Regardless, much of what javi writes is controversial. Fat in peanuts shouldn't be confused with the fat in a burger. They are two different fats, etc. The general trend is to think of food as fat, carbs, and protein. How you balance that is up for debate and is the only difference between all "diets."

Also, the government recommended serving size and suggested carb, protein, fat, sugar, sodium intake and other **** you see on the side of a box is considered pseudo-science at best, outright dangerous at worse. Food pyramids has been thoroughly advised against. It is quite shocking the government is still pushing all this crap after 20 years of being told to scrap it.

Wow, I sound like a fatty apologist. I'm not. I just don't understand it either, but I'm trying to empathize with my own experiences and knowledge of this stuff.

We'll eventually get ratings for 'good fat' and 'bad fat' (or the subdivisions of those that are health appropriate), but I wouldn't hold my breath. I hope some future public media-fuelled baying-mob idiocy will render transfats to the bin of history though - I don't hold out much hope - I fully expect some Jenny McCarthy-like-idiocy to emerge where some celeb parent insists the lack of transfats is causing autism or ocd in their brats.

As far as calories what's the difference? The answer is there is none.

Yeah I mean I would never recommend a healthy person rely solely on FDA labels to construct and maintain a diet. But honestly, if you are overweight you could do exactly this and see results. It's not perfect, but you have plenty of room to make huge gains (you know what I mean) and begin losing weight. Eventually you'll plateau and have to make more granular adjustments but someone who is 2x their proper body weight might as well keep it simple and start with food labels.

Surely, eating nothing but 5 packs of Twinkies every day is an awesome way to lose weight and sustain a healthy long life.

that's only about 1350 calories so probably a reasonable intake for a lot

i don't doubt it would be better for people losing weight if they set a target calories per day for the weight they want to eventually maintain and then consistently eat that instead of thinking about eating a bunch less and dropping fast

but people want quick results

How do you work out a target calories per day for the weight you want?

I've been tracking my weight and calorie intake for over a year, so I know what my maintenance calorie intake is, and therefore what I need to reduce my caloric intake by to lose a pound a week, but I've no idea what the maintenance caloric intake I'll need when I get to my goal weight... and won't till I get there and maintain steadily for about 4 weeks.

interested to know if there's some rule of thumb for this.

i'd just enter it into a few online calculators and see what they say at my target weight for maintenance

obviously not perfect

Conservatively, multiply the pounds you want to lose by 15 and subtract that off of your current maintenance level. Your new maintenance will probably be a little higher than that.

Aside from ignorance, how do people start becoming fat in the first place? I know it all starts in childhood, but there is a certain comfort threshold between over eating and being just "full". For me the act of over eating would be uncomfortable and thus I avoid it. But is this simply because I didnt overeat as a child? I cant imagine the comfort tolerance being any different. When you are 6 years old were your parents putting 8 fried chicken wings, a bowl of mashed potatoes, and a bowl of ice cream on the table for you to eat? I guess I just dont understand how people force themselves to stretch their stomachs out since you are designed to avoid such behavior.

Anecdote for the day: I was out running work related errands and was in an area where there was a Wendy's restaurant. I wasnt exactly hungry because it was 3pm in the afternoon but I was hot and decided that since I'm rarely over here I'd like to get a chocolate milkshake, since Wendy's makes a pretty decent version of this. I'm already going in thinking "this is kinda gross, why even buy this.... meh, **** it, it's now or never". Half way through eating it I just stop, because I'm looking at it like poison. I had my fun, a quick little taste, and threw the rest away as it began to melt. What do fat people do, just force themselves to consume the whole thing? Like what is the goal when eating sweets, to make a meal out of it? Fill their tummies like they just had dinner, but with cupcakes and ice cream?

Re: javi

I believe it to be a mix of inactivity and snacking

They watch TV constantly (sedentary activity here) and snack on high-carb, high-fat foods. Since they constantly easy these items they don't taste as sugary and therefore the milkshake is simple to finish.

I have a desk job and see a lot of educated people do these things; imagine how bad the poors must be.

Also they shovel down the giant portions restaurants serve them. Phrases like "I'll take the rest to go" or "I'll eat the rest for dinner" are not in their vocabulary.

Speaking of milkshakes. This is a Texas style milkshake. Just so you don't think it is a trick of perspective, my palms are about 5 inches across:



This would have been a "medium" soda. I don't want to know what large would look like, but I'd guess it would look like a popcorn bucket.

I have to say when I got a milkshake here I was several disappointed with how small it was. Also coffee and soda don't usually come with free refills. But that's probably partially explanatory for the lack of obesity here.

Man this is dumb and weird. It's not just about the amount of food but what the food actually is. Also, drinking soda, alcohol etc. also, not exercising enough. You really think ppl become obese solely by overeating?

I was like, what? Then I read your location and I was like, oh okay.

The food they serve in China looks amazing, far better than you can get here. I can definitely see how someone could get fat from it.

Then again, they serve shockingly large servings in LA, and the servings are easily 2x in Texas. For some reason, very few Asians are fat, and by fat, I mean A-Rods LOL Fat.

Please leave Texas already. We don't want you here. I'm 6'0" 210 and 36 years old and would bet money that I could beat your skinnyweak ass in a sprint.

I'll take that bet if he doesn't want it

I'll double that bet if you let me run backwards.

I guess it does matter what distance you are asking me. I don't have fast-twitch muscles, so I'm pretty easy to take out at the 50 and 100. At 200 and 400, I was nearly on the state record.

Of course, I have to remind myself that I'm talking to an expert in all things nutrition and physiology, so don't know why I'm bothering with this.

Saddest part is this guy doesn't realize I may be older than him. This is, after all, the Lounge.

this is always fatties go to insult.

What a very strange response to a comment about the difference between the fat in peanuts and burgers.

You just killed your action.

Except it's pretty lol for someone with no fast-twitch muscles to be good at 200 or 400.