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X-Large (Obesity in America Discussion)

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  • EDIT: Of course, the state just docked us 9 days of pay and gave us 9 days of vacation in return. So now I have the same problem again - too much vacation time.
    Take more days off to come down here for extended weekends.
    You need to learn the art of the 3 day weekend.
    It honestly takes me 2 days just to unwind. The first few days at Pennsic over the summer, I checked my phone several times a day for messages from work. By day 4, all of my fucks had been given, and I could actually relax.
    You need to switch that off. If people really need you, they'll call you. You don't need to check if people need you.
  • EDIT: Of course, the state just docked us 9 days of pay and gave us 9 days of vacation in return. So now I have the same problem again - too much vacation time.
    Take more days off to come down here for extended weekends.
    You need to learn the art of the 3 day weekend.
    It honestly takes me 2 days just to unwind. The first few days at Pennsic over the summer, I checked my phone several times a day for messages from work. By day 4, all of my fucks had been given, and I could actually relax.
    You need to switch that off. If people really need you, they'll call you. You don't need to check if people need you.
    So far, the only things that switch it off are bourbon, scotch, and beer. Sometimes gin. That or 2 days.

    And the thing is, sometimes I do, because I have come back to "OK Pete, here are the 5 things that went wrong while you were away that we didn't know how to fix. You need to fix them 2 days ago."

    I'm sure I'll eventually stop caring.

  • dsfdsf
    edited December 2011
    I guess I'll weigh in with my 2 cents.
    Water is super important. Protein requires tons of water to properly metabolize. Carbs require significantly less. So if you are in an arid environment you want bread over meat. At the end of the whole process, your body will synthesize what it needs from what you give it(You won't get jacked if you are only eating carbs but you will repair muscle). However giving it the right things will make it easier. As a caveat to that previous statement there are certain metals like iron and things like salt that you will need that you can't synthesize but by and large if you need a protein your body can make it if you aren't balanced out right.

    Eating all proteins is bad. See rabbit starvation.

    The secret to weight loss is simply mathematical. There are 3,500 calories in one pound of body fat. If you burn 3500 more calories than you eat in one week you will lose 1 lbs of body fat. End of story. You can accomplish this through a combination of meal planning, portion sizing and exercise. It is not a good idea to diet without exercise or exercise without a meal plan.

    Exercising without a proper meal plan can lead to a lack of energy during the exercise which will diminish your potential. If you eat poorly you will have toxins and bad things in you that will bring you down and if eat too little you will not have an effective regiment. Eating too much will obviously put you over your math for the 3500 calories per pound you are trying to burn. Portion sizing is important. Not too little and not too much, you want it just right -- Like Goldilocks.

    Fat requires water in order to be metabolized by the body. So again, water is super important.

    To sum it up, you want a balance of carbs, fats and proteins. A deficiency in any of these will hurt you since you can't predict what your body is going to want to synthesize. Also carbs help your brain focus. But you want quality carbs, ie rice instead of corn, rye or wheat(not enriched wheat) bread instead of white.

    Bring this altogether and you will lose about 2-5 lbs per month -- which is healthy.
    Post edited by dsf on
  • But Italians aren't fat.
    Well, I don't know that they have the culture of excess that we do. The "big Italian meals" thing is really Italian-American.

    It extends to Spanish-Americans, too. I'm willing to bet George would give us similar input about the Greco-Americans. Perhaps it's just a Mediterranean-American thing.
    Well, the Greeks and Spaniards have much higher obesity rates than Italians.

    It's pretty much that "[ethnicity]-American" cuisine really means "let's make portions 3 times bigger than they ought to be."

    It's a shame, because Greek food is now where near as awesome as Italian is. I don't deny there's some amazing ethnic food out there, but some cultures just have the same stuff constantly. (Thus why Indian is more my bag)
  • You guys are so cute. All this prattle about your little food disputes is nothing to the great BBQ wars of the south.
    Barbecue? Now you're talking my language, mate.
  • It's a shame, because Greek food is now where near as awesome as Italian is.
    Thems is fightin words son. >_<
  • I will fight with you,George. Greek is superior to Italian.
  • I will fight with you,George. Greek is superior to Italian.
    Truer word ne'er were spoken.

  • I don't know where I fall on this subject. On one hand, lamb roasts, dolmades, gyros (yeah, technically not truly Greek, but whatevs), baklava, and moussaka. On the other, prosciutto, stuffed pastas, lasagna, pesto, chicken masala, veal piccata.

    Can't we just love all the foods?
  • I suppose I can compromise and say Italian is as awesome as Greek food. But "Greek food is now where near as awesome as Italian is"? No, fuck off. Your opinion is wrong.
  • Today I went to the pizza place next to my office with its excellent NY style gigantic greasy slices made by Italians. I was more hungry than for pizza, so I went for the actual food. I asked for chicken parm and spaghetti. They didn't have spaghetti. They only had baked ziti. It was two meals.
  • Can't we just love all the foods?
    Listen, your kink is not my kink, but your kink is OK. Just keep your dick out of my food, OK?

