Alyssa & John 3: Modesty Make-Up

[llucie]

Alyssa doesnt hide that she does a lot of exercise to mantain her figure. Sure genetics help (she was always on the tiny side since childhood) but she had 3 babies in the last years, no way she can mantain that body just with genetics.

[Timetraveler]

3 hours ago, nausicaa said:

Yeah...it's not genetics. There is very little evidence that metabolism differs all that much between people (or even varies much according to age). She just consistently consumes fewer calories than people who are her height and weigh more that she does. 

It's strange that we have to throw out every other reason for her weight other than the very obvious, scientifically supported one. 

I don't know. Ofcourse a healthy diet and regular exercise is key. But not everyone will get the same results from making the same healthy choices. Just like not everyone has to make the same choices, or the same amount of choices in order to remain slim. I have lived with roommates for years and seen some of their eating habits, and I honestly believe that genetics, to a certain extent, is a thing. 

[OyToTheVey]

I believe it's genetics. Maybe not 100% but genetics plays a huge part in it. I had problems with my gallbladder and I'm not the first. My gramma had hers taken out. I had mine taken out. That leads to all kinds of digestion problems that I won't spell out. But they're not pretty. My mom also has digestion problems. My surgeon said that a lot of digestion problems is familial. No matter how much weight I lose (30lbs post surgery, gained it all back btw) I still have a huge gut. I've tried exercising, eating better, etc nothing gets rid of my bulging gut. Also doesn't help that I'm super short waisted and look pregnant a lot. It's really annoying but I've tried it all including cool scupting and I'm tempted to get lipo. 

[is.it.real]

Yeah...it's not genetics. There is very little evidence that metabolism differs all that much between people (or even varies much according to age). She just consistently consumes fewer calories than people who are her height and weigh more that she does. 
It's strange that we have to throw out every other reason for her weight other than the very obvious, scientifically supported one. 

This is not true.

In several studies genetics [emoji3459] have been shown to affect weight.

“Using genome-wide genotype data, we show that persistent healthy thinness, similar to severe obesity, is a heritable trait,” the researchers concluded in their “Genetic architecture of human thinness compared to severe obesity” study.

But despite the role genetics may be playing in obesity and slimness, the doctors stress the importance of other factors that can be controlled.

“Genetics does play an important role in determining somebody’s weight, but we don’t want people to think that that’s the only thing that determines somebody’s weight,” said Ali. “There are things that can be done.”

The quotes are from this article

http:// https://www.healthline.com/health-news/heres-how-much-your-genes-impact-your-ability-to-lose-weight#What-did-the-study-find?-

But also read

http:// https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/why-people-become-overweight

http:// https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-genetics-and-weight/

Depending on what your genome is programmed to do, you have to fight more or less to maintain, loose or gain weight. To that one has to add other health conditions. To me it’s actually offensive to say that genetics doesn’t matter. It is one part to consider, and if one want to loose/gain/maintain weight they need different methods, they need different kinds and degrees of support and especially everyone need to be accepted as they are no matter of their shape or size.

[nausicaa]

1 hour ago, is.it.real said:

Depending on what your genome is programmed to do, you have to fight more or less to maintain, loose or gain weight. To that one has to add other health conditions. To me it’s actually offensive to say that genetics doesn’t matter. It is one part to consider, and if one want to loose/gain/maintain weight they need different methods, they need different kinds and degrees of support and especially everyone need to be accepted as they are no matter of their shape or size.

 

1. I want to be clear: I have never said people should be disparaged or disrespected because of their weight. But I also think I can be respectful without endorsing weight-based superstitions on a pro-science site. (Believe me, I ignore a LOT of posts with inaccuracies. I really don't want to become "Nausicaa the fucking fat logic police" over here, but things just keep getting worse recently.)

2. It is not a "programmed genome," like a fat gene that makes people hold onto fat. The so-called genetics related to obesity discussed in those articles are all behavioral. The FTO gene is linked to feelings of satiety and hunger, not an inability to lose weight if eating below one's BMR. 

There are plenty of people who have the genetic indicators referenced and do no end up overweight because of their lifestyle choices. When scientists make obesity mutations in rats, the rats eat themselves into oblivion and thus become overweight, they don't magically gain mass out of nowhere. All three of the articles that you linked to state that genetics is not predestination, and that diet and exercise are more important factors.

