Why it was easier to stay slim in the ‘80s

EVEN if you eat same amount of calories, and go to the gym as much as you did 30 years ago, you are still likely to be significantly fatter. Depressing, huh?

I HAVE some very sad news to share with you all, particularly for those among us who can remember the 1980s.

Even if you consume exactly the same amount of calories, and go to the gym as much as you did 30 years ago, you are still likely to be significantly fatter. I told you it was depressing news. A recent scientific paper published in the journal Obesity Research and Clinical Practice has found that it is significantly harder for individuals to maintain their weight, even with same diet and exercise regimes than it was 20-30 years ago. Indeed this may explain why so many of us experience the gradual weight creep as we get older.

While this data is interesting, more to the point is why this occurs; what has changed so drastically over the past 20 years that sees us gain weight so easily? Researchers hypothesised that increased exposure to chemicals; the increased use of antidepressant medication and changes in gut bacteria attributed to dietary changes may all explain our increased propensity to gain weight. While some if not all of these factors may be implicated, I have a few hypotheses of my own that may also explain why we are significantly heavier than we were 20-30 years ago and most importantly, what we can do about it.

1) We eat more

It may not be rocket science but the truth it that whether it is because we snack more; our portion sizes are bigger or that we reward ourselves more with food chances are you are consuming 300-400 more calories a day = gradual weight gain. Look at our small children for example, no longer are there three meals or even three meals and two snacks each day, rather there is a constant grazing pattern which sees them eat from the minute they get up until they go to sleep. Adults are no different, long gone are three meals rather there are three meals, three snacks and coffee, biscuits and fruit in between. The truth is we eat too much, too often which basically equals weight gain.

The solution? Eat only at meal times. Make a concerted effort to order small portions and share large serving sizes. Keep a record for a day of how often food enters your mouth, you will be surprised.

2) Our love of technology

Email, mobile phones, social media and a range of home entertainment options means that we sit down more than ever before. How often are you on Facebook or Instagram standing up? The more we sit down, the fewer calories we burn but even more relevant is the fact that our cells become less efficient in processing fuel the less active they are. This means that our metabolic rate decreases over time, and we need fewer and fewer calories than ever before.

The solution? Stand up more; invest in a standing desk at home and at work. Limit your time on social media and watching television; invest in a pedometer to keep a close eye on the number of steps you walk each day.

3) The coffee culture

In the 1970s and 1980s we enjoyed a long black or instant coffee with a dash of milk. Fast forward 20 years and almost every person starts the day with a cup of milky coffee, which is a source of caffeine but also plenty of milk and calories. The issue with liquid sugars whether it is in soft drink, milk coffee or alcohol is that the body does not compensate well for liquid calories which means we do not eat 200-300 fewer calories when we have enjoyed a large Latte or two. The result, gradual weight gain over time.

The solution? Always order a small coffee; stick to one milk coffee a day. Choose tea or black coffee instead and remember that a small latte or flat white has as many calories as a small slice of toast.

4) Food is more processed

Consider the snack food section of the supermarket which did not really exist in the 1970s. Or the types of breads and cereals we can now buy. As food technology has advanced so too has the calorie density and the range of foods we can purchase. Take Turkish bread for example, not readily available in supermarkets twenty years ago, Turkish bread contains 2-3x the calories and carbohydrates of the small slices of bread we had for our sandwiches at school. Overall these extra calories add up on a daily basis which again equates to gradual weight gain

The solution? Go for smaller sizes of everything in a packet; reduce your intake of processed foods; check calorie and carbohydrate quantities per serve on food labels to get an idea of which foods are higher in energy.

Originally published as Why it was easier to stay slim in the ‘80s