I am part of a huge community of fitness, nutrition, and support known as Beachbody.  It has helped me tremendously and everyday I pay that forward to someone else who is ready to make a positive.  One person at a time I'm helping to End the Trend of Obesity. 

I have been using caloriecount.com for the past 7 months... it helps me track what I eat, plan better meals, and has a great support system that you can choose from.  Plus, I can create recipes on-line that will give me calorie and nutrition information, and I can refer to a large database of recipes for ideas when I plan my  meals.  It also helps me to track my activities, and gives me estimates on how many calories I am burning by activity.  I have lost about 25 pounds so far, and I'm real close to what I think is a reasonable weight goal.  

As for the role of scientific findings, government policy or community-based programs... knowledge is power.  But please get the government out of my refrigerator!  I have learned over the years by reading and doing research, but the one thing no one can do for me is make me want to eat healthy.  That's on me, and me alone.  One thing I do appreciate about the internet is the ability to look up nutritional information about foods I might eat at a restaurant... it definitely limits my trips out for meals!  But I also think one thing that would help young people is to reinstate physical education in the schools!  That and limiting the time they can spend in front of computer games.  I used to be able to eat anything I wanted because I was out playing after school, and during recess in elementary school.  And in Junior/Senior High School, we had P.E. every day, so I got in at least 40 minutes of activity, plus walk to/from school.  So that is one thing that would help kids today.  Eat right, exercise... it hasn't changed!   

coachtod is tied into something BIG.  Although a lot of Beachbody's workout DVD's are long and difficult (I own about 8 of them!) anything that can get people working out is a positive.  Plus, they have a great community of helpful people.  "Coaches" also promote and sell their product, but they are incredibly helpful and want you to succeed!

Doing beachbody workouts is what led me to HIIT workouts:  12 to 20 minute interval workouts that burn fat with cardio and add lean muscle mass with weight and body resistance training.  Doing those workouts (about an hour a WEEK, not a day) along with the MOST IMPORTANT task of eating less is what gave me my results in about 100 days.

Honestly, I see the amounts people eat and this is truly our main issue, I believe.  We can workout all we want, but if we keep overeating at every meal, we're going to have gorgeous muscles--underneath layers of fat.

Jim ~ http://halfmealhabit.com

Eat less, move more, hydrate.

Love the above comment!!!  So true.  The way we are all going to get better is by taking personal responsibility for our health.   As costs rise, it will be the ONLY factor that will start any change.  

Beachbody has been doing amazing things for people over the years.  I personally use the Visalus System.  I think that no matter what we do, its all about committing to yourself and understanding the ramifications of poor health.  I have been practicing pharmacy for 14 years now and I SEE the cost of poor health.  I now am trying to help the public by providing tools they can use to get started and stay on that track.  

Forums like this are KEY to getting people going.  We have all this money in this country yet our collective health steadily declines.  Guess in the end....its not about the money....its about YOU. Lets get healthy together.  GREAT article. 

I think that while government and science may have some part in reversing this trend, it does ultimately land in the lap of the individual.  I am a health care professional of 24 years; I work as a health educator, focusing on physical health and nutrition, and I still catch myself shoving unhealthy things in my mouth even as I'm asking "do I really need this?"  The cycle of shame and abuse needs to end before we can hope to turn this trend around.

Not to be mean, but I really don't care what researchers predict. Predicting is easy. Being right is a lot harder. These are the same types of researchers who predicted $5 and $6 gasoline that are now predicting $3.

My observation is people are now trending towards lighter weights. If cycles go the way they tend to, in about 7 years, we will see a lot of articles about people being too skinny.

I'm also seeing a big decrease in zombyism I used to see in the big box store. People seem to be coming to life again.

In the end, I feel we will find people are losing weight because of being malnourished. We will have the government to thank for that. Calories are being reduced in everything and it's becoming too expensive to buy the food we need for a healthy lifestyle.

