Half-ton Mom and Dad

I watched 2 back to back episodes on the TLC channel last nite about very large peoples and their struggle. The lady weighted almost 900 lbs and the guy was at 1030 lbs. They also talked to a 19 yrs old who's over 600 lbs. It's disturbing to see how many peoples in this country are "morbidly obese". You don't realize they exist until they're on the news. You wouldn't think obesity could be an epidemic.

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

Its a shame for sure.I watched a similar show the other day.It makes you wonder how their heart even pumps through such a massive body.
The problem is getting worse.Look at the kids now...2 out of 3 are over weight.
I could stand to drop a few pounds myself...i'm almost 6ft and weigh 230...

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

i plan on dropping 30 this year, 205 5' 10' 60 y/o. i have seen families in the buffet resturants, just pig out, kids 50-60 lbs over weight. some i have seen is almost child abuse, or neglect to supervise, and teach proper eating habits.

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

I understand how it happens ... obesity (although not the kind mentioned here) runs in my family. I thought I could always deal with it, but in the past 5 years have packed on about 60 pounds which I desperately need to get off my frame. It is just the diets that used to work don't any more ... something about age and metabolism ... It is getting harder and harder to carry the hose line up 6 flights of stairs, so I must do something about it. However, with my work, volunteer fire fighting, taking care of my mom who is suffering from early signs of dementia, and my FIL who is dying of cancer, there just isn't much time left for self or exercise!

With that said, my cousin's kid is 30 and she tips the scales at over 500 lb. Her dad (my cousin) has dementia, mom is disables from a brain aneurism, and she has to support and take care of the family. She is depressed with her life situation and has turned to eating as her only escape.

Sometimes the weight is on from pure neglect and not caring. Sometimes the weight is on because of emotional baggage. Sometimes it can be caused by other factors. It takes getting to the root of the problem to get a solution. My solution is to cut out a couple things and dedicate time to exercise. Easier said than done, but I will try.

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

Aspeck..take some time for yourself..be healthy...
I gained 25 lbs last year..I'm 5'7 215...My college football days I was 185..Granted I'm 43 now..But the Gym is in...Seriously getting back to my glory days weight again.

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

90% is portion size, snacking, and wrong snacks. when you go to a lot of resturants, you should really split your meal between 2 people. this is my pet peeve with eating out. too much food, that they charge too much for. a serving portion is basically the same size as a deck of playing cards, or 4 oz of meat, balanced etc.

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

Went to Disney last year. Probably represents the average cross section of the US population as well as any national venue. My BIL and I noticed the "size" of the crowds. We estimated 2 of 5 were overweight, and 1of 5 were obese. Scary part was the percentage of 6-14 yr old kids who were obese. Need to get the kids back outside playing again instead of docked in front of the tube!!!

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

Tash your right on with that statement about portion size. I always read that a portion size was the size of a persons closed fist. I was easily consuming 3-4 times that much. I was brought up to not leave food on your plate..well i was eating both my daughters food as well..Never again.

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

I will not make myself popular with the following statement, but it's how I feel.

I went to the local shopping center today and observed the following: Overweight person parks in handicap spot (with legal parking permit) and walks with no problem into the store then gets into the little scooter to ride around the store. My thought: Get off your fat butt and walk and burn some calories. Yes, I know about all the "hidden" diseases that would cause this person to need these special accomodations but I personally believe that a large percentage are just lazy.

I realize I should have more empathy for my fellow man but it just grates my behind how lazy and sedentary we Americans have become.

My own BMI (body mass index) is not healthy but at least I can walk through a parking lot and walk while I shop.

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

Tyme2fish said:

I will not make myself popular with the following statement, but it's how I feel.

I went to the local shopping center today and observed the following: Overweight person parks in handicap spot (with legal parking permit) and walks with no problem into the store then gets into the little scooter to ride around the store. My thought: Get off you fat butt and walk and burn some calories. Yes, I know about all the "hidden" diseases that would cause this person to need these special accomodations but I personally believe that a large percentage are just lazy.

I realize I should have more empathy for my fellow man but it just grates my behind how lazy and sedentary we Americans have become.

My own BMI (body mass index) is not healthy but at least I can walk through a parking lot and walk while I shop.

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Interesting..Last night on A & E there was an hour long special on the 7 deadly sins...Sloth was the pick of the hour..The debate was..that so many Americans are lazy and unmotivated nowadays..they were asking or debating if Sloth was a sin..or a"disease". Scientist are even looking into it..blew my mind..

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

PaulyV said:

Interesting..Last night on A & E there was an hour long special on the 7 deadly sins...Sloth was the pick of the hour..The debate was..that so many Americans are lazy and unmotivated nowadays..they were asking or debating if Sloth was a sin..or a"disease". Scientist are even looking into it..blew my mind..

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Ever since Congress passed the "Americans With No Abilities Act" nothing is ever someone's own fault. I'm fat? Not my fault. I can't read or write? Not my fault. I got caught drunk driving? Not my fault. You get the picture.

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

Hey Tyme, I agree with you. That is the case with some, maybe even the majority. If you watch the behavior, you can often times tell the cause of the obesity. All my post was trying to point out was that you can't lump all into one category ... there are many "causes" of obesity, and most are a personal choice.

The same could be said about smoking, or any other habit (the only difference between smoking and overeating is that you have to eat to live and you cannot stop eating "cold turkey.").

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

I remember having a conversation with my Ex wife one day while we were still married. She was trying to tell me she had no Idea how her weight had balooned to 250 lbs. I then asked her if she eats till she is satisfied or if she eats till she cant eat anymore.

