How do people eat so much?

[ussfletcher]

Just broke a personal record. Ate all 2lbs of ground beef (usually I eat ~4/3rds with ~2/3rds as leftovers for the next morning) in the form of six hamburgers. :awe:

(960 calories from buns + ~2500 from 80/20 beef + ~500 in Miraclewhip + a trifling from mustard and Worcestershire sauce = WIN :awe: )

Also ate a Clif bar for brunch (250 calories).

Well congrats, you ate over 4000 calories, now imagine growing up where eating like that is a normal everyday thing, that is the cause of obesity.

 

[QueBert]

I never understood it either. Some people not only eat 3 full meals per day (well that's what you're suppose to do, I just can't seem to do it) but they'll also be constantly eating throughout the day. How do people not get full? When I eat a big lunch, I'm normally full till past supper. I'll end up having a small snack and that's it.

High metabolism, I can eat larger meals that anyone I know, and eat again way before they do. I was around 240 at my heaviest, which is big. But for over a decade I was putting away 5-6k calories a day, sometimes more. I could easily eat 10 full blown meals a day. With how much I ate I should have been at least 600lbs.

 

[Muse]

Ok, confession time. I'm fat. I'm fat because I love to cook and love to eat. I'm not stupid, I know exactly how many calories are in the food I eat. Some folks may have a slightly higher metabolism, but it's still calories in vs. calories out that dictate your weight. Everyone knows this.

Over the years I've had doctors tell me I need to see a dietician or try to give me books on nutrition. Please! I'm not stupid. I know exactly what a low calorie/fat/carb/cholesterol diet looks like. I just don't have the willpower to keep myself on one. It's not that I like junk food, I like *ALL* food. Portion control is my biggest problem.

My weight has fluctuated over the years, and when it gets bad I start having back problems and other issues. When I exercise and cut back on what I eat my weight drops and those issues go away.

I don't ask to be treated any different than other people, but if you still want to judge me then go ahead. I try to take responsibility for what I do in life, including how high I pile my dinner plate. I don't smoke, I've NEVER used an illegal drug, I try to be an honest and kind person. I just happen to like food.

A lot of fat people tend to be rude, obnoxious, loud, ignorant people. Everyone hates those folks, but their weight has nothing to do with it.

I find most people who are outraged purely over my weight have demons of their own they are wrestling with, and are just looking for someone to look down on to make themselves feel better. You can call me a fat pig and hate me, but you better be a damn good person and not have any sins of your own before you do. Hypocrisy trumps overeating as sins go.

I have some suggestions for you. You are obviously a clear thinker, that's a great starting point for working on this. I have a lot of insights concerning the entire weight issue.

You like food, you like cooking, you have portion control issues. Understood. My experience is that controlling your weight becomes easier when you learn to be satisfied with healthier choices. Then the "willpower" you speak of isn't a problem. If you were satisfied with food choices that are good for you, you wouldn't have a problem. In my case (try this!) I've been eating a lot more fruit lately. I find that I'm satisfied and don't crave more food. I also eat a lot of vegetables, and you know that produce is especially good for you if you know squat about healthy eating. I've experimented with a lot of food and have found or developed recipes and eating habits that satisfy. I've left a lot of things behind and by and large I do not miss them. Would I enjoy them if I ate them today, probably, but I honestly don't like them as much as I used to, and I think it has something to do with having developed a liking for healthier food. You know, in America they try to get you hooked on junk food, it's virtually propaganda. You don't have to fall for that. I will not drink sodas anymore, I haven't stepped in a fast food restaurant for a few years now, it's not a battle. I make the best burrito I've ever eaten right in my own kitchen, and I know it's good for me.

 

[Muse]

-snip-

What you should know is that human tastes are extremely adaptable. For example, here in the US there is a ton of salt in our foods. WHen americans are shipped over to france where they use way less salt, at first people say oh this needs salt, but over time they stop noticing and find the foods equally tasty. The same goes for fats, sweets, cheeses, etc.

QFT

I used to eat a lot more salt. I cut down. It's amazing how easy it is to do that. I made a recipe I used to make all the time, made it just a week ago with the usual amount of salt and now it tastes way to salty. I changed the recipe (I have it written down) to include 1/2 the salt and I'm sure that next time I make it it will taste much better. I had my blood pressure taken a few weeks ago: 111/63.

