Off Season Conditioning

[drjeff]

As to strolling through the mall-- I assume from your profile that you are strolling through a mall in Manhatten-- try strolling through a Mall in AL, MS, LA, or even parts of OH or PA. I don't think 1/3 is THAT far off. My experience in those malls suggests it is possible that 1/3 of America is at least overweight (maybe not obese).

On this point, I've always found it interesting that to make a broad statement here about many of the citizens of the United States vs. the rest of the world and how it differs. We live in a country where the poor tend to be fat and the rich tend to be thin, whereas for much of the rest of the world the opposite is true

 

[deadheadskier]

definitely think BMI is worthless. Tom Brady is almost considered obese by the BMI scale. I remember reading this article.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/health/25800226/detail.html

sucks for the girl in the article who can't get surgery because her insurance company thinks her BMI is too high. She's probably over weight, but I bet their are plenty of folks who ski who have a BMI in the 30s. Would suck to ding a knee and not be able to get surgery because of your weight.

 

[Riverskier]

BMI is worthless. For my height below 185 is considered normal, 185-210 is overwight, and over 210 is obese. I have a pretty slim, perhaps average build and these number seem about right for me. However, I was actually discussing this recently with 2 friends of mine, both big boned naturally strong guys, one bigger than the other. We estimated that while BMI was probably pretty accurate for me, the threshholds should probably be 15 pounds higher for one of them, and 30 for the other. If the largest of the 2 was under 185 he would be wasting away and have severe health problems from being underweight. If the govt. or the medical establishment wants to use this measurement purely for statistical data based on it being better than nothing, then fine, but it is downright scary to think of doctors treating people based on this figure, or insurance companies using this to authorize procedures.

 

[BenedictGomez]

definitely think BMI is worthless. Tom Brady is almost considered obese by the BMI scale.

sucks for the girl in the article who can't get surgery because her insurance company thinks her BMI is too high. She's probably over weight, but I bet their are plenty of folks who ski who have a BMI in the 30s.

Before losing weight I was 5'10 and 209lbs. Definitely overweight, but I'm not a beanpole, and you wouldnt have looked at me and said I was "fat". Guess what? That measurement is literally the beginning of "obese" on the BMI scale! LOL.

Now I weigh 169, and while I dont have a 6-pack I do have visible stomach muscles, and yet, I'm just a mere 5 pounds from being classified as "overweight" via BMI scale!! It's ridiculous.

If the govt. or the medical establishment wants to use this measurement purely for statistical data based on it being better than nothing, then fine, but it is downright scary to think of doctors treating people based on this figure, or insurance companies using this to authorize procedures.

The government uses the "US BMI epidemic" as justification for spending millions of taxpayer dollars on XYZ studies.

Politicians also cited BMI in the recent attacks on McDonalds french fries when busy-body politicians assaulted the #1 threat to America, even worse than Al Qaeda. I'm of course talking about the Happy Meal.

 

[Madroch]

Before losing weight I was 5'10 and 209lbs. Definitely overweight, but I'm not a beanpole, and you wouldnt have looked at me and said I was "fat". Guess what? That measurement is literally the beginning of "obese" on the BMI scale! LOL.

Now I weigh 169, and while I dont have a 6-pack I do have visible stomach muscles, and yet, I'm just a mere 5 pounds from being classified as "overweight" via BMI scale!! It's ridiculous.




The government uses the "US BMI epidemic" as justification for spending millions of taxpayer dollars on XYZ studies.

Politicians also cited BMI in the recent attacks on McDonalds french fries when busy-body politicians assaulted the #1 threat to America, even worse than Al Qaeda. I'm of course talking about the Happy Meal.

