DurangObesity

Chaz Bono Loses 60 Pounds By Changing His Eating Habits.

2013-04-29T09:21:00.005-07:00

Chaz Bono is sending out an admirably good message regarding weight loss.

Chaz Bono has been in the news lately due to his 60 pound weight loss, which has rendered a noticeably slimmer Chaz Bono.

Chaz is not promoting any special diet as being his means of achieving significant weight reduction.

What Chaz Bono is promoting is the fact that he lost weight by learning to eat a more properly nutritious diet.

As in Chaz Bono knocked off the high calorie snacks and desserts and junk food and started eating more fruits and vegetables and lean meats.

With the healthier diet Chaz felt more energetic, which brought about an amped up exercise regimen, which also amped up the weight loss.

I think Dancing with the Stars should give Chaz Bono another shot at the coveted mirror ball trophy.

If Chaz could talk his mom, Cher, into also dancing, Dancing with the Stars would have the biggest star dancing that they have ever had on the ballroom floor....

Frosty the Snowman's Drastic Weight Loss & Extreme Body Makeover

2012-12-22T19:38:00.000-08:00

Frosty the Snowman is providing some weight loss inspiration for the upcoming period of New Year's Resolutions. That being the time of the year when so many of us strive to get to that ideal figure of ideal measurements so few of us ever manage to get to, even after year after year and decade after decade of trying.

I think if Frosty the Snowman can be such a Big Loser, so can I.

So can you.

I also notice that Frosty got a nose job as part of his Extreme Makeover. That is too drastic. No nose job for me.

Actually, now that you are making me think about it, Frosty the Snowman is a really bad example of a role model for dieting and getting in shape. All Frosty needed to do to re-shape his shape was get a hot air blower.

No need to reduce caloric intake, or increase exercise.

All Frosty needed to lose weight and get in shape was well placed heat.

I think there is a lesson for all of us in this....

The Airlines Are Getting Serious About Flying Obese Customers Of Size

2012-11-08T09:06:00.001-08:00

I have no fear of flying. I do have a fear of the claustrophobic nature of flying.

When I get onboard and find my seat I sit there hoping that I end up having the row to myself. That has happened only once. My next wish is that I have the window seat, someone has the aisle seat, with the middle seat empty.

If all the seats are taken it is my next hope that it is a small kid sitting next to me, next hope a small teenager, next a small female, next a small male.

I have only been stuck next to a full sized male once. This felt very crowded.

My greatest flying fear is to be in my seat and see an obese person making their way down the aisle, with me sitting there hoping this person is not going to sit next to me. This has never happened and I've only been on one plane where there was a hugely plus-sized person on board, with the plus-sizedness coming from both height and girth.

The various airlines have been getting a bit tougher with their policies regarding hugely overweight people getting onboard, with Southwest Airlines leading the way.

With Southwest you either fit in the 17 inches between the armrests or you buy a second seat.

United is now urging passengers who require extra seating to book that extra seat prior to getting to the airport, where you may be refused plane entry at the gate if you have not purchased an extra seat.

I wonder how many obese people are actually flying? Like I previously said, I have only seen one really big person on a plane.

It seems sort of unfair to the non-obese that a person weighing 150 pounds pays the same as a person weighing 500 pounds.

If you check in your luggage and it weighs even slightly over the allotted weight, you pay extra.

It takes a lot more airplane fuel to lift 500 pounds off the ground than 150 pounds.

Maybe some planes should be retrofitted with special seats for the obese, like two in a row, rather than three. The obese person then books their flight on these special retrofitted planes and pays a surcharge.

That seems fair.

An obese person has spent a lot of money on food to add all that extra girth. It really does not seem fair that the non-obese should basically subsidize the lifestyle of the obese by paying the same for an airplane ticket.

And how is it fair for a person who is well within that 17 inches between armrests to be placed next to a person who spreads outside that perimeter? It clearly is not fair.

I am almost 100% certain I will be flying soon. Hopefully without a "customer of size" as the airlines like to refer to the obese, sitting next to me.

Betty Jo Bouvier's Shampoo Weight Loss Discovery

2012-10-05T09:00:00.002-07:00

This morning I got email from Betty Jo Bouvier with what I thought was an amusing joke. Googling for an image to go along with this joke I quickly learned that this joke has been widely disseminated on many websites.

