Yo, fat boy ...

[Smiles]

From a beach chair ... in Pattaya, Hua Hin, Patong, Wherever ... watching the pasty white parade of fatties waddling in front of you, difficult not to cringe as the North American Diet gradually and inexorably eats it's way through the majority. It's a pandemic of sorts, far and away more insidious and deadly than any manner Swine or Bird Flu.

What to do? What to do without inciteing the fearful wrath of Buffet Lovers insistent on establishing, and forever protecting, their inalienable Human Rights to pig out at every opportunity. Especially on hoilday.

There's an excellent article in the June/'09 edition of GQ Magazine which pulls no punches, and (rightly) scoffs at all 'diets'. The bottom line for this article is the simplest possible: "we" eat way too much, "we" eat too many meals in a day, and load our plates with too much outright crap when we do.
Too top it off, more often than not we then never hit the road, or the court, or the gym . . . and when "we" do, we do all the wrong things: Like lifting weights when we should be going aerobic.
'Amount' of food intake is the mantra of this article. It's focus is not particularly new, or original ... but well written, as spare and as devoid of complexity as it's topic.

If ~ for one thing ~ you're serious about looking great for your Thai partner . . . i.e. as sexy for him as he is for you (and ain't that only fair?), you could do a lot worse than buy this edition of GQ and have a good read. And then of course ~ and here's the hard part ~ actually following the advice.
There's a slimmed down version of it on the GQ website ( << http://men.style.com/gq/features/slides ... alse&cnt=1 (http://men.style.com/gq/features/slideshow/v/0609CAL?loop=0&slideshowId=slideshow55960&iphoto=0&nphoto=10&play=false&cnt=1) >> ), but the real thing is longer and better.

[krobbie]

Smiles, I never took you for a Gentlemans Quaterly (GQ) reader. Well it just goes to show ... when you've time on your hands, you'll read anything.

I guess you just buy it to keep up with the latest trends in men's clothing, accessories and cars?

Cheers
krobbie

I've certainly seen worse articles, at least they are recommending a protein-rich diet even though they recommended becoming a vegetarian. There are very few vegetarian bodybuilders. If it's so great then why aren't the athletes doing it?

Did they complain that people were *only* lifting weights? I knew guys like that back in high school. Every exercise program that I've been on (that has worked) had a lot of both.

[Smiles]

" ... I never took you for a Gentlemans Quaterly (GQ) reader. krobbie ... "You put people in category boxes too easily.
Actually, I picked it up off the news rack mainly because of this interesting-sounding article ( << http://men.style.com/gq/features/landin ... ntent_9217 (http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_9217) >> ). GQ is rather like that . . . men's fashion (it started off as) morphed into a much larger, more rounded ~ often serious ~ rag.
Anyway, I'm sounding like the famous dirty old men who "just read Penthouse for the articles". But I do like clothes, and reading about clothes.

" ... at least they are recommending a protein-rich diet ... "
The article does NOT 'recommend' a protein rich diet. On the contrary, it mocks all fad diets, as it should. The point of the article is overeating and the importance of not doing that.

" ... There are very few vegetarian bodybuilders. If it's so great then why aren't the athletes doing it? ... "
Body builders are inherently unhealthy ... and frankly, rather stupid. The article is about one's overall good health.

[krobbie]

" ... I never took you for a Gentlemans Quaterly (GQ) reader. krobbie ... "You put people in category boxes too easily.
Actually, I picked it up off the news rack mainly because of this interesting-sounding article ( << http://men.style.com/gq/features/landin ... ntent_9217 (http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_9217) >> ). GQ is rather like that . . . men's fashion (it started off as) morphed into a much larger, more rounded ~ often serious ~ rag.
Anyway, I'm sounding like the famous dirty old men who "just read Penthouse for the articles". But I do like clothes, and reading about clothes.

You don't really think I put people in categories too easily surely? I am quite an astute judge IMHO.

I am looking forward to September and see what you are sporting in Hua Hin. Yes, Bobby and I hope to be there. It's okay, we won't make you be the entertainment officer again. You gave us a good enough lay of the land already, but we're always available for cocktails although I know you hardly imbibe, lol.

