6 ms·

Also, it's going to be hilarious when those folks hit their mid-30s and their metabolism changes and they get fat real fast.

bad_user 13y ago
Eating a lot of sugar does that to you, as you gradually develop insulin resistance and you get fatter and fatter. And they put sugar in everything these days, even in bottled water. The funny thing is, the fatter you are, the more sensitive to food you get. If people want to maintain their normal weight, they only need to stop eating sugar. That's it.
- TausAmmer 13y ago
  Can't stress this enough, people just don't want to face idea that current food industry is disaster. You can't get slim eating diet bread. Easier is to trow rock at someone than going for hard choice, eliminating sugar. Sugar is anything that is carbs.
  - bad_user 13y ago
    When I said sugar, I actually meant either fructose or sucrose (table sugar). Carbohydrates are technically referred to as sugars, however when speaking about fructose or sucrose, these are simple sugars. The difference between these simple sugars and more complex carbohydrates is that (1) simple sugars are burnt really, really fast by our body, giving us an immediate fuel boost and (2) our body ends up generating insulin in excess. High-fructose corn syrup in particular has been massively used by the food industry to give taste to otherwise tasteless foods. It's particularly aggravating since sugar has been used in giving taste to low-fat diet products. We get fat from sugar consumption, because it raises the insulin levels in our blood. Insulin is still a poorly understood hormone, however it has a role in removing the excess glucose from our blood (high levels are toxic) and it is known to stop the use of fat as an energy source (such that our body can consume the sugars first - isn't evolution amazing?). As we consume more sugar, we gain insulin resistance (e.g. the cells stop responding to insulin effectively), leading to hyperglycemia, after which the pancreas starts secreting more and more insulin, leading to hyperinsulinemia. And when you've got excess insulin in your blood, the body doesn't use fats anymore for fuel, ending up being stored permanently in the fat tissue. Uncontrolled (or due to genetic disorders) this can lead to Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes was commonly attributed to genetic disorders or psychological disorders (stress), however the idea that obesity can lead to diabetes (and not the other way around) is also starting to gain traction. All people suffering from Type 2 Diabetes are predisposed to being obese, if they aren't already - actually I know people with type 2 diabetes and none of them are slim. Taken to extremes, somebody with Type 2 Diabetes could very well die of hunger, while still being fat. WARNING - by consuming artificial sweeteners, you're not really solving the problem, because the problem is insulin secretion by the pancreas, which is being triggered as a reflex ever since the sugar hits your taste buds. It's slightly better, but the best thing would be to cut sugar entirely from your diet and only resort to foods that are naturally sweet, like fruits or milk for your daily/weekly intake. Diet Coke is a bad joke. And the biggest problem we have, is that we got addicted to sugar. An acquaintance of mine working for a cigarette factory was explaining to me that cigarettes are enriched with a little sugar, because they found that sugar is even better for addiction than nicotine. On the other hand, in regards to carbohydrates in general, plants and fruits have been in our diet ever since forever. Not consuming plants and fruits would be a thing as stupid as replacing fats with sugar.
    - ehsanu1 13y ago
      You sure about your claims of insulin secretion in response to tasting anything sweet? I just googled up this article, which has references to a number of studies that generally disagrees with this notion: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/artificial-sweeteners-insulin/#axzz2e7LXNPx5 http://www.marksdailyapple.com/artificial-sweeteners-insulin... The difference between these simple sugars and more complex carbohydrates is that (1) simple sugars are burnt really, really fast by our body, giving us an immediate fuel boost and (2) our body ends up generating insulin in excess. Nitpicking, simple carbs can burn slower than complex ones. Eg some fruits vs white bread. Fruits will release fructose into your blood stream slowly due to fiber (and perhaps other reasons) compared to how quickly white bread will release glucose. What you really want is to know the glycemic index (GI) of the food you're eating. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index White bread, and many other "complex carbs" which are devoid of fiber etc due to processing have very high GI, and are worth avoiding as much as simple sugars. And many fruits/vegetables have much lower GI's despite being packed with fructose, and so may be fine for you even if you want to avoid sugar due to insulin response.
      - bad_user 13y ago
