400 Pound Shoplifter Gets Stuck In Doorway

[IainC]

Until I was about 32 I was the skinniest fucker you'd ever see. I'm 6' tall and weighed around 8 stone with a 26" waist. From 32-35 I basically ballooned out to where I am now at around 14 stone with a 34" waist. During my rake thin years I ate all kinds of rubbish, had a ridiculously sweet tooth and didn't do any regular exercise beyond daily living stuff (walking to work etc) and never gained an ounce, now I eat carefully, go to a gym regularly and I can't shed any weight at all.

[Teleku]

Someday, somebody is going to invent something that can make our metabolisms run at high speed all the time, and we can all be lazy, skinny, and happy!

Oh, and as to the question about why this person needed to be tasered:  Its hard to fucking stop them.  Friend of mine works as a security guard at Safeways as a side job.  He's been routinely attacked (beaten and bitten) by various different 400 pound black women trying to shop lift.  It usually takes several people to take one of them down, with them being violent as fuck the entire way down.  After she threw the first punch I'd have shot her in the face with a taser as well.

[Bunk]

A bitch with momentum is a bitch?

[Merusk]

Consider the weight of an arm on a 400# individual.  She's obviously strong enough to lift it and Force=Mass*Accelration, so... yeah they'll fuck you up.

[Sir T]

Fat people can be EXTREMELY strong. It takes serious muscle to carry 400 pounds any distance and they also generally have a lot of spare sugars in their blood that can be turned to energy on a moments notice. The may not have a lot of stamina but you don't wanna get into a wrestling match with one.

[Lantyssa]

So I dunno. Metabolism? It boggle me. The things people say make you gain weight do NOTHING to me, and it's infuriating. And I already do protein shakes and whatnot. Have on and off for years. Most I ever gained was in sheer muscle mass while I was serving in Afghanistan.

Metabolism helps.  When I was younger I could eat anything and it wouldn't stick.  Portions matter, too.  Eat twice what you do now and you'll likely put on weight.

For myself, at the beginning of the year I stopped drinking soda after getting my wisdom teeth out.  I've already dropped ten pounds.

[Teleku]

If I move away from lots of beer to a steady diet of Bourbon, do you think that would help me drop off some pounds?

[Riggswolfe]

Just to add to the consensus, when I was in high school  I resembled a concentration camp victim. Skeletal to the point that my mother often had to defend herself. I weighed around 110 or so when I graduated high school. I ate pretty much anything I wanted included whole pizzas at a sitting and huge amounts of caffiene. I never gained a pound. I was put on a high calorie diet by a nutrionist "No, really, go to McDonald's and get a chocolate shake at least once a day. Please..."

Now I'm 39 and currently hovering around 190. I eat a very small breakfast, skip or eat a light lunch and usually soup or a lean cuisine for dinner. The only sodas I drink are diet and I try to drink water.

It's all about the metabolism. Well, and in my case, getting put on prednisone for a decade or so but it only made my slowing metabolism worse.

[Paelos]

If I move away from lots of beer to a steady diet of Bourbon, do you think that would help me drop off some pounds?

Not really unless you are drinking dark beers:

110 calories in a light domestic beer
97.5 in a shot of whiskey

At one a day for 365 days You'll lose 2.5 pounds.

If it's a switch from darker beers, then yes, you'll lose 11 pounds.

[SnakeCharmer]

That radically changes once you add a mixer to it, though. 

[Teleku]

That radically changes once you add a mixer to it, though. 

[Paelos]

I personally drank scotch and sodas when I was cutting calories back in the drinking days.

[KallDrexx]

Now I'm 39 and currently hovering around 190. I eat a very small breakfast, skip or eat a light lunch and usually soup or a lean cuisine for dinner. The only sodas I drink are diet and I try to drink water.

Your eating habits are probably why.  You probably have to eat more to make your body stop storing everything it gets.  if you dont' eat enough, your body things you are starving and thus tries to store everything it gets.  Skipping meals has the same effect, because if your body doesn't know when it's going to get food next, it stores it instead of trying to metabolize it.

