Why I am Fat

[digitS']

Okay, so I'm not obese. In fact, I'm just on the borderline between "normal" and "overweight" - it just depends on whether I'm that extra inch or those extra pounds on that Body Mass Index.

Here is the Cost of Classic Thanksgiving Dinner Yearly Averages since 1986.

The author said something about "adjusting for inflation" so I did that using the Inflation Calculator that the government provides for just such questions as, "When did I get fat?!"

I figured it all would make more sense if I compared the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner using the buying power of 2010 dollars. I could answer the question, "How much money would I have left to buy even MORE food or would I fall short, if I was using an average budget for 2010?"

Hugging that border between "normal" and "overweight" is all economics and monetary policy, see ?

So, looking at the information you can see that the cost of that Thanksgiving dinner is almost exactly the same today as it was in 1989, for example. But, you can see that I was darn skinny in 1986 . . . or, at least, "normal."

No, this isn't it !!! Food prices go up and down. It wouldn't make any difference to me if I fell $2 short of being able to pay for the full holiday meal or had $2 leftover for more food!! (Altho', falling nearly $7 short of paying for the meal might have caused me to forgo a 2nd slice of holiday pie .)

This "exercise" was just an excuse to not get any real exercise. Yeah ! Well this year - I am going to get one of those pulse monitors that strap around my wrist. Unfortunately, it is going to cost more than a Classic Thanksgiving Dinner but, at least, I won't have an excuse for quitting an exercise before I get some real aerobic benefit!

To pay for this, I think I'll go get another carrot . . .

digitS'

1986 : $-6.93
1987 : $-1.90
1988 : $-3.07
1989 : $-.02
1990 : $-2.84
1991 : $1.15
1992 : $1.53
1993 : $1.27
1994 : $1.09
1995 : $.69
1996 : $-.44
1997 : $.19
1998 : $-1.65
1999 : $-.68
2000 : $1.90
2001: $.20
2002 : $1.24
2003 : $.34
2004 : $1.91
2005 : $2.09
2006 : $1.98
2007 : $-1.00
2008 : $-1.76
2009 : $-.22
2010 : $0

 

[ninnymary]

Digits...You just made my day. According to your data I would need to GAIN 12 more pounds to be considered overweight?!

I'm not sure if I would agree with that. I'm working on losing 1 pound a month to see if I can reduce my midsection. It seems so little and so easy but it's not. I got inspired by an earlier thread where you encourgaged me. I believe you were losing a few pounds very slowly. I figured if Digits can do it so can I.

Mary

 

[lesa]

I always read those "how much average person spends for Thanksgiving" and scratch my head. Let me tell you, that if you buy organic veggies, or free range turkey, those numbers are all wrong!! My turkey is 70.00 this year. I always say I am not going to do it, and then I think, it is just once a year- should support local farmer, organic, etc. It better be good!!!
I guess I could easily reduce my bill by half- by not making enough for an army... I just can't seem to help myself when the holidays arrive. I wonder why I gain 10 pounds every winter????

 

[vfem]

I am still on a diet... and doing well actually... I had a complete change of feeling about myself recently, and being I was 180lbs... it was time to lose lose lose.

So far, 15 lbs off. SO I'm smiling at 165.... but.... Thanksgiving looms. :/ And you KNOW I love to bake and cook... and try everything I do before I serve it. We are in some deep trouble here.

Mom bought the turkey and dropped it off last night. I hope my oven can handle a 20lb bird.

Though I looked to see what I still needed to buy... I have frozen green beans, plenty of veggie and chicken stock stored, frozen loaves of whole wheat bread for stuffing I made throughout the summer as well. There is garlic, carrots, cabbage, onions, pickles, and lots of jams (hot pepper jelly and cream cheese is a definite snack food during football here). We also have potatoes, pumpkin and several squashes left.

So honestly.... We're in that bird for $12, and my brother brings the booze.... so we're pretty set!

However.... like Steve said... how much of my weight lose reward am I going to gain back. How do I keep myself in check? Once I add all those herbs from my garden and everything starts a cookin'.... OMG... I won't be able to control myself. I have to make sure EVERYTHING tastes perfect before I serve it.

I better make some tofu just for me then.

 

[digitS']

I've been reading a little lately about aerobic exercise. There seem to be a couple of benefits that haven't occurred to me before.

Aerobic exercise has been shown to improve learning!

Now, each winter for a long time, I've done stretching exercises. That isn't really aerobic. It keeps me a little flexible and I feel better for having done them but I am wondering if I've missed some of the benefits of doing something else (and going beyond clearing the sidewalks of snow ).

