Why Do We Get Fat......

Actually, that is a play on the title of a gook I am now reading.
I've read more than a few books on food and eating....and what we eat...and how we are what we eat.
Seen more than a few DVDs on the topic as well.

These books and many, many studies about how eating lots of carbs will not only make you fat, but lead to diabetes, cancer and heart disease......all one had to do is look at certain indigenous peoples and how their health went to hell once flour and sugar were introduced.
I can remember when the US wasn't as fat as it is now.....and we were not crazed people trying to diet.
LOL....diets don't work. Exercise doesn't work. At least not long term.

What is needed is a whole new approach to what we put in our mouths.
Cut carbs.....sugar.....grains.....processed foods....bad fats.
Eat proteins, veggies, some fruits and healthy fats---including coconut oil.

Let's face it....as we age, it is easier to put on weight.
And with women losing their estrogen, it is even worse.

I've read several books around that talk about this...the most current one I've read [well, actually about 2/3 through] is Why We Get Fat
BEWARE THE FOOD PYRAMID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't blame getting fat on bad food chemistry, we make all sorts of homemade stuff and we are gaining weight. I blame it on the homemade cakes and pies, the extra great grassfed beef we eat, the great tasting eggs from some people I know, and all the great fruit the wife is buying. I would never eat as much if it was highly prepared commercial food. This stuff just tastes irresistable.

I blame it on us being good cooks.

a reply to: rickymouse

LOL....it's the flour and sugar.....ie..

I blame it on the homemade cakes and pies,

You can use organic, homegrown and healthy ingredients....but the carbs will get you every time!!!!!

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

If it is white do not eat alot of it- sugars, potato, rice, bread, cereals. There is a coloration between carbs (white) and insulin spikes.




.

a reply to: seasonal

Yep! And add corn.....it's almost white....and has a lot of sugar in it.
Indeed, the more processed the carb, the worse the insulin spike.
And beware maltodextrin and high-fructose corn syrup.

But even brown rice and stone ground flour can be too carby for some people.....like me.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

I would suggest getting a finger prick blood glucose monitor to see what "triggers" your insulin spike, they are cheap.

a reply to: seasonal

I don't have insulin issues....I have carb issues....and I am gluten sensitive.

When I eat low carb, I feel better, am able to shed a few pounds, do not have digestive issues.

And this thread is more about why people get fat....and how it is something the USDA and MSM complicate by issuing eating directives like the Food Pyramid that keep people on the carb merry-go-round.

originally posted by: seasonal
a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

If it is white do not eat alot of it- sugars, potato, rice, bread, cereals. There is a coloration between carbs (white) and insulin spikes.




.

You can do white dairy if I remember the original of that I saw.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe

You do not need to have an insulin issue to have a carb issue.

Carbs spike glucose, insulin rushes in and converts glucose to fat (way way over simplification).

And yes the food pyramid is hog wash, it is based off what the farmers who receive subsidies (welfare) can grow in bulk.

a reply to: seasonal


And as long as the insulin is in spike mode, it keeps the fat molecules from breaking down into fatty acids that the body can use.

And, LOL as many times as I have read about how the whole glucose/insulin/liver thing works....I still cannot explain it very well.

Meats and fats do not spike insulin....that I do know.

I have never felt better than when I am on a keto diet.

I was eating keto for several months, then went off when I was in school and it wasn't easy to follow. I gained weight and my health went down hill... my mind was less sharp, memory not reliable, energy levels way down, and I gained weight.

I started back on keto one week ago and am already feeling reborn! There's no doubt in my mind that I am better off without carbs. But I don't explain it to french people, they kind of get personally offended at the notion that bread might not be the most important part of any meal...

The square meal idea is a mistake also, I think. I find it better to separate some things and not eat them at the same meal.

But really, it just seems like our society went more and more into less physical effort, and larger amounts of readily available food. That probably has much to do with why people get fat more now than in the past.

a reply to: DontTreadOnMe


I find a big problem is all the disinformation on it.
1 article will say something is good for you while another says it causes (insert disease or problem there)

Our bodies are machines and trying to get the right fuel and the right diet can be confusing.

I am still scared when buying fruits and veggies because I never know if it has monsanto crap in it or pesticides or whatever the hell people are doing to my food.
Buying local is the way to go for me,if I can,but again,who knows what people are doing.

