Gambling on Good Health

With the start of a new year the media is alive with weight loss programs. Everything from Atkins to Weight Watchers is in full swing, with each commercial sporting people just like you who are now thin and so incredibly happy that they laugh for no reason at the camera while holding pictures of their past selves. Nothing super new there. Big yawn!

Today MSNBC ran an article about Rick and Kay Woollen who lost weight and made money by using HealthyWage. HealthyWage is a program that lets you put your money where your bulk is. In other words, you pick a program and pay to compete against other people within the program. They offer a variety of challenges and options, but the idea is that you pay money to help yourself be more committed to losing the weight.

Obviously for some people this is VERY successful, in that you not only lose weight, but make money doing it. The Woollen’s lost over 100 pounds combined and won $6000. I don’t know about you, but that sounds win-win to me. The thing is, what about all of the people who paid money and didn’t lose the weight? You might say that they could’ve paid for a gym membership or for an individual weight loss program and not used it. That would’ve been a waste of money too. But in that case, the money you spent goes to the company that you wanted to buy something from, not to other people.

Does something like this help people make long-term lifestyle changes that will continue to benefit them throughout their lives, or does this encourage people to do something for a reward that is not long-lasting? Does the “why” for doing something make a big enough impact on the way that people behave that it should be factored in? When I exercise and eat my apple instead of ice cream, I’m not doing it to make big bucks, I’m doing it to be healthy, to feel better and to be happier. Would I lose some of those results if I was making healthy choices to make money? I think I might.

Weigh in America, what do you think? Is gambling on weight loss the way to go? Do you think that a monetary risk will truly help people to make major lifestyle changes, or is this a program that will help a leave more people worse than when they started? Would you do it?

LazyMan Update-
Swimming: 0 laps
Biking: 15 miles
Running: 0 miles

Fat and Fit: Fact or Fiction

Hello again! Today CNN featured an article by Marilyn Wann titled Big deal: You can be fat and fit. Ms. Wann believes that “being fat might not be a death sentence” and her article goes on to detail how fat people face discrimination when really, being fat might not be the worst health crime a person can commit. She shares that when she was 26 she was denied health insurance, not for any medical reason, but for her weight. The article then goes on to highlight two experiences where people were given, what she believes is unfair and incorrect medical advice.

So…because you are dying to know, I’m not sure what to think about this. I feel like the examples she shared are a little empty. If you weigh too much for the MRI machine I don’t think that the rules should be bent for you, the same way I don’t feel like the children should be measured on the adult BMI scale. You can’t use something that isn’t designed for some physical limitation that have and expect accurate or safe results. For the teen who found another doctor when her nurse practitioner told her that she would need to lose weight to cure something (we’re not told what), every patient is entitled to find physician that they feel listens and provides them with good information.

However, I agree with the idea that being fat/overweight/obese does not equal bad health. I’m sure that we all know people with serious health problems that have a normal BMI and I’m sure we all know someone who is fat/overweight/obese who has never been sick a day in their life. I truly believe that health, real genuine complete health, is not defined and cannot be predicted by the number on the scale. I believe that the number on the scale is an indicator, nothing more nothing less.

So, weigh in America, can you be fat and fit? Is there more to health then what you see when you step on the scale? How big of a role should weight play in how a person treated, medically or otherwise?

LazyMan Update-
Swimming: 0 laps
Biking: 10 miles
Running: 0 miles

2013 LazyMan IronMan

Last year I realized I needed to be more fit. So I set a goal…not one of those hard to reach crazy goals, but one that I knew I could do. I set out to bike 500 miles between September 1st and December 31st. And something amazing happened. I DID IT! (I also lost weight, which was EXTRA awesome!)

But I needed a new goal, so I’m embarking on a LazyMan IronMan. Between now and March 27th I will swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run 26.2 miles. I know, I know…not very impressive, but the goal is to do it in 12 weeks the first time and then to shave a week off after each round. We’ll see how it goes!

Each day I’ll post what I’ve accomplished from the day before, so follow along and and share what you are doing to be active!

I know that this is not a normal post for me, but I want to experiment with this and see what happens. The more I’ve pondered our nation’s problem with weight the more I’ve realized that you need to be the change you wish to see. I would LOVE to share the challenge with you! So weigh in America, are you game? Email me at cyanddarci@gmail.com if you would like the template and you can join in on the fun!

Slim Down for Good Grades

According to this article Pierre Dukan, the French nutritionist who has devoted his life to food behavior, thinks that children who are slim should receive higher marks in school. This plan would give children an option of using their weight to boost their scores in their final year of school. This would increase their “baccalaureat” score. For those who don’t know, or who don’t want to click on the link the baccalaureat in France is a test that shows that you are well-rounded and ready to study in a university. A little like, but not exactly like the SAT or ACT here in America.

So, essentially Dukan is suggesting that young adults who are preparing to enter a university be given bonus points on their entrance exams. That’s right kids, if you do your best to stay/obtain a healthy BMI you can get an automatic extra 400 points on your SAT or 3 points on the ACT.

As someone who was once a slim high school senior trying to get into college I probably would have thought that something like this was great. As a health professional now, it interests me because I can see this being a good measure of how well a future student living on his or her own for the first time might take care of themselves. There are definitely some potential positive outcomes for a program like this.

I see a few possible problems with this incentive. Dukan states ” The baccalaureat is really important in France. Kids want to get it, their parents want them to even more, so why not get them to work together on nutrition?” How many kids are already killing themselves to study, be involved in sports and like 8 extra curricular activities because it will look good on their college applications? How many parents are already putting pressure on their children to excel and be awarded scholarships because the economy is difficult? Do high school kids need this as an added pressure?

Also, where is the carry over? What happens when those kids get into the university, but no longer have the goal of nutrition because they’re already in? What happens when the parents who buy and prepare healthy items are no longer around for balanced nutrition and these young adults fall into pop tart and energy drink that many freshman fall prey to?

I think this is a unique concept with a lot of potential, but also a lot of potential problems. Weigh in America. Would something like this motivate you or your teens? Would you have worked harder to keep a healthy weight if it increased your chances of getting into a good school? As a parent would you try to be a little more health conscious for your teen?

 

A Picture Is Worth 1000 Calories

Okay, this is cool. An article today titled “New App Calculates Calories Through Photos of Food” highlights Meal Snap, a new iPhone app. This app created by the Daily Burn, a free “fitness, nutritional tracking and social motivation” plan is designed to magically tell you how many calories are in any picture of food you send in through the app. According to the Meal Snap website the app costs a low $2.99 and will not only give you the nutritional break down of the food in your picture, but track the nutritional value of your meals over time.

But wait, there’s more. Once you’ve gathered this amazing information about that delicious looking ice cream sundae you can then tweet, or write a post about it on FourSquare. That’s right, not only can you gain calorie enlightenment from this app, but you can go on to share that information with all of your friends and followers. The Daily Burn reps say that allowing users to tweet and share their food information is purely to allow for individual accountability (which since you choose what you post and don’t post I’m not entirely sure that this is the best way to instill a sense of accountability in people), but I think that it can do more than that.

Currently the FDA is looking at passing laws that would make food establishments give calorie and nutrition information right on menus so that consumers can make informed decisions right at the point of choice, but I think that more than anything this app can help make food establishments accountable. Let’s say Lady Gaga, who has 9311478 followers on Twitter decides to eat at Cafe La Boheme in LA and has their famous Boheme Burger Sliders and she finds out that they’re about 5000 calories. What if she tweets this to all 9311478 of her followers and now they all know that eating the Boheme Burger Sliders will give you double your daily calories? I’d think that Cafe La Boheme would want to step up and either claim or work to change this new reputation.

So, weigh in America, what do you think? Does an app like this have major potential for industry accountability? It’s too soon to tell if this app will sink or swim, but if it takes hold, do you think that it could be part of a healthy food revolution?

Qnexa-Just Another Weight Loss Pill???

A recent study published about a phase 3 clinical trial found that participants who took Qnexa (a weight loss supplement that combines phentermine and Topamax) and followed a weight loss program lost more weight than the control group that had access to counseling only. The control group lost 3 pounds on average, while the Qnexa group lost between 18 and 20 pounds. I haven’t seen the actual statistics yet, but I’m guessing that this is significant. According to an article on CNN.com the Qnexa group received the same nutrition and lifestyle counseling that the control group did and the only difference was the addition of Qnexa.

But, before you rush out and stock up, consider this. What was in the counseling? Most people can lose 3 pounds on their own, but can they keep it off or is it a quick fix? Is the Qnexa as effective without the counseling? I know that people in  a study are more likely to participate because the are chosen based on their likeliness to stay in the study. If this study has been done correctly then they did the best they could to allow for generalizability but the people chosen to be in this study could be different from you and I.

So, weigh in America. What do you think? Should information about Qnexa be published and given to the general public right now? What else do we need to know? Should companies be required to give the general public a list of the criteria that they used in determining subjects for their study?

Let’s Talk Fat Talk

So, with the upcoming marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on the minds of pretty much everyone in the media, Kate’s wedding diet, the French “Dukan Diet” is considered health news for today. I’m not really here to bash this specific diet or make any major comments about the royal wedding, but rather I’d like to talk about why we as a group of people are so interested in how other people are getting skinny?

In my earlier post on fat talk I discussed how women will verbally bash their bodies with other women in an almost ritualistic “I”m so fat!”, “No, you aren’t, but I’m huge” conversation. Why is it that we are so willing to talk about our bodies, rather than talk about our health? I’m sure some of you know what I’m saying. Whey we’re with the skinny girls we talk about how “you’re so thin”, and when we’re with the heavy one’s we talk about how “no, you look good”! Why are we so fixated on looks rather than actual health? Why can’t we talk to one another about health? Why is it so hard to say, you know, you look great, but more than looking great we could go for a walk together, or rather than saying, no, you’re fine, we could share a favorite healthy recipe?

Weigh in America, what do you think? Do we just talk about our actually looks because they are more obvious or do we need to discuss the way we look? Is it even possible that our society could shift from simply discussing how we look to discussing our health?

FDA Excludes Movie Theaters From Calorie Counting

If you’ve been following the drama…I mean news…surrounding the idea of forcing restaurants to post calorie counts next to their menus you’ve watched it go from San Francisco where it the idea was coupled with getting rid of kids toys in meals that fail to meet certain dietary conditions. You’ve watched as major restaurant chains (did someone mention McDonald’s????) have opposed any possible legislation that would require them to give calorie counts claiming that people already have access to the information and that it’s a personal choice. Well, more recently the FDA has picked up on this idea and near the end of March this year they have proposed rules that would require restaurants and fast food chains to post calorie information directly on their menus. This idea has of course, met with opposition, but one voice of opposition is missing, and that’s because their not included in the rules.

According to the proposed rules movie theaters would be exempt from having to give calorie counts on their menus. The New York Times picked up on this story on and reported that an advocacy group has produced reports detailing exactly how many calories we’re getting in each jumbo size tub of delicious theater popcorn. According to some reports a large tub with butter (because it’s really not worth it without the butter) can contain as many as 1,500 calories. Add a large soda for at 500 calories a pop (pun intended) and you’re already at most individuals daily guideline of 2,000 calories a day!

