Is America Anti-Healthy?

Off Topic
61

[quote]djoh615893 wrote:
Health insurance companies should reject people who got fat from inactivity, diet, being a dumbass[/quote]

How else do you get fat? I doubt you can get fat from being a dumbass, but you can’t get fat without consuming more calories than your body uses (i.e. diet and activity levels).

And for people who think it is a lot worse here than elsewhere - look again at the data. Sure, we have higher incidence of adult obesity, but the growth rate of obesity in many, many other countries is outpacing the U.S.

I think it is bad in the U.S. and catching up almost everywhere else. As for the public perception of a truly healthy lifestyle - I don’t care. I come from a health-conscious family and my wife and I are doing our best to see to it that our kids do too. If everyone else wants to go out and die horrible, achy joint, stanky fat fold, ugly, incapacitated deaths, so be it. There will be a ton of money to be made in the over-sized coffin/body-ash-can biz.

DB

62

One thing I definitely have to complain about is clothing. Since the population is getting fatter, clothing sizes are changing to accomodate them. For example, my kids are all small-waisted. It is damn near impossible to find off-the-rack pants to fit them in the length and waist. My wife has to take in the waist on nearly every set of pants we buy for them.

I do like the trend of increased seat sizes in movie theaters, airplanes, trains, etc. I am increasingly more comfortable as I now have room for my shoulders, while giving my svelte, cheetahlike ass a big roomy place to roam.

DB

63

[quote]MODOK wrote:
Strange how society embraces normalcy, and extraordinary people nowadays, instead of being lauded for their drive and determination, are set apart as “fringe”, even with something as trivial as eating protein at every meal.[/quote]

Take heart, man. It’s always been that way. Look back at the days of Steeve Reeves, John Grimek, and the other Golden Age greats – they were regarded as freaks in their day, too. If anything, I’d say society has just gone to further extremes: there are more people working out, more people embracing the fitness lifestyle than ever. On the flipside, there are also more people stuffing their faces with Hostess Ho-Ho’s and other processed delights.

It’s not that we, who value this lifestyle, are more on the fringe. It’s that the middle ground is quickly disappearing.

In another fifty years we will be the muscular overlords of an apocalyptic slave society. :wink:

64

[quote]deanec wrote:
I agree that “doing something” is better than doing nothing. However one cannot ignore the fact that resistance exercise is a key factor in bone, joint and muscle health as we age. Gyms are full of people doing the “hamster on the wheel” thing, and for the most part, this is a path to frustration and failure.

I do not argue with people about their modality of exercise, but I do try to educate as to better methods, particularly if they are not getting the results they want.

[/quote]

Oh I agree with you if they are seeking any kind of results in terms of physique, lifting is the way to go. I’m just saying I know a lot of people who are quite happy with the way they look. Some may want to lose a few lbs, but nothing major. They just want to improve their cardiovascular and overall health - for them any exercise is good exercise. If you are trying to improve your physique, usually that includes adding a little muscle, in which case lifting is an absolute must. And of course, lifting has other benefits as well, as you mention. I just know too many people who hate it and won’t ever do it. For them, other exercise is the way to go. There are plenty of very healthy people who never set foot in a weight room - instead, they run, etc.

65

you guys must all be giants, because im 6’ 197 fairly lean, and i only get positive comments and people asking me for advice

66

[quote]Sniper99 wrote:
deanec wrote:
I agree that “doing something” is better than doing nothing. However one cannot ignore the fact that resistance exercise is a key factor in bone, joint and muscle health as we age. Gyms are full of people doing the “hamster on the wheel” thing, and for the most part, this is a path to frustration and failure.

I do not argue with people about their modality of exercise, but I do try to educate as to better methods, particularly if they are not getting the results they want.

Oh I agree with you if they are seeking any kind of results in terms of physique, lifting is the way to go. I’m just saying I know a lot of people who are quite happy with the way they look. Some may want to lose a few lbs, but nothing major. They just want to improve their cardiovascular and overall health - for them any exercise is good exercise. If you are trying to improve your physique, usually that includes adding a little muscle, in which case lifting is an absolute must. And of course, lifting has other benefits as well, as you mention. I just know too many people who hate it and won’t ever do it. For them, other exercise is the way to go. There are plenty of very healthy people who never set foot in a weight room - instead, they run, etc.[/quote]

I am not just talking about “physique” or “looking good nekkid”. Ignoring weight bearing and resistance exercise WILL catch up with you over time. I will go so far as to say you cannot achieve your full health potential without a balance of cardiovascular and resistance exercise.

The ability for woman to maintain and increase bone density and thus mitigate osteoporosis to some extent should be reason enough to get a little pushy on the subject.

67

[quote]dollarbill44 wrote:

while giving my svelte, cheetahlike ass a big roomy place to roam.

DB[/quote]

Oh man, that’s all I ever wanted, a svelte, cheetahlike ass…

You got to share the secret to developing one of those…

|/ 3Toes

68

[quote]Northcott wrote:
MODOK wrote:
Strange how society embraces normalcy, and extraordinary people nowadays, instead of being lauded for their drive and determination, are set apart as “fringe”, even with something as trivial as eating protein at every meal.

