than they expended each day, leading to an average weight loss of 5kg.

I wonder what the TDEE-20% (eat more or you won't lose weight) fanatics have to say about this. Oh, I guess they could claim that the weight loss was "lean" body mass. I'm pretty sure these people were dropping fat like crazy. I've always been wary of posting this in the forums, but I often think of the concentration camp victims and how they ate VERY little and worked from dawn 'til dusk. I didn't see any overweight people leaving those camps. Oh, and before I get attacked, I agree that forced starvation and labor are horrible. Voluntary "starvation" and exercise... not so much.

Comparing concentration camp victims to VLCD = FAIL

To suggest that someone should voluntarily "starve" themselves in order to achieve similar results as millions of persecuted people is a little twisted.

TDEE-2% exists because it's a method that produces results without the negative side effects of VCLD. You know, like the side effects concentration camp victims had to endure: loss of lean mass and muscle, loss of hair, general malnutrition, fatigue, etc.

But hey....as long as it's voluntary, it's ok right?

DavPul

But Cubans have such an awesome Arroz Congri! :happy: YUM.... drooling just thinking about it! :sad:

Empathy much?

Sox90716

What's next? The Concentration Camp Diet? The Dachau 10 Day Miracle?

lacurandera1

God forbid an article says to lose weight you don't have to eat all frikkin day.

-_-

I missed the line where it said that. Can you please direct my attention? I used to think my reading comprehension was quite good. Clearly, I have failed.

VitaBailey

I find this article very offensive. As if starving were a choice.

Same here.

ldrosophila

LOL! Yeah we all know that Cuba never uses propaganda to paint itself in a better light. I wonder how much grant money I can get if I go conduct this study in a war torn African country?

SpeSHul_SnoflEHk

What does that tell you about our obesity epidemic, right?

Trade embagoes help improve the health of those nations which are sanctioned. Therefore, they become more fit than the coutries who impose them which suffer from increasing obesity and related diseases. They might be able to kick our butts eventually.

JenniferMary_9169

Still trying to figure out why this post is in the "General Diet and Weight Loss Help" section.

Wondering how many pages it will go before locking

agreed.

Lisafrazier71

It could be worse, they could be eating Monsanto everything and dead of cancer before they hit 50. Like here.

MrsMaisonet14

When your country's dictator is starving you and then someone comes along and thinks "This is actually good for you!" - that's messed up. Just knowing friends who got out of Cuba and knowing they left because they were hungry and their government wasn't providing them enough of the basics - that kills me. This article is awful.

AGREE

quirkytizzy

It could be worse, they could be eating Monsanto everything and dead of cancer before they hit 50. Like here.

Yes. Starvation and living under a brutal tyrannical reign is such a step up from living in a land where food is plentiful and your leader's can't shoot you in the head in a dark alley.

:noway:

lacurandera1

It could be worse, they could be eating Monsanto everything and dead of cancer before they hit 50. Like here.

I don't have time to research, BUT I bet long term malnourishment seriously contributes to illness/disease later in life, even if the nutrition is rectified.

roadmapmaker

Interesting... A silver lining I guess?

Too bad people can't be depended on to make those choices w/o severe economic depression...

So true.

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

Having been born, raised & live all my 34 years of existence in a 3rd world country, I have to say that this isn't a fair comparison with regards to the rising obesity epidemic especially over there. Just because the majority are impoverished doesn't mean that they will never become obese. in fact here where I live I see several obese people living in slums, many prefer to eat take out foods from McDonald's or processed meats just like first world people because they are cheaper compared to buying raw ingredients and making food from scratch.

See no matter where you live, it all boils down to learning the art of normal serving portions and of course discipline.

Edited to add: I personally feel for these people & its really not fair to mock these people suffering from poverty for the sake of losing weight.