Eating with our brains
A few weeks ago I ventured out of the metropolitan Washington DC to the vastness of our country. It is a large country and , by god, it is inhabited by large people. Once out of the confines of the suburbs one comes across a race of Americans unknown in the metropolis other than as an occasional curiosity. This race is voluminous. No differences in color or national origins here. All are giants.
The epidemic of obesity in the US is much touted in the press. The economic devastation it will wreak on our society when our fat children grow up to be sick diabetics with enlarged hearts who are unable to work will add legions to the numbers of the medically disabled. The few normal weighted children will not be able to bear the burden of all this excess weight.
The truth is that people should not be wholly blamed. On the trip through this land of Brobdingnag it became painfully apparent that there is no healthy choice for eating. The land is populated by fast food restaurants that serve food at ridiculously low industrialized prices. Eating healthy is a privilege for the rich in this country and the poor almost everywhere else!
Obesity is defined medically as having 100lbs more than one’s normal weight based on height and body surface area. The insurance companies have made these normograms and use them to determine if you are a candidate for some surgeries.Diets abound in our America. Low fat, high protein, no carbs, vegetarian,etc etc.
The simple fact is that the best way to loose weight is to decrease the number of calories you eat. Forget the other variables. They do help and may speed up weight loss for some . For example I recently read that if you snack in the mid morning during a diet you loose less wight than if you snack in the afternoon ! Such research will continue to develop more specific parameters for diets but just eating less is the number one thing to do.
Our brains also play an important role in our eating more or less and just knowing this will help you manipulate yourself into eating less food. In the past I have discussed the psychological aspects of diets but recent research is very interesting. http://thecosmeticplasticsurgeon.com/2011/05/16/rules-for-eating/
Hold on to your seats for the next blog!