But, it was new to me, so I thought I'd share Betty Jo Bouvier's Weight Loss Discovery...

FINALLY! A practical and useful health warning.

Shampoo Warning!

I don't know WHY I didn't figure this out sooner! I use shampoo in the shower! When I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body.

Printed very clearly on the shampoo label is this warning: "FOR EXTRA BODY AND VOLUME."

No wonder I have been gaining weight!

Well!

I have gotten rid of that shampoo and I am going to start showering with Dawn Dish Soap instead.

Its label reads: "DISSOLVES FAT THAT IS OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE."

Problem solved! If I don't answer the phone, I'll be in the shower...

Colin Farrell Uses NBC's Biggest Loser to Get in Shape for Total Recall

2012-08-03T08:32:00.002-07:00

NBC's Biggest Loser is one of Irish actor Colin Farrell's favorite American TV shows.

When Colin Farrell got the lead role in a 2012 remake of the 1990 version of Total Recall, playing the Arnold Schwarzenegger character, Douglas Quaid, Farrell faced the dilemma of needing to get himself in Schwarzenegger shape.

And, so Farrell decided to follow the same course of action he'd seen work so often on Biggest Loser.

When Colin Farrell began his Biggest Loser losing plan he was not hugely overweight, or hugely out of shape. What he needed to do was get himself in fighting trim, with his gut sucked in and his manboobs firmed up.

To quote Colin Farrell on his get in shape plan...“One of my favorite shows on television is The Biggest Loser. When people that size can lose weight and get healthy again, it is possible for anyone, I ate lots of greens and chicken, I didn’t order dessert for four months. I stayed off the sugar and got myself on the treadmill. It’s just discipline and not that hard when you apply the science to it."

I hope Colin Farrell is able to keep in the good shape he got into for Total Recall and does not blimp up again, a phenomenon that happens to so many of us after successfully getting in good shape for a movie part.

I Did Not Know I Am On The Six Weeks To OMG Diet Plan Which Has Me Skinnier Than All My Friends

2012-07-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

I had not heard of SIX WEEKS TO OMG til yesterday.

When I learned the details of this new fad diet I was appalled to realize I've basically been on the OMG diet for months.

I did not realize this was the reason I'd gotten skinnier than all my friends.

A guy calling himself Venice A. Fultion, who also goes by Paul Khanna, is the creator of this magical way to lose weight.

Apparently weight loss professionals have been critical of the OMG diet.

As I understand it, the claim is that following the OMG method will allow you to lose 20 - 30 pounds in Six Weeks, thus causing your friends to say "OMG" when they see the new skinny you.

The Six Weeks to OMG plan, as I understand it, is each morning of the Six Weeks, you get up and drink a lot of coffee to amp up your energy level and metabolism.

Then you go get yourself some calorie burning exercise. I assume this would be walking fast, jogging, riding a bike, swimming, that type thing.

After you are done getting your exercise you're supposed to get into a tub of not warm water, thus making your body work hard to keep you warm.

You let 3 hours go by from the time you drink the coffee til you eat your first food of the day.

And the food you consume must be heavily weighted to lean proteins, cutting way back on the carbs.

Does this sound all that much different from the Atkins Diet?

The claim the pseudo diet doctor is making is that with no food in your system you body is going to burn fat to energize the exercise, with additional fat burned when your body has to work to warm you when you're in that tub of cold water.

My version of the OMG plan has been that I drink coffee, then do some exercising on a Nautilus machine, then go swimming, then take a cold shower after the swim. And then have something light and lean for breakfast, which usually takes place a couple hours, not three, after I've had my morning coffee.

I have gotten skinnier. I don't know if it my accidental version of the OMG diet that has caused me to get skinnier than all my friends. I suspect the real culprit is I've been eating less and exercising more.

I Am Inches From Being In As Good A Shape As A 72 Year Old Man

2012-02-25T07:47:00.000-08:00

The ad on the left has been showing up lately on my Durango Texas blog. I don't know why this ad shows up. I don't remember blogging about being an old guy in great shape.

If it is true that this is an actual photo of a 72 year old doctor who has used science, nutrition and exercise to achieve the results we are looking at in the picture, well, sign me up for that program.

I have a couple decades to go before I am 72 and, hopefully, in as good a shape as this particular doctor.

I am currently having some success at reducing the beer gut-like growth that I mysteriously grew without having had the pleasure of consuming excessive amounts of beer.

