dave@cylixd.UUCP (Dave Kirby) (10/16/85)
Recently a radio station here has been advertising the "Gold Key" weight loss clinic/plan/whathaveyou. They don't say much about it except that it is supposed to "re-train your metabolism to burn fat rather than store it." This sure sounds good on the surface. Too good to be true. The phone number to call is that of an individual, so I suspect it might be an "Amway"-type outfit. Anyone out there in net.consumers know anything about this outfit? Anyone in net.med care to give an opinion on whether "re-training" ones "metabolism to burn fat" would work? ----------------------------------------------------------------- Dave Kirby ( ...!ihnp4!akgub!cylixd!dave) (The views expressed herein are the exclusive property of Dave Kirby. Any person, living or dead, found with the same or similar opinions will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of law.)
sdyer@bbncc5.UUCP (Steve Dyer) (10/19/85)
> Recently a radio station here has been advertising the "Gold Key" weight > loss clinic/plan/whathaveyou. They don't say much about it except that > it is supposed to "re-train your metabolism to burn fat rather than > store it." This sure sounds good on the surface. Too good to be true. > The phone number to call is that of an individual, so I suspect it > might be an "Amway"-type outfit. Anyone out there in net.consumers > know anything about this outfit? Anyone in net.med care to give an opinion > on whether "re-training" ones "metabolism to burn fat" would work? I know nothing about "Gold Key", but regular aerobic exercise has been shown to be many times more effective in assisting weight loss and maintaining a desired weight than would be expected by its caloric expenditure. On a reducing diet alone, your body adjusts to the smaller number of calories by slowing its metabolic rate, thus using whatever you eat more efficiently. Naturally, this slows your weight loss. Adding regular exercise counters this effect, increasing the metabolism and allowing a much more steady, plateau-free weight loss. Experiments in both animals and humans have allowed researchers to hypothesize the concept of a "setpoint", a weight which the organism attempts to maintain. Regular, moderate aerobic exercise actually LOWERS this setpoint. Onjectively, this is reflected in a lower food intake and higher metabolism. Becoming sedentary RAISES the setpoint and we observe weight gain. Completing a diet without continuing regular exercise is almost doomed to failure, as your body strains to reestablish homeostasis at its old setpoint. Some researchers believe that a weight-loss/weight-gain cycle actually causes the setpoint to increase. Thus, there certainly seems to be a way to "train" your body, but it certainly isn't too good to be true! 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise 3 to 5 times a week is all that is needed. I know it isn't easy, because I fall victim to such fluctuations, and in fact I'm presently on a diet/ exercise regimen, having seen my setpoint (and my waist) explode after slowly "forgetting" my regular daily exercise. -- /Steve Dyer {harvard,seismo}!bbnccv!bbncc5!sdyer sdyer@bbncc5.ARPA
doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee) (10/21/85)
Where cynicism is very close to truth...
There are no known effective weight loss programs (if "effective"
means that the weight is not regained within a few months or years).
The best thing you can do for overweight (presuming that it isn't
life-threatening) is to ignore it and go on with your life. Too many
overweight people go through life unhappy and frustrated, trying to lose
weight the whole time and only "yo-yoing". For right now it is an
unwinnable war; better to focus your attention and energy on something
that you enjoy.
