I have thrown myself at researching the overweight and obesity issues facing over 60% of Australian adults (including myself - albeit now a lesser self than about 18 months ago). I am applying for a role within the weight loss industry and am interested in feedback as to the effectiveness of these and similar programs.

The more I've read about Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, various diets, products, pills and surgical procedures the more I'm concerned with the obesity trends facing Australia (and a signficant part of the globe), but also the charlatans, the false hope and the growing emotional pulls on potentially vulnerable people.

My question to the group is twofold:

1. Is weight gain (overweight and obesity) more than a physical issue? If so, what programs address the more holistic approach to wellbeing, rather than pure scales based weight loss?

2. For those brave enough to admit it! If you've tackled or are tackling weight loss, what programs have you tried? what worked? what didn't? Did any address the wider emotional / environmental aspects or were they focused just on physical "weight loss"?

Any feedback would be great.

I think the best approach is public humiliation. i.e. The biggest loser.

Seriously though. I see this as such a simple issue.

It's really boring really, but boring doesn't sell, and people want a quick fix.

My opinions...

Eat less exercise more.
Don't 'go on a diet'. Change your life to a permanently sustainable eating and exercise routine you can live with.
Have a big breakfast to start metabolism and lessen the desire to snack.
Eat a large variety of foods.
Accept your body shape and have realistic expectations
Try not to use food as comfort, or at least recognise when you are doing it.

Whitty is spot on - losing weight has to come from within and (perhaps like a drug user) you have to be motivated and ready. It doesn't matter whether you go to WW, JC or do the Kibbutz Diet, the Hollywood diet or any other marketed diet ultimately you are the one that has to do the work - no easy fix available or magic pill. A wide variety of healthy foods in moderation with exercise.

I liken the obesity explosion to the consumer explosion - eating or shopping to fill a void (that void may be different for different people). I won't go into the reasons for the void as it would take a thesis but simply put we are too focussed on ourselves (the me me generations) and less focussed on the care and wellbeing of each other.

Not sure how we could restore our connectedness with each other as a community but if I was going to advise others on weight control it would have to include what is going on in their lives, emotionally, financially ie. are expectations too great are they overextended etc. I don't think obesity is just about eating too much that is just the symptom of another disease.

Best thing is to get onto Sydney University Glycemic Index website,
http://ginews.blogspot.com/ should do it. For information and science they must be the best around; in their ongoing study they invite feedback. They understand that every 'body' is different. Great recipes too!

Previous posters have number 1 covered so excuse any repetition.

"1. Is weight gain..."

It has to come from within. Being lazy or searching for a magic immediate cure won't succeed. Whitty has covered the how to. It is pretty basic. Two choices:

(a) If you diet heavily you enjoy a quick early weight loss but can end up as weighty with a slower metabolism. Initially water and muscle are lost then you gradually get onto your fat reserves. Your body senses imminent starvation and hormonally slows down your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Lean tissue loss also results in a reduction in BMR. Hence less energy and automatically being less physically active. The end result is eating a lot less to stay in the same place. It is like running on the spot and expecting to go somewhere. Eventually hitting this wall and the discomfort of being chronically hungry causes people to break the diet and with a lowered metabolism they easily regain the weight.

(b) If you eat sensibly (don't forget alcohol and soft drinks as they are a quick source of empty kilojoules) and exercise regularly you get a much more gradual decline and might even get an early increase if your underexercised muscles suddenly catch up (they are denser and heavier than fat) but it sticks and works. While you are exercising you expend energy so you burn off more kilojoules. While you are resting the gradual increase in lean tissue (muscle) gradually increases your BMR giving you an edge in kilojoule burning over your previous state. When you are not stuffed from exercise (which should be normally if you aren't overtraining) you tend to have more energy and be automatically more active. Likewise when you have less weight to carry it is easier to be more active. It is less rewarding initially however long term it works.

"2. For those brave enough to admit it!..."

I'll admit it I've fluctuated about 30kgs. These day I tend to be near the lower end. I was fully aware of the fundamentals and wasn't led astray.

Good Morning Cori

Fancy seeing you here. I was just wondering why you did not get back as we are building the web page for the center.

Well whatever you do best of luck to you Cori.

The centre is ready pretty much so its all up to you now.

Afraid I have little time to give other than assist Antje to get it under way.

Too busy with our Animal Welfare Organisation
Cheer

Thank you all for your comments ... it really is simple, less / better food more exercise. Struggling to put it any simpler ... yet obesity is now considered an epidemic and its increasing.