My around the middle waist measurement has receded about an inch since I started receding. I can now suck the measuring tape in to just under 36 inches.

I Wish I Was As Thin As I Was When I Thought I Was Fat

2012-02-09T07:36:00.000-08:00

I saw this amusing vintage poster this morning on Mary Kellogg Bishop's Facebook page. I can identify with the sentiment expressed by the lady in the Lounger Chair, due to the fact that I would not mind being as thin as I was, back at a weight, that at that point in time, I thought was fat.

As in, let's say, around 195 pounds.

At 195 pounds I would feel really skinny at this particular point in time.

I am almost 100% certain that is not Mary Kellogg Bishop lounging in the Lounger Chair in the poster.

Losing Weight For Jesus To Get A Bod4God

2012-01-31T14:28:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, when I confessed I'd ballooned way over 200 pounds and had grown what amounted to a minor beer belly, that I had acquired without the pleasure of drinking beer, I said whenever I have detected shrinkage I would blog about it, along with a piece of interesting info of the weight loss/health variety.

Well, my ongoing shrinkage has now shrunk my pseudo beer gut to being under 37 inches in circumference.

After I blogged about my ballooning beer gut I discovered that several pairs of pants, which used to be baggy on me, no longer are. Discovering this has increased my desire to shrink.

As for a piece of interesting info of the weight loss/health variety.

Well, there is this preacher, Steve Reynolds, head pastor at the Capital Baptist Church in Annandale, Virginia, who has tossed aside all the usual reasons people motivate themselves to lose weight, you know, like me, to fit into jeans that are now too tight, to return to a high school reunion, to feel better about yourself, to lower your blood pressure.

Toss all those familiar weight loss reasons out the window.

Pastor Reynolds wants you to do it for Jesus.

Pastor Reynolds has written a book titled "Bod4God."

Since 2007 Pastor Reynolds has led his congregation to lose over 12,000 pounds.

Pastor Reynolds practices what he preaches. He has lost 120 pounds.

Pastor Reynolds says, "I want to show people, all types of people, especially Christian people, that we're made by God, but we're also made for God, and we need to honor him with our bodies,"

So there you have it, lose weight for Jesus and get yourself a good Bod for God.

To Lose My Beer Gut I Want to Lose Weight Like the Japanese

2012-01-25T09:05:00.000-08:00

A couple days ago I fessed up to the fact that not only did I re-gain the weight I lost on last year's Super Bowl Goal Diet, I went past that previous high, to a new one in the 220 pound zone.

But, like I said in my fessing up blogging, My 2011 Super Bowl Weight Loss Disappeared with a Beer Gut by the Start of 2012 the weight this time is concentrated in my waist zone, creating a beer belly without having had the pleasure of drinking too much beer.

For my 2012 Beer Gut Reduction Plan I am not going to document my ongoing weight loss. I am not even going to get on the scale. All I needed to know is I have gone over 220. What I am going to do is document the shrinkage of my waist.

When I am in non-beer gut mode, my waist is around 30 inches. My beer gutted waist is currently over 37 inches. I am calling 37 inches my starting point for shrinkage. Whenever I have detected shrinkage I will blog about it, along with a piece of interesting info of the weight loss/health variety.

This blogging's interesting info of the weight loss/health variety came from FoxNews online in an article titled "Want to Lose Weight? Eat Like the Japanese" by Valerie Frankel of Health.com.

Want to Lose Weight? Eat Like the Japanese
7 ways to become healthier today

Think it's time to make some healthy lifestyle adjustments? Dan Buettner, author of "The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest," is right behind you. Buettner is crossing Iowa in a bus, attempting to change American towns into healthier places. "More than 40 percent of Americans smoked in the '60s, and only 20 percent do now," he points out. "We can turn around our diet and lifestyle, too."

One thing we Americans have going for us: We are always up for a challenge. So try these healthful ideas inspired by healthy women around the world.

1. Take 20 percent off
Blue zones—like areas in Italy, Japan, Greece, California, and Costa Rica where the people have traditionally stayed active to age 100 or older—are some of the healthiest in the world. "In every Blue Zone, they eat less than we do, by at least 20 percent," Buettner says.

One trick for slashing portions: "Instead of putting big platters of food at the center of the table, fill each plate at the counter," Buettner says.

