Why I Believe Obesity Starts Before We Look Overweight...
At the core, I believe we’re breaking our metabolic systems long before we hit the clinical definition of obesity. You don’t have to be eating donuts six times a day for the damage to begin. The ingredients that chip away at gut health, hormone regulation, and appetite signaling are hiding in everyday “normal” foods: sauces, frozen meals, shelf-stable pastas, packaged breads.
And over time, the system buckles.
What I’ve Observed
People in the U.S. are heavier than in other developed countries.
Weight gain creeps up slowly but steadily across adulthood.
Our diets are chronically low in fiber.
Many thin people still eat poorly, but don’t gain weight in the same way—because not everyone carries the same genetic risks.
These things together point to a deeper story.
The Questions That Bother Me
Why do so many of us keep gaining weight over time?
If diet alone is the culprit, why aren’t all people overweight?
Why is it so hard to keep weight off once we lose it?
These are the questions I’m using this blog to explore.
The Broken Calorie Counter
Here’s my working theory: it’s like the calorie counter in our bodies breaks.
We don’t start eating “for the fat person we’ll become.” We eat what looks like normal portions—pasta, sandwiches, fruit, nuts—but the system inside us is already disrupted. And the more weight we gain, the more those disruptions amplify:
Extra fat alters hormone signaling.
Hormone resistance drives stronger cravings.
Processed food worsens the cycle.
Over time, our hunger cues overshoot our true needs. That’s why “just eating normal” can still slowly move the belt loop over.
Why Gut Health Is at the Center
The science backs up this gut-centered perspective:
GLP-1 and satiety signaling: These are the same pathways expensive new drugs (like Ozempic) target. But your gut bacteria influence them naturally.
Fiber and fermentation: Most Americans eat half or less of the recommended fiber, yet fiber feeds gut microbes that regulate hormones like leptin and GLP-1. Low fiber intake sets up resistance.
Fat tissue and signaling: Weight gain itself disrupts hormonal feedback loops, making the problem self-reinforcing.
So the thin person eating fast food might get away with it longer—genetics protects them for now. But for many of us, the gut takes the hit first.
Why I’m Not Counting Macros or Calories
This is something I have to live with, not just endure for a season. That means:
I’m not cutting out cheap wine or noodles entirely. I just use them less often and choose less-processed versions when they do show up—because my family isn’t giving them up, and I’m not trying to live in a food warzone.
I’m not tracking macros, weighing meals, or tallying calories. That kind of micromanagement doesn’t fix the underlying signals—and I know it’s not sustainable for me.
Instead, my focus is on feeding the gut what it needs to repair the system: fiber, variety, fermented foods, and less dependence on ultra-processed fillers.
How Skewed Our View Really Is
Our cultural understanding of obesity is dangerously skewed. Even many dietitians keep repeating the same tired narrative: fat people eat junk, thin people don’t. That’s not only wrong—it’s harmful.
The truth: most people aren’t fat before they get fat. Nobody looks in the mirror one day and says, I’d like to double my weight this decade. But science confirms obesity is progressive. Each 10 pounds makes the next 10 easier to gain, because fat itself worsens appetite signaling.
And when we mock someone’s food choices or distance ourselves with, “I would never eat that,” we ignore the real danger: the slow slide from “normal” packaged foods, bottled sauces, and processed staples into a place where the gut starts screaming for more, louder, and louder.
The tragedy is, you can’t just willpower that screaming away. But you can try to change the signals.
What I’m Doing About It
I’m not a chef, never will be. But I’m exploring foods from around the world—real meals with real fiber, not diet plans or calorie spreadsheets. I’m weaving in fermented foods here and there to restore diversity in my gut bacteria.
It’s been surprisingly fun and easier than I expected, though not without challenges—especially since the thin people in my household still happily eat highly processed foods that would send me further down the path I’m trying to get off.
That’s the heart of this blog: to document the weird, messy, sometimes funny, sometimes frustrating process of experimenting my way back to health in a way I can actually live with.
Comments
Post a Comment