Batman
Heritage
I think it's worth discussing the less obvious points of the "obesity" epidemic. Most people's knee jerk to this is thinking Huh? Wait, more people are becoming obese? It doesn't seem like it's an epidemic.
That's just it - it's not the case that a significantly higher percentage of the population is becoming obese (although, there are certainly more obese people than ever, especially children). What's going on in actuality is that everyone is getting fatter and shifting the bell curve. People consider a 5'10, 200lb man (who doesn't lift) to be perfectly normal, but if he approaches his normal, healthy weight range (140-160 or so) it's more likely that, if anything, he'll be shamed for being "too skinny". The common societal perception of "skinny" is generally closer to the ideal weight, especially in the deep south where the thin shaming is more prevelant. And now people believe that it's healthier to be overweight than underweight, and this is rarely the case, especially if the nutrient profile in their diets are otherwise equal.
The strongest visible indicators of health include waist size (most men should have a waist size at 32>), body fat percentage (under 18% or so), and the amount of subcutaneous/visceral fat you have around your torso. Forget the weights on a scale, you can already tell if you or someone you know is unhealthy just by these markers. In fact, you probably don't even need to see their body, you can see it in their face!
Look around you, your family, friends, coworkers - Look at their faces: inflammed, bloated, pasty. Then of course, throw on the man boobs, flabby gut, flat butts (no joke, what's more worthless than being overweight AND having weak glutes/legs). These people aren't just overweight, but metabolically unhealthy and weak. Once you notice this, you won't be able to unsee it.
Personally I think we need to shift the discussion away from obese people and start shaming the overweight people too. In some ways the overweight people are just as bad. Whereas the obese people likely have trauma/mental illness and use food as a coping mechanism, most overweight people seem to think this is normal for them to look like this. It's not normal, it's not healthy, and these people are contributing to the obesity/health epidemic just as much if not more than obese people.
If anyone on this forum fits into this description, I don't mean to offend or belittle you. I myself need to lose about 25 lbs that I hope to lose by the end of the year. But literally no one in my entire life will point out that I need to lose weight because it's almost laughable to even consider that a 6' 185lb man's ideal weight is more like 150, 160 lbs (depending on lean muscle mass). We need to recognize this and encourage others that they probably aren't as healthy as they think. One last point - for other gym goers, recognize that it's better to be leaner and less strong than stronger and fatter. It's never worth gaining additional strength/muscle mass if it comes with more fat. You can gain muscle mass/strength with very little fat gained, but it takes a lot more time and discipline.
That's just it - it's not the case that a significantly higher percentage of the population is becoming obese (although, there are certainly more obese people than ever, especially children). What's going on in actuality is that everyone is getting fatter and shifting the bell curve. People consider a 5'10, 200lb man (who doesn't lift) to be perfectly normal, but if he approaches his normal, healthy weight range (140-160 or so) it's more likely that, if anything, he'll be shamed for being "too skinny". The common societal perception of "skinny" is generally closer to the ideal weight, especially in the deep south where the thin shaming is more prevelant. And now people believe that it's healthier to be overweight than underweight, and this is rarely the case, especially if the nutrient profile in their diets are otherwise equal.
The strongest visible indicators of health include waist size (most men should have a waist size at 32>), body fat percentage (under 18% or so), and the amount of subcutaneous/visceral fat you have around your torso. Forget the weights on a scale, you can already tell if you or someone you know is unhealthy just by these markers. In fact, you probably don't even need to see their body, you can see it in their face!
Look around you, your family, friends, coworkers - Look at their faces: inflammed, bloated, pasty. Then of course, throw on the man boobs, flabby gut, flat butts (no joke, what's more worthless than being overweight AND having weak glutes/legs). These people aren't just overweight, but metabolically unhealthy and weak. Once you notice this, you won't be able to unsee it.
Personally I think we need to shift the discussion away from obese people and start shaming the overweight people too. In some ways the overweight people are just as bad. Whereas the obese people likely have trauma/mental illness and use food as a coping mechanism, most overweight people seem to think this is normal for them to look like this. It's not normal, it's not healthy, and these people are contributing to the obesity/health epidemic just as much if not more than obese people.
If anyone on this forum fits into this description, I don't mean to offend or belittle you. I myself need to lose about 25 lbs that I hope to lose by the end of the year. But literally no one in my entire life will point out that I need to lose weight because it's almost laughable to even consider that a 6' 185lb man's ideal weight is more like 150, 160 lbs (depending on lean muscle mass). We need to recognize this and encourage others that they probably aren't as healthy as they think. One last point - for other gym goers, recognize that it's better to be leaner and less strong than stronger and fatter. It's never worth gaining additional strength/muscle mass if it comes with more fat. You can gain muscle mass/strength with very little fat gained, but it takes a lot more time and discipline.
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