2. Pile on the plants
Not only are plant-based diets rich in antioxidants and other good-for-you nutrients, they're also better for your waistline. "A plate of food in Okinawa has one-fifth the calorie density of a typical American meal," Buettner says. "You can chow down for a fraction of the calories."

Buettner suggests thinking of meat as a condiment rather than the main event, and subbing in more beans, legumes, and nuts.

3. Love the foods that love you back
A diet of berries and elk or tofu and sea vegetables might seem utterly foreign—but taste buds can be retrained. "Americans love fat, salt, and sugar because that's what we're used to," says David L. Katz, MD, founding director of the Yale Prevention Research Center. "But studies show that if you eat more wholesome foods, you can learn to prefer them."

An easy way to start: Search for stealth sugar, which Dr. Katz says is found in many packaged foods. "Once you get rid of that hidden sugar, you'll start to prefer less-sweet foods," he notes.

4. Sit down—and slow down.
It might be too much to cook every meal. But we can sit at a table to eat our takeout instead of scarfing it down in the car. Savor each bite as the French do; stretch your meals out for 20 whole minutes. You'll end up eating less and enjoying more.

5. Get up
"The longest-living people don't think of exercise as a chore," Buettner says. Instead, little bits of movement are a constant part of their everyday lives. Make like a French woman and take a short walk after dinner.

Shovel your own snow instead of paying the kid next door; make extra trips carrying laundry up and down the stairs.

6. Get out
Every Blue Zone is known for its strong social and family bonds. Besides spending quality time at home with family, surround yourself with healthy-living friends—good health habits are contagious, research shows.

Be sure to get involved in your community, too, whether it's at church, a gardening group, or a volunteer organization. These connections can add years to your life, Buettner says.

7. Take it easy
Even the world's healthiest people get stressed out sometimes. What they all have, Buettner says, are daily strategies to shed stress. Meditate, go for a run, make a dinner date with your best friend—and don't worry about your inability to be a French woman or a Greek farmer.

It's OK to enjoy the occasional cheeseburger. What matters is a cumulative lifestyle pattern of enjoying healthful food, staying connected to others, and keeping yourself moving.

My 2011 Super Bowl Weight Loss Disappeared with a Beer Gut by the Start of 2012

2012-01-21T14:06:00.000-08:00

I use this photo for illustration purposes. It is not me in the picture.

In December of 2010 I started this blog you are reading right now. The reason I started this blog was because I had once again gained weight and gone over the 200 pound mark.

I knew at the start of every New Year millions of people make a resolution to lose weight. I thought I'd do the same thing and track my weight loss on this blog.

Well.

My goal was to hit 190 pounds by the time of the Super Bowl. I forget what I had ballooned to before I began re-shrinking. I think it was, maybe, 211.

So. I got to my Super Bowl goal. And then proceeded, as 2011 progressed, to gain the weight back, til I surpassed my old high and nearing the start of the New Year of 2012 I was closing in on 220.

I have not weighed myself in weeks.

Yesterday I was horrified to find that multiple pants that fit me loosely, what seems a short time ago, are now uncomfortably tight.

I was appalled.

I am down to two pair of pants that are comfortable to wear.

I somehow had convinced myself I was getting more muscular, hence the size gain. Maybe there is some of that. I do get a lot of exercise.

But, added muscle does not explain the swelling of my waist.

I pretty much have a beer gut without having had the pleasure of drinking a lot of beer.

In April of 2006 I returned from an annoying visit to the Pacific Northwest. At that point in time I weighed something like 205 and comfortably fit into the pants I tried on last night, hoping to wear them to an event, that caused me to realize I've reached a new low of getting fat.

When I returned to Texas in May of 2006 I amped up my exercise routine, mostly really long bike rides of the mountain bike sort. I began to shrink. I did not actually go on any sort of diet.

By July of 2008 I returned to the Pacific Northwest again. I had shrunk down to around 170. I was skinny. People made note of me being skinny. Some said gaunt. I felt good. And the plane ride was the most comfortable ever, due to being skinny.

Upon my return to Texas, in August of 2008, I was again annoyed with my visit to the Pacific Northwest. This time, apparently, the annoyance did not cause me to shrink, instead it caused me to swell.

Like I already said, the last I weighed myself I was approaching 220. I have not weighed myself again, because I don't care how much I weigh.