It's recommended to eat 6 times a day, not 6 big meals (an apple can count as one of the in-between meals), but you are supposed to keep hydrated and eat enough to keep your metabolism going.

[Morat20]

That 250 limit on shit sucks. I weigh 280 (which is somewhat below my max). I think my healthiest "post-high school weight" (I don't count that skinny, zillion miles an hour metabolism as healthy) was like 220. Consider I could see abs, although they weren't super defined, and had a 33 waist at 6 foot tall, I figured that was pretty healthy.

(I could also handle an hour long aerobic workout 3xweek, so yeah).

So I'm way over that now, and I'd like to get back down there. Now that my stupid foot is fixed, maybe I'll get off my ass and start walking or something. If I can hold at 280 with a "sit on my ass 8 hours a day" job and no exercise, putting in some time on a treadmill can't hurt.

[Bunk]

If I move away from lots of beer to a steady diet of Bourbon, do you think that would help me drop off some pounds?

Not really unless you are drinking dark beers:

110 calories in a light domestic beer
97.5 in a shot of whiskey

At one a day for 365 days You'll lose 2.5 pounds.

If it's a switch from darker beers, then yes, you'll lose 11 pounds.

Switching from dark beer to *cough* _{dealcoholized} beer at home actually made a huge difference for me. I mainly did it because I was drinking too much, but at half the calories it made a big weight difference as well. Amazingly, I've actually grown used to the taste. Only drink real beer when I go out now.

[LK]

I am reminded that it's better for me to shoot Vodka than drink beer to get drunk...

[Paelos]

I am reminded that it's better for me to shoot Vodka than drink beer to get drunk...

And if you're poor, just buy Popov and run it through a Brita pitcher. 

[LK]

Oh wow. O_O

[Sand]

Back on point, weight loss is enormously hard for some people and especially in this society with the now now now mentality. 6 weeks before you start seeing results is way too far to climb (or drive your scooter).

6 weeks? Hell in 6 weeks people on the Biggest Loser have lost 100 pounds or more. Extreme, but if you're fat you should see pounds coming off in the first week.

People are just lazy. I'll fully admit when I gain weight it's simply because I'm not getting off my ass and not cooking for myself.

While a lot of times it has to do with lazyness, there are times when it is much more complicated.  My gf and I decided to do something about our weight gain, so we joined a gym and have gone every day for the last 26 days.  We eat almost the same, we grill or cook healthy recipes for dinners and have the leftovers for lunch, only have eaten out 3-4 times, and haven't had any alcohol.  If anything I end up cheating and eating more than her, but nothing crazy (jello for desserts, once and a while take a chocolate out of the bowl at work, etc..).

The first week we both lost 4-5lbs.  Now I'm losing again and down an average of 2lbs a week while she's up 6lbs somehow and over her starting weight.  Obviously, there is either some small thing that I am doing that she's not, or her body needs to do something different, but either way we aren't sure why.  Sometimes It's a lot more complicated than "people are lazy"

Though I am sure in regards to the woman in the article, it is because she's lazy, and stupid. 

Muscle weighs more than fat. Your GF is gaining muscle from the gym.

[Sir T]

3 times more from what a health nut guy told me once.

[Cyrrex]

And it's all the more reason that people need to stop using scales as a measurement of progress.  Use the mirror.  Use the measuring tapes.  Use how much you can lift or how long you can run/walk/step.  Use how you feel.

(this from a guy who is obsessed with scales, but whatever)

[Merusk]

And (because, hey why not mention it again) the reason BMI is bullshit.  BULLSHIT.

Nebu had the best story about it.  He has a 6 pack and his doctor told him he had to lose weight because the BMI chart said he was fat. Heh.

[NowhereMan]

Someday, somebody is going to invent something that can make our metabolisms run at high speed all the time, and we can all be lazy, skinny, and happy!

