Fat-Shaming Can Make You Fatter

Recently, NPR published a review of a study conducted with over 6,000 American men and women aged 50 and older, surveying how often they experienced different types of discrimination. This study also measured participants' height and weight. After four years a follow-up study was conducted that showed that overweight people who had said they experienced discrimination based on weight were more than two times more likely to be obese four years later than people who did not face weight-based discrimination. Those that were obese at the outset of the study were more than three times more likely to remain so if they were discriminated based on weight, while other types of discrimination (non weight-based) showed no effect on weight.



The Big Question

The big question here is: why so much hate towards fat people? As both a former fat kid (I weighed nearly 220 pounds at only 5'5" when I was 15 years old) and as a current fitness-industry professional who works with clients with weight issues, I am not surprised by these statistics.

As a young kid, I was bullied and discriminated against because of my weight. But while I definitely learned to grow a thick skin after years of being teased, tormented, picked on and rejected by girls, this discrimination triggered a guru-like quest in me to get fit and live a healthy lifestyle. Deep down, it probably drove me to get my Masters degree in Exercise Science and start working with people like me and helping them get fit, while simultaneously educating the skinny population that sometimes you can't help being a little larger!

Weight is determined by a lot of things, including genetics, which you can't control. Unfortunately, the public at large (and society in general) tend to generalize all large or heavy people as lazy or other more discriminatory stereotypes.

The Effects of the Hatred

Unfortunately, not every person that is on the large side has the same thick skin that I grew. This kind of "fat hating" can lead to emotional eating, bouts of depression or deeper depression, can cause or worsen eating disorders, and generally discourages people from becoming healthy. I see it every day in my gym...the stares, the backhanded comments, the giggles. And it breaks my heart, because all too often I see gym members who are weight conscious get discriminated against. Our culture promulgates this problem...so much so that airlines now charge an extra ticket fee or deny service because of weight. If we intend to fix obesity in this country, we also need to fix the social and cultural stigma that goes with it.

Do Not Be Discouraged

If you are a little fluffy, and conscious of it, you DO NOT have to be discouraged by all the fat-shamers. There are plenty of people (and places) within the fitness and wellness industry that can help you reach your health and fitness goals in a safe, constructive and positive environment. I would suggest researching personal trainers in your area, as well as finding other fitness classes and locations that offer group and individualized training sessions. Like any other disease, if you are struggling with weight issues, get the help of a qualified professional.

Want to Reduce Your Appetite? This May Be the Key...

Keeping your appetite under control is a key component of weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight over your lifetime. We all have different strategies to help us manage our appetites in order to prevent overeating or making poor decisions about the foods we choose. Managing stress, getting adequate sleep and having a good exercise regimen are all methods we employ to help us keep our appetites regulated. However, recent research has revealed that the type of exercise can make more of a difference than you think.



A recent study out of the University of Western Australia found that high-intensity exercises may suppress appetite briefly afterward. The team conducting the research discovered that overweight, sedentary men (having a body mass index, or BMI, of 25-29.9) consumed almost two-hundred fewer calories after performing a vigorous exercise routine than after a period of rest.

Previous research that looked at high-intensity exercise and its effects on the body suggest that it correlates with appetite control and alterations in specific hormones that manage your feelings of hunger and your level of fullness. However, this new research that just came out discovered that those hormones are affected in different ways based on the type of workout regimen--continuous versus intermittent, and different intensity levels (moderate-, high- and very-high-intensity exercises).

The Study

The participants of the study went through four 30-minute workouts. One session was a period of rest, to serve as the control. In the other three exercise sessions, the participants worked out on a stationary bike at various levels of intensity. During one session, the men cycled continuously at a moderate level of intensity. The other two sessions involved intermittent exercise at either high-intensity or very-high-intensity where they would alternate between quick bursts of high-speed pedaling followed by longer bouts of cycling at a slower speed.

