Why Americans Don't Exercise More


(Bob M) #42

The other thing about “exercise” is that a lot of things should be considered exercise but are not reported. For instance, I spent the weekend changing my TV system around. That doesn’t sound difficult, but my TV and speakers are on the opposite wall from my equipment and I use an RF remote to access the equipment, which is in a cabinet (you don’t see the equipment). My old speakers had died, and I wanted to use my newer speakers and add in a center channel. I had to deconstruct the TV and speaker system, put the speakers into boxes, carry them into the basement. I had to run another speaker wire from one side of the room to the other through the basement, cut a hole in the wall and install a box for the speaker wire. On the other side, I ran two 20amp outlets, etc. I was up and down the stairs into the basement or to the second floor more times than I could count. I was on ladders drilling through bottom plates, on the floor cutting holes in drywall, on ladders running cable through joists, etc. It took both weekend days. This is Monday, and I’m still freaking exhausted. Yet that would never count as “exercise”.

I have another project where I’m wrapping the basement walls in rigid foam insulation. That also is incredibly difficult physically, yet it would never be recorded as “exercise”.

So, their very premise that “Americans don’t exercise” under counts the many things we do that aren’t technically some box called “exercise”.


(John) #43

I spent part of the weekend changing the channel on my TV. Does that count? :tv:


(Running from stupidity) #44

I’ve heard 90/10 unless you’re elite.


(less is more, more or less) #45

After reading Phinney and Volek’s “The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance,” and as I continue to maintain my own vigorous and frequent workout schedule, I’m biased to agree with @juice


(KetoQ) #46

I’m inclined to agree with the 90/10 as well. I think exercise may help more with effecting or speeding up body recomp, which may look a lot like weight loss, but is actually something different.

I’ve been doing a lot of bodyweight squats as of late, about 1,000+ per week, since mid Nov. I also gained a little weight during the holidays. However, my wife remarked that my legs are looking smaller and fitter. I’ll take that.


#47

This is true for me as well, but lots of folks who were sedentary and start keto find that after a few months they just spontaneously want to move more. It seems to be the norm, actually.


(Bob M) #48

Another problem: If we as Americans exercise too little, why do people like the French and Italians exercise even less, yet live longer and aren’t as obese (or at least weren’t)? What has seemed to happen, in my mind, is that the US decided fat was bad and carbs were good. Even during an exercise explosion, obesity rates soared because of this concept. So, the “experts”, who don’t want to go against dietary advice, believe we’re not exercising enough. If only we’d exercise more, everything would be OK. It’s blame the user and not the message.

And it’s bollocks. The US does not need to exercise more. We need to change our view of what is and is not healthy to eat.

I think even the US government believes exercise is next to useless for weight loss or control.

And this comes from someone who exercised since I was 16 and never stopped, even while gaining 90+ pounds. I enjoy exercising, but I’m at the amount of exercise I want to do (3 times per week). Instead of exercising, I’d rather seem my family more, learn to play a music instrument, etc.


(J) #49

To say it’s not exercise or only diet is over-simplifying. Americans also predominently live in suburban areas and drive everywhere. There may be fewer gyms in Europe, but my experience living there was that people walked and biked FAR more than they drove. Yes, the diet in France and Italy contains (contained?) less processed foods, but they are also more active in their day-to-day than most Americans with a gym membership.

And, don’t be fooled. The problem is not exclusively American. We may have been the (dubious) leader but the rest of the world is quickly catching up with convenience products and diabetes.


#50

Problem is, despite the stereotype that we Americans are lazy slobs, more Americans are exercising now than ever before, and it hasn’t put a dent in the climbing obesity and diabetes rate. Almost like you can’t outrun a bad diet and we need to assess that rather than blame Americans for just being lazy. But that would require some real leadership to lead the way, and I doubt “President” Big Mac is going to be at the forefront of that, so right now the best that can be done is to keep pushing it via grassroots that carbs are bad for most Americans.


(KetoQ) #51

I think some of it can be attributed to diet. We’ve heard of “the French Paradox” and their love of saturated fats – and although Italians love their pasta (and they have great gelatos and goodies as well) I sense they eat a lot less processed food, and drink alcohol (and the sweets) more in moderation.

A good friend married an Italian woman. She would say that perhaps an Italian would have a beer on a hot afternoon. But only one. While me and my American buddies could drink beer all day given the situation. In my 20’s and 30’s I never had just ONE beer.

I also think Europeans have a much different lifestyle than Americans, and as a result, are less stressed. Americans work a lot of hours, have long commutes and take very little vacation. And even if you do have a good job, you still have the stress of keeping that job to keep covering the bills.

Lack of a social safety net in the US makes things difficult for families that are going broke taking care of elderly parents who require assisted living or dementia care. Or, if you have a health problem, and even if you have insurance, you’re still going to have lots of out of pocket costs. Or, if you don’t have a pension, you’ll be faced with never having the luxury of slowing down and having to work until you drop.

I had a heart attack 11 years ago at age 44. Yeah, there was a blockage. I also had a lot of job related stress in my life.