The choice to be healthy is up to each of us as individuals. As a nation our ill health is reflected in not just the rate of obesity of the population but in all we are as a nation. Our economic situation to our foreign policy, our deteriorating public schools system to our over crowded penal system, our polluted natural water ways to our unsustainable abuse of fossil fuels are all inter-related to the attitudes we hold towards ourselves and others in the world. We must stand up and face who we are as a people not just the image we see portrayed by the media in their attempt to sell us more products. We need to see ourselves as part of the problems of the world as well as those of this nation. We need to see ourselves as the problem in our own lives as well and stop blaming others. When we can stand up and care for ourselves then the government will become a reflection of a healthier people and we will have a more positive impact on the world as a whole.

How do we do that? Each of us has a responsibility to take stock of their life and determine for themselves what constitutes a healthier life for them. Then take just one step in the direction of that healthier life and commit to continue to walk in that direction. All the rest will follow! We can do this America!

Do I care? Sure I care. What can I do? Take care of myself & encourage others.

Our government absolutely has a role is ensuring overall public health. The primary role of government should be to ensure that accurate, unbiased, science derived information is made readily available to the public and that policies and laws are based on this information.

Presently health policy and science are driven by corporate lobbyists funding re-election of our corrupt politicians. Agribusiness, profit driven health care and the pharmaceutical industry dictate our health laws. These industries don't give a damn about our nation's health but rather feed on public ignorance and fear. They have everthing to gain and will fight tooth and nail to maintain profit margins. There is a lot of money ($$$$) to be made if you keep the masses stupid, uneducated, and misinformed.

Don't expect much from our corrupt corporate funded government. Change only happens from the bottom up. Move-to-Amend if you want to see a government for the people.

Original Post by: coachtod

I am part of a huge community of fitness, nutrition, and support known as Beachbody.  It has helped me tremendously and everyday I pay that forward to someone else who is ready to make a positive.  One person at a time I'm helping to End the Trend of Obesity. 

I too am a Beachbody Coach! Love helping others every day, and hope to End the Trend one person at a time. 

I read the book Weight of The Matter which is the companion book to the series.  In the book, they point out environmental factors such as no safe side walks, phys ed being optional in schools that work against us.  In my town, they were supposed to put in bike paths along two of the major roads making it easier for some of us to bike to work in good weather.  Did this happen?  No not for me.  Fortunately, my husband works in the opposite direction and is able to take residential streets for the the 5 mile bike ride to work.  So, he gets his 45 minutes of exercise a day in as a matter of lifestyle.  I am going to the gym.   You would think with all of the focus on going green, relieving traffic congestion, and saving money on fuel that something as simple as putting in bike paths would be something they would jump on. 

To TidyeJudy's point, stay out of my refridgerator and stop focusing on taxing soda and START making our cities and towns more friendly towards active lifestyles.  We moved from another Chicago suburb that spent quite some time making their  city bicyle friendly:  They put bike lanes or paths on most major streets, require new commercial properties to put in bike racks etc.   And, this didn't cost very much.

Sadly, as KB says, this will only change if we at the bottom demand it.

they are predicting 42%.... what is the current percentage?

 

Daniel

In the grocery store the other day I overheard a woman complaining about Mrs. Obama's nutritional food campaign. She ranted, "Who is she to tell me how and what to eat?"  I was shocked. it was all I could do not to hold a mirror up for her and suggest she appreciate the First Lady's concern for the health of America, and hers. Since when did eating well become a political issue? I agree that the government is wise to take steps to educate its citizens in good nutrition and steer them towards health. Madison Avenue has spent billions in advertising to lure us into saturated fats, salt and sugar.  It would take billions to combat the damage fast-food advertising has done to generations. Whether we are Democrat, Republican, or Libertarian let us welcome the art and science of good nutrition into our homes and be grateful that a government cares for its constituents deeply enough to provide guidelines for healthy eating.  

Original Post by: danielvillarreal

they are predicting 42%.... what is the current percentage?

