My Mounjaro Journey Week 20 - Not Acceptable In The 80's

Hello again

Now, I don't know about you, but I've never really enjoyed buying clothes.  I think it's because, when I was young, the biggest size you could buy in almost every shop was a 16 and even they were tiny.  Since the 1980's, sizes have actually got bigger due to something called 'vanity sizing' where companies have increased the amount of material to make clothes meaning, what used to be a size 16 is now a size 14, what used to be a size 14 is now a 12, etc.  The only places you could get larger clothes were specialist shops and catalogues which were mostly used by post menopausal women.  The clothes were rarely nice and mainly comprised of smock like dresses. So, the upshot was, I always had a nightmare finding fashionable clothes that fitted and looked nice. 

As time's gone on and we've got fatter as a nation, clothes manufacturers have upped their game and you can now buy clothes in sizes 8 to 32 in most shops. The invention of stretch denim and leggings have been a game changer for larger women.  Men's clothes have also changed significantly with size 5XL now readily available.  

Obesity rates have increased from 7% of the adult UK population in 1980 to over 60% today.  That's huge (no pun intended). There's no one reason this has happened but, rather, a culmination of circumstances based around our lifestyles and the food industry striving to make food more appetising.

We all know that ultra processed foods are bad for us.  They contain ingredients you wouldn't add yourself when cooking, such as artificial colours or preservatives.  They also contain multiple ingredients such as emulsifiers (an agent that allows liquids like oil and water to blend), artificial flavourings and sweeteners.  These are combined to prolong the shelf life but also to make the products irresistible to humans.  The food industry has spent millions making foods that have just the right amount of salt, sugar, carbs, flavourings and additives that release endorphins in our brains.  This makes us crave more and more and if you're the sort of person who suffers with food noise, these processed foods will be forever calling to you.

I could go on and on about the downsides of ultra processed food but I don't want to bore you to death.  Suffice to say that it's designed to ensure we crave it and, therefore, eat and drink too much of it, which is how we got so fat. Ultra processed foods are also cheaper than buying fresh produce and cooking from scratch which means low income families are more likely to buy ready made meals and high calorie snacks

When I was a kid, we never had crisps, chocolate or fizzy drinks at home unless it was Christmas.  My mum bought one packet of biscuits a week for me and my siblings to share.  Once they were gone, we had to wait until the following week.  We got 10p a week to buy sweets, which, you won't be surprised to hear, I ate in one sitting.  Nowadays, families have a stash of snacks which children eat on a daily basis.  They're also encouraged to snack, something previous generations didn't do.

Then, of course, there's the rise of the fast food chain. McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut, not to mention Greggs, kebab shops and chip shops.  I know people who literally live on the stuff and cook ultra processed food on the nights they're feeling a bit skint.  Doctors are seeing malnutrition in the obese who live on fast food because they're diet is severely lacking in vitamins and minerals. The film Super Size Me follows a man who eats nothing but Maccy D's for a month. He put on nearly two stone and his cholesterol and blood pressure went up.

Another thing that's changed massively is the amount of exercise we take.  Years ago kids were out until it started to get dark; now they're sat in front of a computer screen. They used to walk to school and people walked to work but now they travel by car. 

There are often news stories about the health of the nation and what needs to be done to slow the rise of obesity.  To me, banning ultra processed foods and limiting the hours fast food shops can open would be a step in the right direction. There should also be compulsory cooking and nutrition classes in school, right from age five.  

Let's face it though, none of that will happen because there's too much money in the food industry which is why they are currently working on foods that take into account the effects of GLP-1.  For example, the rise in people opting for protein shakes, desserts and smoothies means many more are being developed and are available in supermarkets.  Scientists are also developing foods that will appeal to people using GLP-1 users.

Here are this weeks stats:

Weight  - 13st 8.5lbs
Mounjaro dose - 7.5mg
BMI - 35.9
Total loss - 2 stone 6.5lbs
Miles walked - 21

I'm currently doing another sponsored walk; only 60 miles this time which is two miles a day. I'm finding it much easier to fit into my daily routine so I think I'll be able to keep it up once the money raising has come to an end.  We'll see.

Bye for now x