After exercising (or resting), the men consumed a 267-calorie liquid meal and were also asked to eat oatmeal until they became full. The results: the participants consumed fewer calories following the intermittent high-intensity and intermittent very-high-intensity exercise sessions versus the period of rest. Here is the calorie breakdown of what the men consumed after each session:

After a period of rest: 764 calories consumed
After continuous moderate-intensity exercise: 710 calories consumed
After intermittent high-intensity-exercise: 621 calories consumed
After intermittent very-high-intensity exercise: 594 calories consumed

And the most interesting finding? The men said they ate less the day after they performed the very-high-intensity exercise when compared to the days after their other workout sessions. This suggests that the appetite suppression experienced after the very-high-intensity workouts extends well beyond the hours immediately following the exercise and that it may even reduce your appetite the following day too.

Five big health threats for men

Obesity is a major problem among young men, but  Changing your diet can make all the difference.

MEN can be a touch blase about taking care of themselves but follow this guide on how to beat some of the biggest threats to men's health. 

HEART DISEASE
Give artery-clogging trans-fats the flick. Watch out for processed foods made with hydrogenated oils, some margarines and take-away food cooked in vegetable oil.
Enjoy foods rich in heart healthy fats like oily fish, cold pressed olive oil, avocado, chia seeds, and nuts and their oils.
Lower your sodium intake by eating less processed and packaged foods and more natural produce.

Include more fibre in your diet by eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole oats, quinoa, brown rice and grainy breads.

Don’t forget your green leafy veggies. They’re rich in B vitamins that help lower homocysteine levels, which is a marker for heart disease.
Treat yourself to some good quality antioxidant-rich dark chocolate and a couple of glasses of red wine during the week.

PROSTRATE CANCER
Eat plenty of zinc rich foods like legumes, fish, meat, eggs, wholegrains, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
Eat omega-3 rich oily fish a few times a week.
Eat more tomato and watermelon as they are rich sources of the powerful antioxidant lycopene.
Include cruciferous veggies with meals eg. broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussel sprouts and cabbage, as they contain cancer-fighting phytochemicals.
Enjoy curries made with antioxidant rich turmeric.
Add spirulina to your next smoothie or juice.

TYPE-2 DIABETES
Limit sugary breakfast cereals, soft drinks, and other sweet foods that will send your blood sugar levels soaring.
Swap processed ‘white’ carbohydrate foods for wholegrain alternatives like grainy breads, whole oats, wholemeal pasta and brown or wild rice.
Instead of fruit juice have a veggie juice and eat your fruit whole.

Don’t skip meals. A nice healthy breakfast is especially important.
Having protein with each meal will help keep your blood sugar levels balanced. Eg. legumes, fish, chicken, eggs, meat, nuts, quinoa and yoghurt.

DEPRESSION
Make sure you are getting enough omega-3 essential fatty acids in your diet. Your best sources are oily fish, chia and flaxseeds and walnuts.
Get a daily dose of sunshine to boost your vitamin D levels.

Eat more foods that contain tryptophan such as turkey, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, bananas and brown rice, which will help increase serotonin levels.
Supporting the growth of your ‘good’ intestinal bacteria through eating fermented foods like yoghurt, miso and kefir will help enhance serotonin production.

OBESITY
Clear your cupboards of sugary and unhealthy snack foods and stock up on healthy options like fruit, low-fat yoghurt, hummus, nutritious smoothies, and trail mixes.
Eat the way Mother Nature intended, more fresh and unprocessed foods and less packaged and refined.

Limit fatty foods that promote weight gain like full-fat dairy foods, greasy take-away foods, and creamy sauces.
Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Fill your plate with different coloured vegies and salad each day.

Use healthy cooking techniques like steaming, baking and light stir-frying with a little olive or coconut oil.
Drink at least 2 litres of water daily, and cut back on alcohol and soft drink.
Get moving. Exercise more each day and sit less. Leave the car at home more often and walk.

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