I heard somewhere that Americans' taste in sugar is way in excess of that of Europeans. That stuck in my head and I've tried to control the sugar in my food accordingly. IOW, I prefer the sweetness sensibilities of Europeans over that of Americans, this in spite of my never having set foot in Europe. I also keep a close eye on my fat intake. If you look at ingredients lists on food packagings you have to raise your eyebrows on the fat content of so many products. I used to eat sausages, hot dogs too. But 70% calories from fat (sometimes a lot higher!) is something I will not tolerate anymore. It's just unhealthy and I won't allow myself to buy that stuff. If offered it, I may indulge, but to buy and bring home or order in a restaurant, no way. I don't calculate my fat intake but I'm pretty sure I get well below 15% of my calorie intake from fats. I know where my fat intake comes from. I don't regard it as poison, but I control it carefully. As a rule, most of it comes from olive oil, some from grains and nuts, a little from butter, and a little from relatively lean meats.

 

[Muse]

I would highly recommend people signing up for a free netflix trial and watching the documentaries on food, obesity, healthcare, etc

They may seriously change the way you look at food, diet, and exercise.

Specific recommendations? My local library has free DVD checkouts.

 

[jhansman]

Here's a thought: stop counting calories and use good, old common sense. Your body doesn't lie, and if you pay attention and can develop some degree of self discipline and common sense, you can eat and not get fat and stupid. Honestly, it's possible.

 

[Exterous]

I have no idea how I eat as much as I do sometimes. There are times I have eaten so much food the fat people look at me with disgust (hey - at least I get my money out of a buffet!) Those days I'll easily injest 5k-6k calories at lunch. Of course the next day my intake for the entire day might be 1600 calories. I also go to the gym/run reguarly

I am by no means thin but at 6'2 225lbs I'm not obese and I fear for the day when I can no longer eat like this at a buffet

There is a "fat psychology" where some people sit on their fat asses looking for a good parking spot so they don't have to walk as far.

They take the elevator even if they have to wait 2 cycles, which is ridiculous unless your going up like 50 floors, or can't mess up your clothes for an interview or something.

They ask people for things "because you are closer" the thought literally never crosses my mind I get up and grab my own shit 100% of the time.

Agreed. I see people do this all the time. I think the movie Wall-E was prophetic

The 3 heavy meal thing is the worst way for people to try and lose weight. It encourages a hoarding mentality both mentally and phyiscally. You meals should have a hearty breakfast, followed up by "micro" meals of 150-250 calories every couple hours. Have a moderate lunch and then go lighter at dinner. Fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, cottage cheese, nuts, ect. Keep your metabolism on boil and stomach with something in it.

It's people who starve themselves between meals or skip meals and then completely binge that are hurting their diet the worst.

There is also the eating until full vs eating until no longer hungry issue

There's a couple of popular diets (Lean Gains, Warrior Diet) that have periods of fasting and refeeds and they seem to be effective. I think some people have used Lean Gains for recomp.

When my wife was on her diet she hit a wall with her weight loss. She kept her weekly calorie intake total the same but varried it by day. Worked very well for her

 

[Thebobo]

I find most people who are outraged purely over my weight have demons of their own they are wrestling with, and are just looking for someone to look down on to make themselves feel better. You can call me a fat pig and hate me, but you better be a damn good person and not have any sins of your own before you do. Hypocrisy trumps overeating as sins go.

This is probaly true with outrages of any kind. But well said.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Step 1: Start eating.
Step 2: Don't stop.

It's really quite simple.

Throw in that whole serotonin-spike-caused-by-sugary-foods, or snacking-while-distracted habits, if you like.

 

[Joseph F]

Total fuckin bullshit.

Stop stuffing your fat face!

Actually, no. My cousin eats like a fuckin' pig and he weighs probably half as much as me. Also, he's not terribly active.
Genes do play a big role in it. Though, I wouldn't go as far as to say that they're the main cause of obesity.

 

[BlackTigers]

I can eat two burritos (chipotle or Qdoba) in a single sitting easily, five double stacks, a large pizza ... but I ca'nt gain weight.

I'm not super active, but fit (5'10" 155-160ish) but I can eat like a horse al lday long and never gain a pound from it...my food bill sucks