Google dnp (yeah, not quite what you meant but not a million miles away). Also fat people are very strong, interesting thing about reading the SA exercise subforum is all the 300lb nerds losing weight lifting weights that end up being able to squat enormous weights because their legs were already lifting so much.
As for the metabolism thing, women have a harder time shifting fat than men, if Kal and his girlfriend are eating about the same then he'll be losing weight faster. If her weight is going up though there's a good chance she's gaining muscle but not losing much or any fat. She'll probably be looking better and generally healthier though, which is kind of the whole idea. The other thing to bear in mind is that the two most important things with diet are 1) Calorie totals and 2) Macronutrient (carb, protein, fat) split. Eating lots of small meals can be very helpful for people who find they get hungry very easily but I don't think there's much evidence it has any effect beyond that. What that split would be ends up really depending on what you want to be doing and how your body responds to it so someone looking to lift a lot of weight and get big could be minimising carbs and munching down chicken breasts and protein shakes. If you're planning on running a marathon though that diet would probably seriously damage your performance as well as leaving you feeling crappy due to lack of easily available energy.

I can see why people end up getting fat and I don't think there's a single simple fix. Frankly it's a combination of it being easier to eat crappy food, exercise being regarded as something that's difficult and people being genuinely ignorant about healthy eating. It's the kind of thing I think government really should be involved in and back in the early 20th century it was something lots of governments did, most famously Germany but getting people to go to morning exercise clubs and building public pools was something going on around Europe. The UK experienced one of the healthiest periods as a nation when the government took control of people's food shopping and spent lots of time and money promoting healthy eating and exercise back in the 40's and 50's even though that kind of thing would be seen as 'ridiculous nanny statism' nowadays. Frankly I think obesity levels have proved most of the country needs a fucking nanny state to keep prodding them to go for a run or have a swim and that maybe they should replace that apple pie with a salad. Putting a serious clamp down on junk food advertising would be a big help as well and a better system of taxation and assistance for food produce aimed at getting rid of cheap and unhealthy crap while trying to make healthy eating affordable and accessible would also help a lot.

[Cyrrex]

Some of the reasoning behind the "6 meals a day" concept are that a) it keeps your metabolism running at a more constant rate, and b) because your body can only deal with so many calories at a time.

That second one is really, really important, and very few people know it.  Depending on your body (we're all different), you may only be geared to deal with around 600 calories in a setting, max.  So that 1200 calorie burrito you just ate?  Your body might make use of half of it.  The other half either gets shit out, or goes straight to fat storage.  It gets even worse when the first factor is also adding to the issue...if you're skipping breakfast, having a small lunch and eating a gigantic dinner?  You're just asking to be fat.

Another thing, and I hate to be that guy:  Most of you people in the gym?  You're doing it wrong.  Most of you are wasting your time.  90% of the people I see, whether it's weights or cardio (but especially the weights) are clueless.  In my observation, women tend to be the worst offenders.  I genuinely think that people don't understand what they are doing when they are working out. 

[ghost]

Another thing, and I hate to be that guy:  Most of you people in the gym?  You're doing it wrong.  Most of you are wasting your time.  90% of the people I see, whether it's weights or cardio (but especially the weights) are clueless.  In my observation, women tend to be the worst offenders.  I genuinely think that people don't understand what they are doing when they are working out. 

Care to elaborate?

As for the "when you eat" thing, it may play a role at 2500 calories, but if you only are eating 1500 or 1800 calories your body will adapt to however you eat it. 

[Cyrrex]

Care to elaborate?

Where to start?

- People wandering aimlessly, from one machine to the next, no real plan.  Do one wimpy little set, saunter off to the next shiny piece of equipment and do another worthless set.
- Complete lack of challenge when lifting weights.  Most people (especially those using the machines) aren't putting nearly enough weight on.
- Complete lack of challenge on their cardio equipment.  They might be sweating, but that's only because they are warm.  They aren't going nearly fast enough and/or don't have nearly enough resistance on them.  Not even remotely close.  It'll take them 1.5 hours to burn any significant calories, and they give up long before then.
- No clear idea as to what they are trying to achieve.  These are the guys who do curls and/or bench presses every day.  Or the women who do all the leg extensions and hip abductions every day.  Not surprisingly, then never appear to make progress.

And in general....if what you are doing isn't very (perhaps extremely) uncomfortable, then you should probably be working harder.  Most the people at the gym I see are very, very comfortable.