3. No one needs different methods for weight loss depending on their genetics. People need to consume below their BMR to lose weight and within their BMR to maintain weight. Human bodies are not exempt from the laws of thermodynamics. Our bodies cannot make energy and fat from air and light. 

4. The rapid rise in obesity in the U.S. is actually a strong sign that genes don't play a very large role. The massive increase in the average American's body weight cannot be explained by a rapid genetic change within such a short period of time. It is clearly determined by excess food consumption.

Link for anyone who cares to read more. A twenty-year peer-reviewed study of over 14,000 people from the British Medical Journal:

Spoiler

Conclusion, "Viewed differently, improving diet quality over time was associated with decreases in body mass index and body weight, and such favorable effect was more prominent in people at high genetic risk for obesity than in those with low genetic risk."

https://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.j5644

 

Edited June 1, 2019 by nausicaa

[Satan'sFortress]

51 minutes ago, nausicaa said:

4. The rapid rise in obesity in the U.S. is actually a strong sign that genes don't play a very large role. The massive increase in the average American's body weight cannot be explained by a rapid genetic change within such a short period of time. It is clearly determined by excess food consumption.

I'm going to go off on a tangent, because this phenomenon has been fascinating to me.  I was born in the late 1960s and so grew up in the 70s/80s.  Everyone. Was. Thin.  Maybe there was a kid or two that was slightly plump, but when I look back at photos, really, virtually everyone was thin. My mom was considered fat in those days, but if you saw her picture, you'd never think so nowadays.  Someone recently dug up a high school video project from the early 80s, and honestly, people in it are so thin that today, I think that many folks would think we were malnourished. (We were not.) We were much more active than my own kids are---fewer of us had cars, so we walked or rode a bike. 

I blame free refills of soda for some of this. I don't know when that trend started, but I'm thinking late 80s/early90s. 

(FWIW, I have been a Weight Watchers lifetime member for almost 25 years---I have to think about what I eat every single day of my life, so I know how difficult it is.  I don't want to sound like I am judging, it is just that I am very interested in how we all came to face the obesity struggle in so short a time.)

[SassyPants]

9 minutes ago, Satan'sFortress said:

I'm going to go off on a tangent, because this phenomenon has been fascinating to me.  I was born in the late 1960s and so grew up in the 70s/80s.  Everyone. Was. Thin.  Maybe there was a kid or two that was slightly plump, but when I look back at photos, really, virtually everyone was thin. My mom was considered fat in those days, but if you saw her picture, you'd never think so nowadays.  Someone recently dug up a high school video project from the early 80s, and honestly, people in it are so thin that today, I think that many folks would think we were malnourished. (We were not.) We were much more active than my own kids are---fewer of us had cars, so we walked or rode a bike. 

I blame free refills of soda for some of this. I don't know when that trend started, but I'm thinking late 80s/early90s. 

(FWIW, I have been a Weight Watchers lifetime member for almost 25 years---I have to think about what I eat every single day of my life, so I know how difficult it is.  I don't want to sound like I am judging, it is just that I am very interested in how we all came to face the obesity struggle in so short a time.)

1) I wonder what the powers that be have done to the food source. Remember when they were adding HFCS to everything, but only in America because all the other industrialized countries said hell no because no one in the food industry could say what HFCS could do to people, and the USA said hell yes, citing the exact same reason. Pretty much sums it up.

 

2). Supersizing was the death of us. 

[Rachel333]

1 hour ago, nausicaa said:

The FTO gene is linked to feelings of satiety and hunger, not an inability to lose weight if eating below one's BMR. 

Exactly, and to add to that, it can be hard to consistently eat below your natural appetite in a world where we have a ton of excess food readily available, and I certainly wouldn't say it's someone's "fault" that those genetic tendencies for a higher appetite have made them overweight. For most of human history "if it feels good, keep doing it" was actually a good survival strategy -- when food wasn't always available it made sense to eat as much high-calorie food as you could when it was available -- but now with things like drugs and processed food that is literally designed to be as addictive as possible the biological urges that once helped us survive are now hurting us.

[OyToTheVey]

16 minutes ago, Satan'sFortress said:

 

I blame free refills of soda for some of this. I don't know when that trend started, but I'm thinking late 80s/early90s. 

Not to sound like a conspiracy theorist but I also think it’s the subsidizing of corn. I was buying cut up fruit yesterday as a snack during work and sooooo much of it had corn syrup. There’s absolutely no reason why a cup of grapefruit should have corn syrup in it. I notice every year during Passover that it’s getting harder and harder to avoid corn products. I don’t keep kosher but don’t eat hametz( grain/corn/wheat) and 80% of labels have corn syrup in them. The fact that our portions are huge also don’t help. Food should be satisfying not eaten til buttons pop. 

[adidas]

Let’s not also forget this problem:

[nausicaa]

2 hours ago, Rachel333 said:

Exactly, and to add to that, it can be hard to consistently eat below your natural appetite in a world where we have a ton of excess food readily available, and I certainly wouldn't say it's someone's "fault" that those genetic tendencies for a higher appetite have made them overweight. 

I completely understand that there are a lot of factors that make keeping weight off difficult in our society. But for me that's a very different statement from the gist of the earlier posters I was responding to, which was "genetics makes some people fat and some people skinny."  

The latter is not only scientifically unsound, it is a disempowering and dangerous message.  I'm less about assigning blame and more about accuracy and encouraging positive and sustainable changes for people. 

[bal maiden]

When I first moved from Europe to the US, I was astounded at how many products in the American grocery store had added sugar and salt, or other unnecessary additives. Things like canned tomatoes or cream cheese had added salt, HFCS in ketchup, sugar and gelling agents in yoghurt, bread was so insanely sweet I found it inedible, even mayonnaise was sickly sweet... I ended up becoming an obsessive label reader, and spending half my pay check at Whole Foods (which btw still has plenty of adulterated, fake-healthy foodstuffs, or shit with agave syrup instead of sugar, which has a higher fructose content than HFCS).

I'm not saying this to suggest Europe is superior, or to look down on the US, but as a comment on how I think lack of regulation of food production and processing in the US does a massive disservice to consumers, and makes it really hard to shop and eat without consuming a load of unnecessary sugar and salt. It's the interests of big business over individual's wellbeing. I suspect the UK is going to head the same way after Brexit. 

[feministxtian]

I am a chubby chick who may eat one meal a day. Lately, that's IF I can keep it down. I drink one soda a day because I like the fizzy and the rest of the time flavored water. My weight WILL NOT budge. I mean, I've weighed the same for about 3 years now. I've tried working out, swimming, dieting, even though we eat low carb anyway, and NOT A FUCKING THING changes. I wear size 16 bottoms and XL tops. I have a gut that looks like either I'm pregnant or drank too much beer (I don't drink). 

So...what's the solution????

[IrishCarrie]

4 hours ago, feministxtian said:

I am a chubby chick who may eat one meal a day. Lately, that's IF I can keep it down. I drink one soda a day because I like the fizzy and the rest of the time flavored water. My weight WILL NOT budge. I mean, I've weighed the same for about 3 years now. I've tried working out, swimming, dieting, even though we eat low carb anyway, and NOT A FUCKING THING changes. I wear size 16 bottoms and XL tops. I have a gut that looks like either I'm pregnant or drank too much beer (I don't drink). 

So...what's the solution????

Are you me??? ?

Need answers asap folks - I've a date with my ex on Wednesday night and I obviously want to make him pea-green with what he lost, so if anyone has a magic solution for the chubsters I'd sure appreciate a heads up ???

[Rachel333]

8 hours ago, nausicaa said:

I completely understand that there are a lot of factors that make keeping weight off difficult in our society. But for me that's a very different statement from the gist of the earlier posters I was responding to, which was "genetics makes some people fat and some people skinny."  

The latter is not only scientifically unsound, it is a disempowering and dangerous message.  I'm less about assigning blame and more about accuracy and encouraging positive and sustainable changes for people. 

Oh, I was agreeing with you! People really misunderstand what genetics do when it comes to weight. There is so much misinformation out there around weight and dieting in general and a lot of it can be really harmful.

For example, a lot of people believe that dieting permanently ruins your metabolism. They especially like to scare anorexics with this, which actually just reinforces the disordered beliefs anorexics already tend to have and as a result it's really common for an anorexic person to think that if they try to recover they'll become obese because their metabolism will have permanently slowed. This isn't true at all! The closest thing to it is that appetite regulation can be pretty messed up for a while and so it's pretty common to overeat at first, but even that will eventually recover.

[Satan'sFortress]

For anyone trying to lose or maintain their weight:

I wish I had a magic answer.  I am not only a WW Lifetime member, as I said above, but I worked for them for 7 years, as well.  All I can do is share my experience from my own situation & from what I observed with folks that I saw having success.  (FTR, I am not particularly advocating WW, although I do think it does some good things.)

1. Write down everything you eat, including portions (or use a phone app--there are free ones).  If you do nothing else but that, I think it is a huge step.  Being honest with myself about what I am eating---including all the bites, licks, and tastes that I sneak---really helps me understand what is truly going into my mouth. Eventually, you may spot some pitfalls & patterns that will lead you to make better choices.  Maybe you always over-snack at night, or when you are around certain people.  Maybe you notice that you fall off the wagon when you are stressed or tired or bored.  It's a total pain to record, but it truly is enlightening. 
2. I noticed that a lot of people drank their calories without even thinking about it---cream and sugar in coffee, plus sugar in juices, sodas, and alcohol.  Not that we can't ever have these things, but many people seemed to not fully realize that there are calories in drinks as well as food. I am so grateful that I like my coffee black, because that seems to be a tough thing for people to change.
3. Finally, and maybe most importantly---the old adage of "you can't eat it if you don't have it."  This works two ways.  I cannot, absolutely cannot have certain things in my house--ice cream & potato chips to name a few.  If they were here, I would have no control and would eat the whole thing.  So, if I want ice cream, I'll get it when I go out--just one scoop--and it is safer.  But the second part of the adage is that you can't eat the "good" food if you don't have it, either, so be sure that you have fruit, veggies, and other healthy stuff available.  If I run out of those things, I am tempted to break into the more dangerous foods that may be lurking.

Finally, food and weight issues are so tough.  In theory, one can give up smoking or drugs or alcohol--we don't need those things to live.  But we do need food.  You have to eat, and food is everywhere.  Find someone who will support you--even "virtually."  Don't panic if you screw up.  Just start over again.  I do all the time.  if you break one egg, you wouldn't throw away the whole dozen.

 

[kmachete14]

@Satan'sFortress there was recently an article published in the Atlantic that addressed exactly what you are talking about . . . it was way easier to be thin! Apparently, the gut biome has changed in Americans, which somehow affects how we process our food?? Anyways this change in gut biome makes it harder to lose or maintain weight. 

My mom was TINY growing up and was considered to have "thunder thighs," if you look at pictures it's laughable that she'd be called that, she had smaller thighs than most high school soccer players!! 

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/09/why-it-was-easier-to-be-skinny-in-the-1980s/407974/

I really think it's just portion sizes went wack. For example, you could eat cereal and whole milk, a bologna sandwich on Wonder bread with a Coke, and a cheeseburger with a milkshake and be under 1800 calories (recommend for a woman) IF these things are actually in portion sizes (just using my parents' sample 1978 meal lol). 

[Iamtheway]

On 6/2/2019 at 2:17 AM, Satan'sFortress said:

I blame free refills of soda for some of this. I don't know when that trend started, but I'm thinking late 80s/early90s. 

When I was a kid we pretty much never had soda. Sometimes we got a bottle to share at my granmother’s house. A 33 cl bottle for three people (or if we were lucky only two). The splitting was intense and I think the ruler was involved a couple of times. 

19 hours ago, IrishCarrie said:

Are you me??? ?

Need answers asap folks - I've a date with my ex on Wednesday night and I obviously want to make him pea-green with what he lost, so if anyone has a magic solution for the chubsters I'd sure appreciate a heads up ???

Wear someting you’re comfortable but know you look good in! And be happy! Be content and happy. Look like you are finally living the best life imaginable and enjoy every second of it. Being supermodel thin isn’t half as effective as that. 

[bal maiden]

I found reducing my chronic stress to normal person occasional stress really helped with weight loss. I think cortisol blocking supplements are snake oil, but the relationship between elevated cortisol and weight gain seems pretty robust. 

[Angelface]

22 hours ago, IrishCarrie said:

Are you me??? ?

Need answers asap folks - I've a date with my ex on Wednesday night and I obviously want to make him pea-green with what he lost, so if anyone has a magic solution for the chubsters I'd sure appreciate a heads up ???

