Diet of Worms?

[zipperbear]

I gave some weight-loss advice here: http://daved010.livejournal.com/208311.html?thread=927671#t927671
The whole comment-thread is here: http://daved010.livejournal.com/208311.html

It's mostly just a bunch of common sense, but we all know that common sense is never common, and rarely scented.

I was thin as long as I can remember, and I never seemed to gain weight until after I was 30 years old. I was 120 pounds, and 5ft8, just a bit thinner than the low end on the ideal weight charts. Then the pot-belly started forming. By 40, I hit 135 pounds, and I needed bigger pants and a bigger belt. So I started watching what I was eating, and I'm staying around 125. A few weeks ago, I finally got down to 120, so my diet goal has officially been reached, even though that one weighing was probably low due to dehydration.

I seem to be following the same pattern as my dad. He wasn't able to bulk up for playing football when he was young. After age 30, he started putting on weight, and now he has to watch what he eats.

The ideal weight charts are based on mortality rate. Small people tend to live longer (like the stereotypical "little old ladies"). But many illnesses cause sudden weight loss, which can be fatal in people who have no spare weight to lose. For me, 125 pounds seems to work.

Comments

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

The health charts say my 'ideal weight' is 175. My personal preference is about 185. I'm 215 now, dealing with that same issue.

I grew up very thin (155 pounds from high school till about age 30), and stayed that way until I was about 32 or 33, then the metabolism changed.

I'll delve into your linked articles to see if there is hope. :-)

[robearal.livejournal.com]

Sweetie, unless you've gained 100 pounds in the 2 years since I've seen you, you have no need to even THINK the word diet, let alone go on one.

[redsquared.livejournal.com]

I was always very thin, and for all of my adult life before the age of 35, I was never more than 128 and mostly about 123 lbs. I went through short periods of going to the gym for months at a time hoping to bulk up and I never did. Then suddenly at around 35, I started getting a belly. I gained about 10 lbs. I was concerned that I would get fat, so I started going to the gym regularly, first about 3 times a week, then eventually 5 to 7 times. I gained another 10 lbs within the first year and then I stayed the same weight basically for the last 5 years, usually around 142 to 145 lbs. I usually eat about 5 small meals a day, mostly healthy snacks like boiled eggs, sardines and fruit. I never drink soft drinks. I gave that up as a teenager and have lost the taste for them. If I taste a soft drink nowadays, I find it way to sweet.

You are absolutely correct about eating small meals and eating healthy foods. A little exercise helps too.

On another note, it was nice to spend time with you in Palm Springs this past weekend.