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SpeakFree Series
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In my humble opinion it’s not too many carbs, it’s too many EVERYTHING. Let's take a good look at North American portion sizes. Emphasis is put on bigger is better - except when it comes to the acceptance of actual people and their size. Next time the TV is on take a look at what the fast food burger joints are hocking. Double this, triple that. And from experience, American franchises are even worse. I have an American satellite dish and the ads are unbelievable. What makes it more incredible is that those commercials are followed up by an ad for weight-loss pills. There are at least five different types of weight-loss pills in regular rotation on the satellite channels. Perhaps the two industries are in cahoots. One hamburger is not going to make anyone fat, nor is a reasonable serving of pasta or bread. But if you eat any of these things like a glutton it’s going to add up. Also from experience, if you enjoy "carbs" and
that is your thing, cutting them out entirely is setting yourself up for a binge. We as North Americans tend to not enjoy our food, we wolf it down. Mealtime is not a leisurely experience, it’s a mad dash to finish and get on to other things. Europeans make every meal a big deal. They take 2 hour lunches, they use their good china, they don't just slap the meal on the plate - it’s about presentation. It takes 20 minutes for the brain to register that the stomach is full - many of us have already finished seconds by that time. Europeans eat what they want - when they want but they eat it slowly, with pleasure and in moderate portions. Maybe we should give that a try. And let's remember that when Dr. Atkins died he was a little "broad in the beam" shall we say. I'm not saying that the “no carb” thing doesn't work but are you really prepared to go the rest of your life without ever having that potato, that rice, that bagel....…
-Toshya. Winnipeg, Manitoba
FREESTYLIN’ FEEDBACK
I have noticed that over the last few years the gym program at my child’s school has been drastically cut down to where the kids are only up and moving once or twice a week. What has improved is that the breakfast program is offering the kids a healthy and nutritious way to start the day, but that’s about it. Schools should be thinking about health and well-being all day long.
-Jody. Tampa Bay, Florida
I count the carbs, I watch what I eat, I never overdo it, I always pass on dessert. But I still gain every pound (and inch). I think all those diets are a money-waster.
-Bev. Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
It isn’t just the diets that are a waste of money. It is the exercise equipment and programs you see on TV. They show these gorgeous bodies of models or the before and after shots of people who have used the product and they are a lot of times phoney. You see the woman before she used the [product] and she is pale and obese and then the after picture her face looks more alive, she somehow got a tan AND she is thin. It seems like she had a bit more help than just the ab gadget. And in response to the “individual results may vary” - of course they will if you hit the tanning booth, plastic surgeon, beauty parlour...
-Debra. Edmonton, Alberta
About the fat society story, it is interesting (just like your [SpeakFree] bullying series) that this is once again something that people should take responsibility for but yet are going to want to blame the other parties. I agree that no one is forcing us to eat as much as we do, and no one is forcing us to sit at a computer for hours at a stretch (except for work, which I completely understand). But when it comes to our own physical, healthy well-being, many of us don’t do as much as we can.
-Allen. Comox, British Columbia
At the end of May, a question was sent to the ASK JB page about his views on why we are becoming a fatter society. It touched off a story and then a flurry of responses from readers who wanted to share their thoughts as well. Here is Part 1 of the continuing series.
Some people have a low metabolism and some people have a high metabolism. Some people have it in their genes that they can stay thin and eat whatever they want, and others will have every calorie they consume show on the outside. Not everyone is lazy and a fat slob. Some people can try and try and never lose the weight. Everyone has a different body type and sometimes you may just have to realize there’s nothing you can do about it.
-Miranda. Portland, Oregon
Less gravy, more movement. That’s my suggestion.
-Mike. Winnipeg, Manitoba
When I went to school we had physical education and we also had text book education. Now it seems schools are all about computer education to keep kids caught up with technology. Maybe the schools are trying to tell the kids that when they get older they will have a job where they don’t have to move and they can just sit all day and be unhealthy.
-Jackson. Eureka, California
Maybe none of us are as active as we were five years ago and part of the reason could be that we all work such ridiculous hours at our jobs and are exhausted at the end of the day. Yes, sitting at a computer all day CAN be tiring. And the first thing you think of when you get home is relaxing and sitting even more, as odd as that sounds.
-John. Burlington, Ontario
READER REQUEST
I have been having this terrible problem with weight gain in the last eight years. It's an awful battle keeping it off. It seems due to the hysterectomy the weight is getting worse. Can anyone give me any advice on this problem and how to get control again?
-Robin, 41. USA
EXCERPT: WOULD YOU LIKE THIGHS WITH THAT?
“My 80-year-old grandparents are still active and vital in the community, always going for walks and rarely sitting inside all day. They are from before the times of television and computers. At the same time, they are more healthy than many of the youngsters today. We are in the technology age. We have so many more reasons to not get up off the couch or leave the house. There are plenty of people I know that, from the second they walk in the door from school or work until the time they go to bed, are glued to a computer screen and playing.”
