My theory on why I became obese

goohan
goohan Posts: 155
edited September 24 in Food and Nutrition
I think its the weather, I ate like crazy this past week and bf has been desprate for unhealthy food too. Its natural for mamals to want to give their bodies extra insulation and hibernate when the weather goes bad. Whats wrong is that evoloution hasn't caught up with the ease at which we can obtain food. Our bodies still think we have to eat as much as we can all the time because we might not get enough food and our bodies are used to low energy leaves. Our bodies haven't learnt to adapt to this new source of easy to get food and now instead of having a bad health problem from too little food, we have a bad health problem from too much food.

P.S I think its other things as well but I think this is a big factor

Replies

  • hotpickles
    hotpickles Posts: 639 Member
    I was just thinking about this as I was driving home today. I'm constantly fighting with myself because I want to be like I was 15 years ago (eat whatever you want, not worry about a thing) and today (but WHY can't I eat whatever I want?).

    The fact of the matter is, I'm 15 years older. I know this isn't a lot, and I'm not that old to begin with. But the problem is, 15 years is still 15 years. My body is different now and responds differently now. I am about 25 lb lighter now than I was 15 years ago, but I know that if I'm not careful, I will set myself up for some negative effects.

    I think my problem is I have, and give myself, way too much freedom. Back in the day, I never had the luxury of hopping in my car and going to get fast food. I never had the money either. I was always busy too, always on the go. We also grew up in a time when food and drink was NOT allowed in the classroom.
  • Ashley_Panda
    Ashley_Panda Posts: 1,404 Member
    I think it's because I like to eat. Duh.
  • carriep2010
    carriep2010 Posts: 117 Member
    I think it's because I like to eat. Duh.



    :wink:
  • goohan
    goohan Posts: 155
    I think it's because I like to eat. Duh.

    but why do you like to eat? your hormones tell your brain you are happy when you eat, its an instinct to want to have energy to stay alive. Your body thinks that eating everything you want to eat will help you stay alive, it hasn't accounted for the new eaisly available high levels of saturated fat that has only started happening in the last hundred years or so. an increadbly small percentage of people have been obese in human history up until about 50 years ago when suddenly in the western world (mainly) obesity levels have rocketed.
  • jmcniel
    jmcniel Posts: 65
    50 years ago people didn't sit in front of the tv or their computer for hours either.
  • goohan
    goohan Posts: 155
    50 years ago people didn't sit in front of the tv or their computer for hours either.
    nope, they did not, humans are made to be hunting mamals, running and catching things to eat in order to stay alive, now they pay someone with a machine to do the hunting for them
  • jmcniel
    jmcniel Posts: 65
    I slaughter my own animals, why am I still obese?
  • Ashley_Panda
    Ashley_Panda Posts: 1,404 Member
    I slaughter my own animals, why am I still obese?

    ROFL! Apparently because it's cold outside.
  • elainegsd
    elainegsd Posts: 459 Member
    I think its the weather, I ate like crazy this past week and bf has been desprate for unhealthy food too. Its natural for mamals to want to give their bodies extra insulation and hibernate when the weather goes bad. Whats wrong is that evoloution hasn't caught up with the ease at which we can obtain food. Our bodies still think we have to eat as much as we can all the time because we might not get enough food and our bodies are used to low energy leaves. Our bodies haven't learnt to adapt to this new source of easy to get food and now instead of having a bad health problem from too little food, we have a bad health problem from too much food.

    P.S I think its other things as well but I think this is a big factor

    There is at least something to this... I've been eating cleanly long enough to not have cravings and to look for healthy food to eat when I'm hungry. The last few days (weeks?) when it has been SO very cold, I've been fighting urges again.

    I agree that there are other factors, and those factors in my opinion are probably bigger factors than the weather, but there is definitely a relationship.
  • oubeth1
    oubeth1 Posts: 34
    I think my reason for being obese is the lack of movement and eating all the wrong foods. I am a sweetaholic too! But, I think sometimes the weather can play a part in it. When it is cold we want to be at home and cozy on the couch/bed, when it rains we want to be at home cozy on the couch/bed and when its hot outside we want to be inside where the air condioner is. So, it's hard sometimes but, if you really want to do it, you will make the effort for yourself and your health. :wink:
  • goohan
    goohan Posts: 155
    I slaughter my own animals, why am I still obese?

    ROFL! Apparently because it's cold outside.

    I decided to look on your profile and i found this: "I am a suicide prevention online volunteer for IMAlive an amazing organization that is brought to you by KBHC and TWLOHA."