[Nebu]

Most people in the gym could achieve the same results by eating better, walking more, and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.  I agree with you that most people in the gym are wasting their time from a "workout" standpoint, but at least they're doing something.  It's better than being on the couch with a bag of chips.

[Paelos]

It's better than being on the couch with a bag of chips.

It all depends on their expectations. If they go into with the idea of just doing something and not caring about the result, while still going all the time, that's fine. If they get disappointed because they didn't lose 10 pounds that month and only lost 2, that's not.

[Cyrrex]

Most people in the gym could achieve the same results by eating better, walking more, and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.  I agree with you that most people in the gym are wasting their time from a "workout" standpoint, but at least they're doing something.  It's better than being on the couch with a bag of chips.

I know, and for some reason that frustrates me even more.  It's like, you're practically going through all the motions, why not do it right?

I don't know why it bothers me, but it does (especially when they have personal trainers who let them get away with that shit).  I mean, it just makes me look more awesome and superior by comparison  

[Merusk]

Having just come back from the gym I chuckled reading Cyrrex's post because I had similar thoughts the entire time I was there.   I saw at least 4 different women hop on the pec machine and only do one set of 10 with 10-20# of weight.  They pounded those 10 out in a good 5-10 seconds each. 

I'm no Hercules and some of you would laugh at my weight, but at least I know that if there's no strain you're not doing anything at all.  You see the same thing on the leg press, the crunch machine, the shoulder press.   Lots of very small weights for very few repetitions.

As for the treadmills/ ellipticals/ etc not doing enough resistance or speed;  I blame the machine more often than not.  I set all of them to do "fat burn" when I'm on them.  The ones at my gym have cardio sensors and for a guy of 36 they want my heart rate to only be 130 for only 20 mins.   I manually set my heart rate to 145-150 for 30-45 mins and even at that setting it rarely adjusts me above level "2".

[Cyrrex]

It doesn't matter how much weight you can lift.  I'll laugh at the guy who is easily putting up 150, not the guy struggling with 100.  It's the second guy who is going to make progress.*

There's an old adage that I just made up right here on the spot.  Don't do what the strong, buff guy is doing.  Copy the guy who is making progress.

*I'm not talking about warm-up sets or body building principles that call for lighter weights.  Talking about the guy who is a puss.

[01101010]

It doesn't matter how much weight you can lift.  I'll laugh at the guy who is easily putting up 150, not the guy struggling with 100.  It's the second guy who is going to make progress.*

There's an old adage that I just made up right here on the spot.  Don't do what the strong, buff guy is doing.  Copy the guy who is making progress.

*I'm not talking about warm-up sets or body building principles that call for lighter weights.  Talking about the guy who is a puss.

This takes a bit to hammer into the psyche though. Every guy wants to go throw the 45 plates on each side of the bench bar and throw it up like nothing - that is for the style guys that do nothing in the gym. When I started lifting way way back in college, I lifted with a female basketball player who always had more weight on any bar we were working through. Took a leap of faith to work with her in the gym full of guys and to lift "less" than her, but in a few months I was right where I wanted to be. Too many people use the gym as some measuring stick between others in the gym rather than one to be used on your old-self.

[ghost]

There is a very clear benefit for cardiovascular health with even walking briskly, so maybe some of these folks just don't have the same goals for going to the gym.  I would think that even more damning would be the ones that drop off after six months and just quit going altogether, e.g. me.  Of course I've got small kiddos that don't sleep so I have an excuse.  

[Nebu]

Too many people use the gym as some measuring stick between others in the gym rather than one to be used on your old-self.

Some use the measuring stick as a form of motivation, not as a contest.  Besides, I'm more impressed by the guys that can do 10 wide grip pull ups than I am the guy benching 225. 

My personal favorite: The guy that swings his curls up so that he can use bigger dumbbells.  Always gets a chuckle.

[Merusk]

Man, I fucking wish I could do just one pull up.  Even at my fittest and leanest I've never been able to do a proper one.

On the other hand I was able to squat 300# at one point when I weighed 180.   All my power's in my torso and legs, my arms are shit.