If you live in Australia, the US, the UK, Canada or New Zealand, then you live in the same place as me; Fat City. Fat City of course, being more of a collective mindset, and a culture of eating too much and moving too little, than any geographical location, or ‘literal’ place. And while it’s not a literal place, it is very real. If you know what I mean.
The weight of the average Australian increases by about 0.4kg (1lb) per year, every year. And it’s pretty similar in most Western countries. It’s predicted that Australia will be a totally obese population by 2050. There’s a thought. What an achievement. This is the forecast, despite the fact that we are now more educated and aware, than any time in history.
As an Exercise Scientist, observer of humanity, and ex-fat bloke, there are plenty of things which fascinate me about living in Fat City (the culture, the habits, the behaviours, the thinking, the trends, the media), but here’s my short list:
1. We’ve never be more informed, educated, resourced or equipped to combat obesity, yet we’ve never been fatter. We live in the information age, yet we do nothing with it. I’m amused by those who suggest that obesity is primarily an education problem, when in reality, it is (for the majority) a self-control problem. Self control: yes, that crazy, outdated notion I’ve spoken of many times before. We are bombarded with education but we choose not to learn.
Real ‘learning’ would have resulted in a large-scale positive change in behaviour, and of course, decline in obesity levels. It hasn’t. In fact, if there was a positive correlation between the increase in education and the decline of global obesity, then we would see virtually no obesity at all. But… if we wanted to be cheeky and use ’selective science’, we could actually conclude that the increase in education may have resulted in the increase in obesity. After all, there is a direct relationship: more education, more obesity. Yes I’m being sarcastic, but you understand my point. When it comes to diet and exercise, we know what to do, but we don’t do what we know.
2. I am constantly amazed at our ability (as a society) to complicate the simple. How many more books, programs and breakthrough discoveries do we need? Here’s a wacky concept, increase energy expenditure (exercise, general activity) and decrease energy intake (stop eating so much crap). A little scientific I know, but hey, maybe it could work. Of course it’s simple, but it requires genuine and consistent effort. Simple, of course, not to be confused with ‘easy’. And therein lies the problem. Which leads me to point three.
3. Our obsession with the quick fix. We don’t wanna work for those results. We want someone or something to do it for us. We are precious and lazy. We are addicted to the shortcut. Give me the pill, powder, potion, product or surgeon that will make me beautiful. I am allergic to sweat and hard work is so ‘1985′. We are a culture obsessed with ‘easy’ and sometimes creating amazing requires a little effort. Or a lot. And we hate that. Sorry about that. I’ll try and change it.
4. We love playing the ‘blame game’. We would rather justify, rationalise, explain and blame someone or something for our obesity, than take complete responsibility for our fat selves. Of course it’s not our fault. We are poor victims of situations, circumstances and genetics. So not fair. If what we do to our body (lifestyle, food, exercise) is the biggest influence on our level of fitness and fatness (which it is), then obesity is the result of poor decision making, rather than poor genetics. Even people with poor genetics can get in great shape, if they work with their genetics and manipulate the variables the right way.
5. I laugh when people get grumpy at me for telling the truth; what they don’t want to hear. “Okay John, it will only take two weeks to lose that hundred pounds and that gut you built over the last thirty years, and yes, it will be easy, fun and painless. You will definitely look incredible by next Tuesday. Wednesday, tops. In fact, just leave your body here, I’ll do it for you.”
6. I marvel that people pay thousands of dollars per year to walk/run on a treadmill with a built in TV, radio and fan, when they could get the same physiological benefit (or better) heading out their front door and returning thirty minutes later. No driving to the gym, no petrol costs, no waiting for machines, no travel time.
7. Our inability to finish things. We start jogging. We stop. We go on a diet. We go off it. We join a gym. We go five times. We make resolutions. We don’t follow through. We lose fat. We regain it. We start. We stop. We get fit. We get unfit. We operate on emotion. We always find a ‘reason’ to give up. We experience momentary motivation, but we never truly commit. Real commitment (“I will do this no matter what”) creates life-long change, not temporary weight loss or occasional fitness.