    I have suffered from depression for over 10 years due to comments like yours because they make me feel intimated. So if that was your intention, you got what you wanted, but I think its unfair to the people who seek help at IMAlive to get help from someone who writes comments like yours.

    you could have said 'I don't agree with you', That would have got your point across without making me feel worthless.
  • goohan
    goohan Posts: 155
    So, it's hard sometimes but, if you really want to do it, you will make the effort for yourself and your health. :wink:

    To Oubeth1

    Thankyou for your motivational comment, I will keep it in mind when things feel difficult, for myself and my health xx
  • goohan
    goohan Posts: 155
    explaination to my first post:

    I have steadly been loosing weight for the past 8 months, I do keep going when things get tough and I have joined support websites to help me get through it as well.

    For me, I think that the weather has a lot to do with it when I was not dedicated because over the last few years, each summer, I would loose weight, and then in the winter, I would put all the weight back on and more. I also know a lot of people who have done this.

    I wrote what I did because I think its important to work out WHY I became obese in order to find out the problem and be able to find a soloution to the problem.

    This last winter, I did not put the weight back on and instead, I steadly lost weight and steadly increased my exercise. I found it really helpful for me to understand WHY things for me were tough when they were as it would really help me to KEEP TRYING.

    nobody wants to be obese but everybody has a reason to WHY they became obese.

    I just wanted to let people know what I had found out for me incase anybody realised it was the same for them (some of my friends think this is the reason WHY for them).

    I was NOT trying to tell people it was ok to eat unhealthly and not exercise because it was cold, I was trying to do the opposite, I was trying to say "this could be WHY you don't want to exercise but know that nothing is wrong even though your body thinks it and that you can still exercise even though your body doesn't want to".

    It worked for me, and I thought it might help other people as anything difficult is easier when you are not under pressure.

    Sorry if how I said what I said demotivated anybody, it was my intention to motivate, not demotivate people.
  • maffydavison
    maffydavison Posts: 51 Member
    I certainly make more stews and hearty meals when it's cold than I do in the summertime, but those urges are just that - urges.
    It's what we do that makes a difference in how we live and feel. You can do it. You have MFP and others to support you. Resist, continue toward your goal. We're with you!
  • lilmissy2
    lilmissy2 Posts: 595 Member
    I have to say that when I moved from sunny Australia to the dreary UK, I gained a load of weight. Firstly, I'm usually a very active outdoors person and that was pretty much out of the equation (unless I wanted to run in the rain!). Secondly, it was freezing all the time which meant that I felt like eating more when I was at home but also when I went out - the temptation to go in somewhere and have a coffee and cake just to warm up for a minute was a bit too high.

    That said, I take full responsibility for the weight gain. I was cold and miserable but I could have controlled myself better.
  • goohan
    goohan Posts: 155
    thank you maffy
  • Ashley_Panda
    Ashley_Panda Posts: 1,404 Member
    Wow, really? I find it sad that you are so offended by joking.

    Well being one has taught me something important: How to have a sense of humor.
  • Eskimopie
    Eskimopie Posts: 235 Member
    Yeah we are definitely hard-wired to eat high calorie food to survive hard times/famine. And food companies know this and create food to appeal accordingly, and advertise the hell out of it of course. You aren't wrong...and sometimes "jokes" come across worse on the internet when you can't detect tone, so maybe the people above were really just trying to be funny?
  • benitocereno
    benitocereno Posts: 101 Member
    Many modern-day people are obese because of processed, calorie dense foods. That's why obesity is actually a socioeconomic problem. Compare a 1000 calorie microwave dinner to 1000 calories of natural meat and stuff that grew out of the ground. I'm guessing one is going to lead to overeating and having you want more...

    Look at wealthy people - they tend to be slim, tan, etc. The live lives where they can spend time outdoors, eat well, and exercise. People who don't have time to prepare proper meals, exercise, or live in "food deserts" tend to be obese, and those people tend to be lower on the socioeconomic ladder. There's also an argument about education I suppose, where most people just do not know any better. When you're surrounded by people who are content being unhealthy you tend to not see it in yourself.

    There is certainly something to be said about modern processed foods leading to obesity, even without it becoming a class argument. And if you think food companies who have ramped up the sugar you eat in processed food exponentially over the last few decades don't do so because it causes you to consume more, I have a nice beach to sell you in Florida :smile:

    Everyone is responsible for what they eat and how they live, but it is harder for some than others.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories