Fat Acceptance

For several decades there has been a movement, and even an association--The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance--to influence our society to stop being prejudiced against fat people. Yes, they call themselves fat, and there's a carefully thought out reason for this: labeling a person as "overweight" or "obese" lends more credence to the condition because of the clinical and scientific sound of the title.

Now with over a full third of the American population obese (previously clinically defined as 20% above their ideal weight, and now as have a body mass index [BMI] of 30 or above) more and more are joining the movement. Many women claim that being fat--even weighing as much as 300 pounds--is not what makes them unhappy; dieting is what makes them unhappy. They want to stop obsessing about their weight and their eating and stop experiencing the prejudice and public gawking they suffer because of their size. The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) works to have laws passed to prohibit discrimination in the work place and act to intervene when children who are overweight are bullied at school.

Indeed, these fat women assert that the number on the scale or the size of their clothing or the way that they look should not be what determines their acceptance in society, their happiness, or their self-worth. They point out that mental well-being is important just as physical health is, and that they suffer greatly from being singled out, stared at, and experiencing self-loathing because they don't meet society's ideal standard of weight.

For those who believe this is just an excuse for these fat people to eat what they please, most of them say they are concerned about their health and do keep up regular exercise and sensible eating. They go to their doctors for physicals and evaluations and many can honestly say that their blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels are normal. They also point out the dangers of yo yo dieting, which are well documented.

While the people who are part of the fat acceptance movement say they are happier accepting their weight as it is, feeling great in every aspect of their life--including dressing well and finding worth in their family, relationships, and career insteadof their size--health professionals still acknowledge there is no denying that extra weight will more than likely contribute to chronic illnesses as these people age. No one can say being one hundred pounds overweight is good for you.

Another stand I take issue with is the NAAFA's statement that "society believes fat people are at fault for their size". I believe people are at fault for their size. As long as an overweight person attributes their weight to an outside factor--whether it's their metabolism or genetics, the fast food industry, or their destiny--taking the responsibility away from themselves is being in denial. This greatly reduces the chance they they will ever assume responsibility and do something to take control of their situation.

Check The Portion Size!

Today's tip: When you read the food label to see how many calories are in the food you are contemplating eating, be sure to look at the portion size!

You'll be very surprised to find that after you see "180 calories" on the king sized candy bar, if you read a bit further you will find there are "3 servings" contained within the wrapper! That means you'll have eaten 540 calories by the time you finish off the candy bar (which, let's face it, is going to happen before we eat half--or 1/3--and wrap the rest up for later!)

Even a can of tuna or a can of soup, a small bag of chips or a bottle of iced tea--foods that very obviously appear to be contained as one serving--will tell you on the label there are 2 or more servings in that package. Don't stop at the "Calories" on the label . . . read on to see how many portions you will be consuming if you finish the contents.

10 things your nutritionist won't tell you

http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/rip-offs/10-things-your-nutritionist-won-t-tell-you/

Hydroxycut Recall

One death and two cases of people requiring a liver transplant have been linked to taking the weight loss aid, Hydroxycut. The FDA issued a recall as of May 1, 2009 for over a dozen of the hydroxycut products. The manufacturers have agreed to withdraw these products from the market, citing their concern for safety. A few hydroxycut supplements are not involved with the reported incidents and do remain on the market. Recalled products include the following.

Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Capsules
Hydroxycut Max Liquid Capsules
Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
Hydroxycut 24
Hydroxycut Carb Control
Hydroxycut Natural

Although millions of customers have taken hydroxycut products over the past 10 years, recent reports of liver injury have prompted the Food and Drug Administration to go forth with the recall. Twenty three cases of elevated liver enzymes, jaundice, and seizures and cardiovascular incidents have been called in to the agency, which relies on self-reporting for products not regulated by the FDA. It is not known how many others may have health problems which they neither associated with the product, nor called in to the FDA to report.

A major roadblock to finding safe weight loss supplements is the fact that herbs and other compounds are not defined as either a "food" or a "drug" and thereby escape regulation by the federal agency that monitors tehse types of products for safety. Caution should be used when choosing dietary supplements not approved by the FDA or other reputable agencies, remembering that claims that sound too good to be true . . . probably are.

The Lighter Side of Weight Loss

You might as well find some humor in the process while you are on the journey to weight loss and the ultimate healthy lifestyle. Here's a cute quip from "Does This Blog Make Us Look Fat" and a link to all the other entertainment they have to offer!
http://tinyurl.com/dy7xx8

The Low Fat Diet: A good idea for weight loss?

Technically a low fat diet is one containing less than 50 grams of fat, and this can be useful for controlling certain conditions, such as gall bladder disorders. Keeping your fat intake to 50 grams or less can also help balance the energy-yielding nutrients that compose your calorie intake: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. On a typical weight loss diet of 1500 calories, 50 grams of fat would provide 450 calories and this is just under 30% of the calories; well within the recommendations of several health associations such as the American Heart Association, The American Diabetic Association, and of course the American Dietetic Association.

But, what if you try to follow a diet very low in fat? Will this help you lose weight?

Well, there are several drawbacks to trying this. Fat actually serves a few purposes in our diet!

1. It's the source of fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K. Of course, you could take vitamin supplements for these, but it's always a good idea to get your vitamins from food.

2. There are nutrients called essential fatty acids that are only found in fats. If you lack these you will see symptoms such as a scaly rash and thinning hair. Fat are definitely necessary for certain body functions.

3. Fat helps you stay full longer after you eat. Go on a diet too low in fat, and you could end up so hungry a couple of hours later (think Chinese food) that you might end up overeating to satisfy that hunger.

A few guidelines to getting the right amount of fat in your diet:

- Don't try to avoid fat altogether. Choosing every food you can find in a fat-free form can end up sabotaging your weight loss efforts and even lead to certain deficiencies.

- Read labels and look for foods containing less than 30% of the calories from fat

- Certainly don't seek out fats to add to your diet. I hear about people using extra salad dressings and spreads, rationalizing "fat is necessary in the diet"... but it's easy to get plenty when you eat a healthy diet with some animal products (even fish contains some), dairy products (even low fat contains some), grains (there are breads, cereals and crackers with small amounts of fat in them--you don't have to go for donuts to get what you need!), and even vegetables (where do you think corn oil comes from?).

A very low fat diet might not give you the benefits you are looking for. If you plan to try a very low fat diet be sure to get at least 10% of your calories from fat, and do the research you need to do first to be sure you won't end up lacking any essential nutrients.

Gourmet Low Fat Snacking

Have you been looking for a great snack that won't break your calorie bank?

Here's one, but it might break your piggy bank!!

A while back I told you about the pineapple jerky that was just fabulous, nutritious, and fat free. Now the makers of the best variety of jerky have a new release: sasquatch jerky. As you can see, it's quite expensive and available only in limited quantities, so act fast if you want to be among the few to try it! Once they run out they aren't likely to get any more.

Please post your comments here if you can afford this rare, luxury food item to let us know how it tastes!