8. The Victim. “But you don’t understand my life, body, time restraints, problems, situation, history, challenges, injuries, medical conditions.” Your problem isn’t your body, it’s your thinking.
* Tell me your thoughts and what amuses you about living in Fat City.
{ 49 comments… read them below or add one }
Of course education brings obesity. You can’t have a school without having a cafeteria!
Maybe, in addition to global warming, we should also warn people about land sinking – how if we don’t all stop gaining weight, the land is eventually going to be unable to support our weight and sink into the ocean!
I think habits die hard.
It’s llke an abuser of drugs, they know it is bad for them, but they are not wiling to stop.
Once something becomes a habit it is very hard to break that habit (good or bad).
‘Cold turkey’ is a very hard thing to grasp for people that have been doing something consistently for a number of years.
It’s all about baby steps (for some people).
Being a fellow fitness professional, I too sometimes tell clients ‘the hard truth’ and to be honest, once someone is attending weekly sessions they appreciate the honesty (maybe because they have made that commitment and they are ready for the long, slow road to better health)
It’s the tyre kickers, who are after free advice and have no real desire to train with you or invest in their health (AAAHHH heaven forbid!!!) that seem to get a little upset when you tell them the harsh reality of a healthy lifestyle.
I’ll leave you with a quick example (which I am sure Craig has come across from time to time).
We had a new female client sign up with us. We explained how everything works and we started to chat about her eating habits.
We explained for long term fat loss we need to start to make some changes!!!
She said “I was thinking of going on one of those milkshake diets to get rid of the weight”
We said, “no, not the best idea” (as nicely as possible)
She said “how about I eat the way you guys want me to after I drop the weight from the milkshake diet”
She no longer trains with us
You can add LA to your list of fat cities. Full of victims.
Mim
Always thinking outside the box Kelvin. Living outside the box in fact!
Nice work.
lol Kelvin I love reading your comments…sometimes insightful and most times funny!
Because a lot of people will be so fat by the time the land starts sinking, they will also be incredibly bouyant and will just bob around in the oceans like corks….. the worst part about that is they will sacre the fish, and the price of fish (= healthy food) will be increase and be unaffordable and more people could turn to junk food …. and ……
get more obese and ….push the earth off it’s orbit….and …….
Seriously though Craig good post again. Fat city can be ugly at times. I think one of the worst food crimes is the all you can eat buffet with 90% crap food choices and 10% healthy food choices. I never go to one by choice but go if I am invited for friends birthday etc. It is amazing how much food the average person can consume – it almost becomes a contest to see who can eat the most…. arrggggggg. I can hardly bear to watch. This is FAT city at it’s worst.
Leanne M
Australia obese by 2050? Well I won’t be part of the ‘in’ crowd then!
I hate the blame game. I find it easier to think that I’ve done this to myself and that I am going to fix it rather than blaming my weight on mum and dad, or a messed up childhood or whatever it is that people blame their lard on these days. I must be a freak hey?
Hey Matt. You mean those weight-loss shakes aren’t the go?
DOH!
Hi Mim.
Yep. Been there. Seen it.
Cheers.
Hi Leanne. Sure you’re not related to Kelvin?
Cheers.
Freaky Anne. That’s your new name.
LOL.
Cheers.
Freaky Annie huh? Craig you’ve created a monster. LOL
cooooooool.
Hmmmmm…
What amuses me about Fat City?
Perhaps it’s the constituents.
all walking around like adults with adolescent mentality.
I have a friend (Really!)
I work with her.
We have fun…
shopping, hanging out, chatting, ya know, girl stuff.
Every few months (4 times this year),
She gets serious and sincere about improving her health.
She promises that “this time” she is in it forever!
She’s committed.
But I know what she wants…
She wants me to be committed for her.
So I turn from being this fantastic, phenomenal person
to the Drill Sergeant from Hell!
Why?
Because for the same reason there has been Fat Camp, the Biggest Loser, and Celebrity Fit club…
Because no one wants to be held accountable for the work, for the suffrage or the depravation,
No one wants to be responsible for themselves.
They want to blame someone else for their misery…
Better to be mad at me for making her walk the stairs twice a day for 15 minutes than at herself for polishing off a dozen Krispie Kremes…
Yet, I am right beside her the whole time, not missing a step…
But oh yeah, I like doing it… NOT!
I would much rather have an awesome metabolism and pop Bon Bons like tic tacs but…
That is not my life or my body!
Then, three days later, she tells me how she ate half a carrot cake and a quart of fettuccini alfredo…
“Why are you telling me?” I ask…
“It’d be a better idea to back your ass up into a 3way mirror, and explain to the recipient of your indulgence. You didn’t cheat me… you cheated you!”
Ugh, sadly… New year’s is around the corner…
Its about time for our song and dance number again…
But I’ll do it yet again,
Cos I’m a giver!
And who knows, this could be THE time!
Tami
PS- I wanna be sheriff of Fat City…
I’ll be armed with a salad shooter!
Yes Annie, from this day forth, thou shalt be known throughout all the land as ‘Freaky Annie.’
Go forth and be freaky.
Hey Craig
I’ve genuinely come across many who believe they need to spend about $500 on supplements a month to lose fat/weight! And they blame the not being able to afford a trainer thingo too.
So for that ‘excuse’ they put it in the ‘too hard’ basket!
Yep, – if I had the nerve I’d suggest to some, how about save some money on crap food, bike to the fruit and veg markets to save on fuel, get out the door for running, walking etc and forget about the pills and powders.
Not sure if I can handle these people talking rude abrupt things about me to others behind my back and suddenly turning into an uncaring b***h! So I keep quiet.
The more polite approach I take sometimes is offer to go on a walk or bike ride, we may arrange it in advance but they then sms me and cancel when the time comes.
Pip
Pip – I’m with you on the ‘can’t afford trainer’ thing. I used to think that. Going to the gym or one of those weightloss centres since i was 15yrs old (34 now) wasn’t doing it for me. I hit rock bottom and desperately needed help and that one on one attention, i needed someone to push me and make me see how capable i was cause i couldn’t see it myself. I needed someone to teach me what to do and help me unlearn all the bad advise i had collected in my brain. but thought i couldn’t afford a trainer. But i was in such a bad mental state that i knew i had to do something before i gave up on living, so i tightened my budget, stopped buying crappy takeway food cause i was too lazy to cook, stopped buying duiretics and thermogenics and stopped buying the expensive diet shakes and fitness magazines. I realised how stupid i was.Why the hell am i spending $10 on a fitness magazine instead of exercising? I must have spent more than $300 a year on fitness and weightloss mags. I was always hoping that one day i would read something in one of those magazines that will give me the answer i was looking for and make me finally say “that’s it i’ve got it”. I thought one day i would read something that would motivate me so much i would go out and become like Rocky. Didn’t happen.I decided i’d had enough. After a few months of not buying the crappy food, shakes, pills and magazines i actually saved some extra cash to go out and buy myself 2months worth of personal training sessions which has given me such great physical AND mental results (but only by working my ass off) i realise now it’s the only way to change your body. People keep asking me if they should buy one of those ab bluster things to get rid of their belly. My reply: “F*** NO!
Ange
I remember my aunt once went on a diet. It was apple pie & cream for dessert every night because “apples are good for you right?” She meant it, she really had no idea.
We get so many fad diets thrown at us on the media (and those ads for the Tony Ferguson shake diet. I want to throw a shoe at that man when he appears) that we’ve forgotten the basics. Eat healthy, Exercise often.
I will admit needing a gym. When I’ve let my membership expire, each day in my head I say I’ll go for a walk…like later, tomorrow or next week maybe, but when I pay for the gym I MUST get my money’s worth and go at least 5 days a week. Works for me, I’ve been doing it for over 10years now. The sports centre I go to has a 50mtr pool so if my interest wains in the gym then I swim. I’m very lucky to have this sports centre within walking distance but the membership fees are very expensive.
Hey Ange, – awesome! Great story and I am very guilty for still spending money on fitness mags too, – I’ve got a huge collection and I’ve gotta tighten my budget so it’s about time they went! I’ll use you for inspiration there!
Debstar, – awesome work on going to the gym cause you paid for it. That approach does seem to work great for some. It doesn’t for me though. I’m fine with going to gym regularly no probs but on emotion recently paid for a 10 week one evening a week French course upfront without thinking my commitment levels through and ended up only attending twice. Far too busy, inconvenient hours and it seemed lower on my priorities than other things. I’m OK about it but learnt a lesson. So a waste of $360 that was and there are loads of cheaper or even free ways to learn as much French as I want to learn.
The other sort of topic I want to add, (cautiously as it’s considered a sensitive topic and I’m very guilty of thinking this way myself):
* Some people, (including me) get negative mental impulses that they CAN’T get on top of their weight and self control because they have ‘compulsive’ or ‘binge eating disorder’ or food ‘addiction’. Which is a serious, maybe life threatening issue and sensitive topic and some people do great with professional psychological help, – for a while or forever. Some other people seem to have this strong belief, see various counsellors, maybe lifecoaches, (I’m generalising), get hypnotised but still blame their lack of control on this ‘disorder’.
I know it can be tough for people who have consistently medicated themselves with bingeing for whatever reason to stop the habit FOR GOOD. Some get in and out of the ‘zone’ like me. Some I know lose weight by replacing bingeing with chain smoking and diet coke.
Lots use the excuse they have ‘issues’ from years ago but I’d say many of them are over those, – but haven’t dumped the compulsion habit although I know some counsellors keep wanting to look back into the past and bring up issues.
I’d been to a couple of counsellors in the past few years about the compulsion thing myself, (didn’t perservere, just one session each time which cost $100 each). So I didn’t finish what I started!
But I’ve eventually gotten to the stage that I WANT forever change, to excel at stuff but in reality am broke, in debt, tempted to either do a big life-coaching programme, or try an online trainer and do a 12 or 24 week ‘challenge’ or do a self improvement course or try hynosis or personal training. All could be great, life changing if we stick to it. BUT I still think whether it happens is up to us. These other avenues can be awesome for support and help and I get tempted. But am not to think about it till I save the money for it and plan properly LOL.
So meanwhile am just using self control and common sense a bit and seem to be making progress in everything at this point and time. Sorry about this ramble, – just a topic I have strong views on.
Pip
Craig,
What, you mean this whole obesity thing is the responsibility of each individual?
Sheesh.
I’m never reading your blog again.
I know the Mayoress of Fat City and I have just given up on her. I have been the drill sarge for her too( Hi Tam) and I am over it. Her last health kick lasted four days and yes it included shakes! Either she is stupid ( and I know she’s not) or she just doesn’t think she has a problem (165cm 106kg). There is a new crisis every week that prevents her from helping herself to better health…some of her excuses should be in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most stupid. A good friend of mine is about to move in to her neighbourhood and I said that was great because they could go for a walk together ( she could lose a few pounds too!)but…..her leg is too sore and so is her hip and yada yada. So the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour and I’m guessing that until a doctor tells her that she is gonna have a heart attack or get diabetes she will do nothing ( except eat Krispie Kreams). It is so sad.
Yes Craig- you have created a monster in calling annie freaky…..now I gotta deal with her on two sites!!! lol ( love ya annie)
Just quickly- what amuses me about living in FAT city is that I actually have a fam member that has had surgery and can still eat enough to feed a third world country. The quick solution isnt working….no really?
elroy….
P.s- Im not anon any more…bugger.
great post by the way craig….
Pip
I tried counsellors too and they never worked for me. It wasn’t their fault it was me. I just could never open up and be honest cause i could never admit to anyone in public what i did in private. I couldn’t look another human being in the eye and say “I once ate a big mac in my bedroom closet so my family can’t smell it cause then they’ll know i’m eating junk after telling them i’m on a diet.” I can admit it here cause u guys don’t know me and i know i will never meet any of you face to face so it’s easier to admit. Last year my counsellor actually kicked me out of his office he said “all i get from you is frustration and anger. I can’t work in this environment. Goodbye and goodluck.” Well that just made the stick in my ass fall out. I was so embarrassed and i realised i was F*** and had to fix it. So i said to myself “obviously your on your own kid. Even if it kills me i’m gonna fix this shit cause there is no way i’m gonna die a smelly fat ass with an XXXL coffin. No way. So here i am. I keep stuffing up but i still keep going. 1 step forward, 10 steps back. Everytime i have a binge i always regret it so i try to not even go there.
I remember asking my trainer once if it was okay to eat fried tofu, he gave me this concerned look and said “don’t do that to yourself.” No one has every said that to me they always say things like ‘no’, ‘don’t', ‘you can’t eat that your fat enough as it is’. That shit just makes you want to eat on purpose and argue back, “F*** you don’t tell me what i can eat, you not perfect you have cellulite and your husband is screwing your sister”. The more people criticise the more you want to rebel. What my trainer was saying to me was “look, you work your butt off for an hour with me, don’t waste all that effort, be good to yourself chickie”. So now when i’m feeling like shit and all i want is a whopper, i hear my trainers voice (slowly being replaced by my own voice) say “don’t do that, be good to yourself”. One day i’ll get there and so will you.
ange
Hi Pip.
Yep. I’m hearin’ ya.
Cheers.
Hi Debstar.
You mean apple pie is no good!!??
NO!!
Cheers.
Hi Aaron.See ya.
LOL.
Hi Anon.
“I know the Mayoress of Fat City”
Nice.
You are so NOT anon… you are ELROY!!
Ah Craig, the apple pie IS good it’s just not good for you. lol
BTW These people you marvel at who pay thousands of dollars to go to the gym, are they your clients by any chance??
So sadly I think I must be a victim, I admit that many of these statements ring true for me. I think that I am reasonably intelligent, but I still have issues. I keep trying but am disappointed when amazing is out of my reach and the only thing stopping me is me. Still not sure of how to change my mindset? I am always grateful to read your blog, just to be reminded that…. I just have to get real, stop procrastinating, stop moaning and bloody get on with it. It is always refreshing.. to hear the truth.
Andy
Andy…you only have to be amazing….one day at a time!!You can do it! I know twenty or so people here that will cheer you on!
The mission to remove the sugar coating! Helping people help themselves, all good stuff.
I love your work Craig!
Guilty as charged, Craig. But I really am doing my best to own up and make the changes last for good now. Avoiding the use of the words “this time” because there have been too many of those. I now aspire to be a BITCH (Babe In Total Control of Herself) I even have a button that I wear on my coat to remind me of that aspiration. There is, as Yoda said, no “try”. There is do or do not. Doing great. So far. So help me, I will keep it up, too! Thanks for another great post!
Aaah Debstar.
I said:
“I marvel that people pay thousands of dollars per year to walk/run on a treadmill with a built in TV, radio and fan, when they could get the same physiological benefit (or better) heading out their front door and returning thirty minutes later.”
We actually don’t have members or memberships. People don’t self-train at my gym. Everything we do is an appointment-based consultation and people are paying for that expertise rather than ‘the use of the equipment’…
You nearly got me!
Cheers.
Hi Andy.
As long as exercise and healthy eating is ‘optional’ for you, you’ll struggle. If it’s not something you HAVE to do, you’ll always have those internal battles.
Make it NOT OPTIONAL in your life and you’ll create forever results. Create some new, non-negotiable ‘Andy rules’.
Keep me posted.
Cheers.
Hi Jackie, you complete BITCH.
Couldn’t help myself.
GO YOU!!!!
Peace.
Hey Craig,
Most people are soft and looking for the easy option.
By the way I am back from the Commonwealth Powerlifting Titles. I won a Silver medal in the overall.
Lisa
Don’t forget the excuse of “but it’s so much quicker and cheaper” to buy junk food. Yikes, what about quality food? It’s a scary thought and the best part is we all will pay via taxes for their treatments and hospitalisation.
Hey Craig,
Another terrific article.
I agree with most of what you said.
I think most of our habits are are ingrained into our subconscious.
( I know i shoudn’t have that coffee, chocolate, etc.).
It is always a case of two steps forward and one step back. Yet we still keep going; hoping to reach whatever goal that we have set for ourselves.
Every year about this time I realise that I haven’t achieved what I set out to achieve and I find that I am trying to figure out where I went wrong.
Then I realise that I haven’t gone wrong, it’s just that other things have gotten in the way.
Cheers,
Mark from HIGHETT
I have struggled with weight, but I’ve never been fat. I was too skinny and continuously believing I had a belly and constantly starving myself to rid myself of it. Rediculous I know. I was young and followed society like a sheep believing I needed to be skinny and I needed to look good. When I hit 17, I put on about 10 kilos making me 62kilos, it was devastating for me and my 5′3″ frame even though for other people that was their “goal weight” or their “average weight”. I got to a point where I knew I wasn’t fat and yet I had comments from people telling me I was, quote “pugdy” and had my mum asking me if I was pregnant. And I was one of those people who cared way too much about what other people thought of me.
I’m now 20, with 2 kids, my tummy hasn’t snapped back as maybe you could imagine, I have a thousand and one stretch marks and yet I have the most confidence I have ever had. I have gratitude for my body and for me rather than focussing on these imaginary “problem areas” that everyone seems to have and focus on. I focus on the fact I have 2 legs, 2 arms, a full functioning body and a head! I am magnificence in human form
I am only as ugly or as beautiful as I choose to see myself to be.
The funny thing is, from when I first put weight on I was dying to get it off but it wouldn’t budge, inbetween my pregnancies I was trying to lose weight and then when I found my confidence and stopped caring.. I lost weight. It’s because I not only have gratitude for me and my body, but I have it for everything, including FOOD. I pay attention when I eat and because of that, I don’t over eat. I don’t sit infront of the TV with a pack of chips, zoned out only to look down and freak out that they are nearly all gone.
We are a spoilt, busy society and it’s so easy to eat while doing something else or rush while eating which only has you over eating and then people wonder why they are fat.
I do believe that you need to do some fixing of your inner being before your outta will change.
I have this friend who can be somewhat delusional at times, although she is an intelligent, confident, high achiever.
On arriving at my house, I noted that she had lost a kilo or two, despite still had a massive muffin top and rolls of fat above that. I made a comment of encouragement about her weight loss and to my utter amazement, she said, “yes, I’ve reached my goal weight”. Now it’s one thing to set goals for yourself, but really, one must actually get the bar off the ground!
Jan
WELL DONE LISA. GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!
WHAT DID YOU LIFT?
CHEERS.
Hi Java.
Yep, we love that ‘convenience’.
Obesity of convenience!
Cheers.
Hi Belinda.
How did you get so smart and mature at 20?
Nice to hear from you.
Peace and hugs.
Hi Jan. I know her!! And him!
Too funny.
Cheers.
aaaa
Hey Craig,
315kgs in total – under 56kg div
Hi Lisa.
315kgs!!
That’s amazing.
Congratulations.
“Hi Belinda.
How did you get so smart and mature at 20?”
Oh thankyou Craig, thats a very nice compliment to me
. It all started with that movie “The secret”. When I first saw it I believed in the magic of it and was amazed and wanted to know more, as i dived deeper and read and read everywhere online, received audios between Bill Harris and other people on the Secret.. and read some more and discovered so many different things in a matter of about.. hmm 9 months and counting lol I realised life is what you make it, i learnt our feelings are a choice, I learnt we create our own reality’s based on what we believe and now i understand that there is truth in everything that people believe, we just explain it differently… and then try and argue that “my” way of explaining it is RIGHT. lol.
I also understand now that “Law of Attraction” isn’t really magic
, but the movie did have me realise i’m just as great as everyone else and have just as much potential… now I just need to push myself more. I do believe that focussing on what I want is key but also understand I need to make it happen through actions. That’s a long story short lol.
I love what you have to say, and I would like one day to be a motivational speaker myself.
Hi every one, I have just signed up with a blogger account and am testing it out
Coool!!! It worked. See ya