Take heart, man. It’s always been that way. Look back at the days of Steeve Reeves, John Grimek, and the other Golden Age greats – they were regarded as freaks in their day, too. If anything, I’d say society has just gone to further extremes: there are more people working out, more people embracing the fitness lifestyle than ever. On the flipside, there are also more people stuffing their faces with Hostess Ho-Ho’s and other processed delights.

It’s not that we, who value this lifestyle, are more on the fringe. It’s that the middle ground is quickly disappearing.

In another fifty years we will be the muscular overlords of an apocalyptic slave society. :wink:

I have been working out for 20 years, and still amazed that people just don’t get it; work out, eat right, feel good, etc…
If you are tired of hearing what a freak you are for living a healthy lifestyle, think Jack LaLanne. Up every morning to sling iron, he’s been hearing that crap for years…he gets the last laugh. At age 91 he still says with a smirk, “My wife still has a smile on her face”. Being a freak is good.

69

[quote]The3toedSloth wrote:
dollarbill44 wrote:

while giving my svelte, cheetahlike ass a big roomy place to roam.

DB

Oh man, that’s all I ever wanted, a svelte, cheetahlike ass…

You got to share the secret to developing one of those…

|/ 3Toes

[/quote]
Romanian DLs (I love em) and Genetics, with the emphasis on genetics (thank you Mom & Dad).

DB

70

[quote]deanec wrote:
Sniper99 wrote:
deanec wrote:
I agree that “doing something” is better than doing nothing. However one cannot ignore the fact that resistance exercise is a key factor in bone, joint and muscle health as we age. Gyms are full of people doing the “hamster on the wheel” thing, and for the most part, this is a path to frustration and failure.

I do not argue with people about their modality of exercise, but I do try to educate as to better methods, particularly if they are not getting the results they want.

Oh I agree with you if they are seeking any kind of results in terms of physique, lifting is the way to go. I’m just saying I know a lot of people who are quite happy with the way they look. Some may want to lose a few lbs, but nothing major. They just want to improve their cardiovascular and overall health - for them any exercise is good exercise. If you are trying to improve your physique, usually that includes adding a little muscle, in which case lifting is an absolute must. And of course, lifting has other benefits as well, as you mention. I just know too many people who hate it and won’t ever do it. For them, other exercise is the way to go. There are plenty of very healthy people who never set foot in a weight room - instead, they run, etc.

I am not just talking about “physique” or “looking good nekkid”. Ignoring weight bearing and resistance exercise WILL catch up with you over time. I will go so far as to say you cannot achieve your full health potential without a balance of cardiovascular and resistance exercise.

The ability for woman to maintain and increase bone density and thus mitigate osteoporosis to some extent should be reason enough to get a little pushy on the subject. [/quote]

You dont have to worry about weight bearing exercise when you weigh arry around 200lbs of fat:)lol…

Seriously though, this is what lack of education, ignorance and the CHOICES that society wants has brought us…A fatter larger version of our previous selves. The processed, eaiser to cook and use garbage that we are inundated with daily is one of the main causes. I say it is the price we pay for PROGRESS. Society wants the easy way out. The magic pill. Well the got the easier way out, they got the choices, but now they have gotten the XXXl clothes, cars, homes etc.

K

71

at the current rate, since most Americans are lardasses and we’ve come to the point where we’ve actually had to construct stronger toilets and furniture to accomodate a small automobile, where will our society be in 20 years?

What about 10 years? Logic would tell us that society overall would say “holy shit, we need to fix this shit immediately!” Maybe some world council will conceive a plan to get the message out. Will it take drastic measures?

Will it take a PSA saying something to the effect of “All adults and teenagers must report to the local YMCA, health club, or fitness professional immediately or be fined $100 per day of non-compliance.” Or maybe the collective health insurance agencies will just simply cancel your coverage until you get your act together.

Something dramatic is sure to happen within our lifetimes. Maybe that dramatic event will be rampant deaths of people dying off by the hundreds of thousands as a direct result of neglecting their own health.

Maybe society will develope something similar to what I saw in German society: 90% of people only worked until about 4-5 PM. It was illegal to run your business past 5 PM unless you had a permit (which was difficult to obtain). Most people have the time and means to pursue some kind of recreational activity and most of those people went walking in the parks and woods. The society loves it that way, and refuse to change.

I see pros and cons to that, and it may be the very reason that is leading the economic collapse there, but you don’t see a lot of obese people there, if at all on most days.

72

[quote]dollarbill44 wrote:
The3toedSloth wrote:
dollarbill44 wrote:

while giving my svelte, cheetahlike ass a big roomy place to roam.

DB

Oh man, that’s all I ever wanted, a svelte, cheetahlike ass…

You got to share the secret to developing one of those…

|/ 3Toes

Romanian DLs (I love em) and Genetics, with the emphasis on genetics (thank you Mom & Dad).

DB[/quote]

DL’s and genetics, my fat ass…
Come on man, give… what’s the real secret? Is it a pill, or powder? What’s the URL?

