Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ttidcc.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!think!harvard!cmcl2!philabs!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe From: hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) Newsgroups: net.consumers,net.med Subject: Re: Need info on "Gold Key" Weight loss plan Message-ID: <5@ttidcc.UUCP> Date: Thu, 31-Oct-85 14:31:20 EST Article-I.D.: ttidcc.5 Posted: Thu Oct 31 14:31:20 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 3-Nov-85 06:06:24 EST References: <378@cylixd.UUCP> <812@terak.UUCP> <392@unc.unc.UUCP> <835@terak.UUCP> Reply-To: hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) Organization: The Cat Factory Lines: 67 Xref: watmath net.consumers:3283 net.med:2677 Summary: 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