SHE HAD NO IDEA WHAT I MEANT

I told her Im 5'8" and 145lbs because I eat untill im satisfied, then I stop. I could fit many more fries and the rest of that burger, but I dont. With that one statment she dropped 70lbs in a little over a year.

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

I was in the middle of posting on this thread earlier today when all of a sudden I had a visitor show up, trying to remember what I was going to mention .

I have two aunts that are morbidly obese, one weighs around 400 the other maybe a little less. I've seen a few of those shows on TLC, very sad and also sickening to watch. I personally have found myself feeling sorry for those overweight people that they show on TLC, or any other channel. I am also overweight, I've been known to go up and down on my weight, lately my weights been staying up. It wasn't till recently past year maybe longer (ever sense I've been out of work) I have been sporting a gut. I weigh around 220 and stand 6'2" tall, my weight should be around 190 for my height. I wear a 36 pant size and probably should be in a 32. All the men in the family have a gut including my father, nearly all the woman in the family have a gut as well, when I say family I mean aunts, uncles, brother and sis n law.

I've had some success losing weight in the past using motabolife, then I tried it again later on and it didn't work.

I treat an overweight person just like I would like to be treated (with respect), I've even dated an overweight girl. Anybody ever seen that movie with the overweight mother who passed away in the house and they burned the house down with the body still in it? Can't remember the name of that.

Oh and Tyme2fish.....As a Handicapped person, I have times where my leg doesn't bother me as bad and I feel sort of guilty parking in a handicapped space. My mother has tried to get me to ride one of those electric carts to get me around on my bad days but I refuse to. There are times where I will be traveling with somebody and once I get to a place I don't feel like getting out so I don't because my foot is bothering me that's how it goes for me. It was marked by my doctor that I can not walk more then 200 feet without having to stop and rest, which it does hold to be true alot of times for me, but I do have my good days also. To be honest I've had alot more good days sense I've been out of work. If I'm in a store where there isn't a place to sit down I prop my foot up on the grocery buggy to get it off the floor.

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

I could be the only person, who ever lost 70 lbs, eating at The Waffle House.

I would order the breakfast platter...and when the waitress asked me how I wanted the hash browns, I would ask her to substitute the potatos, for a 3rd egg. They always complied....

I am 6'...and used to be 260 lbs. I am still 6'...and scale out at between 188, and 192 lbs.

Atkins diet did it...and since I love meat, eggs, and cheese...The Waffle House was a natural!

Other changes: Coke Zero...and if I stop at MacDonalds, it is for a hamburger only (don't fool yourself about the combo pricing...just a justification to get your mouth around an obscene quantity of fries)...no bread, for bread's sake...no chips...no Snickers...etc! Mainly...don't have a meal, just because it is the traditional time of day to be eating something...eat only if you are consciously in a hunger state!

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

one of the tricks, is shrinking you stomach, 4 or 5 small meals a day, work also toward that.

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

What gets me is I layed off of having breakfast for the past few weeks, my father does the same thing. I unlike my father will have a cup of coffee or 2 though. We will only have 1 meal which is dinner, but I stock up on my plate sometimes. I use to be able to stock up on my plate and not see any consequences from it but now a days I do.

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

you are doing things totally wrong, you have to eat, atleast 3 meals a day. when you don't your body takes all the calories, and stores it for the next day.

a bowl of cheerios, no sugar. hamburger patty, no bread, salad with vinegar and just a little oil. cutting out the "whites" bread, rice, potatoes, are all starches, and starches love your hips, and belly. there are a lot of us who by heritage are prone to bellies, we will never have 6 pack abs. but we can be a lot healthier. there are many exercises you can do with out walking or running.

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

tashasdaddy said:

you are doing things totally wrong, you have to eat, atleast 3 meals a day. when you don't your body takes all the calories, and stores it for the next day.

a bowl of cheerios, no sugar. hamburger patty, no bread, salad with vinegar and just a little oil. cutting out the "whites" bread, rice, potatoes, are all starches, and starches love your hips, and belly. there are a lot of us who by heritage are prone to bellies, we will never have 6 pack abs. but we can be a lot healthier. there are many exercises you can do with out walking or running.

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I hear ya.... For a while each day I would ride the exercise bike but that started getting to my bad foot, and knees. I have done as much as 10 miles on the bike, I guess part of my problem was I was pushing myself so hard at times. I even kept up a chart of colories I was burning. Worst thing is when I get up in the mornings sometimes I don't feel like eating, sometimes I feel so rough that I don't feel like eating a bite, nothing to do with drinking or drugs (I don't do that). I do feel like I'm hung over in the morning though even though I haven't had a drink, the earlier I wake up the worse I feel, probably do to smoking nearly a pack a day. I take a Vitamin C every day, I drink mostly water and some sweat tea, and I hardly ever get sick/ill.

Re: Half-ton Mom and Dad

tashasdaddy said:

90% is portion size, snacking, and wrong snacks. when you go to a lot of resturants, you should really split your meal between 2 people. this is my pet peeve with eating out. too much food, that they charge too much for. a serving portion is basically the same size as a deck of playing cards, or 4 oz of meat, balanced etc.

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today a kids meal hamberger at mcd's is what we used to get for a regular mcd's burger. today we supersize everything. sometimes bigger isn't better. i know that is not the american way sometimes, but..

not one to cast stones here because i could stand to lose about 15 to 20 around the belly. 6' 200lbs