I think BMI was promoted for purposes of population studies. I think it is useless for diagnostic and or authorization purposes, but, as I said, I think it serves a useful "screening" purpose for the general public - e.g. if your BMI says your obese- you should at least look further into the matter. And while I don't necessarily agree with politically motivated use of BMI-- if you don't think weight and nutrition are a major concern to modern America you have your head in the sand. The population's BMI is growing exponentially, and it isn't because we are all working out like Tom Brady and Paul Pierce.

 

[Madroch]

And I might agree with the contention that obesity is a larger threat to America's long term welfare than Al Queda-- not that McDonald's should be held responsible for it, just that the health problems and resulting costs represent a greater long term risk than Al Queda.

 

[BenedictGomez]

And I might agree with the contention that obesity is a larger threat to America's long term welfare than Al Queda

As someone whose 12th floor apartment looked directly down into the Ground Zero crater from two blocks away, trust me when I assure you that you missed my sarcasm.

 

[Cannonball]

Dropped the sharp end of a 50lbs steel pipe on my toe while wearing flip flops Saturday. Screamed like Howard Dean! I'm pretty happy that I didn't cut my toe off. But I can barely walk so my pre-season conditioning just took a major set back. Hoping It's not a season long problem. There is no way in hell I could jam it into a ski boot right now.

Bounced back from this toe thing pretty quick.

But.....ruptured my bicep Friday. Just got back from the orthopedic doc. Tendons are hanging in there by a thread. So I may escape surgery but can't move my arm at all for 3 weeks, and can't use it at all for 3 MONTHS!! Being self-employed with a physical job means I'm screwed. But I don't fear for the season. Snowboarding will be minimally impacted. Skiing will be a little tougher. Just need to sit my ass on the bike for the next few months to maintain some conditioning.

 

[Nick]

HTH did you rupture your bicep?

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

 

[Madroch]

BG, got the sarcasm and never intended to understate the economic, emotional and psychological impact of 9/11- just intending to suggest that you may have been underestimating the true long term impact of rising obesity trends in the US- I have more faith in Americas resolve to persevere in the face of terrorists and defeat them than I do in their ability to recognize and combat the underlying causes of the obesity issue. Terrorists and wars tend to unite a country, not so much with the slowly evolving social, cultural and economic conditions contributing to obesity.

 

[deadheadskier]

Before losing weight I was 5'10 and 209lbs. Definitely overweight, but I'm not a beanpole, and you wouldnt have looked at me and said I was "fat". Guess what? That measurement is literally the beginning of "obese" on the BMI scale! LOL.

Now I weigh 169, and while I dont have a 6-pack I do have visible stomach muscles, and yet, I'm just a mere 5 pounds from being classified as "overweight" via BMI scale!! It's ridiculous.
l.

Emmit Smith was 5'9, 220#. Moderately obese by the BMI scale.

I think body fat percentage should be what's measured.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Emmit Smith was 5'9, 220#. Moderately obese by the BMI scale.

I think body fat percentage should be what's measured.

Great point, but it's not easy to do. BMI? C'est simple, which is IMO why it persists regardless of how dumb it is. Hell, waist size has even been demonstrated to be a better indicator than BMI.

 

[deadheadskier]

I'd imagine Bioelectrical Impedance scales could be improved upon to be more accurate. They probably aren't the most ideal option for home use, but having them at the doctor's office and part of yearly physicals for kids would help get them thinking early in life about staying in better shape.

 

[drjeff]

I'd imagine Bioelectrical Impedance scales could be improved upon to be more accurate. They probably aren't the most ideal option for home use, but having them at the doctor's office and part of yearly physicals for kids would help get them thinking early in life about staying in better shape.