Cheers,
krobbie

[Impulse]

Well,its quite a struggle trying to keep the weight off for me and many others.I wiegh about 182 lbs(about 20 or 25 lbs too much. The article says all the facts,the most important being calorie restriction and smaller portions.My downfall being low fat yogurt,I can put away about 750 calories of it watching the tele for a few minutes. Maybe the best incentive for loseing wieght which wasnt mentioned in the article is as your waist line expands it has a dramatic impact on how large(or small in this case)your penis looks.That should be a great incentive for the overweight walking the beaches and stalking the bars. :cheers:

From a beach chair ... in Pattaya, Hua Hin, Patong, Wherever ... watching the pasty white parade of fatties waddling in front of you, difficult not to cringe as the North American Diet gradually and inexorably eats it's way through the majority.

I'll bet you anything 90% of those people are not North Americans.

[Impulse]

Yes thats true boy genious,ooops,I mean romania,,err beach bunny, there are many obese Europeans,not just Americans.

[Smiles]

Yes thats true boy genious,ooops,I mean romania,,err beach bunny, there are many obese Europeans,not just Americans.
Be they European or American or (unfortunately) Asian etc etc etc ... they are now practicing the North American Way of Eating, which is a worldwide disaster.

[Brad the Impala]

Yes thats true boy genious,ooops,I mean romania,,err beach bunny, there are many obese Europeans,not just Americans.
Be they European or American or (unfortunately) Asian etc etc etc ... they are now practicing the North American Way of Eating, which is a worldwide disaster.

I rather think that Henry the Eighth beat the North Americans to it........

[ceejay]

I rather think that Henry the Eighth beat the North Americans to it........

The Tudor Dining Table
"On the table was placed a centre-piece, which represented a green lawn, surrounded with large peacocks' feathers and green branches, to which were tied violets and other sweet-smelling flowers.

In the middle of this lawn a fortress was placed, covered with silver. This was hollow, and formed a sort of cage, in which several live birds were shut up, their tufts and feet being gilt.

On its tower, which was gilt, three banners were placed, one bearing the arms of the count, the two others those of Mesdemoiselles de Ch├вteaubrun and de Villequier, in whose honour the feast was given."

The Tudor First Course
"The first course consisted of a civet of hare, a quarter of stag which had been a night in salt, a stuffed chicken, and a loin of veal.

The two last dishes were covered with a German sauce, with gilt sugar-plums, and pomegranate seeds....

At each end, outside the green lawn, was an enormous pie, surmounted with smaller pies, which formed a crown. The crust of the large ones was silvered all round and gilt at the top; each contained a whole roe-deer, a gosling, three capons, six chickens, ten pigeons, one young rabbit

To serve as seasoning or stuffing, a minced loin of veal, two pounds of fat, and twenty-six hard-boiled eggs, covered with saffron and flavoured with cloves.

The Tudor Second Course
...There was a roe-deer, a pig, a sturgeon cooked in parsley and vinegar, and covered with powdered ginger; a kid, two goslings, twelve chickens, as many pigeons, six young rabbits, two herons, a leveret, a fat capon stuffed, four chickens covered with yolks of eggs and sprinkled with powder de Duc (spice), a wild boar

The Tudor Third Course
..Some wafers (darioles), and stars; a jelly, part white and part red, representing the crests of the main guests

The Tudor Fourth Course
..Cream with Duc powder, covered with fennel seeds preserved in sugar; a white cream, cheese in slices, and strawberries; and, lastly, plums stewed in rose-water.

The Tudor Fifth Course
Besides these four courses, there was a fifth, entirely composed of the prepared wines then in vogue, and of preserves. These consisted of fruits and various sweet pastries. The pastries represented stags and swans, to the necks of which were suspended the arms of the Count of Anjou ..."



Blimey! and I thought the Americans stuck to hamburgers :jok:

...now I know why Jomtien beach is sinking a few centimeters each year :idea:

Whenever I am in the US I start gaining weight until I learned a little trick. I completely cut bread and pasta out of my diet. The first time I did this I lost four pounds in the first three weeks - without cutting back on anything.

Try it for four weeks and see what happens!

I completely cut bread and pasta out of my diet.