Have you tried Callanetics? It is a form of exercise which is primarily concerned with toning and inch loss and is similar to Pilates. It has really worked for me in the past. I am starting a 10 week course of Callanetics, extra sessions at the gym and eating clean in order to drop 1-2 dress sizes before my god- daughter’s wedding. I should have started on these ago but at least I’m starting now!

For your date: wear something that makes you feel good, perhaps get your eyebrows tidied up, listen to him and SMILE. Wishing you luck. 

[Satan'sFortress]

12 hours ago, kmachete14 said:

 there was recently an article published in the Atlantic that addressed exactly what you are talking about . . . it was way easier to be thin! Apparently, the gut biome has changed in Americans, which somehow affects how we process our food?? Anyways this change in gut biome makes it harder to lose or maintain weight. 

That was very interesting. Scary, too---I hope that they continue to research this.

 

8 hours ago, Iamtheway said:

When I was a kid we pretty much never had soda. Sometimes we got a bottle to share at my granmother’s house. A 33 cl bottle for three people (or if we were lucky only two). The splitting was intense and I think the ruler was involved a couple of times. 

Same here.  Soda would have been a big treat.  McDonalds would have been a rare treat, as well.  I remember splitting the small fries with a sibling or two---and the packets really were small in those days. 

It is difficult to be vigilant about portion size versus serving size---a restaurant may serve us giant portions of pasta, fries, or steak, but that doesn't mean that it is one serving size. A serving size of pasta is 2 ounces--that was a complete shock to me when I started trying to lose weight.  I've had restaurants give me at least 4 times that amount. But if you are not aware of it, or not vigilant, you could easily end up eating the whole shebang. It really isn't easy.

[sparrow]

Sorry all. I don’t know how to post links from Instagram. But Alyssa put up another Sunday family picture of her girls in matching yellow dresses. I’m curious about everyone’s opinion. They look adorable and sweet, but there’s also a part of me that feels like they look a bit “naked.”  I’ve always thought of myself as pretty liberal regarding dress. And I certainly don’t mean to sexualize little girls. But it makes me a bit uncomfortable that they’re so bare on top. The straps are so long, and the bodice so loose, that they feel more like jumpers than something you’re supposed to wear by itself.  Or something I’d throw a cute little white cardigan over.  I’m sure it’s partly that I’m from a Northern climate, and might have different opinions regarding skin and normalcy if I lived in Florida where it’s so hot. But it piqued my curiosity that I, a liberal heathen, should take notice. So I really wonder what Kelly Jo thinks. Remembering a clip from way back when of her saying the girls could make whatever clothing choices they wanted when they were out of the house, but she just hopes and prays they always cover their shoulders because sleeves are a big issue for her. Granted we’ve talked that particular point ad nauseum already.

[melon]

On 5/31/2019 at 4:15 PM, lizzybee said:

@19tacos&counting yep, same. My evil hypothyroidism unfortunately seems to have more say than my vegan diet and the 13,000 steps a day I take exercising and chasing my two boys. So unfair. 

I am so sorry.Do you take medication?That would seem so unfair.

I follow a vegan diet,too,since November.

[HereticHick]

21 minutes ago, sparrow said:

Sorry all. I don’t know how to post links from Instagram. But Alyssa put up another Sunday family picture of her girls in matching yellow dresses. I’m curious about everyone’s opinion. They look adorable and sweet, but there’s also a part of me that feels like they look a bit “naked.”  I’ve always thought of myself as pretty liberal regarding dress. And I certainly don’t mean to sexualize little girls. But it makes me a bit uncomfortable that they’re so bare on top. The straps are so long, and the bodice so loose, that they feel more like jumpers than something you’re supposed to wear by itself. 

I also though the girl's sundresses were too bare for my taste--either the girls are going to shiver in the air conditioning, or will be outside getting sunburned! 

Edited June 3, 2019 by HereticHick

[JermajestyDuggar]

I’ll leave this here in case anyone is interested in the link between genetics and weight.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190124141538.htm

Studies have also shown hunger is actually higher for people who have lost weight. And it may never go away. 

https://www.livescience.com/61703-weight-loss-hunger.html

Edited June 3, 2019 by JermajestyDuggar