It's probably going to take alot more than that for a good percentage of the "high risk" group, and it's not so much about the kids as it is the PARENTS of the kids. Based on what I see in my practice, so much of the problem seems to be attributable to parents who are frankly just clueless or even worse just seem to not care and almost joke about the weight problems that their kids have, to the point where an alarming number of these parents don't/won't grasp the concept that what they buy and keep in thr refrigerator/cupboards has anything to do with their childs weight problem. In my practice, we've got about 1500 or so patients under the age of 18, about 1/3rd of which are on state medicaid. The obesity rates and the as I call it "parental clueless/apathy" rates amongst the medicaid population is easily double what it is in the non medicaid population in my practice. These kids goto the same schools, and where I live is far from having a huge socio-economic difference between any of the surrounding towns. I seemingly can't go more than a day or 2 without having a serious diet discussion with a parent and continuously reinforcing the idea that if the parents don't buy crap food and keep crap food in the house, that they've taken a HUGE step towards drastically helping their kid(s) out, and too many just don't seem to get that, since it would also require themselves more times than not to address their own weight issues. The really sad thing is that most states are spending good amounts of tax payer dollars to try and educate this population about their diet and overall health, but the utilization rates of these programs tend to at best about 1/3rd and in some cases much lower than that Its the age old problem then about getting a population to actually take accountability for their own actions/welfare instead of just trying to find someone/something to blame THEIR problems on.

 

[Riverskier]

The governement has to take a share of the blame for the obesity epidemic these days. Look at the 1992 food pyramid. 6-11 servings a day of bread, rice, and grains a day? That is a recipe for weight problems and diabetes. I know it was subsequently revised and then replaced, but still scary to think the govt. was suggesting people eat that way not even 20 years ago. It is amazing that even today most doctors and nutritionists still don't understand how food interacts with the body and how to trully eat healthy.

 

[BenedictGomez]

It's probably going to take alot more than that for a good percentage of the "high risk" group, and it's not so much about the kids as it is the PARENTS of the kids.

Spot on.

Which is why as I was mentioning before, it's moronic how some state/city governments were trying to ban the Happy Meal, or swap out the fries, or lose the toy etc... There's nothing wrong with a Kid's Happy Meal, if the "kid" isnt eating it 12 times per week, and if the parent is responsible, he/she wont be.

I'm sick of the trends for increased taxation on soda etc... as well, but that's another story.

 

[Riverskier]

Spot on.

Which is why as I was mentioning before, it's moronic how some state/city governments were trying to ban the Happy Meal, or swap out the fries, or lose the toy etc... There's nothing wrong with a Kid's Happy Meal, if the "kid" isnt eating it 12 times per week, and if the parent is responsible, he/she wont be.

I'm sick of the trends for increased taxation on soda etc... as well, but that's another story.

Agree totally and could go on and on, but won't, as it would be blatantly political.

 

[Madroch]

Agreed re: governmental efforts to control the Happy Meal. Also not a fan of sin tax- be it soda, booze or cigs-- but can at least understand the financial rationale behind it-- if the gov will be supplenting the health care costs down the road for those who abuse, why not tax it- assuming that those who abuse will pay the higher percentage of that tax. The bigger issue, of course, is whether the gov should be (1) funding (for some) the purchase of such items; and (2) supplementing the health care down the road... and this ends here because, as Riv noted, blatantly political.

Back to regularly scheduled program......aches and pains gone-- back at the workouts. I Want to hear more about how someone can rupture a bicep???

 

[drjeff]

Agreed re: governmental efforts to control the Happy Meal. Also not a fan of sin tax- be it soda, booze or cigs-- but can at least understand the financial rationale behind it-- if the gov will be supplenting the health care costs down the road for those who abuse, why not tax it- assuming that those who abuse will pay the higher percentage of that tax. The bigger issue, of course, is whether the gov should be (1) funding (for some) the purchase of such items; and (2) supplementing the health care down the road... and this ends here because, as Riv noted, blatantly political.

Back to regularly scheduled program......aches and pains gone-- back at the workouts. I Want to hear more about how someone can rupture a bicep???

Here's your answer :lol:

 

[Madroch]

Here's your answer :lol:

Love that commercial... Was watching the cross fit comp again last night (am enthralled by this for some reason) and actually thought of the planet fitness commercial.