If you don’t want it to get out, you can just PM it to me.

Thanks.

|/ 3Toes

73

[quote]The3toedSloth wrote:
dollarbill44 wrote:
The3toedSloth wrote:
dollarbill44 wrote:

while giving my svelte, cheetahlike ass a big roomy place to roam.

DB

Oh man, that’s all I ever wanted, a svelte, cheetahlike ass…

You got to share the secret to developing one of those…

|/ 3Toes

Romanian DLs (I love em) and Genetics, with the emphasis on genetics (thank you Mom & Dad).

DB

DL’s and genetics, my fat ass…
Come on man, give… what’s the real secret? Is it a pill, or powder? What’s the URL?

If you don’t want it to get out, you can just PM it to me.

Thanks.

|/ 3Toes

[/quote]

Real bits of Panther is the honest truth. I don’t know why I held back before.

dB

74

[quote]sawadeekrob wrote:
vroom wrote:
The so called “realities” of the world can weigh pretty heavily on you. If you aren’t yet shouldering those burdens yourself, don’t be so quick to condemn those that are.

This should be the quote of the year! The problem today IMO is that people don’t realize that priorities have changed dramatically in the last 10 years.

Now it is more important to have underwear with someone else’s name than taking the time to actually cook a nutritious meals. Louis Vuitton, Cartier and Hermes have replaced balanced meals, walking and personal responsibility.

This is not only happening in America, but in all countries too. It is a social epidemic. an epidemic of values.

J[/quote]

Have you been to the P.I ? Sucha poor place, but people rather spend their money on clothing than what they need.

75

[quote]dollarbill44 wrote:

Real bits of Panther is the honest truth. I don’t know why I held back before.

dB[/quote]

Thanks. It’s Panther nuts, isn’t it? I think I have seen something about that. But you have to eat the nuts off a live Panther, don’t you?

|/ 3Toes

76

[quote]SkyzykS wrote:
Worse than the fat people scooters, extra tubby clothing or the proliferation of cheesburgers combined:

Fat Kid Bikes.
[/quote]

Don’t even get me started here.

Ever notice that the carts on these things at supermarkets are always full of crap? I wonder how much thought it actually requires before they put it all together.

77

[quote]Sniper99 wrote:

The problem isn’t activities, the problem is modern life. Let me outline an average American’s day:

Spend 10-12 hours working for the man.
Spend 2+ hours in the car commuting.
Stop and grab something to eat on the way home (usually unhealthy) because you are too damn wasted from work to do anything.
Veg on the couch, attend to whatever pressing matters exist at home.
Go to sleep, get up 5-6 hours later, and do it all over again.
[/quote]

I agree with this. You can only live like this for so long before it becomes self-destructive.

I did not workout for two years because I was too busy. Then I started having severe health issues and was diagnosed with a chronic illness. When you hear this it is a terrible wake up call and you have no choice but to become health conscious. It was a long process and is painful at first but after a while the rewards are amazing.

I had two choices, 1) continue life on the path I was on and get worse or, 2) make behavioral changes and make health a priority. I made health a priority and I remembered how much I loved lifting weights, mma and other physical activities.

I see people eating badly and having terrible habits altogether. Part of me wants to show them there is a better way and you can live life without (or with very little) pain but it takes something severe to happen to make most people change.

C

78

[quote]The3toedSloth wrote:
dollarbill44 wrote:

Real bits of Panther is the honest truth. I don’t know why I held back before.

dB

Thanks. It’s Panther nuts, isn’t it? I think I have seen something about that. But you have to eat the nuts off a live Panther, don’t you?

|/ 3Toes

[/quote]

That’s why it helps to have a Cheetahlike ass to begin with so you can catch the Panther.

DB

79

[quote]dollarbill44 wrote:

Real bits of Panther is the honest truth. I don’t know why I held back before.

dB
[/quote]

You don’t find they make you smell like Bigfoot’s dick?

80

[quote]wressler125 wrote:
Anyone that frequents T-Nation knows what I am talking about.

We constantly read posts about people telling us testosterone is bad, having lean mass is unattractive, fat people are people too.

I think its getting worse. Schools in america are now banning protein supplements while installing vending machines with snickers bars and chips, pepsi and the latest versions of coke.

Running and squatting is bad on the knees.

McDonalds keep sprouting up everywhere.

“virtual sports” in the form of video games fly off the shelves.

People keep telling me how out of shape this country is. Its clearly self inflicted. Not only because of a lack of will, but also out of pure ignorance.

Where will it head? Where does this leave us, the T-Men?[/quote]

Bro, it’s worse than this. The US is not only pro fat-ass, it is also pro weak-ass! Not only is it acceptable and cool now for chicks to be fat, it is also cool to be a skinny weakling boy. Ever notice the fashion adds and commercials? Notice how they will have a hot looking chick paired up with a weak looking guy who looks like your sister could whip his ass?

It is a sad day in history!

However, that just makes us Gods! We can rule this weak and pathetically fat planet with absolute power!

We should use the fat peoples’ adipose tissue as an alternative fuel source and kick the skinny kids ass just for the fun of it!