When it does come down to diet,it does affect performance and the way you feel and think.

all one had to do is look at certain indigenous peoples and how their health went to hell once flour and sugar were introduced.

Not only them,this is a piece about NAFTA and how it affected diet and health in Canada.
globalnews.ca...

The research, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), found that lower import tariffs on high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) implemented under the free trade agreement resulted in a larger supply and likely consumption of added sweeteners in Canada.

Its very hard when ads tell you it is GREAT,because they are allowed,while still knowing they are selling you poison.

Some of these corporations/governments are uncaring about the thought they might be making people unhealthy.
Also,some of the people who write books on the subject,really don't have a clue and people are just believing what they read.

Lets talk sodium...we haven't even touched that yet!!
Anyone??

Great thread!!!

a reply to: Bluesma

A piece of bread is fine, 6 slices of pizza is where the problems start.

Yup I agree with all you say. The BIG difficulty is avoiding carbs. Damn those very convenient carbs that make a sandwich or a fajita wrap. Or make the crust of a Scotch Pie or even just a pack of crisps (or if you are being very bad, a sandwich of crisps!!! - called a piece 'n' crisps here in Scotland. a piece being a sandwich) .... crisps might be called 'chips' to those not in the UK. Chips in the UK are 'fries' to other countries, which also are great in a 'piece' i.e. sandwich.

But, outwith the outlawed 'piece 'n' anything', and have even seen dudes eating a 'piece 'n' deep fried streak pie' from the chip shop!!!!............... geeze.... avoiding just general carbs really is hard. They are everywhere you go and hidden in lots of stuff.

I try to eat things like apples and cheese for lunch ( no I am not a super slim health nut...... I am super big but like to try and have low amounts of processed stuff, I like my good home cooked food). However, carbs just sneak in there, wine being a big offender..... but c'mon, I gotta have some vice!!. But yes, I agree, I need to get rid of ALL or at least MOST carbs. It is just so bloody difficult!

a reply to: Bluesma

Heck yes, Keto all the way. I no longer consider it a 'diet' but a way of life. I will never look back.

1/2 pound grass fed beef patty cooked in coconut oil with 4 eggs....what a great way to start out the morning.

Something interesting I ran across was the suggestion that it is good for the body to let the digestive track sit idle for a while. I am trying to incorporate food consumption at only 8 hours a day.

originally posted by: ClovenSky
a reply to: Bluesma

Heck yes, Keto all the way. I no longer consider it a 'diet' but a way of life. I will never look back.

1/2 pound grass fed beef patty cooked in coconut oil with 4 eggs....what a great way to start out the morning.

Something interesting I ran across was the suggestion that it is good for the body to let the digestive track sit idle for a while. I am trying to incorporate food consumption at only 8 hours a day.

When I was following it before, I got to a point I was only eating one meal a day. I just didn't feel hungry the rest of the time. I'm not there yet, but already eating less each day, as what happens when you eat enough fat.

I am a post menopausal woman and I found an added benefit was no more hot flashes.

It's fairly straightforward. If you consume more energy than you can use in a day you're body converts the leftover glucose to lipids and stores them for later use. Ie. you get fat. A lot of food is fairly high in glucose or other sugars easily converted to glucose. Even homemade food if it's heavy on starch and sugar.

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
a reply to: rickymouse

LOL....it's the flour and sugar.....ie..

I blame it on the homemade cakes and pies,

You can use organic, homegrown and healthy ingredients....but the carbs will get you every time!!!!!

I get Cherries from my brothers tree, I buy organic flour for the crust. We use pure cane sugar from hawaii. But when you eat half of the cherry pie in a day, it can make you gain weight. Now I am getting hungry, I think I will pick some wild blueberries tomorrow morning and make some blueberry pancakes. Maybe I might get some raspberries from around the driveway and make raspberry pancakes. Some local maple syrup will be dripping off the pancakes.

We heard that as you get old you start losing weight, so we are getting prepared. We are both over sixty and we are not turning into frail old people in need of medicines.

a reply to: rickymouse

Some local maple syrup will be dripping off the pancakes.

I was just telling a friend this afternoon that I never eat waffles or pancakes because it is too much like having candy for breakfast.
Its like eating a half loaf of bread with candy.

I cook with maple syrup as a substitute for brown sugar.