What I care about with this bout of shrinking is to shrink the pseudo beer gut. The last I measured I was 37 inches around my waist. On some people that would be skinny. When I weighed 180 my waist was 29 inches.

So, during this latest, and I hope, my last bout of losing weight, I am not going to keep track of my weight. I instead am going to keep track of the number of diminishing inches around my waist.

Every few days I will blog my progress.

I am hoping the shrinkage occurs quickly. I don't see why it won't. I get a lot of exercise. I eat very nutritionally, albeit, obviously, too frequently in too large a quantity, for too long.

I need to get myself shrunk back to being comfortable on a plane size by the late March/early April time frame. I am planning on getting on a plane in early Spring. I don't want that seat belt to feel like it is squeezing me.

The current size of my "Beer Gut" is 37 inches. The goal is 30 inches.

How Us Dutch People Stay Slim Except When We Live In America

2011-12-23T13:58:00.000-08:00

A few days ago on one of my other blogs I lamented about how my Dutch genetics cause me to be able to gain weight with little effort.

A Dutch dike fixer, calling him or herself "Slow Leak," pointed me to an article about why the Dutch stay so slim, titled "How the Dutch Stay Slim."

You can read the article to learn the 8 secrets nutritionist Mandy Dunlop believes help the Dutch win the battle of the bulge.

I pretty much do the 8 Dutch secrets, for the most part. Yet I still way too easily gain weight. I think this may be because I am in America, not in Holland.

I thought the comments that this article generated were amusing and made some interesting observations, like the first one, with a reference to Wal-Mart....

JSK posted: 2011-08-29 15:58:14

As someone who has spend ample time is both the us and the netherlands, i have some observations. I do not think dutch people are particularily slim but they weigh less than americans *on average* plus there is a lot less variation between people (that is: dutch people are more average in general). So if i walk around on a american college campus there are more slim people (esp. women) than on a campus in the netherlands. However, in the american Walmart you see huge people the size of which you would very rarely observe in the Netherlands.

Why the average American weight is higher than the Dutch average, has to do with food and lifestyle, but not in the flattering way most people in the Netherlands think. Americans drive and eat more, but the reason is that automobiles are far more affordable and American food is a lot tastier (the supermarket freezer pizza of the brand "Digorno" is superior to Dutch restaurant pizza, for example). Place a dutch person in the U.S. and he'll gain 10 kilograms in no time (i'm speaking from experience).

buitenlander posted: 2011-08-09 11:28:12

are you joking? Dutch and slim are two words that should not be put together in one sentence... :)

barbara posted: 2011-08-10 09:19:11

My Dutch husband is slim, rides his bike 2 hours a day, eats bread and cheese for breakfast and lunch, and large amount of potatoes for dinner. All of my Dutch relatives and friends are slim, and I credit this to their bike riding and a moderate amount of food. Some may disagree; I am stating what I know as fact, not a global statement that ALL Dutch people are a certain way. But while living in Holland for ten years I saw more slim than fat people. When I left in 2006, I noticed some were gaining weight, but also were biking less and eating more fast foods or in restaurants.

the thinker posted: 2011-08-10 09:50:14

I think its genetics - Dutch people are tall and have lean muscles. They are not that predisposed to be fat the same way they are not predisposed to be well build. You can hardly see a really well build Dutchman as they have small bones and chests.

CW posted: 2011-08-10 11:22:29

I gained 10 kilos after I moved to Holland, eating a Dutch diet and cycling. Let's face it, tall skinny Dutch people marry tall skinny Dutch people and have tall skinny Dutch kids! It's in the DNA.

are posted: 2011-08-10 13:43:28

This entire thing is hilarious. The Dutch are getting fatter by the day, and the problem is so huge (no pun intended) that it has entered Parliamentary discussions. I am sometimes astounded at how fat some of the women are -- easily as fat as my fellow Americans in the US. And I am equally frustrated by the fact that there are so few Dutch women who are actually thin. The vast majority are overweight to some extent, even if not obese.

And if you read the recipes in the Allerhande, which guides so many Dutch family meals, it's easy to see why. VERY low nutritional value, VERY high fat content, and generally about 1000 calories PER MEAL. Nutrition is an unknown in the Netherlands, and it's not getting better - it's getting worse. Fat pigs.

ustanother posted: 2011-08-10 15:41:42

This article is a big joke!
Dutch eat no fruit and no vegetables. They eat the same sandwich every day, with butter, cheese and surrogate of ham. How can you call this healthy. Then the funny part is that according to the article one thing that helps is the fact that they drink black coffee instead of milk and coffee...but then at every meal they drink milk instead of water!!! Come on!

