Controversy continues

I also feel that kids are VERY AWARE as to whether or not they are overweight. Kids/ teens are, in some ways, more perceptive than adults. I'm not sure that telling them flat out is helping them. I believe they know. If they are overeating, it's often for a very specific reason, frequently not related to food at all. Then, if they have a trusted adult tell them, "You need to lose weight," it's additional blow to their already fragile psyche. They try to reduce calories, find out they can't do it via eating less or better (as they aren't addressing the true problem to begin with), and then resort to very, very unhealthy methods for getting that bottom line result of weighing less. Speaking as a once fat child...it doesn't help ever to be told you're fat or this or that, when you eat the same as your relatively skinny sister. I used to have family members supply a large amount of chocolates and stuff at Christmas, then be told by the same family members that I am overweight and make me feel ashamed with things like "I bet you can't even touch your toes (which is about flexibility not fat anyway).." Better to encourage good habits at the table, and restrict junk food at the in-take--once they have eaten it it is no good to criticise. I try to not double carb now e.g. bread and pasta, bread and potatoes...seems to help. I like the various squash instead of potatoes too. A little of everything and a little exercise is good for us all. I've never had washboard abs since I was 7...30 years later I am not going to kill myself trying for them.

Speaking as a once fat child...it doesn't help ever to be told you're fat or this or that, when you eat the same as your relatively skinny sister. I used to have family members supply a large amount of chocolates and stuff at Christmas, then be told by the same family members that I am overweight and make me feel ashamed with things like "I bet you can't even touch your toes (which is about flexibility not fat anyway).." Better to encourage good habits at the table, and restrict junk food at the in-take--once they have eaten it it is no good to criticise. I try to not double carb now e.g. bread and pasta, bread and potatoes...seems to help. I like the various squash instead of potatoes too. A little of everything and a little exercise is good for us all. I've never had washboard abs since I was 7...30 years later I am not going to kill myself trying for them. Amen to that Rich! If only more parents would follow this sound advise. This was the first year that my mom actually did not tell me at any time during Thanksgiving to, "Stop eating that!" and I'm 34! It was rather liberating.

I think it is dependent on diet and what you are putting into your body. Too much sugar and overprocessed food =weight gain. The intensity of your workouts has a lot to do with it also. There is a big difference in just swimming for an hour and doing interval work and sprints for an hour!

Very interesting thread! I agree with many of the insights mentioned here. I used to be running and lifting weights, as a result my body fat was only 7%, with well defined 6 pack abs. I've since switched from running to swimming. I'd think that swimming burns more calorie and is more taxing than running, but the definition on my abs is beginning to fade. I guess our bodies adjust to the sports we do. As swimmers, our bodies can't be too angular and cut, they need to be more round to create less drag. Sort of like F-22 stealth fighter's round shape to avoid rader detection. While F-15 looks mighty good with its chiseled shape, it has too much angular surface areas that reflect radar beams. Micheal Phelps still has a 6 pack abs probably because he's still so young. Ian Thorpe has never been known to have a chiseled physique. He carries a little extra weight imo. But boy can he glide in the water. He uses the fewest number of strokes to cover the races. He makes swimming look easy. Now the million dollar question is, how can we avid swimmers to continue enjoying swimming while maintaining a well defined body? :mad: Can we have both? Swimming can be a great workout, especially if you're training hard. But to have it all, I think it's better to cross train with other sports and weights. And swimming makes me gain weight even when I lift weights and do core work. I was thinner and more toned as a runner. I'd take my runner's bod back in a heartbeat. Plus, even if some guy swimmers like big shoulders, not many others do. I ran into a tri/personal trainer friend of mine the other day who I hadn't seen in a long time. She said "Oh, are you still swimming?" Then she looked appraisingly at my arms and said, "I see you are, you're less defined." And I thought I had buff arms ... As to the girls, the ones I see with a little belly do not do a sport involving a regular cardiovascular workout. And kids eat a lot of crap these days. I agree with Bill though. Looking at the pros, the guy swimmers have wayyy better bodies than other athletes. Now, back to masters swimming.

