[JK1]

Americans are on average 20 pounds heavier than in 1990!. So pathetic! I actually weigh less now than I did in 1990.Eliminating soda, candy, ice cream, potato and corn chips, etc., and alcohol, as well as meat(I now only eat meat less than 5 meals a year at special events) helped me keep my weight down.
 
http://www.gallup.com/poll/150947/self-reported-weight-nearly-pounds-1990.aspx

 

[justaname]

Protein is great. All I ever eat is chicken, beef and bit of eggs and fish with vegs.

I eat below maintenance and go to the gym and it's helped me lose quite a bit of weight.

 

[JK1]

Beef and chicken might not be so bad if they are organic and lean. Most of the beef eaten in the US though is high fat ground beef which is not organic.
Chickens are usually given plenty of antibiotics. They typically put it in the water supply for all of them. There are good sources of protein that are vegan, such as tofu, tempeh, wheat gluten, lentils, chickpeas, beans, and nuts. Of course the proteins from vegetable sources need to be combined within a meal to form complete proteins. For example, beans and nuts. Tofu is rather complete on its own.

 

[superjawes]

The human digestive system is much better equipped to break down fat than it is to break down grains. Don't worry about the fat so much as the overall caloric content, and limit your carbs.

I cut out the soda/sweets, limited my grains and potatoes, and I almost always cook fresh meat and veggies. I should exercise (but I don't), and I've lost about 2 pounds/week over a couple of months. I'm never hungry, and I never feel tired in the morning or afternoon.

The big problem that Americans face is not managing the calories. Grains and potatoes add calories quickly, and we have pretty easy access to both. Then we drink way more soda than we should. Diet cola may have fewer calories, but then you're introducing artificial sweeteners, which have their own effects.

 

[JK1]

The goal in nutrition is to get the most vital nutrients within the fewest calories. Certain fats such as omega 3 and omega 6 are essential for human health and can't be produced by the human body. Fats that are in beef and chicken though are similar to the fats the human body produces. Many people are deficient in some vitamins or minerals, even those who eat too many calories overall. My diet is grain free. Instead of grains, I consume legumes. The carbohydrates in legumes are mostly complex and legumes have a low glycemic index. Bread and pasta are much worse than potatoes. Potatoes have quite a bit of fiber, and have vitamins and some protein. Many have food allergies or sensitivities to corn or wheat. Soda is particularly unhealthy. It isn't just the sweetener(although stevia seems like it is the exception, although soda in the US isn't sweetened with stevia) or artificial sweetener that is unhealthy, the high level of phosphoric acid interferes with calcium absorption.

 

[Spareribs]

The problem is not just America anymore. In parts of Asia, there's a growing number of overweight people and it does not surprise me since there is so much junk food in Asia now.

 

[JK1]

The UK is the heaviest country in Europe. On You Tube are episodes of SUPERSIZE VS SUPERSKINNY, a UK TV show where they get a very overweight person together with one that is too thin, and they switch diets for 5 days.

 

[xkonfuzed]

If you think Americans are fat, come here to Kuwait. We are officially the 2nd fattest country in the world. Reason why is because kids here are spoiled, they can ask for as much food as they want and their parents wouldn't stop them. 

 

[WHertz]

As long we use cars even for ultra-short distances this won't change to the better... 1st world people kill themselves because they unlearned to use their feet.

 

[JK1]

Some interesting obesity statistics. 
 
http://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/Obesity-Update-2014.pdf

 

[Exediron]

It's not just us, either...
 

 
I weigh a heck of a lot more than 20 pounds over what I did in 1990, but that's not very surprising considering my age.

 

[TsukiNick]

Good thing I equalize the whole thing being a 6 foot tall American weighing only 118lbs (Went to the doctor yesterday)
 
My skinniness averages out for every heavyset American.
 
/thread

 

[WHertz]

  Good thing I equalize the whole thing being a 6 foot tall American weighing only 118lbs (Went to the doctor yesterday)
 
My skinniness averages out for every heavyset American.
 
/thread

Congratulations! I'm also 6 ft, but have 136 lbs....which is all but bad for a 50 yrs old fart

...I guess cycling just does it

 

[binaryhermit]

Well, I balance out you skinny folks... 5'9" and 354 pounds. Though that's down from 435 in mid-May when I was admitted to the hospital in the midst of a manic episode.

 

[Makiah S]

The human digestive system is much better equipped to break down fat than it is to break down grains. Don't worry about the fat so much as the overall caloric content, and limit your carbs.

The big problem that Americans face is not managing the calories. Grains and potatoes add calories quickly, and we have pretty easy access to both. Then we drink way more soda than we should. Diet cola may have fewer calories, but then you're introducing artificial sweeteners, which have their own effects.

Yea I'm cutting out Soda and other Sugary drinks [minus alchol ;3] is a great way to keep your weight down. That an artifical anything is terrible imo, tastes bad and isn't too good for u