I agree. Americans have a lot of carbs in their diets and, unfortunately, they aren't even tasty carbs. When I go to an Italian restaurant in Europe, the food is delightful and the portion sizes are small. I savor every bite and eat slowly while sipping wine. In America they will heap the plate with bad-tasting carbs and you get nothing but the calories.

[ceejay]

I find Thai food takes weight off me. I always lose a few pounds in 2 or 3 weeks. I rarely eat Western food while I'm there, so it's mostly fresh fruit, fish, vegetables and rice with the odd egg or bit of pork now and then. That does it for me.

Oh - and I don't drink much either, maybe 2 or 3 beers a day. Sorry to tell you chaps, but nothing puts the inches on like alcohol, but thats not the reason I avoid it. It gives me a bugger of a headache in hot weather.

[Impulse]

I think the hot weather makes me lose weight when in Thailand. The longest Ive been there is six weeks and my co-workers noticed my weight loss immediatly,unfortunatly it all returned after resuming my American diet. I dont drink much alcohol when Im there but mucho diet sodas,which are not very healthy but to me are as addicting as alcohol.

[krobbie]

Rocket, it's the sugar or synthetic sugar that our bodies crave. You have one soda to sate your thirst but in half an hour we need more. I have found it best to stick to water. You will be surprised at how a well balanced Thai eating regime and water can help stabilise ones weight.

I always have a small western breakfast though and include a cereal in that. Tea, creal, toast egg(s) (not fried and no sausage or bacon/ham). Even if no cereal at my hotel, I buy a pack at Tops as soon as I arrive ... along with a lot more tea bags and water for my room. I then have one small glass of Metamucil with my pills. Sorted!

Cheers
krobbie

Ceej "It gives me a bugger of a headache in hot weather."

That's because you don't drink enough water after you drink! One bottle of beer, one large glass of water, etc.

.... Americans have a lot of carbs in their diets and, unfortunately, they aren't even tasty carbs. .....
And the Thais eat nothing but rice, rice, rice... which is nothing but carbs.

There's no great secret or magic formula to weight. The calories going in must match the calories going out.

So excercise more and don't eat so fcuking much!

But you know, a fat guy in and of himself isn't so bad. As long as they present themselves well I don't have a problem. Sidney Greenstreet or Jackie Gleeson never looked bad. But when you see some 250Lb fat German slob walking down the beach in a thong bathing suit....now THAT's disgusting!

And yeah, I never pegged Smiles for a GQ kind of guy. But then maybe that explains his "socks and sandals" fixation.... :rabbit:

Italians, as well: bread and pasta, bread and pasta, bread and pasta...

And the Thais eat nothing but rice, rice, rice... which is nothing but carbs.

There's no great secret or magic formula to weight. The calories going in must match the calories going out.


I consider rice one of the healthier choices among the things that I like to eat--you are certainly correct that it is carbs. I find it a lot more filling than other types of carbs and that is useful when eating smaller portions.

" ... at least they are recommending a protein-rich diet ... "
The article does NOT 'recommend' a protein rich diet. On the contrary, it mocks all fad diets, as it should. The point of the article is overeating and the importance of not doing that.

" ... There are very few vegetarian bodybuilders. If it's so great then why aren't the athletes doing it? ... "
Body builders are inherently unhealthy ... and frankly, rather stupid. The article is about one's overall good health.

Have not read the article, Smiles, but I am hardly surprised it "does NOT 'recommend' a protein rich diet" as these may work in the short term but they are dangerous. Anyone wanting to lose weight, or even those who think they are the "ideal" weight, should check their BMI (Body Mass Index), which is a far better indicator of a healthy weight than anything else, such as height/weight charts.

The article does NOT 'recommend' a protein rich diet.

Perhaps I overstated the case (http://men.style.com/gq/features/slideshow/v/0609CAL?loop=0&slideshowId=slideshow55960&iphoto=5&nphoto=10&play=false&cnt=1) by saying rich but many articles in these fluff magazines suggest becoming a vegetarian.


Body builders are inherently unhealthy ... and frankly, rather stupid.

Sounds like a generalization on your part. The vast majority of people that lift weights do not compete. Competitive bodybuilders are prone to using steroids and diuretics, which most of them will admit is not healthy.