I appreciate the candour of the commments and found the GI News link very helpful.

Thanks mjpb for your bravery - I've also fluctuated but am now approaching a BMI of 25. Not even related to diet, purely exercise.

PeopleAgainstLiveExports ... I am unsure of what the centre is? I've looked at your website and don't beleive I know Antje? Have we spoken about this separately?

Anyway, thank you all for your comments and for really affirming the "common sense" to weight loss.

Anorexia vs Obesity:

http://www.ozpolitic.com/articles/anorexia-obesity.html

Corrie
Oh, are you not the Corri that was on a current affair? fantasic
Sorry we thought that was you.
Best wishes anyway.
Chers

lasting weight loss is about getting in touch with your body hunger levels and body signals. how often do we eat when we're bored/stressed, or because it's there or keep eating because it tastes good? or because its holidays or a party? eating when you aren't hungry is a huge cause of being overweight.

Once we deal with the underlying issues and get back to eating mostly when we are hungry then we will become our ideal weight. i know because i have been obsessed with my weight since i was a teenager. i have researched over the last 6 yrs how to lose weight without dieting and have developed a way to lose weight and keep it off for life.

i have lost 2 dress sizes and have maintained this weight for 2 yrs, and it has honestly been the easiest way to lose weight that i have tried (and i have tried everything!)in fact it doesn't matter what i do now i stay the same and thats because i'm in touch with my body signals. I now help other people achieve their healthiest weight and keep it off through my business Naturally Slim (currently no website but you can email natslim@dodo.com.au for more information) there is so much more to it than just exercise and healthy eating!

Natslim, thanks for your comments. Though I agree with you about body signals and understanding the emotional side of eating ... I'm less in agreeance to the need for anymore than the basic principles of healthy eating and regular exercise.

Supplements, pills and other products play their part for those that aren't prepared to adhere to the basic principle (healthy eating and regular exercise), but I don't believe they are necessary.

slimming pills and other products are not the long term answer and i wouldn't advise them at all.

I do agree the bottom line is healthy eating and exercise but why do so many people lose weight on diets, healthy eating or exercise programs and then put all their weight back on after a while? because a)the programs are too restrictive and people can't sustain it and b)they are'nt figuring out why they're eating the way they are - the weight is the symptom, the reasons behind our eating habits are the cause. once you deal with the cause - the symptoms become easy. ie once we figure why we eat when we aren't hungry then we are more easily able to make the necessary changes. then we'll be eating healthy food because we choose to rather than because it's what where supposed to eat or what we're told to eat.

how often do hear people say "i can't have that" / "oh it's the holidays/weekend, i'll be good again on monday" / "i'll just have this and i'll start again tommorrow"? or how often do we eat everything on our plate regardless of how hungry we were? or eating while watching tv - we often eat a lot more than we really feel like. or eat something "naughty" and then think right i better have a proper healthy lunch to get back on track and really we're probably not hungry at that time - but because we aren't listening to our body we eat and our bodies can't metabolise it properly and goes to our waists

tbc

...continued - think of someone you consider 'naturally slim' they eat whatever they want and stay the same! the thing is they don't eat some pizza and say 'oh i've stuffed it now i may aswell eat some more and then some icecream because i'm going to have to be good again tommorrow' they just wait until they are hungry again and then eat. if they've had a big lunch then at dinner they might only eat half of whats on their plate because they aren't that hungry.

by following their hunger and listening to their body signals they are literally able to eat whatever they want. everyone can become this person. eat healthy and exercise sounds easy so why can't over 60% of the population do it? it's the other piece of the puzzle that no one can find - i'd really like to help people find that piece because i've been there without that piece and its not a fun place to be. it can be so much easier than people think.

Natslim, with all you've written in this post I agree - and it is an increasing problem.

Similar to giving up cigarettes, there needs to be an understanding of why you are giving them up - otherwise you often fail or end up back on them.

Overeating is an addiction like smoking or binge drinking - interestingly significantly underweight people (anorexics, etc) are now told they have a "medical" condition, implying more than just undereating. While being overweight or obese seems to imply you are just lazy or overeating / lacking exercise. It never seems to occur to the wider community that there are equal emotional issues linked to being overweight as underweight.

Being in touch with your body is achieving a greater wisdom and understanding of your self - this can only aid in your fight against overeating, and will have ripple effects to all areas of your life.

Good luck with your course Natslim.