 

Daniel

Currently about 35.7% of adults are obese, with another 33% overweight.

A link to the government's report "Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention: Solving the Weight of the Nation in its entirety is below:

http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2012/Accelerating-Progress-in-Obe sity-Prevention.aspx

Very interesting article in Newsweek this week: Why the Campaign to Stop America's Obesity Crisis Keeps Failing. 

Available to read both in print and online:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/05/06/why-the-cam paign-to-stop-america-s-obesity-crisis-keeps-failing.html

I did that Weight of the Nation documentry and will be part of the sharing of what obesity is..what i like about being part of this documentry is that we are making people aware of the problems that are caused by being over weight. If more people would stop and help and listen then to criticise then maybe we all can move on to helping each other and ourselfs go forward to healthier lifestyles. I am going to be featured in the Bonus Shorts called STIGMAS.. It was hard to sit in front of that camera and put myself out there but if i can help just one person who feels like i did then its worth it and im doing my part to better the education of what its all about...

Read an article on yahoo the other day saying that within a few years, 50% of Americans will be obese. The end of the article stated that new drugs are being developed to help combat this.

Don't you love it? New drugs. Nothing about Taco Bell being served in school, or the removal of recess from our schools; nothing about how healthy food is expensive and crappy food is cheap; nothing about how the media (tv, print, internet) all advertise McDonals on one hand and miracle weight loss pills on the other.

New drugs. That's all we need.

I think it (obesity) became a plitical issue the moment they started giving subsidies for corn and other crops making it less profitable to grow other fruits and vegetables - a point made in the book by the way.  There was a nother story in the book about a state of Texas controller who focused on fiscal responsibility so that she could get PE equipment and save phys ed programs in public schools across Texas.   So, like it or not, politics is involved.  But, I see positive things happening:  parents demanding healthier school lunch choices, etc.   Imagine what would happen if we all asked for bike/walking paths, more fruits and veggies in the schools etc. etc. 

fai!, couldn't agree with you more!  First off, I always brought my lunch to school a/c was cheaper.  Second, we also had recess or PE every day so we could run and get exercise.  We as individuals need to get smart and teach our kids/grandkids how to eat healthy, and how to cook!  It's not their fault if we make bad decisions on their behalf... but we could all benefit from a 'reset' of behaviors and attitudes when it comes to our health!

Original Post by: kb55

Our government absolutely has a role is ensuring overall public health. The primary role of government should be to ensure that accurate, unbiased, science derived information is made readily available to the public and that policies and laws are based on this information.

Presently health policy and science are driven by corporate lobbyists funding re-election of our corrupt politicians. Agribusiness, profit driven health care and the pharmaceutical industry dictate our health laws. These industries don't give a damn about our nation's health but rather feed on public ignorance and fear. They have everthing to gain and will fight tooth and nail to maintain profit margins. There is a lot of money ($$$$) to be made if you keep the masses stupid, uneducated, and misinformed.

Don't expect much from our corrupt corporate funded government. Change only happens from the bottom up. Move-to-Amend if you want to see a government for the people.

I agree with you on this kb55. I think in addition to there being big money in keeping us uneducated and misinformed there is huge money in keeping us ill, not dead but ill. We don't cause as much trouble and don't have energy or resources to rile against the injustices when we are struggling to just stay alive.

I do believe there are alternatives to the options for conventional "health care" which in my eyes is really illness maintenance. I believe we need to take our health back as individuals and then stand up to the corruption and take our nation back from the corporate oligarchy.

What role do you think scientific findings, government policy, or community-based programs have in helping you maintain, lose, or gain weight? Explain what can be done to turn the tide for America's obesity problem.

First off, we can return to a free market in health care.  A market where companies are not given tax breaks for health plans and government health care is all but eliminated.  Where individuals / families can purchase truly portable, long term, tax deductable, health insurance from national brands (like car insurance).  With the cost of poor health placed squarely on the individual, you watch the obesity rate plummet.