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Is America's Antifat Rhetoric Out of Hand?

FitSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:00:18 -0700

Being obese is unhealthy for many reasons - most recently, we learned it could lead to brain degeneration - but does that mean we should demonize overweight people?

A recent story on Newsweek.com questions whether this antifat rhetoric is totally out of control. From the "real" sized model featured in Glamour to outrage over President Obama's nomination of a heavyset woman, Regina M. Benjamin, as surgeon general, the story posits:

Virtually any news article about weight that is posted online garners a slew of comments from readers expressing disgust that people let their weight get so out of control.

As fashionistas like Anna Wintour say the media focuses too much on anorexia, Newsweek sites an endless parade of pundits who openly express a fat bias. Many of the haters seem to believe that overweight people should do something about their condition, but who's to say they aren't? Why don't we have more compassion for people who are trying to change?

Not to mention that some research suggests that it's possible to be both overweight and fit, and many of our country's unhealthy habits are the result of widespread cultural and dietary changes that go far beyond individual lifestyle choices.

Do you think the antifat criticism in this country has gotten out of hand in our culture? Or do you think it's a necessary step toward changing our habits?

Plus-Size Version of The Bachelor: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Television networks can get away with a lot during the Summer when most shows are in rerun mode. We've grown to expect reality programming up the wazoo, and this season the lineup includes a new Mike Fleiss (executive producer of The Bachelor) creation called More to Love.

Premiering July 28, the dating show will feature "a single and eligible man with a big waist and an even bigger heart as he romances several confident and secure plus-size women." As with Fleiss's original unscripted dating shows, the leading single guy will whittle the group of 20 women down to a final two. Plus-size supermodel Emme has signed on to host the show.

The idea of More to Love drew criticism when it was announced earlier this year; there's a sense that the show's contestants will be mocked and exploited. There's something that makes me uncomfortable about suggesting people of a certain size can only love and be loved by someone of similar proportions. At the same time, when's the last time you turned on the TV and saw overweight people featured in a show without a weight-loss focus?

What do you think of the show's concept, is it cool or not?

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Quiz: Guess How Many Calories Are in These Dog Treats

PetSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:00:19 -0700

Admittedly, I've never been a calorie counter. Even if you're really good about reading your food's packaging, how often do you do the same for your pet? Other than checking out the ingredients of his food, I've never thought about the calories in treats I give North other than some seem like they pack quite a few . . . based on his look afterward! I've rounded up the counts of common dog snacks - see if you're surprised with the findings and take this quiz!

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Take the quiz

Group Therapy: My Sister Is Overweight

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:00:00 -0700

My younger sister is one of my closest friends. She is so beautiful and such a great person but she has never been able to get a handle on her weight. She has been overweight since high school, and she is now in her first year of college. She is probably 75 pounds overweight and refuses to talk about it. She tried going on a planned nutritional program through her doctor's office but she gave it up after a few months because it was extremely strict.

I know being overweight makes her unhappy but she refuses to talk to anyone about it. I'm pretty sure she eats secretly as well, because there is always fast food in her room after a night out and things go missing from the fridge. She is too young to be this overweight, and I am fearful for her happiness and her health. How can I help motivate her to start being healthy?

[EDITOR'S NOTE: To be involved in more GROUP THERAPY, click here]

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Carrying a Few Extra Pounds May Not Be a Bad Thing

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:30:00 -0800

Well, this news has come in just in time. Now that candy-driven Halloween is over and we're preparing to gorge ourselves on Thanksgiving, a new study shows that being 25 pounds overweight doesn't appear to raise your risk of dying of cancer or heart disease. Having a little extra weight may help you to survive various illnesses such as emphysema, pneumonia and certain injuries. Those between the ages of 25 and 59 benefit the most from being a little chubby.

Researchers aren't sure why extra padding may help. Some say that extra weight may provide “additional nutritional reserves.” University of South Carolina obesity researcher Steven Blair, believes that it's possible to be fat and fit. He feels that Americans have been slapped in the face by fears of the obesity epidemic. While it's true that many Americans are obese, the number of deaths attributed to it has been exaggerated.

There's more to this study though. To hear about it then read more

You see, a little extra weight may not cause any problems, but being 30 or more pounds over the recommended weight for your height categorizes you as obese. Carrying that much extra weight around can put you at risk for diabetes, kidney disease, certain kinds of cancer, and high blood pressure and cholesterol that could lead to heart disease.

Many experts feel that this study is just the tip of the iceberg, and that more research needs to be done to address whether or not cancer and heart disease occurs more often in people who are overweight, or if genetics or other lifestyle choices have more of an effect.

So the point here is that a few extra pounds won't kill you, but 30 pounds or more could be detrimental to your health. Don't obsess about being ultra thin because it doesn't necessarily make you healthy. Be sure to eat a diet full of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains and lean proteins. Try to exercise regularly, and that should keep you at a healthy weight.

Fit's Tips: Your BMI (Body Mass Index) measures your body fat based on your height and weight. If you're not sure what a healthy BMI is for your height, check out Fit's Calculator.