This may not seem like a big deal, because while some people eat out at a fast food restaurant daily, very few if any of us go to the theater every day, or even every other day, but I think this an important issue. If we are going to require that something like calorie counts be given to help individuals make healthier choices, shouldn’t that rule extend to any place that offers food for public consumption? If we’re deciding that we have a right to know how many calories are in our burgers, shouldn’t we have the right to know what we’re getting at the movie theater too? Weigh in America, what do you think? Is it okay to exclude movie theaters, or should they be required to give the public information just like any other food establishment?

Fat Talk

I was reading the news on some of my favorite sites and this headline caught my attention, “‘Fat talk’ makes even skinny women feel huge”. This article by Cari Nierenberg said that 93% of college age girls engage in some type of fat talk, also known as body bashing, when women go back and forth complementing one another and finding fault with their own bodies. Though most of these women said that this helps them to feel better about their bodies, this study done about ‘fat talk’ suggests that just the opposite is true. This article also went on to bring up the point that ‘fat talk’ occurs almost exclusively among the skinny, mostly because those who are actually overweight would be too hesitant to bring up their weight in such a candid way. Many groups and organizations such as the Reflections Body Image Program have entire campaigns that target ‘fat talk’.

No, I haven’t forgotten that this is a blog primarily devoted to the other side of the weight spectrum, but I do think that there are a lot of parallels that we can draw from unhealthy behaviors associated with being underweight as well as those associated with being overweight. I think that ‘fat talk’ exists because women need to feel related to, they need to feel normal, and they need someone else to vocally reaffirm this for them. How does this relate to those who are overweight and obese? Well, I think that one of the biggest things that can help people who are in a position to lose weight is to have someone else vocally reaffirm that they are on the right track. I mean, who hasn’t told a little white lie to an overweight friend when we said that they should totally eat another bowl or ice cream or have a few more cookies, while saying that exercise is overrated anyway? Why is it that we so quickly move to tell people that they’re okay, rather than simply vocally approving of any positive healthy behaviors?

This year from October 17-21 women are making a move to end fat talk. What if we made a movement just to end dishonest talk? Why can’t we simple be honest with ourselves about our weight and go from there? Weigh in America, what do you think? Can we stop the ‘fat talk’, both real and unreal?

Opinion on Arizona’s Fat Tax

So, normally I don’t use opinion articles as a basis for posts, but I’m making an exception today because this one was too good to pass up. A few days ago I wrote a post about Arizona’s proposed “fat tax” in which obese residents of the state of Arizona who are unwilling to follow doctors orders to lose weight would be taxed an extra $50 dollars a year, along with residents who smoke. Today, Art Caplan Ph.D, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, wrote this in an opinion article that was picked up by msnbc.com, “With more than 25 percent of Arizonans obese and 16 percent who smoke, there will be plenty of money available. And just to be fair, the governor can add the same tax to water-skiing, jet skiing, horseback riding, mountain biking, owning a swimming pool, paragliding, rock climbing, failing to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle (Arizona has a very weak law) or choosing to work in roofing, mining or construction — or any other activity that carries a risk. Actually, if the governor really wants to make money, how about a tanning tax for those who bask in the Arizona sun and hike their risk of skin cancer? The way to get at the costs of health care is to take a long hard look at prices, overuse of services and fraud. But that would be too hard. Picking on the poor is just lazy and mean.” Dr. Caplan’s University of Pennsylvania bio states that he is a professor of bioethics and philosophy, and that he has research interests in transplantation research ethics, genetics, reproductive technologies, health policy, and general bioethics.

Here’s what I want to know, how is someone who studies health philosophy and bioethics qualified to compare water-skiing to obesity? I do think that Dr. Arthur Caplan makes some very valid points about the unfairness of a law that will tax the poorest in a state who already need government assistance, but I fail to see how his argument about activities that are generally seen as ways to lower your health risk by being active compare to poor nutrition and exercise choices. So, weigh in America, what do you think? How weighty are Arthur Caplan’s arguments, and how much consideration should we give his opinion?

Oh, and just for fun I thought I’d include a picture, because he failed to submit one with his opinion article to msnbc.