Laura posted: 2011-08-11 11:29:40

Well written article but I beg to differ. I don't think the Dutch are paricularly slim! In fact, kind of the opposite. Lot's of tummy hidden behind the large shirts and sweaters, and the ever expandable leggings, hmm. My obersvation is this: they eat on the run, snack quite a bit - even which biking, and their market baskets are often filled with typical junk food. I am not sure if I would follow your suggestions for a healthy diet. Too much dairy and too much caffeine are the red flags for me.

Dear Diet I've Got To Stop Cheating On You

2011-10-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

On Facebook there has been an epidemic of Facebookers posting inspirational or amusing or pointless graphic messages lately. I thought this "Dear Diet" one was of the amusing sort.

Jenny Craig Spokeswoman Carrie Fisher Has Lost 50 Pounds

2011-08-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

That is Princess Leia, also known as Carrie Fisher, with her ex-boyfriend, Jabba the Hut. This relationship did not last too long.

Jabba the Hut was morbidly obese. I don't know if Carrie Fisher picked up bad eating habits from Jabba, but in the decades following their break-up in the 1970s, Carrie Fisher put on a lot of weight.

Currently Carrie Fisher is celebrating losing a lot of weight. She has lost 50 pounds on the Jenny Craig weight-loss plan.

Carrie Fisher took over the Jenny Craig celebrity spokeswoman role last year. Previous Jenny Craig weight-loss spokeswomen have been Valerie Bertinelli and Kirstie Alley.

I do not remember if Kirstie Alley's Fat Actress TV show aired before or after she was the Jenny Craig celebrity spokeswoman.

The last time I saw Carrie Fisher on TV was when her step-mother, Elizabeth Taylor, died. Carrie looked like she'd lost a lot of weight at that point in time.

I don't believe Carrie Fisher is going to be sporting her Princess Leia attire. She is quoted as saying, "I'm not going to wear a lot of sleeveless things. I think after 50, there's a law."

Losing Custody Because Your Kid is Obese

2011-07-25T08:24:00.000-07:00

An obesity expert at the Boston Children's Hospital, Dr. David Ludwig, co-wrote, with Lindsey Murtagh, she being a lawyer and researcher at Harvard's School of Public Health, an article recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

In that article the authors opined that parents of severely obese children should lose their custody rights due to not controlling the weight of their children.

Dr. Ludwig wrote, “In severe instances of childhood obesity, removal from the home may be justifiable because of imminent health risks and the parents’ chronic failure to address medical problems. State intervention may serve the best interests of many children with life-threatening obesity, comprising the only realistic way to control harmful behaviors.”

Taking away someone's fat kids seems a bit harsh to me. I can see where some sort of Child Protective Services intervention might be a good thing. An intervention where the parents are shown how to properly feed their kids.

But, there are already cases of kids being put in foster care due to being obese. Dr. Ludvig gave an example of a girl treated in at Boston Children's Hospital. A 3 year old girl already weighing 90 pounds was brought to the hospital for treatment. By the age of 12 the girl weighed more than 400 pounds, with high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep apnea. The state took the girl away from the parents and put her in foster care where she was put on a diet, losing 130 pounds.

Other kids in other states have been taken from their parents due to being obese. A mom in South Carolina lost custody of her 14 year old boy who weighed 555 pounds. There have been cases in Texas, New York, New Mexico and California where obesity has been cited as the reason for parental loss of custody.

Childhood obesity in America is nearing a crisis level. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (The CDC) reports that over 12 million American kids are currently obese. With 2 million American kids at a morbidly obese level.

The Manorexia Epidemic

2011-07-16T08:57:00.000-07:00

Anorexia and its association with teenage girls has been around for decades. In recent years a variant of Anorexia has emerged that is being referred to as Manorexia.

More and more men apparently are feeling pressure to develop what they believe to be the perfect body.

With that particular body image affected by males they see in the media, particularly what is perceived as the perfect body shape as portrayed by male models.

Many men have developed an obsession with getting rid of body fat and developing a six pack in their abdominal zone.

Many of those affected with Manorexia obsessively exercise every day of the week, in addition to consuming a reduced calorie level.

