Let’s talk about being fat!

We seem to live in the era of the fad diet. Or perhaps we always have… From intermittent fasting, through low carb (or self induced Ketosis – you decide on how you want to frame it), and now landing on short term hunger suppression drugs. Do any of these short term hacks work? We need to…

We seem to live in the era of the fad diet. Or perhaps we always have… From intermittent fasting, through low carb (or self induced Ketosis – you decide on how you want to frame it), and now landing on short term hunger suppression drugs. 
Do any of these short term hacks work?

We need to consider this from two perspectives; 
Firstly there is the very basic, and indisputable, science that if you have a sustained calorific deficit you will lose weight. Fact. And of course the converse is equally true, if you have a sustained calorie surplus you will gain weight. 

In that context any eating regime (diet to you and I) that leads to a consistent calorific deficit will appear successful – you will lose weight. 

However there is another dimension to being over weight, and that is the complex psychological relationship that someone might have with food. 

Comfort eating, eating disorders, call it what you like but the consequences is a dysfunctional relationship with eating. In that food no longer is about an energy source, or occasional pleasurable social event, but rather more akin to a legal recreational drug. Food (or rather the effects of metabolism) will influence mood, emotions and generally state of mind. It is highly unlikely that a short term change in eating regime (intermittent fasting anyone?) or indeed chemically suppressing appetite, without dealing with / unravelling the psychological aspects of someones eating habits is going to lead to long term sustainable weight management. 

But this is not new news. 

This is well understood and proven.

However, in an age of immediate gratification, ever reducing attention spans, and the never ending search for the quick fix… then who wants to hear about a long term slow plan to alter weight permanently? 

Maybe I was wrong to think we are in an era of the fad diet. Perhaps what is literally killing people is their search for immediacy and a shot term hack? But that doesn’t sound new either… Maybe what is new is the rate of change in attention spans and commitment? 

When we think about being overweight it is very easy to mistake cause and effect. To allow our emotional defence mechanisms to come to the fore. To do nothing. And yet for ‘large’ swathes of particularly the Western World; their personal obesity will kill them much sooner than the effects of the planet warming a tad. Beer anyone?

Never miss a thing.

Connect your email list so you can start gathering emails. It is a great way to grow your audience into lifelong subscribers.

View more articles
  • Why do I sweat so much when working out?

    Why do I sweat so much when working out?

    Whilst sweating is of course a perfectly natural bodily function, there are a few points that we should keep in mind as runners, triathletes or whilst working out in a gym setting. In this post you will get a high level view of the science behind excessive sweat while running.

  • How to use Periodisation in your training

    How to use Periodisation in your training

    If you have trained for an endurance event, or have been focused on strength training, the likely hood is that you will have heard about Periodisation as a way of organising a fitness training plan. The purpose of this post is to give you a better idea of what it is, why it is used…

  • Dive into Efficiency: How to Use Swim Fins in the Pool and Choose the Right Pair

    Dive into Efficiency: How to Use Swim Fins in the Pool and Choose the Right Pair

    Swim fins, also known as swim flippers, are a fantastic addition to your pool gear arsenal. These sleek and streamlined devices not only add a fun element to your swim but also offer a range of benefits, from improving your swimming technique to enhancing your overall fitness. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to…