[Nomoil]

Bad genetics can easily be offset with good nutrition. Genetically predisposed means just that, one is predisposed, not predestined.

But my question is: when oil peaks, what will be the effect on the average American diet? Will it be the same crap, just less of it? Or will we see an actual marked improvement in the quality of food we eat?

I tend to think that we will eat the same crap, just less of it.

[Leanan]

My point was that "bad" genetics aren't necessarily bad. There's a reason why so many people have a tendency to gain weight, and it's not because Mother Nature screwed up.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')ad genetics can easily be offset with good nutrition

[SD_Scott]

It's also a lot easier on your body to carry less weight. I'm 5'10" and I weigh 136 pounds. I'm an ex bicycle racer and have had some very tough spills. I think being light has saved my bacon many times. However I believe that the body has a happy zone and trying to be thin can also cause problems. The comments made about walking cannot be stressed enough. It's simply one of the best things you can do for you body. It's very safe, low shock, and you can do it in all weather conditions. Plus it puts your heart rate in a very productive zone. It's a common misconception that you have to do high intensity work to raise your lactate threshold and resting heart rate. Base training will do it, and you can add all of the volume you want, within reason. The handful of nuts comment is so very true also. Eat a handfull of nuts every day and try to avoid too much red meat. But if I could make one diet recommendation to anyone, it would be to avoid aspartame and other artificial sweeteners. If I knew someone that smoked a pack a day and drank diet coke, I'd tell em to give up the diet coke first. Avoid artificial sweeteners at all cost. That goes for sugar free gum too.

There is nothing wrong with being pleasantly plump.

Sorry for the rant, but aspartame is a crime.

[strider3700]

I entirely agree about the aspartame, I used to drink lots of coke and decided to switch to diet. I lost no weight, I started getting serious head rushes and eventually my fingers and wrists started going numb and I had trouble moving them well enough to play video games. I was told it might be the aspartame and switched back to regular coke. Symptoms went away.

Of course kicking sodas of all forms would go a long way to keeping me healthy.

[o2ny]

Actually one of the most alarming things about the obesity epidemic is that there is a growing number of 'victims' that are young people- kids, teens, adults in their 20's. These people are going to have serious health problems later on...

If you eat right and exercise but are a few pounds overweight, it's really no issue (unless your concerned about appearances). I don't think anyone's disputing that.

[Leanan]

This story is in the news today: CNN
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'N')early 80 percent of Chicago schools studied had at least one fast-food restaurant within a half mile. Statistical mapping techniques showed there were at least three times more fast-food restaurants located less than a mile from schools than would be expected if the restaurants had been more randomly distributed, the researchers said.

[SD_Scott]

I read a report the other day that said some school district was not allowing kids to drink regular soft drinks until 3:00 PM, but they could have all of the diet soft drinks they wanted all day. How very sad.

[Snowrunner]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Specop_007', 'S')pecop wishes not to undermine the brilliance and beauty that is Europe by any means, but Spec will also take lower taxes, cheaper gas and the right to own guns.

[Snowrunner]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('VinceG', 'I') just don't go to McDonalds because I'd rather stay healthy and want to stay in shape...

[Snowrunner]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('hotsacks', 'W')e've talked about the fat but what about the thin?
Those stiletto ladies in their power suits seem like knives poised to tear the gizzard out of anyone in their way.The guy with the 32" waist that costs 2 hours a day and $5000 a year to maintain. Personal trainers,fad diets and foods,health clubs and fitness spas,on and on.This is good?
And no,I'm not fat.Well,not too fat.

[Snowrunner]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('VinceG', 'I') find that a very weak excuse. Even after a long day of work you could still resist the temptation to eat fast food and decide to eat something healthy and get some excersise...

[Snowrunner]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SD_Scott', 'A')merica is a very stressfull place to live. I worked for a Swiss company years ago and I was surprised at how many of them really look down on over weight people. A friend of mine just went to Belgium to work for a year. He is hugely fat, and I mentioned to him that they sorta look down on that, and he has more than confirmed that. The dude is hating life over there.

[Snowrunner]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('strider3700', 'B')MI is a pretty crappy way to determine how healthy a society is.
I'm 5'9" a few years back I was obese according to the index, at that point I was 205 lbs, with a visibile 6 pack and muscles hanging out everywhere. I was probably below 10% bodyfat. These days I've socked on an extra 20 lbs of mostly fat, and now I'd agree I might be stepping into obese territory but the index would say I'm morbidly obese.
Having said that there are a lot of fat people out there and it's getting worse.

[Snowrunner]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('kochevnik', 'M')ost of you who are doing the worst thrashing of fat people and braggin your ass off about it are probably under 40.

[marko]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('hotsacks', 'W')e've talked about the fat but what about the thin?...The guy with the 32" waist that costs 2 hours a day and $5000 a year to maintain. Personal trainers,fad diets and foods,health clubs and fitness spas,on and on.This is good?

[marko]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Snowrunner', 'P')ersonally my biggest problem these days is trying to find clothes that aren't two sizes too big.

[o2ny]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('hotsacks', 'W')e've talked about the fat but what about the thin?
Those stiletto ladies in their power suits seem like knives poised to tear the gizzard out of anyone in their way.The guy with the 32" waist that costs 2 hours a day and $5000 a year to maintain. Personal trainers,fad diets and foods,health clubs and fitness spas,on and on.This is good?
And no,I'm not fat.Well,not too fat.

[sventvkg]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Leanan', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')pec eats like a horse. He has been gifted with an exceptionally efficient metabolism.

[cornholio]

The dangers of being overweight are clear and are not overstated... Obesity is related to hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease. The recent "study" which dismissed this connection (and bolstered claims that you could be fit and fat) made the mistake of not separating the underweight who have increased death rates from normal weight people. This essentially ballanced out the increased mortality of being overweight and made the overweight look equally healthy. The truth is being overweight and underweight both carry risk, and there is a healthy ideal weight. Getting there is the problem.

While this thread singles out America I would point out that as any country develops greater prosperity people will seek more TV time, avoid exertion and seek fattier and sweeter foods... And waistlines will grow. America is ahead on this curve, but Asia and Europe are showing the same trends.