The National Association of Anorexia and Associated Disorders claims "eating disorders have reached epidemic levels in America, affecting up to 10 million women and 1 million men."

Watch the YouTube video below about a male model's descent into Manorexia....

Playing Outside is Good for Kids

2011-06-12T13:21:00.000-07:00

I was walking in Veterans Park in Arlington, Texas on Sunday, June 12 of 2011, when I saw the sign above in the Xeriscape Garden. I thought bore some appropo information pertinent to my DurangObesity Blog.

That pertinent info being that....

Studies show that kids who play outside:

Are healthier physically and mentally.
Do better in school.
Have higher self-esteem.
Have good self-discipline.
Feel more capable and confident.
Are good problem-solvers.
Are more cooperative with others.
Are more creative.
Feel connected to nature.
Are tomorrow's conservation leaders.

Well, I am a kid at heart, who spends a lot of time outdoors. I had no idea, til I read this sign today, that this is why I'm healthy physically and mentally, why I have high self-esteem and self-discipline. Why I'm fairly confident and good at solving problems. That being outdoors a lot is what helps me be so cooperative with others. And why I am so creative. I did suspect that being outdoors a lot is what makes me feel connected to nature.

Getting In A Comprosing Position Thanks To Someone Anonymous

2011-05-01T15:00:00.000-07:00

I was a little surprised this morning to learn from someone Anonymous that someone Anonymous not only reads my DurangObesity Blog, they actually remembered what they read.

Below is the comment made by someone Anonymous...

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "2011 New Year's Weight Loss Resolution Week 17: Do...":

Congratulations. I believe you promised pictorial evidence of a yoga position which was gut-blocked a few months ago. Well?

Did I make such a promise? I don't recollect. I have a really bad memory at times.

It is not an easy thing to do, to take a picture of oneself in a compromising position. But, I do like to keep promises...

2011 New Year's Weight Loss Resolution Week 17: Down to 179

2011-04-30T08:42:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I was stuck at 185. My goal for today was 183. I did 4 pounds better than that, shrinking to 1 pound less than my 180 pound goal.

In other words, my New Year's Weight Loss Resolution is now resolved.

If past experience is any predictor, I will continue to shrink, due the fact that the factors that have caused the shrinkage are not going to change all that fast.

I'll continue getting a lot of exercise. I'm not going to suddenly start going to restaurant buffets. Or putting melted butter on my air popped popcorn.

Now that I have shrunk to my desired level of shrinkage I am resolved not to let stress and aggravation cause me to forget about watching what I eat.

I have to say, this current bout of shrinkage went on way longer than I had planned. I figured by March I'd be done with it. I'd grown real tired of these Saturday morning weigh-ins. And then blogging about it.

Police Women From Around the World & America

2011-04-25T08:17:00.000-07:00

No comment.

2011 New Year's Weight Loss Resolution Week 16: Down 2 to 185

2011-04-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

I think for the first time during these months of trying to shrink to 180 pounds, I met my goal for the weekly Saturday weigh-in.

I got down to last week's 185 pounds goal.

I am getting a bit bored with this weekly weigh-in thing.

Maybe I should just decide that 185 is my ideal weight and call a stop to this.

The lowest weight I have shrunk to in my adult, post-30s years, is 168.5.

In April of 2006, five years ago, I'd returned from a visit to the Pacific Northwest feeling very aggravated about how aggravating that visit had been. To put my mind in a better place I went on an extremely vigorous bike ride, pretty much every day. Soon I was shrinking.

That bout of shrinkage continued until July of 2008, when I shrunk to the aforementioned 168.5.

In July of 2008 I was back in the Pacific Northwest. For a month. And again it was very aggravating. More so than the 2006 visit.

In August of 2008 I returned back to my safe place, but did not react to being aggravated like I had in 2006.

My mom and dad visited the first week of 2009. They wanted to go to a Sweet Tomatoes restaurant. I had not been to Sweet Tomatoes before.

From 2006 til 2009 I very rarely ate in restaurants. Eating out a lot is a surefire way to weigh more.

After my mom and dad's visit I found myself re-visiting Sweet Tomatoes many times. And returning to my favorite Indian buffet, Tandoor, for the first time in a long time, with many follow-up visits. I discovered Zorro's Buffet. I had Riscky's BBQ all you can eat ribs. Twice. I discovered Town Talk, which had me suddenly having a steady supply of real good cheese.