All these things add up and they are not good for your longevity.

Its hard, but you have to make time to eat right, get some recreation and take time to slow down. That’s what I am trying to be more conscious about in 2019.


(Scott) #52

But that is exactly what I would say if I got pulled over “I only had one beer”


(KetoQ) #53

Scott –

I lived in NYC during my 20’s and 30’s, so fortunately I could hop on a subway or catch a cab home. But if I did not live in a big city with good public transport, I probably would have added a DUI to my resume as well. Not good either.


(Scott) #54

On my trip to Switzerland when my son lived there I quickly noticed some significant differences in their way of life and a typical American way of life. The bread was baked fresh daily and had a very short shelf life. The grocery store parking lot was very small because an overwhelming percentage walked and carried supplies home. Refrigerators were small so it is common to go to market daily. No one picks up recyclables (glass) you carry them to town. The train station had maybe 200 bicycles and no parking lot so many also walked. This also means they likely walked at the destination too.

This was just a quick observation and not a study but I feel their activity level is significantly higher even if they don’t exercise. The obesity rate can also be observed as much lower too. Anyway I exercise for fitness and how it makes me feel. Any weight loss related to it is just a bonus.


(Scott) #55

Years ago the police would ask because they knew you were smashed “how far do you have to go to get home?” That was not a good thing for anybody but the way it was many years ago. Now you are going to the pokie without doubt. I think uber has saved a lot of lives by making a ride home within reach of most people these days


(KetoQ) #56

Scott –

Yes, very true.

The way Americans live has also changed alot since I was a kid. Where I grew up, every neighborhood had a grocery store that was often a converted living room in a home, that sold the basics, which was bread, milk and cigarettes. Usually run by an old couple or a widow. These stores were literally in the middle of neighborhoods.

Lots of kids would be hanging out there with bikes or skateboards. Cokes were a dime and penny candy was just that. You would go into a huge cooler to pick out your soda and a hole was drilled in the floor outside the cooler to drop your bottle cap in. They would sell a kid cigarettes because they knew they were for your parents. I never smoked, but I bought cigars and cigarettes hundreds of times as a kid.

Now to buy food you have to drive to a commercial development outside of a real neighborhood. Its not bike friendly in terms of traffic or distance.

Business districts that used to be adjacent to neighborhoods have been supplanted by shopping malls built a few miles outside of town. Mom and pop and family businesses have been replaced by corporate chains. Some of that is simply progress. Some of that is not good for building a sense of community.

I’m just scratching the surface, but the pace of life has changed, as well as the closeness and sense of community. I believe lots of this plays a part in our health and well being.


(less is more, more or less) #57

In “Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It” Gary Taubes clearly illustrates this point. I am thoroughly frustrated by this "you’re fat ’cause you’re lazy” trope.

I see neither Democrat or Republican party taking the lead on this issue since the food industry has deeply gamed their influence across the board. Since 1972, when Sen. McGovern forced our current nutritional guidance as policy, (spreading it, viral-like, globally) I’m hopeful that Nina Teicholz’s Nutrition Coalition is able to make headway countering this catastrophic policy.

Besides, I don’t want a president or party pushing this, anyhow. It must be grass-roots to take hold. Having a government adopt such a posture merely provides industry ways to game their influence.


(Scott) #58

Given the federal government’s success at implementing food guidelines I think politicians should recuse themselves and let an unbiased knowledgeable…oh wait, this will never work.


#59

It’s just so thoroughly American tho isn’t it? We’re taught since childhood that we can be whatever we want if we just want it bad enough, so if we fail it’s our own fault; it’s never because certain things, many things really, are simply beyond our control, and some things are actually stacked against us by design. Makes sense that American nutrition advice, eat less and move more, would follow in that same vein.


(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #60

Ah! Endorphins, that makes sense.

In my case, it was 100% diet, 0% exercise. Down another 10 lbs. this morning, and definitely not from exercise, lol!

It’s true that when I lived and worked in New York, I was a bit leaner, and that the fat was a little harder to keep off when I moved to the suburbs. But the biggest factor in my weight gain was metabolic. Something shifted in me when I was in my mid-twenties, because until then I could eat what I wanted and not gain weight, and then the weight started to stick and not come off. Nothing in my life had changed at that time, just my metabolism. Furthermore, my weight loss on keto was part of a completely sedentary life. I am more active now, almost two years later, for two reasons: I weigh less, and I have more energy on keto.


(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #61

I’m with you on this one, Kyle!

“Get your government laws out of my kitchen!” in other words. (Now, if we could just get the goverment out of the corporate-welfare business, too . . . lol!)

It’s a Puritan idea. God shows his favor by prospering his elect, so those who have not achieved success must therefore be sinners. Therefore, anything that’s wrong with someone must be their fault. I believe that this is the underlying reason for the CICO/energy-balance/eat-less-move-more hypothesis of obesity and weight loss, and why people find it so compelling despite its logical flaws and the lack of evidence for it. If we can’t blame the victims, what is there to live for? :rofl::grin: