The RV lifestyle and obesity

[TCNashville]

I'm glad some of you are considering change. Not only will you look better, you will feel much better and feel much better about yourself. I know I did. Moderation is the key and the first 2 weeks prove to be the most difficult as you will feel hungry a lot. But as your stomach shrinks, those feelings will subside. The equation is simple, put out more than you take in and the weight will come off. Other than selecting healthier food to eat I had/have one simple rule: no bread or potatoes after 6pm which I still stick to, to this day. And of course, these are my personal comments about my weight loss journey, your mileage may vary. Best of luck!

[Jagiven]

Originally Posted by TCNashville

Losing weight, like many other things is a mindset. 12 years ago I tipped the scales at 262. I'm 6'2'' and didn't look all that bad but I was lethargic and tired most of the time. I was 51 at the time and decided it was time for a change so I changed my eating habits and today I weigh 160. It took 8 months to lose the 102lbs and I didn't do it by counting calories but rather looking at the fat content in the food I was consuming. Losing weight is one of the hardest things to accomplish as it takes a huge amount of discipline but can be done by making a decision and sticking to it no matter what others are doing/eating around you.

That is impressive. I'm 6'2" also. I never felt good when I weighed 160. Portion control has been my friend over the years. But as I age, its starting not to be enough.

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by Jagiven

That is impressive. I'm 6'2" also. I never felt good when I weighed 160. Portion control has been my friend over the years. But as I age, its starting not to be enough.

I've been an avid weightlifter since I was 16, did power lifting competitions when I was in college, etc. I never had a problem gaining weight or putting on muscle mass. When other guys were using supplements and strange diets to compete. I could just eat chicken and pasta a bulk up with no issues.

Fast forward to my mid 40's and it is a daily battle to keep my weight down. I exercise 5-days a week, strength training plus a great deal of cardio. Bike riding is my choice when the weather is nice.

Getting to your point on portion control, even with all of the exercise, I really need to watch my diet and quantities in order to keep my weight in check. At my age now, the diet is the key element. I'm 5'8" and currently right at 225. I had been as high as 260 at one point. But, with a lot of effort, I've pretty much settled in to that 225 range now and have stayed here for quite a few years. I'm likely never going to be sub 200, but I feel a lot better 35 lb lower than my peak.

[Woodworker]

I got on a strict Gout diet after seeing what it did to my toe an what may be to come with surgery. Portions of boneless skinless chicken the size of a playing card, no seconds, no this no that. Venison has become a treat not a staple. I lost 15 lbs just like that but for what ever reason I am stuck at a range of weight.
There is a little splurge in what I cook while campin but nothing over the top. What couple of pounds I might gain I lose the following week but it's like our scale doesn't go below a particular weight. It's up 2-4 lbs down 2-4 lbs. Doesn't matter if I've walked for hours in the woods at hunt camp checking cameras or sitting on the couch most of the day because of back pain. I can gain or lose the same 2-4lbs in a day.
Gettin old isn't one of the funner things in life

[klinner28]

I've noticed RV'ing is just representative of the general population.

Go on a cruise ship and you'll see the world is inverse of the 80's... i.e. where the thin person is the rarity.

[garywilson]

Wife taught me not to mention weight.
So, some are a little fluffy.
Others are just easier to see.
Some make dinner a social event.
Some of us just don't like to eat.

[Bippygma]

Originally Posted by SkyBound

Honest question here...

Throughout our 8 seasons of RVing we have learned and observed many things. This year there have been a couple new ones. We typically camp provincial parks and the private RV resort thing is a newer thing now that we have kids of age to benefit from the extra amenities.

That being said, we saw that an estimated 3/4 or more of the guests that stayed there were obese. This brought me to the question of which came first?

Does the RV lifestyle attract overweight people? Or does the RV lifestyle cause people to become overweight?

Throughout our extended stay, most people just sat around all day and ate/drank. It was a profound observation that led me to the question.

Thoughts?

Are you people serious? You should be minding your own business and doing your own thing. Let the others take care of themselves. RV parks and campgrounds are for people to enjoy how they see fit and should be a Judgement Free Zone. This forum is for help with your RV.

[spark of insanity]

I am on the over weight side and I do a lot more exercise while camping then I do at home. Not sure why but I guess it is the out door air?

[gatorboy]

Like most things in life, you get out of it what you put in to it. You drink lots of beer and eat lots of salty snacks... well, you get the picture. Most of our rv sites are in US National Parks because I'm a seasonal Park Ranger. Most visitors to the parks are there to not sit but to involve themselves which encourages a healthy lifestyle. On the occasion that my park has no rv sites and I'm forced to go to a commercial site, I do encounter more people who are more sedentary. I also have observed that parks in the western states attract the most physically active visitors. The parks in Dixie on the other hand...

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by Bippygma

Are you people serious? You should be minding your own business and doing your own thing. Let the others take care of themselves. RV parks and campgrounds are for people to enjoy how they see fit and should be a Judgement Free Zone. This forum is for help with your RV.

Observation is not judgement, apparently in today’s society that fact has been forgotten.
I can observe if people are tall or short. I can observe if people are obese or thin. I can observe if someone is a different race than myself. I can observe if someone seems smarter or less intelligent than I am. I can observe if someone is docile or aggressive. I can observe if someone is athletic or clumsy. This is a very big world full of lots of different people and making observations about the differences between us all is not judgement, it’s life. This quick to anger, defensive society we live in is becoming quite tiresome.

This is not a forum solely for help with your RV, this is a forum about the RV lifestyle and all things involved. Including the people who use them

[whackynurse]

Originally Posted by SouthCo

I laughed out loud when I read this. Although I am fit, I don’t really pay attention to what other campers do or look like. I could not care less as long as they are quiet when I’m sleeping lol...

Way too many people judging others in life... If someone wants to eat chips and drink beer all day, whether camping or not, who cares?

Thank you! wow I was almost ready to be self conscious over my weight and the scars on my legs from having my leg rebuilt after three surgeries..can't run or hike on even ground. I am happy to have two legs!

[deano]

My wife and I have been camping for over 35 years and haven't noticed all the obese campers ,guess we haven't been looking hard enough .

[Dave A]

Originally Posted by SkyBound

Honest question here...

Throughout our 8 seasons of RVing we have learned and observed many things. This year there have been a couple new ones. We typically camp provincial parks and the private RV resort thing is a newer thing now that we have kids of age to benefit from the extra amenities.

That being said, we saw that an estimated 3/4 or more of the guests that stayed there were obese. This brought me to the question of which came first?

Does the RV lifestyle attract overweight people? Or does the RV lifestyle cause people to become overweight?

Throughout our extended stay, most people just sat around all day and ate/drank. It was a profound observation that led me to the question.

Thoughts?

I had people park next to us in campgrounds, they hook up and go inside the RV and you never see them again. You could do that at home in the driveway!

[TCNashville]

Originally Posted by Screwby

Observation is not judgement, apparently in today’s society that fact has been forgotten.
I can observe if people are tall or short. I can observe if people are obese or thin. I can observe if someone is a different race than myself. I can observe if someone seems smarter or less intelligent than I am. I can observe if someone is docile or aggressive. I can observe if someone is athletic or clumsy. This is a very big world full of lots of different people and making observations about the differences between us all is not judgement, it’s life. This quick to anger, defensive society we live in is becoming quite tiresome.

This is not a forum solely for help with your RV, this is a forum about the RV lifestyle and all things involved. Including the people who use them

Very well said....and as I don't consider myself an introvert, I tend to avoid people because of the annoyingly defensive, self absorbed nature of people today.

[klinkajv]

Maybe you could setup a health police and take away overweight people's food and drink. Another idea would be to force the overweights to goto a special training camp. Just thinking but it's time for a beer and hot dog …….

[Woodworker]

Originally Posted by klinkajv

Maybe you could setup a health police and take away overweight people's food and drink. Another idea would be to force the overweights to goto a special training camp. Just thinking but it's time for a beer and hot dog …….

Lite beer an vegan got dog right?

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by klinkajv

Maybe you could setup a health police and take away overweight people's food and drink. Another idea would be to force the overweights to goto a special training camp. Just thinking but it's time for a beer and hot dog …….

Once again, super defensive outraged comment. But your right, instead of even entertaining the idea that there might be an obesity issue in the United States (which there are articles daily in heath journals that say this exact statement) we should turn a blind eye, mind our own business, not be concerned for the health of our friends, family, and fellow Americans and just keep our nose out of it. We should just to continue to laugh and joke about how terrible we all eat and pat our bellies as we tell each other it’s ok to be “fat and happy”. As our cholesterol skyrockets, kidneys scream for mercy, hearts and lungs struggle to find homeostasis in a wreck of a body and Type 2 diabetes becomes more and more prevalent in our younger generation who look to us for an example of how to take care of ourselves we should just let it be what it is.
No one is judging anyone so why do people keep getting offended? We are all here to have a general discussion about a problem that we all face and throwing down the gauntlet because someone is talking about something uncomfortable is ludicrous. So we live in a time where Americans are more obese than we’ve ever been and the healthcare system is crumbling under massive amounts of health issues related poor diet and lifestyle but we dare not discuss it? Go talk to a doctor or nurse and ask what percentage of hospital visits are related back to what we are discussing. Come stroll the halls of the hospital, ride on an ambulance with me for a day or visit a nursing home and take a look around at the overall issues of the average person seeking medical assistance. When we have to dispatch fire depts out for “lift assists” and our ambulances now being outfitted with lift systems because patients are getting so obese we can’t physically lift them is there not a problem to discuss? This issue affects everyone, physically (literally), mentally (bullying, dealing with it personally or seeing someone struggle with it), and monetarily (health insurance is astronomical because of trickle down rates).
Sorry to get on a soapbox and go off on a tangent on this subject but this put in blinders, mind your own business, where’s my safe space society is just damn frustrating.

[Old and soft]

Harassing me about my beer ( or whatever stick is up your a#$ at the time) on my only day off could be hazardous to YOUR health. We are all broken, I am 20#over and like beer. What is your defect? The bible thumper at boy scouts heard an earfull when he told me I needed to be saved ( not in front of the kids, that is not my defect). Be careful where you throw stones.

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by Old and soft

Harassing me about my beer ( or whatever stick is up your a#$ at the time) on my only day off could be hazardous to YOUR health. We are all broken, I am 20#over and like beer. What is your defect? The bible thumper at boy scouts heard an earfull when he told me I needed to be saved ( not in front of the kids, that is not my defect). Be careful where you throw stones.

Lol, good stuff my friend. Why would I harass you about your beer? I like beer too. My defect is I work around sick people who eat like crap, don’t exercise, and have no regard for their own personal health until they are scared and praying in the back of an emergent ambulance.
Threatening me with violence, this is the wrong tree my friend, go bark somewhere else.

[garywilson]

When reading this thread last night, I went through one package of 'tater chips, one package of Cheetoes, and 5 cigarettes.

Following up today, I've gone through two packages of peanut M&Ms and working on a third.

I guess I'm going to have to cut back on obesity messages... they make me hungry for junk food!