Of course, aerobic exercise will also burn more calories than simple stretching.

Here's the study reported in ScienceDaily on learning and aerobic exercise in monkeys. Monkeys that exercised learned twice as fast as those that didn't! So, that means that if I did aerobic exercises I should be able to figure out where the food treats are quicker and more often!!

. . . Hey! Wait a minute!

Steve

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

So, that means that if I did aerobic exercises I should be able to figure out where the food treats are quicker and more often!!

. . . Hey! Wait a minute!

Steve

Oh thank you for that. I feel so much better about staying on the couch.

2 years ago when a pre-surgical exam showed me 185 lbs (I did not even own a scale then) I decided that sometime between high school and then I had gradually gained and not noticed, so I should loose the same way. I read Canada's food guide, learned about portioning (ya, it's not about shoveling all you want to eat on your plate apparently ) and how many vegies I was really supposed to eat a day. Took on the game and lost the extra 40 quite easy over 18 months, faster than I I thought I wanted to really. Since then I have decided to drop another 10 and done it gradually as well. The good thing was it was change in ideas toward food intake, not a 'diet' that had a start and end so maintaining it was just carrying on the same but not limiting the higher cal stuff quite as much.

For me adding exercise was not an option. I'm run off my feet and have joint pain as is. I got too much of that part going on. Now stretching would be good.....

Good luck to you all. If I can do it anyone can!

 

[digitS']

April, I am also "movement impaired." I was wondering is if my awkward gait (I limp) would actually burn more calories. Well really, I'm sure that it does but doubt that there are any studies. A normal person burns 3 times more calories walking than he or she does sitting around.

One thing I don't want to do is walk any more that I need to. It is hardly my idea of recreation to have extra pain . That is what happened the other day when I walked 3+ miles. It took 2 days before I could go a half mile without that extra pain showing up.

I probably won't be "working up" to a good distance. I am limited and it is either going to be a benefit or I'll have to try something else.

My son and I recent talked about a healthy diet as he had gotten the advice that a "diabetic diet" is a healthy diet for anyone. What I discovered was that the American Diabetes Association has different recommendation for folks trying to avoid diabetes problems. One approach is based on portion sizes. It is really quite simple:

Create Your Plate (click)

2/3rds non-starchy vegetables
1/3rd starchy foods
1/3rd meat or meat substitutes

Steve

 

[vfem]

I've been reading a little lately about aerobic exercise. There seem to be a couple of benefits that haven't occurred to me before.

Aerobic exercise has been shown to improve learning!

Now, each winter for a long time, I've done stretching exercises. That isn't really aerobic. It keeps me a little flexible and I feel better for having done them but I am wondering if I've missed some of the benefits of doing something else (and going beyond clearing the sidewalks of snow ).

Of course, aerobic exercise will also burn more calories than simple stretching.

Here's the study reported in ScienceDaily on learning and aerobic exercise in monkeys. Monkeys that exercised learned twice as fast as those that didn't! So, that means that if I did aerobic exercises I should be able to figure out where the food treats are quicker and more often!!

. . . Hey! Wait a minute!

Steve

I do enjoy Yoga, does that count?

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

I often get the diabetic cooking magazine off the newsstand. That is healthy cooking for sure, and all should eat that way. It's high in vegies and fruits and fibers and low in the higher glycemic index stuff that just makes you crave more of the same.

I have to strive to stay at the same physical workload to stay comfy. If I do too much I have pain, not enough I have stiffness. If I have a big project I'm best to put it into hour or 2 blocks and do it over days or weeks, whatever it takes to get it done rather than try and tough it out then crash. Not always practical, but for the most part I can make it work.

I'll try the create you plate when I'm at work, the internet connection here seems to be too slow to act properly with it.

 

[journey11]

April, my aunt did the same thing and went from a size 16 to a size 4 gradually just by watching portions. I think it just comes down to learning how to live with food!

Enjoyed your turkey calculations/speculations, Steve. You have a great sense of humor about an otherwise touchy subject!

These short, dark days and the cold are already wearing on me. Winter makes me feel trapped. I've been wanting to get out and walk the dogs (and the dogs want to go really badly too), but I can never count on my DH getting home from work before dark so he can watch my DD for me (and I have a hard time getting babysitters too.) DD can't walk fast enough for me to get any exercise and she gets cold so easily, so I am really hampered in the winter.

I have decided to take the coffee table out of my living room and put my recumbant bike in there so I will be more likely to USE IT.

I'm not worried about the holidays. One day of cooking and eating, once a month, for two months in a row won't be the end of me. We do pretty well the rest of the time and I don't do much baking.