By the time the New Year of 2011 showed up I had bloated up to 217 pounds. 48.5 pounds heavier than my July of 2008 low of 168.5.

Appalling.

I guess I am still aiming to shrink to 180. Let's make next Saturday's goal 183.

The American Cat & Dog Obesity Epidemic

2011-04-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

All my siblings, but one, has at least one dog. Half my sibling's dogs have issues with being overweight, ordered by their vets to lose weight.

I got in trouble in 2008 for feeding one of my sibling's slightly chubby poodles a McDonald's cheeseburger. That poodle, his name is Max, loves McDonald's cheeseburgers. Max is not obese, just a bit overweight.

Also in 2008 the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) issued a report that reported that 44% of dogs and 57% of cats were either overweight or obese or both.

With this shocking revelation regarding all the fat cats, cat people apparently put their cats on diets, because the 2011 APOP report reports that now 55% of dogs are fat with 53% of cats being fat cats.

I'm guessing there is some statistical wiggle room in these statistics.

2011 New Year's Weight Loss Resolution Week 15: Down to 187

2011-04-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

Well, another Saturday weigh-in and again I did not hit my target of 185. But, unlike last Saturday, when I'd gained a pound, this week I am down a pound, 2 above my 185 goal.

Even though I'm not lighter, I do seem to be shrinking.

I can now easily do the Yoga Plough Position. About 2 months ago I was shocked to discover I could no longer get into that particular Yoga position, something that previously had always been easy for me.

I can tell I am lighter and stronger when I go hill hiking. I've been zipping up steep hills with ease. And not getting at all winded by the effort.

Most days in the past 2 weeks I've gotten in 2 swimming sessions.

So, I've got 7 pounds to go to get to my 180 goal, that, at the start of 2011, I thought I'd easily get to within a couple months.

During this current bout of shrinkage it has become real clear to me that the older you get the more difficult it is to melt away excess adipose tissue.

I guess the goal for this week will be the same as last week. To shrink to 185 by next Saturday.

Obamacare Health Care Reform's Restaurant Calorie Content Mandate

2011-04-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

I did not know, til I read it this morning, that the health care reform known as Obamacare, signed into law in March of 2010, mandates that restaurants with 20 or more locations and vending machines with more than 13 locations, reveal the caloric content of the food they are making available to the calorie clueless public.

This part of Obamacare is part of the "community health" umbrella of the health care reforms.

It's not just restaurants and vending machines that will be required to post caloric content. Grocery stores, coffee houses and bakeries will also have to abide by this new law if they have 20 or more locations.

McDonald's has long had calorie/nutrition information available for the asking.

Nutrition information is already on most of the food products you can buy in a grocery store. That's been the case for a long time.

A lot of restaurants already point out the healthy options on their menus.

The Food and Drug Administration estimates this new law will impact around 280,000 of America's 600,000 restaurants.

Which means more than half of the restaurants will still be able to serve the public steak and bacon without revealing the fat content.

Some food purveyors have been getting exemptions to the new law. The movie theater industry got an exclusion by claiming they don't serve full meals. So, movie theaters will not be forced to reveal that that large bag of buttered popcorn they are selling you has 58 grams of fat and 1,050 calories.

I really don't think making nutritional information available in some food purveyor's establishments is going to alter eater's eating patterns.

I know a lot of people are a bit dumb when it comes to what they eat.

But, really, most obese people know what is making them fat.

Why does the government not be even more intrusive? How about a law mandating that you have to get a license to purchase certain types of food? You go in for a checkup, the checkupper determines you are not over weight, issuing you an All Clear To Eat card, that you must swipe into some sort of card reader before you are allowed to buy a 540 calorie Big Mac.

Makes sense to me.

2011 New Year's Weight Loss Resolution Week 14: Up a Pound to 188

2011-04-09T07:51:00.000-07:00

This week my gut zone shrunk to less than 32 inches.

Yet on this Saturday's weekly weigh-in I weigh a pound more than last Saturday.

I think I may be losing fat and adding muscle, hence shrinking, yet weighing more.

Such are the conundrums and vicissitudes of losing weight.

The key is to stay steady and the shrinkage will continue. Or so it seems.

Lately I've been getting in 2 swim sessions a day. Once in the early morning. Then again in the afternoon.

My goal for next Saturday is the same one as last week's goal. 185.