  • edited December 2011
    I had a poutine pizza last friday. It has extra cheese, fries(as a topping) gravy rather than sauce, and more gravy on the side. I win.
    Post edited by Pegu on
  • Some of the things you people eat terrify me. I thought Southern food was bad but wow.
  • Here is a thought. Health insurance should cover and encourage people taking preventative measures for their members. Gym member ships, cardio classes, and dietitians should be covered.

    More money for public rec. centers/gyms would be a good idea too.
  • Here is a thought. Health insurance should cover and encourage people taking preventative measures for their members. Gym member ships, cardio classes, and dietitians should be covered.

    More money for public rec. centers/gyms would be a good idea too.
    Now that might not work out so well, but knocking some money off the price of your cover if you do, that might work.

  • If I had a company the policy would be this.

    40 days of paid leave for every employee every year. Almost every major federal holiday off. MLK day yes, Columbus day no. Infinity sick days, if you are legitimately sick. No need for personal days because a day off is a day off. Funerals, jury duty, pa/maternity gives you as many paid days off as is necessary. These are all required days off. If we get to the end of the cycle, and there are days you haven't used, we kick your ass out of the office. You will not be permitted to work.
    I would also put election days on mandatory days off, provided the employees actually go vote (though of course you can not dictate who they vote for). It's one of the biggest indictments of the american voting system that it's on a work day and people actually lose money for engaging in their right to vote.
  • Yeah, I don't understand the USA in this. So much hype about the election, and it's on a work day in winter. What the hell? In Germany you often get two days to vote, and one is Sunday, and it often happens in the summer. Get a clue, democracy fans!
  • edited December 2011
    There is already a law that says your employer has to give you time to go vote if you need it. For example in New York state the following rule applies.
    Employees who do not have 4 consecutive non-working hours between polls opening and closing, and who do not have "sufficient" non-working time to vote, are entitled to up to 2 hours paid leave to vote. Employees must request the leave between 2 and 10 days before Election Day. The employer can specify whether it be taken at beginning or end of shift. Employers must post this rule conspicuously 10 days prior to election.
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • Um, a quick question: What do elections and politics have to do with the USA's obesity issue?
  • edited December 2011
    Um, a quick question: What do elections and politics have to do with the USA's obesity issue?
    EVERYTHING!
    Post edited by George Patches on
  • Um, a quick question: What do elections and politics have to do with the USA's obesity issue?
    Can't vote if you can't fit in the voting booth.
  • Um, a quick question: What do elections and politics have to do with the USA's obesity issue?
    Can't vote if you can't fit in the voting booth.
    A grim look at the future of XL voting booths at the drive in of a combo McDonalds-Liquorstore
  • Here is a thought. Health insurance should cover and encourage people taking preventative measures for their members. Gym member ships, cardio classes, and dietitians should be covered.

    More money for public rec. centers/gyms would be a good idea too.
    Medicare finally plans to cover Nutrition appointments from your primary care providers for 2012. This is actually pretty big news in the fight against obesity. For the longest of time Medicare will pretty much not cover most things that are associated with nutrition counseling or any sort of diagnoses in regards to obesity. This change in coverage will be very good for those who have coverage because more than likely most insurance companies will also follow suit and start allowing similar coverage if they didn't before.

  • Um, a quick question: What do elections and politics have to do with the USA's obesity issue?
    And now for a serious and helpful answer: They determine policy priorities, including whether to promote dietary health and physical fitness through healthcare requirements.

  • Gym member ships
    Got a bit of a chuckle from this. Couldn't help but imagining Donkey Kong (HUGE upper body on a tiny pair of legs) and Dat Ass from my uni's gym getting together.
  • edited December 2011
    Gym member ships
    Got a bit of a chuckle from this. Couldn't help but imagining Donkey Kong (HUGE upper body on a tiny pair of legs) and Dat Ass from my uni's gym getting together.


    Post edited by highdefinition on
  • Here is a thought. Health insurance should cover and encourage people taking preventative measures for their members. Gym member ships, cardio classes, and dietitians should be covered.

    More money for public rec. centers/gyms would be a good idea too.
    My employer (not my insurance) does this to a certain extent. The main corporate office (in NJ) has a gym in the building exclusively for employees. Since this is obviously not available to the regional offices, they reimburse all employees up to $200 p/y for gym memberships. Additionally, they reimburse portions of certain diet plans (NutriSystem, Weight Watchers, etc.), discounted insurance for completing health assessments, discounted insurance for not smoking/quitting smoking, health initiatives (lunch walk groups, discounts to farmers markets, etc.), free health screenings (a medical van comes and performs various tests - sometimes more thorough than our yearly physicals), and so on.

    As for public recreational centers, a lot of schools offer public access to gymnasiums, weight rooms, and pools on certain days of the week. Additionally, some towns/villages/cities offer free/cheap classes in their municipal buildings (senior centers, schools, recreation rooms in town halls, etc.) YMCA's are wicked expensive (at least in my area), so they aren't a reasonable option. YWCA's have a tendency to be less expensive, but there are very few around these days.
  • I read through all this topic while eating some leftover chinese food (fried rice.. so mostly rice). I was still hungry but now am getting a glass of water instead of more food. You people fucking win.
  • The more of this thread I read, the more I just want to crawl back to my little country and eat some waffles. Make the nightmare go away.
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