Why are/were you fat?
I just LOVE these kinds of discussions! Gets my motor runnin! LOL
One of the things I find most interesting about obesity is that many of the factors that predict obesity are in place before you are even born. And I'm not even talking about genetics~
For example, the SINGLE largest predictor of obesity is whether and how long you were breastfed as an infant! Bottle-fed babies are significantly more likely to be obese, and the longer a child is breastfed, the less likely they are to be obese as an adult.
Another example - the more overweight your mother was when she was pregnant with you, and the more weight she gained during that pregnancy has a direct relationship on your chances becoming obese as an adult.
These two examples are NOT even genetic. They are the environment you formed in as a foetus and an infant. Those very same mothers that go on to breast feed a younger sibling or who lose weight (or gain less weight) in a subesquent pregancy have children who are significantly LESS likely to be obese than their older siblings. Same genes - different outcomes.
Now these are only two examples of how the odds are stacked against people well before they even have a chance to take responsibility for their food decisions. And genetic factors play out on top of environmental choices - making it much more difficult to avoid obesity. And I haven't even gone into what effect parent's choices for their children has in terms of learned behaviour.
On a personal note - I am the only obese person in my family. I am also the only one of us who wasn't breastfed exclusively, and my mother (who was and is slim) gained the most weight with me. Maybe it's a factor, maybe it's coincidence... there IS a difference between correlation and causation.
I really am enjoying reading this thread, because it really forces us to think about ourselves, about our motivations, AND about our accomplishments with the vsg.
And I have to be honest with myself. As nice as it is to lose this weight, and have everyone congratulating ME, and telling ME what a great job I am doing - the truth is - my SLEEVE is doing a great job! Because without this tool, I would simply be one the 95% diet crowd again, desperately trying to stop my body from craving food and fighting my own physiology.
So just as it doesn't make sense to claim complete responsibility for my obesity, it doesn't make sense to claim complete responsibility for my success. We are fundementally a thread in the fabric of life, we effect change, and change effects us. We are shaped by our genetics, our environment and ourselves, and we affect change only as much as our environment allows.
So, in short - thank you modern medicine! And to Bear for the great topic!
LOL, ok - let's get it ON!!!!!!!!! Anybody wanna ruumble?? LOL
One of the things I find most interesting about obesity is that many of the factors that predict obesity are in place before you are even born. And I'm not even talking about genetics~
For example, the SINGLE largest predictor of obesity is whether and how long you were breastfed as an infant! Bottle-fed babies are significantly more likely to be obese, and the longer a child is breastfed, the less likely they are to be obese as an adult.
Another example - the more overweight your mother was when she was pregnant with you, and the more weight she gained during that pregnancy has a direct relationship on your chances becoming obese as an adult.
These two examples are NOT even genetic. They are the environment you formed in as a foetus and an infant. Those very same mothers that go on to breast feed a younger sibling or who lose weight (or gain less weight) in a subesquent pregancy have children who are significantly LESS likely to be obese than their older siblings. Same genes - different outcomes.
Now these are only two examples of how the odds are stacked against people well before they even have a chance to take responsibility for their food decisions. And genetic factors play out on top of environmental choices - making it much more difficult to avoid obesity. And I haven't even gone into what effect parent's choices for their children has in terms of learned behaviour.
On a personal note - I am the only obese person in my family. I am also the only one of us who wasn't breastfed exclusively, and my mother (who was and is slim) gained the most weight with me. Maybe it's a factor, maybe it's coincidence... there IS a difference between correlation and causation.
I really am enjoying reading this thread, because it really forces us to think about ourselves, about our motivations, AND about our accomplishments with the vsg.
And I have to be honest with myself. As nice as it is to lose this weight, and have everyone congratulating ME, and telling ME what a great job I am doing - the truth is - my SLEEVE is doing a great job! Because without this tool, I would simply be one the 95% diet crowd again, desperately trying to stop my body from craving food and fighting my own physiology.
So just as it doesn't make sense to claim complete responsibility for my obesity, it doesn't make sense to claim complete responsibility for my success. We are fundementally a thread in the fabric of life, we effect change, and change effects us. We are shaped by our genetics, our environment and ourselves, and we affect change only as much as our environment allows.
So, in short - thank you modern medicine! And to Bear for the great topic!
LOL, ok - let's get it ON!!!!!!!!! Anybody wanna ruumble?? LOL
HW: 225 | SW: 198 | CW: 123 | Height: 5' 7.5" I LOVE MY SLEEVE!!
13 lbs below goal :)
13 lbs below goal :)
I am fat because over a period of about a year and a half I gave up one addiction, smoking and transferred it to food, went through menopause and broke both my wrists (a year apart), bringing exercise to a halt.
Until these life changing events occurred I hovered around 185-190 at 5 ft 7.5 inches. I was able to carry it off pretty well as it was evenly distributed. I think all the changes lead me to eat and I found that once I over ate, I wasn't up to exercising and it snowballed.
Great post Bear!
Until these life changing events occurred I hovered around 185-190 at 5 ft 7.5 inches. I was able to carry it off pretty well as it was evenly distributed. I think all the changes lead me to eat and I found that once I over ate, I wasn't up to exercising and it snowballed.
Great post Bear!
Sandy
"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up"
Mark Twain 
Slobberinbear,
Thanks so much for this thread. It is fun to think of the answer for myself and and illuminating to read so many insightful responses.
1. I had kids/job/husband, felt overwhelmed, easier to sit on sofa with wine and my other drug of choice (food) than to get on treadmill.
2. Yes, for the first 30 pounds.
After that the walls are so steep and high that it is nearly impossible to get out of the pit without WLS. Well, I was still responsible after the first 30, but don't judge myself as harshly;-)
I wish I had the technical know how to bump this to the first page. I would love to read more responses.
Well done bear!
Thanks so much for this thread. It is fun to think of the answer for myself and and illuminating to read so many insightful responses.
1. I had kids/job/husband, felt overwhelmed, easier to sit on sofa with wine and my other drug of choice (food) than to get on treadmill.
2. Yes, for the first 30 pounds.
After that the walls are so steep and high that it is nearly impossible to get out of the pit without WLS. Well, I was still responsible after the first 30, but don't judge myself as harshly;-)
I wish I had the technical know how to bump this to the first page. I would love to read more responses.
Well done bear!
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