Fighting fat

[Montivagus]

I keep seeing comments about the weight of Ray Mears and I wonder…..
I wonder if I’m cast into a survival situation, especially a cold one, would it not be
better to be fit and fat than to be fit and thin? I mean it’s not like Ray’s an unfit TV
watching dumpling.(And that’s not the sort of fat I’m talking about here!)
Surely the best preparation for a bushcraft expedition in the wilderness areas of the
greater part of the northern hemisphere would be to put on a few kilos of
reserves/insulation!
I myself don’t have an ounce of fat on me and have to wear more clothing in cold
environments - may well have to eat more food to keep warm etc. and can’t help
thinking that maybe natural selection would consider fighting fit, temperate to arctic,
as fighting fat!
What do you reckon? Is his waist line just one more thing Ray has got right?

 

[Stuart]

provided your of a high standard of physical fitness an additional layer of insulation and calorie reserve can only be of benefit, provided it does not impede you physical performance or the heat dissipation requirements the environment in which your are operating.

as for people who make such remarks, they normally betray their owners inadequacy. If your appearance is the only thing someone can find to criticize you for, your doing very well indeed.

 

[Ogri the trog]

A few pounds can't be too bad for you. I remember the acceptance in the forces that; rather than try to keep fighting men at 95% battle fitness, they would accept a few pounds over, in the belief that, in the actual stress of battle, each man would achieve his optimum performance and be better for it than to have hovered just below peak levels for an extended period.
I've just read "Blizard", The BBC's account of the recreation of Scotts journey to the pole - the modern British team suffered from the cold once they had no more body fat as insulation/energy reserve.
Nevertheless - none of the above can account for the extra spare tyres that I'm carrying and I could do with loosing some of them at least

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Doc]

Your body mass index is your kg weight divided by your height in metres squared. Calculator for doing this is at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_living/your_weight/bmiimperial_index.shtml

'Normal' BMI is 20-25. 25-30 is overweight. Over 30 is obesity.

Interestingly, studies have shown the lowest mortality is at a BMI of 24 to 27, amthough it should be said there are a lot of confounding variables. There is no doubt that a BMI over 30 is associated with significant health risks, but it's possible that being very slightly overweight is quite ok.

I also read of an Alaskan expedition where the plan is to travel unsupported for 3 weeks without foraging/hunting/fishing. About 2/3 of the necessary food was to be carried. The remainder was to be body fat reserves, and team members were expected to lose significant weight.

 

[spamel]

Well, I have a good source that tells me Ray ate three Big Mac meals on his way to RMB Chivenor, in one go! Saying that, I don't have a problem with his weight, I wouldn't say he is fat, a bit chubby maybe, but I've seen bigger blokes in the forces!

And the statement about keeping a reserve of fat, that's spot on. I am skinny as you wish and don't have to work at it, but I will be gibbering long before Ray gets cold. I tend to suffer more than others in the winter due to my lack of body fat, which I have been told can be sorted out by having a pint of guiness and a block of lard for breakfast each day! I think I'd rather stay skinny!!

 

[Montivagus]

.

Interestingly, studies have shown the lowest mortality is at a BMI of 24 to 27, amthough it should be said there are a lot of confounding variables. There is no doubt that a BMI over 30 is associated with significant health risks, but it's possible that being very slightly overweight is quite ok.

Lowest mortality from what and in what circumstances!??
I'm pretty sure the eventual mortality rate is 100% whatever weight you are.

 

[Ogri the trog]

I'm pretty sure the eventual mortality rate is 100% whatever weight you are.

Priceless, another excuse to stump the racing snakes

Ogri the trog

 

[sharp88]

Ray Mears is chubby, no doubt - I mean in the more recent shows where hes in the jungle you can see hes finding it a bit hard - but regardless of his weight, hes still very knowledgable and independent in the wilderness.

I can't say Im thin, I eat way too much cr*p food and drink alot of beer and as a result of this Im on a diet. Yeah ok, I admit Im pretty fat.

I reckon you wanna be lightweight and fit, but with 'a little pork on the side' so to speak. Cant say Iv ever felt the cold much, I walked around all winter before last, in a t-shirt! My arms got a bit wind-burn't, but that was about it - as long as I kept moving, I was fine.

 

[Montivagus]

I've worked out my BMI as 21.5 as things stand. This means I've got to put on 12 kilos to get into the healthy group..pass me the stout and lard

 

[The Joker]

I've worked out my BMI as 21.5 as things stand. This means I've got to put on 12 kilos to get into the healthy group..pass me the stout and lard

Your BMI is spot on.......Ideal 18.5/25

Not saying what mine is

 

[sharp88]

The BMI said I was overweight for my height. Im 6' 2''.

 

[Tadpole]

The BMI is on the whole a crock. When I was running 40 miles a week, training at the gym and swimming. (My resting heart was 41 bpm) I regularly was 6 minute mileing a 10mile race, my BMI had me well over weight for my height, but a proper skin fold test carried out by a senior coach at my old running club had me just borderline overweight.

my Caveat, is this: as with every other “Average measurement calculation” it does not, nor can it take, into account the vagaries of the condition called being human individuals. It lumps us all together and treats us as clones. I come from a long line of “fat people” and I have to say genetics has a part to play. If you want to lose weight do it for the right reasons, not because some harassed doctor says that according to the charts in his/her book, you should weight as much as Kate Moss’s left eyebrow.

 

[The Joker]

The BMI is on the whole a crock. When I was running 40 miles a week, training at the gym and swimming. (My resting heart was 41 bpm) I regularly was 6 minute mileing a 10mile race, my BMI had me well over weight for my height, but a proper skin fold test carried out by a senior coach at my old running club had me just borderline overweight.

my Caveat, is this: as with every other “Average measurement calculation” it does not, nor can it take, into account the vagaries of the condition called being human individuals. It lumps us all together and treats us as clones. I come from a long line of “fat people” and I have to say genetics has a part to play. If you want to lose weight do it for the right reasons, not because some harassed doctor says that according to the charts in his/her book, you should weight as much as Kate Moss’s left eyebrow.

Oh my god Kate Moss's left eyebrow's weight is 14 stone...............I'd never of thought that.

I agree with ya really

 

[JonnyP]

How dare it, it accused me of being overweight, can't believe it, its not true............

 

[Tadpole]

Oh my god Kate Moss's left eyebrow's weight is 14 stone...............I'd never of thought that.

her and my left leg Apparently

 

[xairbourne]

I just wonder how it gets 32.44 for me and does not take into account your build, I would love to be weighed in water (seen it on tv) to get my muscle weight. Ok I could loose a couple of pounds to be ideal… but I don’t suffer from the cold like the others when we go out… I think its better to have a few pounds on you anyway.

 

[JohnC]

I'm not over weight, I'm under-height.

I do recall somewhere a thread on a lightweight backpacking forum about shaving ounces off your backpacking kit weight.
Somone pointed out that if they were overweight, losing 10lb would be (potentially) healthier.

 

[Ogri the trog]

I'm not over weight, I'm under-height.

Yup, me too,
According to the latest charts, I should be eleven feet nineteen inches

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Doc]

As Tadpole suggests, the BMI is a rather blunt instrument. The government insists GPs record height and weight when patients register, and annually for patients with certain chronic diseases.

What is certain though, is that as a population we are getting fatter, and obesity is very clearly linked with heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and, to put it bluntly, dying younger.

As for America, their population obesity problem is even worse than ours.

Central fat (around and above the waistline) is more closely linked with ill health than peripheral fat, and some argue we should forget BMI and concentrate on waist (or, strictly, just above the waist) measurements.

Anyway. I wouldn't get too hung up about it. In my experience, people who are too heavy are well aware of the fact and measuring the BMI isn't really helpful. Obesity is determined largely by genes and modern lifestyles.

I would like to become a diet guru like Dr Atkins, but I doubt I would sell many copies of a book with only four words; 'Move more, eat less.'

 

[Simca]

"but I don’t suffer from the cold like the others when we go out…"

Hm, what is better, haul around x kilos of fat everytime, or 200g of fleece pullover just when it's cold out there?

(ps. I'm in the first group too and it's not that good, especially in the summer, when - unlike the fleece - one can't just get out of his extra insulation easily. So I'm working on it to finally feel that cold the skinny people talking about )