        > You sure about your claims of insulin secretion in response to tasting anything sweet? I read a study about it a year or so ago, can't find it now. Of course that study might have been flawed, this notion can be a myth and we only scratched the surface of how our metabolism works. We should be wary of claims based on various studies, no matter the side they are arguing for, as most studies are flawed. Especially in regards to nutrition and dieting, it's next to impossible to do these studies double-blind, or to monitor the daily routine of subjects, or to trust what they declare (most people lie about their diet). It does make some sense. I also read about a study on a dog, being kept in a dark room and fed at regular hours. After some time, his saliva glands started generating saliva at feeding time, even though he had no noise, no smell, no eyesight, nothing to indicate that feeding time is coming. The autonomous nervous system can be trained to do things out of reflex. If external stimuli work on the pancreas, I don't know, but it does make some sense, so that's why the idea is gaining traction. > Nitpicking, simple carbs can burn slower than complex ones. Eg some fruits vs white bread. Fruits will release fructose into your blood stream slowly due to fiber Of course, what I wrote is an over-simplification. I was speaking about sweetened foods and beverages, most of which are lacking in fiber. Also, white bread is dangerous, but it's not really the problem or maybe you could say that our usage of white flour in general is, but I think the effects of white bread are negligible. Think of your acquaintances or even your family - how many of them consume at least a half a gallon of beverages sweetened with corn syrup daily? How many of them put two spoons of sugar in their coffee? How many eat cookies daily? If you look around, you'll discovered enormous amounts of sugar being consumed by people. And that was my point. EDIT; RE: What you really want is to know the glycemic index (GI) of the food you're eating The glycemic index is slightly inadequate. It provides a useful clue, but it was shown to be inadequate in regards to the insulin response. For example, if you take a look at "beer" it is off the charts, but paradoxically maybe, beer was shown to not generate much of a response from the pancreas, as the GI would led you to believe. And this may be because beer can't be tested properly OR because the secretion of insulin may not be fully in response to the real glucose levels in the blood. That's why we now also have the insulinemic index for example (and round and round we go :))
cliveowen 13y ago
I don't really see that happening, I know a lot of people in their 30s that are just as thin as they've always been. Did you see Brad Pitt in Snatch? He was 37 and sported a great physique; that's what you're looking forward to with just a little bit of daily exercise. EDIT: I bet the downvotes are all from people unwilling to put in a bit of effort to improve their lives. The truth is, even if thin people could stay fit without the least effort, the majority exercise every day, running, lifting weights and cycling. Which is more effort than that (most) fat people are willing to put in, and they're facing a potentially deadly condition.
- bad_user 13y ago
  The problem is with the mentality. I take issue with statements, such as: > people unwilling to put in a bit of effort to improve their lives Such statements puts the blame on them and make it sound as if it is within grasp for them to be thin and they are unwilling to do it. It is also my belief that people saying such nonsense never had to lose a lot of weight in their lives, otherwise they wouldn't be saying it, as the effort needed can't possibly be classified as "a bit". It's also an ignorant statement. Here's a medical fact for you to consider - Type 2 Diabetics in an advanced stage may very well die of hunger without losing weight. And btw, I haven't downvoted you - instead I flagged your comment, because I consider your thoughts to be against HN's policy. But yeah, the fat people downvoted you ;-)
  - cliveowen 13y ago
    First, I didn't say that fat people downvoted me, as it was clear (at least to me) that I was talking about people unwilling to exercise in general, fat or thin it doesn't matter (sitting all day kills you anyway). I was irked by the completely false statement that after 30 the body simply starts an unstoppable decaying process. Just look around, how many people in their 30s you see struggling to remain thin? No one. If you're thin and you stick to your diet, you'll still be thin for all of your 30s. Let's not spread around B.S. just to prove our point, it's just not true. Lastly, instead of considering someone's thoughts to be against HN' policy, look here, it might be helpful: http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
jtheory 13y ago
That doesn't seem to happen to everyone; I'm turning 38 this year, and so far my body doesn't look or feel much different from when I was in college (still no real propensity to store fat). I eat healthily, anyway (little caffeine/alcohol, and a well-balanced diet), because I feel better this way, and just looking fit is a bit useless if I die of a heart attack at 55 anyway, or feel like crap because of poor nutrition. Skinny people with poor diets may stay skinny anyway, but their health is still going to be affected in other ways. I still have huge respect for people who manage to make serious changes to their eating habits, or eat fewer calories than their bodies want (i.e., just withstand some level of hunger on a daily basis).
- InclinedPlane 13y ago
  Certainly not to everyone, but to folks who do little to control their diet or to maintain a healthy exercise habit it's very common.

bad_user 13y ago

Eating a lot of sugar does that to you, as you gradually develop insulin resistance and you get fatter and fatter. And they put sugar in everything these days, even in bottled water. The funny thing is, the fatter you are, the more sensitive to food you get. If people want to maintain their normal weight, they only need to stop eating sugar. That's it.

TausAmmer 13y ago
Can't stress this enough, people just don't want to face idea that current food industry is disaster. You can't get slim eating diet bread. Easier is to trow rock at someone than going for hard choice, eliminating sugar. Sugar is anything that is carbs.
- bad_user 13y ago
  When I said sugar, I actually meant either fructose or sucrose (table sugar). Carbohydrates are technically referred to as sugars, however when speaking about fructose or sucrose, these are simple sugars. The difference between these simple sugars and more complex carbohydrates is that (1) simple sugars are burnt really, really fast by our body, giving us an immediate fuel boost and (2) our body ends up generating insulin in excess. High-fructose corn syrup in particular has been massively used by the food industry to give taste to otherwise tasteless foods. It's particularly aggravating since sugar has been used in giving taste to low-fat diet products. We get fat from sugar consumption, because it raises the insulin levels in our blood. Insulin is still a poorly understood hormone, however it has a role in removing the excess glucose from our blood (high levels are toxic) and it is known to stop the use of fat as an energy source (such that our body can consume the sugars first - isn't evolution amazing?). As we consume more sugar, we gain insulin resistance (e.g. the cells stop responding to insulin effectively), leading to hyperglycemia, after which the pancreas starts secreting more and more insulin, leading to hyperinsulinemia. And when you've got excess insulin in your blood, the body doesn't use fats anymore for fuel, ending up being stored permanently in the fat tissue. Uncontrolled (or due to genetic disorders) this can lead to Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes was commonly attributed to genetic disorders or psychological disorders (stress), however the idea that obesity can lead to diabetes (and not the other way around) is also starting to gain traction. All people suffering from Type 2 Diabetes are predisposed to being obese, if they aren't already - actually I know people with type 2 diabetes and none of them are slim. Taken to extremes, somebody with Type 2 Diabetes could very well die of hunger, while still being fat. WARNING - by consuming artificial sweeteners, you're not really solving the problem, because the problem is insulin secretion by the pancreas, which is being triggered as a reflex ever since the sugar hits your taste buds. It's slightly better, but the best thing would be to cut sugar entirely from your diet and only resort to foods that are naturally sweet, like fruits or milk for your daily/weekly intake. Diet Coke is a bad joke. And the biggest problem we have, is that we got addicted to sugar. An acquaintance of mine working for a cigarette factory was explaining to me that cigarettes are enriched with a little sugar, because they found that sugar is even better for addiction than nicotine. On the other hand, in regards to carbohydrates in general, plants and fruits have been in our diet ever since forever. Not consuming plants and fruits would be a thing as stupid as replacing fats with sugar.
  - ehsanu1 13y ago
    You sure about your claims of insulin secretion in response to tasting anything sweet? I just googled up this article, which has references to a number of studies that generally disagrees with this notion: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/artificial-sweeteners-insulin/#axzz2e7LXNPx5 http://www.marksdailyapple.com/artificial-sweeteners-insulin... The difference between these simple sugars and more complex carbohydrates is that (1) simple sugars are burnt really, really fast by our body, giving us an immediate fuel boost and (2) our body ends up generating insulin in excess. Nitpicking, simple carbs can burn slower than complex ones. Eg some fruits vs white bread. Fruits will release fructose into your blood stream slowly due to fiber (and perhaps other reasons) compared to how quickly white bread will release glucose. What you really want is to know the glycemic index (GI) of the food you're eating. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index White bread, and many other "complex carbs" which are devoid of fiber etc due to processing have very high GI, and are worth avoiding as much as simple sugars. And many fruits/vegetables have much lower GI's despite being packed with fructose, and so may be fine for you even if you want to avoid sugar due to insulin response.
    - bad_user 13y ago
      > You sure about your claims of insulin secretion in response to tasting anything sweet? I read a study about it a year or so ago, can't find it now. Of course that study might have been flawed, this notion can be a myth and we only scratched the surface of how our metabolism works. We should be wary of claims based on various studies, no matter the side they are arguing for, as most studies are flawed. Especially in regards to nutrition and dieting, it's next to impossible to do these studies double-blind, or to monitor the daily routine of subjects, or to trust what they declare (most people lie about their diet). It does make some sense. I also read about a study on a dog, being kept in a dark room and fed at regular hours. After some time, his saliva glands started generating saliva at feeding time, even though he had no noise, no smell, no eyesight, nothing to indicate that feeding time is coming. The autonomous nervous system can be trained to do things out of reflex. If external stimuli work on the pancreas, I don't know, but it does make some sense, so that's why the idea is gaining traction. > Nitpicking, simple carbs can burn slower than complex ones. Eg some fruits vs white bread. Fruits will release fructose into your blood stream slowly due to fiber Of course, what I wrote is an over-simplification. I was speaking about sweetened foods and beverages, most of which are lacking in fiber. Also, white bread is dangerous, but it's not really the problem or maybe you could say that our usage of white flour in general is, but I think the effects of white bread are negligible. Think of your acquaintances or even your family - how many of them consume at least a half a gallon of beverages sweetened with corn syrup daily? How many of them put two spoons of sugar in their coffee? How many eat cookies daily? If you look around, you'll discovered enormous amounts of sugar being consumed by people. And that was my point. EDIT; RE: What you really want is to know the glycemic index (GI) of the food you're eating The glycemic index is slightly inadequate. It provides a useful clue, but it was shown to be inadequate in regards to the insulin response. For example, if you take a look at "beer" it is off the charts, but paradoxically maybe, beer was shown to not generate much of a response from the pancreas, as the GI would led you to believe. And this may be because beer can't be tested properly OR because the secretion of insulin may not be fully in response to the real glucose levels in the blood. That's why we now also have the insulinemic index for example (and round and round we go :))

cliveowen 13y ago

I don't really see that happening, I know a lot of people in their 30s that are just as thin as they've always been. Did you see Brad Pitt in Snatch? He was 37 and sported a great physique; that's what you're looking forward to with just a little bit of daily exercise. EDIT: I bet the downvotes are all from people unwilling to put in a bit of effort to improve their lives. The truth is, even if thin people could stay fit without the least effort, the majority exercise every day, running, lifting weights and cycling. Which is more effort than that (most) fat people are willing to put in, and they're facing a potentially deadly condition.

bad_user 13y ago
The problem is with the mentality. I take issue with statements, such as: > people unwilling to put in a bit of effort to improve their lives Such statements puts the blame on them and make it sound as if it is within grasp for them to be thin and they are unwilling to do it. It is also my belief that people saying such nonsense never had to lose a lot of weight in their lives, otherwise they wouldn't be saying it, as the effort needed can't possibly be classified as "a bit". It's also an ignorant statement. Here's a medical fact for you to consider - Type 2 Diabetics in an advanced stage may very well die of hunger without losing weight. And btw, I haven't downvoted you - instead I flagged your comment, because I consider your thoughts to be against HN's policy. But yeah, the fat people downvoted you ;-)
- cliveowen 13y ago
  First, I didn't say that fat people downvoted me, as it was clear (at least to me) that I was talking about people unwilling to exercise in general, fat or thin it doesn't matter (sitting all day kills you anyway). I was irked by the completely false statement that after 30 the body simply starts an unstoppable decaying process. Just look around, how many people in their 30s you see struggling to remain thin? No one. If you're thin and you stick to your diet, you'll still be thin for all of your 30s. Let's not spread around B.S. just to prove our point, it's just not true. Lastly, instead of considering someone's thoughts to be against HN' policy, look here, it might be helpful: http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html http://ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

jtheory 13y ago

That doesn't seem to happen to everyone; I'm turning 38 this year, and so far my body doesn't look or feel much different from when I was in college (still no real propensity to store fat). I eat healthily, anyway (little caffeine/alcohol, and a well-balanced diet), because I feel better this way, and just looking fit is a bit useless if I die of a heart attack at 55 anyway, or feel like crap because of poor nutrition. Skinny people with poor diets may stay skinny anyway, but their health is still going to be affected in other ways. I still have huge respect for people who manage to make serious changes to their eating habits, or eat fewer calories than their bodies want (i.e., just withstand some level of hunger on a daily basis).

InclinedPlane 13y ago
Certainly not to everyone, but to folks who do little to control their diet or to maintain a healthy exercise habit it's very common.