From a "non-swimmer" point of view, as a skinny kid I was a fast runner. Surprise I ran competitively as a distance runner (PRs of 4:11 mile and 32:48 10K). I read y'all talk about doing four events over a weekend meet as super-human. The total distance is 200-400M and you tapered for two weeks. For a sprint Tri, I may take a day or two off and just reduce intensity for a day or two, but when I race its 80-90% for over an hour. There may be a cultural difference in expected intensity of the workload. I find on my running days, I crave salty things and usually eat a sandwich or salad. After swimming, its all I can do not to get doughnuts. I too lost my abs from last year after concentrating on swimming. Then my wife told me I was slouching more from swimming. When I stood up straight...there they were! I think you are right its unfair to compare swimming (as a whole) to distance running. When I was competitive I was 5'10" and 104 lbs. Why not compare against Shot putters!?! IMO: If you compare a Pro middle distance runner, cyclist, and swimmer; the swimmer wins hands down for best physique. My question about fat kids is when did girls start getting a spare tire? I thought old men did. Is that from the hormones is the food? Fat boys seems to be just the same as when I was a kid.

My question about fat kids is when did girls start getting a spare tire? I thought old men did. Is that from the hormones is the food? Fat boys seems to be just the same as when I was a kid. Some of the theory is in hormones in food leading to weight gain, earlier onset of puberty etc..but it isn't every girl though...so who knows. In general kids do less activity than even 15 years ago due to videogames and internet etc. Couple that with poverty of time and ease of "driving through" and you have some underlying factors which don't help.

Posted by Knelson: It's kind of strange they don't mention that swimmers don't need to be thinner. It seems obvious to me that runners and cyclists want to be as light (and for cyclists, the bike too) as possible because they're fighting gravity, whereas this isn't true of swimmers. Disagree. Swimming is like climbing a ladder, but horizontally. The heavier you are the more force is required through you arms to pull and accelerate your body. The lighter you are, the less slippage there will be in your catch, especially if you are a powerfull sprinter. There is no arguing otherwise. I'm not saying you can't be "fast" while carrying extra unnecessary weight, but you will be slower than you could be. You will never see an overweight Olympic swimmer...never. The only sport you may get away with it is in baseball, but you better be able to hit home runs or throw 95+. There is a saying in track sprinting "light is right". It is free speed. I remember those hard track workouts and thinking what a shame to do it and then leave free speed on the table by not cutting weight.

Water is the great equalizer. Underestimating someone's ability due to girth can be a big misconception. Lean and mean is great for sprinting. That's a given. But a plus sized athlete can still offer quite a challenge in the distance events or open water marathons. I'd have to vote for the Skipper over Gilligan if they ever tried to swim off of the island. I have to agree with you. I'm tall, lanky and a sprinter. I remember doing the swim leg of a triathlon relay and coming out of the water behind a woman that was at least 20 lbs heavier than me....and I had swam as hard as I could!

Water is the great equalizer. Underestimating someone's ability due to girth can be a big misconception. Lean and mean is great for sprinting. That's a given. But a plus sized athlete can still offer quite a challenge in the distance events or open water marathons. I'd have to vote for the Skipper over Gilligan if they ever tried to swim off of the island.

Very interesting thread! I agree with many of the insights mentioned here. I used to be running and lifting weights, as a result my body fat was only 7%, with well defined 6 pack abs. I've since switched from running to swimming. I'd think that swimming burns more calorie and is more taxing than running, but the definition on my abs is beginning to fade. I guess our bodies adjust to the sports we do. As swimmers, our bodies can't be too angular and cut, they need to be more round to create less drag. Sort of like F-22 stealth fighter's round shape to avoid rader detection. While F-15 looks mighty good with its chiseled shape, it has too much angular surface areas that reflect radar beams. Micheal Phelps still has a 6 pack abs probably because he's still so young. Ian Thorpe has never been known to have a chiseled physique. He carries a little extra weight imo. But boy can he glide in the water. He uses the fewest number of strokes to cover the races. He makes swimming look easy. Now the million dollar question is, how can we avid swimmers to continue enjoying swimming while maintaining a well defined body? :mad: Can we have both?