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Part 3: Are You in the "Pre" Phase of Disease? Obesity

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 10:15:00 -0700

I've been talking a lot about Diabetes and if you're putting yourself at risk or not. So, along with Diabetes, what are the identifiers of common health diseases? Medical News Today has outlined four "prediseases" to watch for, here is the first:

Overweight:

Why It's Important: Not only is overweight the forerunner to obesity, a known risk factor for many diseases, just being 5% to 10% overweight increases your risk of chronic disease, making overweight a predisease of sorts. In a 2001 study of middle-aged adults from both the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, being overweight increased the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, gallstones, high blood pressure, heart disease, colon cancer and stroke. The risk rose in proportion to the degree of overweight.
How to Identify: According to the National Institutes of Health, someone with a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight. Find out your BMI on Fit's Calculator.

Don't forget to check out the other three prephases of disease.

Fit's Tips: If you suspect you are at risk for any disease, you should definitely see your doctor.

Not Enough Sleep and Weight Gain: What's the Connection

FitSugar — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 12:00:05 -0700

Are you getting a restful night of sleep? Do you wake up and feel energized? If the answer is "No," it could be causing other problems besides making you tired.

Scientists found that people getting 4 or less hours of sleep have a rise in the hormone ghrelin, that is related to stimulating the appetite, which in turn causes them to eat. At the same time, they have lower levels of the hormone leptin, which is what makes them feel full.

Not getting enough sleep at night actually makes people feel more hungry when they are awake, so they eat more. Sleep-deprived people tend to crave high-carb foods like bagels, cookies, pasta, and bread. They have chaotic eating patterns, which can mess up their metabolism, which will cause them to burn fewer calories.

There is a strong correlation between healthy sleep patterns and healthy eating habits. Getting enough sleep and controlling stress are subtle things that could have an impact on weight. Of course healthy eating and daily exercise play a part too.

Fit's Tips: If you are having a hard time getting a good night's sleep, you should definitely try different techniques like avoiding caffeinated drinks and alcohol, and exercising early in the day. Click here if you want to read up on the subject. If you've tried everything in the book, talk to your doctor about other options.

What Causes Heartburn?

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 11:45:00 -0700

I'm sure you've all experienced heartburn once in your life, some unfortunately more than others. Maybe you ate a spicy meal, a huge meal or a huge spicy meal and got that overwhelming burning sensation in your lower chest. But it doesn't stop there, it can start to creep up into your esophagus and into your throat.

You may know this already, but heartburn doesn't actually affect the heart at all. When you eat, food passes from your mouth down a tube called the esophagus. In order to enter the stomach to be digested, the food must pass through an opening between the esophagus and the stomach.

This opening is like a gate, and soon closes after food passes into your tummy. Sometimes it doesn't quite close, and stomach acid can get through that opening and move into your esophagus. This is called reflux and it's what causes that burning sensation.

Heartburn can be affected by being overweight, smoking cigarettes, drinking coffee or other beverages that contain caffeine, alcohol, citrus fruits, tomatoes, onion, chocolate, mints, fatty or spicy foods, or taking aspirin or ibuprofen.

If you do get a sudden case of heartburn, try to keep yourself upright. If you are lying down, prop yourself up with some pillows since this will prevent more acid from seeping into your esophagus.

Taking an antacid can help (it neutralizes the acid in your stomach). Take ones that contain both magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide (one causes constipation while the other causes diarrhea so they counteract each other) like over-the-counter brands include Maalox and Mylanta.

Want to know how you can prevent it? Then read more

Don't overeat.
Stop eating 2-3 hours before lying down for bed.
Lose excess weight.
Don't wear belts or clothes that are tight fitting around your waist - this will squeeze your stomach and force food and acid back up towards the esophagus.
Eat high-protein, low-fat meals.
If you've eaten something in the past and it's given you heartburn - don't eat it again.

Who You Calling TOFI?

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 09:47:53 -0800

Do you hate your coworker because she eats whatever she wants and never works out yet still is thin? Well don't because chances are she is TOFI.

TOFI stands for "Thin on the Outside, Fat on the Inside." New studies are finding the fat deposits these so called Tofis carry are hidden in the white fat that lies around their vital organs, streaked through their underused muscles and wrapped around the heart. This hidden fat (rather than the fat lying in dimples underneath the skin) that can only be seen in high-tech MRI scanners is what sends out chemical signals, potentially leading to insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes and heart conditions.

Consider this: Sumo wrestlers have a BMI of 56 and eat up to 5,000 calories a day, but they have very little internal fat. Surprisingly they also have low cholesterol, low insulin resistance and a low level of fatty acids. This seems to be due to the fact that their fat is all stored under the skin, on the outside.

Research is still being done on TOFI but as of now the best way researchers have discovered to combat the dangerous hidden fat is to eat a healthy diet with lots of dietary fiber. As always, exercising is always a good addition for anyone looking to be healthy, overweight or not.

Being Overweight is More of a Headache Than You Think

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 03:30:00 -0800

Getting a headache could be more related to your weight than you may have thought.

Recent studies from the New England Center for Headache in Stamford, Connecticut have found that being overweight may be contributing to getting headaches. It also claimed that overweight adults are twice more likely to suffer from headaches than non-overweight adults.

Why? Headaches are triggered by constricted blood vessels caused by inflammation. The research connected the dots since being overweight contributes to both inflammation and vascular diseases.

Interestingly enough exercise helps ease headaches and exercise also helps one lose weight. Talk about hitting two birds with one stone.