Rethinking Thin - Book Summary
 

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I think the diet science is not developed. People come up with different theories and try to brainwash others.
I have seen different diatitians telling different theories.
But, you are succe ssful in keeping your excess weight off from 2011.
So, tell us your experience, rather than telling us disappointing theories of half baked brainy diatitians.
Parden me, but these theories really discorage people.

Having read your long post here, Meg, all I can say is that this book doesn't really shed any new information on this subject. I am inclined to believe that the reason why the population of the United States is now at 60% obese has more to do with the fact of our lifestyle choices.

Seven and a half years ago, I moved to Atlanta, Georgia from a small "walk-friendly" Midwestern town. There is a local saying here that "Atlanta is the city where you drive somewhere to go for a walk." My husband and I have found this to be true. When I lived in the aforementioned smaller college town, after our evening meal, we would put our athletic shoes on and go for an evening walk almost every night. It helped us digest our meal, relaxed us after a day at work and helped to put us to sleep. It was easy. We just stepped outside our front door. Within a year of moving here, I can gained 35 lbs and went up one size in clothing. Ditto with my former thin husband.

Although I had been diagnosed with arthritis in 1994, I never had any symptoms (ie, pain, stiffness, lack of mobility) UNTIL I moved here and stopped my regular exercise. Within 4 years, I was even bed ridden for a period of several months; due to the fact that I was inactive. I had no idea that I had kept the more serious complications of my arthritis at bay all of those previous years by doing something as simple as a nightly walk with my partner.

I stopped dieting long ago. However, what I have done is learn to make food choices that support a healthier body. As a result, the weight is coming off slowly but it is coming off. I "discovered" in January 2010 that my morning blood glucose was 174 mg/dl (diabetic is 146 mg/dl and normal is 90 mg/dl). By simply changing my food choices I have had a normal fasting blood glucose for nearly a year and my eye doctor, who was the one who first pointed out to me about the changes in my vision, now claims I have the vision of someone nearly 20 years younger! He was amazed! It goes without saying that you are what you eat.

I followed your personal history, Meg, long ago and I do know that you lost over 100 lbs in less than a year. I think that is what everyone here wishes they could do. However, after reading such books as the one you reviewed, and seeing how people here have struggled so much and feel they have gotten so little out of all their efforts; I have recently decided that I would instead focus on having good (if not great) health.

Since the affects of my RA and osteo-arthritis have really thwarted my desire to be as active as I once was, I have learned a more important lesson (for me): health and wellness is not a number on the scale nor a certain physical body image that may or may not conform to societal standards. What is to me today is to have "normal" numbers like blood glucose, blood pressure and blood cholesterol (all of mine are "normal"). The other part is that I am able to be as active as my arthritis will allow me to be. I am being more pro-active about regaining some of the muscle I lost when I moved here and with that strength and flexibility. I do set weight lose goals for myself but I don't "stress out" about not reaching a particular goal at a particular time. I do think that the obsessing that often accompanies weight lose efforts is counter-productive and can even contribute to a lack of overall well being. Will I end up seeing my goal weight? I honestly don't know at this point but, in the meantime, I am learning that optimal health is more subjective than being able to do 100 ab crunches or walking 10,000 steps a day. To me, that is real hope and one I am willing to bank on.;)

I imagine the rethinking thin info is accurate if our expectations are unrealistic and you expect to go back to relying on your genes to eat high tech food. But we know thousands of people can and do lose weight and keep it off.

Meg I read this book before and your summary was helpful to remember what this book includes.

My eating in 2015 is changed for the better, but weight is extremity slow to come off. I'm feeling better, moving more and less likely to take a "over the counter pain pill."

Realize that to continue the healthy eating and exercise plan is necessary, but also that I can occasionally do as I did today and savor a sweet treat and simply enjoy it without feeling guilty. That is a new freedom I like.

I came across this inactive section by accident, but found it interesting. I read this book. I don't remember if I borrowed it from the library or if I bought it and it is still in my "diet book box." I do remember that I found it very depressing, even though I know the statistics are true.

Here's what I'm wondering about. When I see old threads like this where there are people who have lost a lot of weight, such as Meg, I often look into their profile to see if they are still currently posting and if they are maintaining. Some of their last posts show no indication that it's going to be their last post on the forum. It really makes me wonder what made them stop posting and have they continued to maintain. Or did they fall off the wagon so bad they are embarasssed to come back. I think I am addicted to 3FC and can't imagine leaving, even though I rarely lose weight anymore. If you no longer see posts here from me, I am probably very sick or dead. LOL

I did click on some people's profiles who are still here and still going strong. I commend those people!!

This seems to refute the idea that it's hopeless:

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/1/222S.long

Of course, it isn't hopeless for all people. I've read Rethinking Thin and it doesn't say that it is hopeless. Even the above article says about 20% are successful at weight loss which, however, is defined as losing 10% of initial body weight and maintaining it for a year. And, yes, that is certainly better than not losing body weight at all. But, when I had lost 10% of my starting weight I was about still 10 pounds into the obese category. If I had stopped there I wouldn't have personally felt that I had succeeded at long term weight loss.

And, of course, some people do maintain weight loss at or near a "normal" BMI for the long term. It is just not what happens with most people. Now, normal BMI for is 146 pounds. Had I, for example, gotten to 150 pounds and stayed there I would have considered that successful weight loss even though I wasn't to my goal.

I do agree that successful long term weight loss is possible and now people who have done it for years. But, that doesn't mean that most people have yet succeeded in doing it.

It is sometimes hard to recognize the difficulty out there in achieving long term weight loss without becoming demoralized. I know that I thought about it I was losing weight and just felt like I would try to be an exception. That is, I could mindful that it is often hard to do but also recognized that many people are able to do it so why couldn't I be one of those people?