The hardship diet: losing weight the Cuban way

2

Replies

  • Jlopez201
    Jlopez201 Posts: 61
    I find this article very offensive. As if starving were a choice.
  • PomegranatePriestess
    PomegranatePriestess Posts: 2,455 Member
    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
    lacurandera1 Posts: 8,083 Member
    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
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member


    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
    parys1 Posts: 2,072 Member


    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
    capnrus789 Posts: 2,736 Member
    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
    LaLouve_RK Posts: 899 Member
    But Cubans have such an awesome Arroz Congri! :happy: YUM.... drooling just thinking about it! :sad:
  • Ivian_
    Ivian_ Posts: 276 Member
    Yeah...I'm not too sure I even want to read that article. :noway:
  • theCarlton
    theCarlton Posts: 1,344 Member
    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
    ctalimenti Posts: 865 Member
    Yeah...I'm not too sure I even want to read that article. :noway:

    It's very tame and again, just an observation.
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
    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
    iulia_maddie Posts: 2,780 Member
    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
    jamk1446 Posts: 5,577 Member
    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
    liittlesparrow Posts: 209 Member
    God forbid an article says to lose weight you don't have to eat all frikkin day.

    -_-
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    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
    jamk1446 Posts: 5,577 Member
    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
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member


    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
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    But Cubans have such an awesome Arroz Congri! :happy: YUM.... drooling just thinking about it! :sad:

    Empathy much?
  • Sox90716
    Sox90716 Posts: 976 Member
    What's next? The Concentration Camp Diet? The Dachau 10 Day Miracle?
  • lacurandera1
    lacurandera1 Posts: 8,083 Member
    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
    VitaBailey Posts: 271 Member
    I find this article very offensive. As if starving were a choice.

    Same here.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    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
    SpeSHul_SnoflEHk Posts: 6,256 Member
    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
    JenniferMary_9169 Posts: 164
    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
    Lisafrazier71 Posts: 59 Member
    It could be worse, they could be eating Monsanto everything and dead of cancer before they hit 50. Like here.
  • MrsMaisonet14
    MrsMaisonet14 Posts: 13 Member
    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
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
    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
    lacurandera1 Posts: 8,083 Member
    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
    roadmapmaker Posts: 120 Member
    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
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    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.
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