As a fan of Dr. Phil's "straight talking, in your face" method of psychology, I usually believe that everyone should take responsibility for their own choices in life. As some examples, Dr. Phil actually says that "if you are in a bad marriage, you choose to be in that bad marriage. If you are overweight, you choose to overeat and avoid exercise and that is why you are overweight". Your life is based on your own life choices and you are one hundred percent at fault, right?
Not in this case, Dr. Phil. I believe that there are so many forces conspiring against us, that we should not be surprised that most of us are overweight. From what we eat to how we eat it, between our daily work and social activities to the mass consumption of advertising and product placement, HOW CAN WE NOT AVOID BEING FAT?
Here are some facts:
In less than two decades between 1990 and 2005, the number of adult Americans who are overweight has increased from 55.9% to 67% and the number of Americans who are obese increased from 22.9% to 34%. And that is not just adults, in 2009 the CDC reported that 32% of U.S. Children fit the definition of being overweight, 16 percent were obese and 11 percent were extremely obese. (Stats for Canada & UK are similar, from www.CDC.gov)
I remember growing up in a time when fat children were a tiny minority, each class or neighbourhood had one and the "normal" thin children made fun of them and that was only twenty years ago. So what happened?
Blame both human biology and clever marketing from American corporations as two overpowering forces that have virtually taken the choice to be thin away from us. Against years of innovation & research designed to making pleasurable consumption irresistible to the average person, how can an ordinary person flight back against such magnetic power?
Bad Advertising
We are constantly bombarded with images of delicious ready made food through television, billboards, magazine and newspaper ads, day after day, hour after hour, you think that we are really good at filtering them out and getting on with our lives. But the truth is, advertisers are very very smart, they know how to associate their product with happy, pleasurable images, and so eventually when it comes time to make choices, you will reach for that highly processed, fatty microwaveable meal or fast food bag because, subconsciously, it feels so good to do so.
Our diet has changed drastically over the years. Instead of coming home to a meal made by mom or eating a packed lunch, we are eating highly processed foods loaded with trans-fats, sugars, starches and other fats. Why? Because they taste so much better than regular food. Because cheap food has gotten less expensive and easier to obtain. Because the majority of what we eat is loaded with sugar (which raises insulin), which makes us want more sugary food.
Bad information from the weight loss industry
On the other side of the equation, we are much less physically active at work and school. Computers and machines have taken away all the heavy lifting and dangerous, sweaty work has been outsourced to Asia. Our attempts to try to exercise and diet are just sad because most gyms, personal trainers and weight loss experts offer us unpleasant training routines that are so hard to do with little results to show for it.
So if eating is so pleasurable with our family & friends encouraging us to overeat with them and diet/exercise so painful (almost none doing it right), it is not surprising that most of us are overweight.
But there is hope, this is only part of the conspiracy story, bookmark this page to read more in future posts or sign up to my free newsletter course & receive one of my free weight loss guides.
Not in this case, Dr. Phil. I believe that there are so many forces conspiring against us, that we should not be surprised that most of us are overweight. From what we eat to how we eat it, between our daily work and social activities to the mass consumption of advertising and product placement, HOW CAN WE NOT AVOID BEING FAT?
Here are some facts:
In less than two decades between 1990 and 2005, the number of adult Americans who are overweight has increased from 55.9% to 67% and the number of Americans who are obese increased from 22.9% to 34%. And that is not just adults, in 2009 the CDC reported that 32% of U.S. Children fit the definition of being overweight, 16 percent were obese and 11 percent were extremely obese. (Stats for Canada & UK are similar, from www.CDC.gov)
I remember growing up in a time when fat children were a tiny minority, each class or neighbourhood had one and the "normal" thin children made fun of them and that was only twenty years ago. So what happened?
Blame both human biology and clever marketing from American corporations as two overpowering forces that have virtually taken the choice to be thin away from us. Against years of innovation & research designed to making pleasurable consumption irresistible to the average person, how can an ordinary person flight back against such magnetic power?
Bad Advertising
We are constantly bombarded with images of delicious ready made food through television, billboards, magazine and newspaper ads, day after day, hour after hour, you think that we are really good at filtering them out and getting on with our lives. But the truth is, advertisers are very very smart, they know how to associate their product with happy, pleasurable images, and so eventually when it comes time to make choices, you will reach for that highly processed, fatty microwaveable meal or fast food bag because, subconsciously, it feels so good to do so.
Our diet has changed drastically over the years. Instead of coming home to a meal made by mom or eating a packed lunch, we are eating highly processed foods loaded with trans-fats, sugars, starches and other fats. Why? Because they taste so much better than regular food. Because cheap food has gotten less expensive and easier to obtain. Because the majority of what we eat is loaded with sugar (which raises insulin), which makes us want more sugary food.
Bad information from the weight loss industry
On the other side of the equation, we are much less physically active at work and school. Computers and machines have taken away all the heavy lifting and dangerous, sweaty work has been outsourced to Asia. Our attempts to try to exercise and diet are just sad because most gyms, personal trainers and weight loss experts offer us unpleasant training routines that are so hard to do with little results to show for it.
So if eating is so pleasurable with our family & friends encouraging us to overeat with them and diet/exercise so painful (almost none doing it right), it is not surprising that most of us are overweight.
But there is hope, this is only part of the conspiracy story, bookmark this page to read more in future posts or sign up to my free newsletter course & receive one of my free weight loss guides.
Labels:
gaining weight.,
weight loss
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