What Really Makes People Obese
Middle School Health Class, oh, how you haunt me! One such memory, I am studiously taking notes (that I probably still have somewhere) and the teacher says, “All weight gain results from taking in more calories than you expand. To lose weight, eat less and exercise more.”
I think this definition also came around the time in my life that I heard the sage advice of “A moment on the lips, forever on the hips.” Oh, wouldn’t it be easy if it were all that simple?
The truth is the problem is much more complex. Medically speaking, obesity is really a process of increased insulin which leads to metabolic dysfunction. However, the factors that can contribute to a person’s weight are vast, can vary by individual, and we are always learning more about what these factors are. They can include such wide-ranging things from our genetics, to the processed foods we eat, our environment factors, daily activity levels, and even mental & physical trauma we experience can impact a personal weight circumstance.
Genetics clearly plays a role, our DNA can act as a set of rules or parameters that our bodies are guided, or are informed by, determining how easy it is for us to gain weight and where we carry/or put weight on. There are other ways genetics contributes to your health, such as your predisposition for heart disease, and so much more. Understanding your family’s medical history can be a valuable part of the whole picture when considering lasting weight loss success and overall health.
Additionally, life-style is a significant factor in our health. Are you super busy, stressed out with obligation after obligation, a “couch-potato”, maybe the work-from-home life has you really sedentary? Often my patients will tell me that they are so busy with life, they don’t have time for healthy habits. It is understandable, our society has moved towards a world where we walk less, our cities are often so spread out that driving is the only option. Our ultra-busy lifestyles can mean we cut corners on sleep as well as exercise, which can compound our stress levels and health choices.
I can hear you now, “We should all chill, sleep more, and get more exercise – yeah, yeah, yeah. Tell me something I don’t know.” Or maybe, “I know, go for a walk, the cold air is good for you.” or “You probably think I should get a standing desk for the home office.” It’s true, though, whatever the style, how your day-to-day life contributes to your weight.
Whether you have a busy life-style & out of necessity of convenience, or really most any life-style these days, you likely are also impacted by the quality of the processed foods. You might be surprised to learn just how ingredients and additives in processed foods mess with our body’s ability to function properly. The problem is so insidious-- I’ve seen studies that suggest processed food makes up as much as 70% of the U.S. diet. Over the years, they’ve added things to increase shelf life, make it more appealing in looks and taste – all the while sacrificing nutrition. The combined effect of the more than 5,000 additives the FDA has approved, the added sugar, and the lack of fiber. This all can play havoc with our endocrine system making us feel hungrier, thirstier, crave more sweets, and store more fat.
When you look at just these few above noted factors, and consider beyond that… your sleep patterns, possible hormonal changes from menopause, environmental factors you may be dealing with at any given movement. Also, the very real factor that your personal history of trauma & abuse can factor in, you start to see that there is no simple answer to the question “What really makes us obese?”
The answer is that it is complicated.
The answer is that it is individual, unique, and personal.
That is why there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and maybe, just maybe, consider having a little grace for yourself when you can’t just “eat less and exercise more” to simply solve it.