[quote=FlyerInHi][quote=CA renter] I’m calling total BS on the “diet and exercise” nonsense. It might take years, maybe decades, before science catches up with reality, but I’m willing to bet that we will find that genetics, hormones, and environmental factors are every bit as important as diet and exercise.[/quote]
Ok… let’s say you’re right.
What would the solutions look like once those discoveries are made decades from now?
Do people eat the same amount of calories but still remain thin?
you could fix the genetics and hormonal “problems” with new drugs to increase metabolism or decrease energy absorption.
You can invent new drugs to lower cravings. This actually results in changes in diet.
You can change environmental factors to increase activity. But you can do that right now — exercise.
You “fix” the food so that it contains fewer calories or is not absorbed. This can actually be done right now by changing diet, such as substituting insoluble fibers to add bulk to the food.
Also, be mindful that innovation in food means more processed, “unnatural” food, like a cupcake with only 50 calories.
Genetic and hormonal solutions mean more “unnatural” intervention in our bodies. And as you know there are always unintended consequences.
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I think we need to start by taking *out* the stuff that’s bad for us: in our food, in our water, in our personal care products, in the packaging we use for our food, in our soil/environment, etc. Let’s start there, and see what needs to be done after that.
And, yes, we might need to give some people a type of speed if we’re that insistent on their losing weight. As I’ve mentioned before, I think that some of these people will feel no different from “normal” people when they are using speed because their natural metabolism (energy level, etc.) is so much slower than average.
As for my kids’ eating habits, the thinner one eats about 30-50% more than the other two. No need to document it because I see it everyday. Even our friends comment on it.
Also meant to respond to your comment about heavier people only being able to outperform less-fit, normal-weight people on physical tasks. I’m not just talking about lifting weights, but hiking, swimming, skiing, biking, playing tennis, basketball, etc.; then there’s work like cutting trees, digging trenches, etc. There are a lot of “overweight” people who are incredibly fit, and a whole lot of under/normal-weight people who are incredibly unfit.