--
Doug Pardee -- CalComp -- {calcom1,savax,seismo,decvax,ihnp4}!terak!doughollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) (10/24/85)
In article <812@terak.UUCP> doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee) writes: >There are no known effective weight loss programs (if "effective" >means that the weight is not regained within a few months or years). Not entirely true. The Pritikin Longevity Center plan (for example) is pretty effective, I'm told. The reason is they stress a total, permanent change of lifestyle and eating habits. These are the main reasons most weight loss programs fail. As soon as someone reaches their target weight, they go off the program, back to their old habits, and gain their weight back again. I knew one man who tried every fad diet that came along. They all worked as promised. He'd lose 15 pounds in 2 weeks drinking grapefruit juice (or whatever). Then he'd go off the diet and gain it all back in the next 2 weeks. A woman I knew was (probably still is) a member of Weight Watchers for years. She used to come into the office hiding a candy bar behind her celery stalks. I wonder who she thought she was fooling. Earlier this year I began a program of regular exercise (aerobic and weights) and started controlling my food intake. 5 1/2 months later I reached my target weight. I intend to maintain that weight for the rest of my life. To do so, I've accepted the fact that I'll have to continue exercising and controlling my dietary habits for the rest of my life. So far I've had no problem staying within +|- 1 pound of target. >The best thing you can do for overweight (presuming that it isn't >life-threatening) is to ignore it and go on with your life. Too many >overweight people go through life unhappy and frustrated, trying to lose >weight the whole time and only "yo-yoing". For right now it is an >unwinnable war; better to focus your attention and energy on something >that you enjoy. How do you define life-threatening? Even moderate obesity has been shown to contribute significantly to risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other problems. In most cases the war can be won (i.e.: a healthful weight can be achieved and maintained). It takes discipline and a lifetime commitment. -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe) Citicorp(+)TTI Common Sense is what tells you that a ten 3100 Ocean Park Blvd. pound weight falls ten times as fast as a Santa Monica, CA 90405 one pound weight. (213) 450-9111, ext. 2483 {philabs,randvax,trwrb,vortex}!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe
fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann) (10/25/85)
In article <812@terak.UUCP> doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee) writes: > >There are no known effective weight loss programs (if "effective" >means that the weight is not regained within a few months or years). > >The best thing you can do for overweight (presuming that it isn't >life-threatening) is to ignore it and go on with your life. Too many >overweight people go through life unhappy and frustrated, trying to lose >weight the whole time and only "yo-yoing". For right now it is an >unwinnable war; better to focus your attention and energy on something >that you enjoy. >-- You are correct in that it is better to remain overweight than to yo-yo up and down by periodically starving yourself. However, neither of those two options is ideal. You are wrong to say that there is no effective weight-loss program. Most people will be safely able to take off most excess weight and keep it off merely by a daily half hour of race-walking (or an alternative suitably strenuous exercise). Frank Silbermann
gordon@cae780.UUCP (Brian Gordon) (10/25/85)
In article <812@terak.UUCP> doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee) writes: >Where cynicism is very close to truth... > >There are no known effective weight loss programs (if "effective" >means that the weight is not regained within a few months or years). > >The best thing you can do for overweight (presuming that it isn't >life-threatening) is to ignore it and go on with your life. Too many >overweight people go through life unhappy and frustrated, trying to lose >weight the whole time and only "yo-yoing". For right now it is an >unwinnable war; better to focus your attention and energy on something >that you enjoy. I beg to differ!!!! Losing weight - "permanently" - is QUITE possible, and will improve, among other things, your life expectancy. While it is probably true that "yo-yoing" is worse that staying moderately overweight, the "war" is NOT "unwinnable". We know a LOT more about safe, effective, permanent weight loss now than we did even a few years ago! FROM: Brian G. Gordon, CAE Systems Division of Tektronix, Inc. UUCP: tektronix!teklds!cae780!gordon {ihnp4, decvax!decwrl}!amdcad!cae780!gordon {nsc, hplabs, resonex, qubix, leadsv}!cae780!gordon USNAIL: 5302 Betsy Ross Drive, Santa Clara, CA 95054 Down 69 3/4 pounds, and holding ...
gadfly@ihuxn.UUCP (Gadfly) (10/28/85)
-- > Earlier this year I began a program of regular exercise (aerobic and > weights) and started controlling my food intake. 5 1/2 months later I > reached my target weight. I intend to maintain that weight for the rest of > my life. To do so, I've accepted the fact that I'll have to continue > exercising and controlling my dietary habits for the rest of my life. So > far I've had no problem staying within +|- 1 pound of target... > > The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe) I adopted a similar regimen when I became dissatisfied with my overall physical shape. I've been lifting weights for about 4 months now. The Nautilus folks were careful to tell me that I should be concerned with my *size*, not *weight*. As you put on muscle, you get heavier. But with weights + some general aerobic workout, I've had to put new holes in my belt in spite of adding a few pounds. I'm very satisfied with Nautilus. Their staff (in Naperville, anyway) seem to be very knowledgeable about the equipment, anatomy, and good health in general. -- *** *** JE MAINTIENDRAI ***** ***** ****** ****** 28 Oct 85 [7 Brumaire An CXCIV] ken perlow ***** ***** (312)979-7753 ** ** ** ** ..ihnp4!iwsl8!ken *** ***
doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee) (10/29/85)
> You are wrong to say that there is no effective weight-loss program. > Most people will be safely able to take off most excess weight and > keep it off merely by a daily half hour of race-walking (or an > alternative suitably strenuous exercise). I wouldn't argue that exercise is not effective at losing weight. In fact, it is currently the closest approximation that we have to "an effective weight loss program." But refer to my original quote: > >There are no known effective weight loss programs (if "effective" > >means that the weight is not regained within a few months or years). Experience shows that approximately 0% of the populace will maintain the exercise schedule required for the rest of their lives. Unless they have a motivation as strong as, "You'll die if you don't". And often not even then. There are a great many ways to lose weight initially. But the track record of every single weight loss regimen is dismal (to say the least) when looked at on a long-term basis. There not only is no "magic" answer, there isn't even an "unmagic" answer. A note of clarification: this discussion has strayed a bit from the point I was trying to make in my original posting. I'm not trying to say that one shouldn't take up an exercise program. What I *am* trying to say is that one shouldn't waste one's life worrying about being overweight. Too many overweight people dedicate their entire lives to losing weight instead of living their lives. Furthermore, they carry a totally undeserved burden of guilt, both for being overweight in the first place and for their repeated failure at losing weight. They need to be told that those failures are universal, that virtually no one ever succeeds at maintaining a weight loss. And they need to change the focus of their lives away from "losing weight" to "enjoying life". At the same time, those people without "weight problems" need to learn that overweight is *not* a sign of weak personal character. -- Doug Pardee -- CalComp -- {calcom1,savax,seismo,decvax,ihnp4}!terak!doug
hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) (10/31/85)
In article <1223@ihuxn.UUCP> gadfly@ihuxn.UUCP (Gadfly) writes: >I'm very satisfied with Nautilus. Their staff (in Naperville, >anyway) seem to be very knowledgeable about the equipment, >anatomy, and good health in general. Nautilus manufactures exercise equipment. This equipment is used by many different health providers from hospitals to health spas to personal trainers. How knowledgeable the trainers are and what kind of service you get from them is independent of the equipment used. Just because there's a "Nautilus" sign on the window doesn't mean you'll get the same treatment there as anywhere else with the same sign. Caveat emptor. -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe) Citicorp(+)TTI Common Sense is what tells you that a ten 3100 Ocean Park Blvd. pound weight falls ten times as fast as a Santa Monica, CA 90405 one pound weight. (213) 450-9111, ext. 2483 {philabs,randvax,trwrb,vortex}!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe
hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) (10/31/85)
In article <835@terak.UUCP> doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee) writes: >Experience shows that approximately 0% of the populace will maintain >the exercise schedule required for the rest of their lives. Unless they >have a motivation as strong as, "You'll die if you don't". And often >not even then. What you're describing here sounds much more like a failure on the part of the person than on the part of the program. Who's experience, BTW? >There are a great many ways to lose weight initially. But the track >record of every single weight loss regimen is dismal (to say the least) >when looked at on a long-term basis. There not only is no "magic" >answer, there isn't even an "unmagic" answer. "If it came in a bottle, everyone would have a good body." -- Cher > ... What I *am* trying >to say is that one shouldn't waste one's life worrying about being >overweight. No argument here. One shouldn't wast one's life worrying about anything. But is it wasteful to make a lifetime commitment to good health? I don't think so. >Too many overweight people dedicate their entire lives to losing weight >instead of living their lives. To maintain my target weight I spend 1.5 hours, 3 days a week, in the gym. I eat sensibly all the time (as should we all). That's hardly dedicating my entire life to losing weight. It's more like doing the minimum to maintain good health. > Furthermore, they carry a totally >undeserved burden of guilt, both for being overweight in the first >place and for their repeated failure at losing weight. They need to >be told that those failures are universal, that virtually no one ever >succeeds at maintaining a weight loss. The guilt is self-imposed and unnecessary, but telling them it's ok to be fat because everyone else who's fat has failed to lose weight (an apparent tautology) doesn't strike me as helpful. Where do your "statistics" come from? > And they need to change the >focus of their lives away from "losing weight" to "enjoying life". I don't see that losing weight and enjoying life are mutually exclusive. I certainly enjoy life more when I'm healthy. >At the same time, those people without "weight problems" need to learn >that overweight is *not* a sign of weak personal character. I never said it was. I know a number of people who have lost significant amounts of weight and kept it off. I know others who have tried and failed (so far). None of them have what I would call "weak personal character". Each is an individual, with many things affecting how they live their lives. Each is capable of attaining the weight they want and keeping it. To some this is more important than others. Some people insist on smoking. -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe) Citicorp(+)TTI Common Sense is what tells you that a ten 3100 Ocean Park Blvd. pound weight falls ten times as fast as a Santa Monica, CA 90405 one pound weight. (213) 450-9111, ext. 2483 {philabs,randvax,trwrb,vortex}!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe