dieting dietitian

Should a fat governor run for president?

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:17:00 +0000

It's all over the Internet. The women of The View can't stop chattering about it. Does it matter that Governor Christie is fat--really fat, visibly fat, overly fat. I am not a supporter of his politics but I keep wondering about all the hoopla over his weight. Our present president was an admitted smoker when he was elected. Is this outcry and interest over Christie's weight just a fat acceptance issue? Is his life (health) more in jeopardy than Obama's was when he was a smoker (Obama says he's conquered his habit). Even I'm not so sure how I feel about this! Health seems to be an important issue for a president. The electorate wondered about McCain's age. Obama's smoking. I wondered about Bush's substance abuse issues way back when. Well, as far as we know, Bush didn't relapse, McCain is still hanging in there and Obama has stopped smoking without any apparent ill effects. So, does it matter that Christie is fat? Shouldn't we be focusing on his politics????

Fast Food and Calories

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 03:28:00 +0000

I don't eat fast food. I've never tasted Wendy's or Burger King or Taco Bell. Have only had McD's a few times because that was my kids' favorite when they were young. Never been to Arby's or Carl's Jr. Can't say that I don't like the food because I've never sampled it. Just never liked the way the food smelled so was never tempted.
A new fast food burger restaurant from California opened up near our house this past week. I knew my husband wanted to try it. Since I was busy watching the Emmys, I suggested he bring some food home from the place. Before he left, I checked the web site for the menu and also clicked on the nutrition info tab.
Whoa. Burger, 470 calories. French fries, 440 calories. Chocolate shake, 820 calories. What! So one meal could add up to more calories than I should have in a day. And, honestly, wasn't that much food in quantity. Holy #*%.
I know. I'm a dietitian. I should know how many calories are in these foods but when it comes to restaurants (whether fast food or traditional), I have no idea how they prepared the food so I can't guess how many calories are in the dish. Take the burger from this new place: thin, didn't look like it weighed more than 3 ounces. The bun? Just an ordinary white bun, a little too large for the burger. A smear of mayo, some lettuce, one slice of tomato and two pickle slices. The fries. Well, okay. Fried in oil. I get it. The shake? What do they put in the shake? I didn't have one so I don't know how thick it was or how big but that's a lot of calories for one drink!
Pretty shocking.
A while back when NYC was getting ready to start posting nutrition information in fast food restaurants, I gave an interview to a journalist about the impending posting. I didn't think it would make any difference to the ordinary consumer who was making choices based solely on taste (and maybe also price). I thought an informed consumer (like I am), might, however, be swayed by calorie counts. I never would have been a repeat offender at this place because I'm not a fan of the food but the calorie information certainly did keep me from ordering that shake!
I gotta admit, though, that right now I could use some thick and creamy and cold like a chocolate shake.

10 minutes a day

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 01:29:00 +0000

There's an ad on my google home page: Tone your butt and abs in just 10 minutes a day. Okay. Sounds good. So why aren't my butt and abs toned when I do about 2 hours of exercise a day? I should be like steel. Like iron. My abs should be like cement.

Parental Responsibility

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:06:00 +0000

My mother loved chocolate and cheesecake and french fries. She kept a monster-sized Hershey's milk chocolate bar on the kitchen counter. Every once in a while (and I do not mean every five minutes) she would break off a tiny piece-one even smaller than the marked squares on the bar-to slowly savor while she did her chores.
My mother baked the creamiest most delicious cheesecakes. She would give my father one slice with his evening coffee. Her portion was what was stuck to the knife.
We had homemade french fries probably five nights a week (the other nights we might have pasta or mashed potatoes). I don't ever remember seeing my mother eat more than four or five slender fries.
So, no, my mother was not fat. Not even close. But her likes did influence mine. The difference is that I don't exercise the control that she did. One monster size chocolate bar might last me one day. And even though I don't like cheesecake that much, I would never be satisfied with what was left on the knife after slicing.
Fries. I have a strong feeling about french fries--I love them! A few slender fries would be a tease and definitely lead to many more.
So since my mother introduced me to these foods, is she responsible for my obesity? Because that's what's being debated right now. Should parents be punished for their kids' weight?
On the flip side, if a child suffers from anorexia is there a punishment for that, too? And drug addiction? Poor grades in school?
If you believe that parents of a toddler are responsibile since they are fully in control of what is fed to the child, then what about an obese teen? Should parents be held responsible for how much and what a teenager eats?
This is a sticky issue. According to child feeding expert Ellen Satler, parents decide what is brought into the house and what is served and the kids should decide how much they eat (very simplistic explanation for her recommendations). If parents buy and serve sweetened beverages, fried foods and desserts with every meal, that makes it pretty hard for a kid to avoid obesity even if she is very active and even if she eats only until satisfied. So parents do have some responsibility-especially for very young children who cannot fend for themselves.
I'm just not sure the present discussion about punishing parents for their kids' weight issues is a fair one. That implies that there's only one cause for obesity: eating too much (of the "wrong" foods). If you believe that, then you've not kept up with the research.

Beauty Queen Weight Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:50:00 +0000

Just saw Miss South Carolina on Today Show. She lost over 100 pounds by eating well and exercising. Shocking! I'm thinking she's particularly "lean" in her swimsuit or so she looks on my TV screen but she looks fit and, dare I say, buff! Her legs look great. And not just because she's wearing those stilt high heels but because she's got muscle there.
She didn't talk about following any particular diet plan or counting calories. She said, "Whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean meats and exercise." Goodness. Is that some sort of fad diet?
She denies having had plastic surgery and I'll believe her because to lie about it might jeopardize her entry into Miss America contest.
She admits to exercising three hours a day before a competition but less than that when she is not competing which tells me that she knows three hours a day is excessive for the average person. Good.
Healthy foods and exercise. Who knew!

Guilt Free and other damaging phrases

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 16:54:00 +0000

I might have written about this before but I'm not going to take the time to go back thru all the posts to find out. If it sounds familiar, forgive me and move on.
In the last week I've read a few blog posts about "guilt free" desserts and "guilt free" BBQ options for July 4th. Really? I should be guilty if I eat something that tastes good on a holiday?
Sure. I understand. A 500 calorie slice of cheesecake is probably not a good idea if I'm eating it nightly while lounging on the couch, remote in hand, after a dinner of ribs, fries and soda. But it's the 4th of July, folks. A day to celebrate. Not a day to worry about guilt.
A burger. Maybe some potato salad made with real mayonnaise. Pie topped with ice cream for dessert. Just on Monday. For the holiday. And not a turkey or veggie burger on a whole wheat bun accompanied by potato salad made with fat free yogurt and a plate of fresh berries (delicious though they might be) topped with fat free yogurt mixed with vanilla and Splenda.
You can have that food on Tuesday, July 5th.
Implying that eating something "fattening" should fill me with guilt is a pretty sick idea. Eating shouldn't make a person feel guilty--regardless of what or how much they've eaten or where or how they've eaten it.
Guilt is for murder, rape and other violence against people and animals. Remorse. But not for eating something that perhaps is forbidden on your "diet".
I know. Articles like that grab your attention. You're thinking--I can have my cake and eat it, too. Yes, you can. You can have your "real" cake. Not your ersatz cake. Just this one time. Go for it. Enjoy it. Savor it. Because on Monday you're going to have to go back to deprivation.
End of rant.

Secrets that aren't secrets

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:54:00 +0000

From my facebook page today: Articles on the "secret" to maintaining weight loss and the 5 (or 10 or 20) diet foods that are sure to help you lose weight.
Secret? Really? Is it a secret that you should eat less than you did when you were fat if you want to maintain weight loss? Is there really some secret that no one knows about that will ensure no weight gain? These are just the buzz words that catch your eye and get you excited. Then you read the article and discover that the secret tips are just to eat less and exercise more. Or maybe don't buy trigger foods. Or stock your fridge with healthy (whatever that means) snacks. Or the best, eat lots of vegetables. Ooooh. The secret is revealed.
As for the top whatever number of diet foods to help you lose weight--let me guess: Vegetables (volume) are one (or all). Lean protein, of course. Stay hydrated. Puleeze. Heard it all before.
If you don't have something new to say, then please don't rehash and regurgitate. There is no secret. We fatties know what has to be done. There are no magic diet foods. So, stop. Just stop promising me something that you cannot deliver.

Happy Birthday to ME

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:41:00 +0000

It's Flag Day and my birthday. When I was a kid, my parents told me that the flags people put out were in honor of my birthday so I've always thought I was something special! Thank you, Americans, for honoring my birthday.
In the past, this has been a special day for me. This year, I'm feeling a little uncomfortable. My mother died during this same year of her life. It's not that I think I'm going to die this year (not) but it's sad to me that she missed out on so much because I feel great so I can't imagine that at this age she was so sick that she died. Sad.
Back to me.
I'm still fat. You know, each year I think that on my next birthday I'll be "smaller" but of course it never happens. So I'm going to stop thinking and wishing for it. I just want to be alive on my next birthday!
So far today (and it's only 9:30 am), I've eaten two cupcakes. I baked them last night at 10 pm to take to aerobics class this afternoon to celebrate my birthday. They still need to be frosted but they were tasty without any frosting and quite sweet enough.
There will be more eating today. I mean, I eat on non birthdays so of course I'm going to eat on my birthday. Indian food. To start. Possibly fried food to end the day. Not sure. Right now, cupcakes have filled my tummy and I'm not thinking of anything that I particularly want.
So cheers to me for my birthday. For another year. As my life ahead of me gets shorter, I definitely do appreciate each day a little bit more.

Rule #1

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Wed, 25 May 2011 23:54:00 +0000

If you're trying to lose weight or even maintain weight, Rule #1 is never to buy a "trigger" food. I love crispy salty foods like potato chips but especially those bagel chips from Trader Joe's.
Rule #1: Don't buy bagel chips at Trader Joe's.
I broke the rule. Bought the "Everything" bagel chips. Gone. The whole bag. Eaten. By me. One person. One sitting.
How many servings were in the bag? Six.
And Rule #2: Don't eat mindlessly.
Broken.
I ate the bag while reading the WSJ. Kind of knew I was going too far but, "crunch, crunch", they were good. Just enough fat on my fingers from the chips for the salt to stick to them. Perfect. With an icy cold Snapple.
Oh, well. Guilt is not productive so no guilt. Just a stomach ache.

Xena Welcomes You

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Thu, 19 May 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Just saw the blog post on Chow Bella (http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bella/) about Xena. Not sure if all the hoopla this week actually did bring anyone here (and the poster spelled "dietitian" with a "c" so it's possible no one will find the blog) but if you're here because you read about Xena, hello. I've been writing this blog for a few years--ever since I tried (and succeeded but then failed) to lose some weight. You might enjoy starting at the beginning. None of my posts are very long. I'm way too lazy to write long involved researched posts.
Oh, and Xena is home safe and sound. Happy. Sleeping right now. I'm so grateful to everyone who helped me find her--thank you to everyone who posted on their blog or shared on their facebook page or tweeted for me. We love our big (Xena weighs 75 pounds and stands over 5 feet on her hind legs) sweetheart who most probably kissed the burglars until they left out of frustration instead of fear.

Another dietitian's blog post on 17 day diet

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Mon, 16 May 2011 22:32:00 +0000

I just read this post by another dietitian. I thought she did a great job so I'm sending it along to all of you.

http://www.beyonddiets.com/beyonddiets-blog/2011/5/16/book-review-the-17-day-diet.html

Oh, hi

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Mon, 16 May 2011 21:42:00 +0000

Just wanted to greet everyone who found this blog last week after the burglary and loss of my sweet precious dog (who has since been returned....reluctantly).
Maybe you're here because you read Jess Harter's post about the freelance food writer whose dog disappeared after her house was burglarized and you were curious about who and what. Well, here we are. A blog written by a dietitian who eats her veggies but can't seem to stay away from french fries is maybe not what you expected.
As for the dog--I knew she would go straight to the park near our house because we go there every day for a walk. I did go to look for her three times but no sign of her. My husband went and put up flyers. I went again and handed out flyers to everyone in the park. Each time we were sad to return home without her. Then the homeless guy at the park (his dog, Rosie, plays with our dog, Xena) saw Xena jogging with a guy. Homeless guy told jogging guy that she was our dog and gave him the flyer. Jogging guy called and Xena is home. Of course, jogging guy said he wanted to keep her because she was such a great dog. Uh, yes, she is. The reason we didn't fnd her at the park is that he took her home and she spent the night at his house. He never even considered checking to see if she had a microchip but at least he kept her safe from coyotes (she thinks they're dogs and tries to play with them). He refused a reward but homeless guy did take a reward (and he deserved it). We're all safe and happy now.

Why they have it all wrong

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Mon, 16 May 2011 21:34:00 +0000

Just finished reading yet another article about how to lose weight without being hungry. This one from Weill Cornell Medical College, Women's Nutrition Connection. They offer three strategies: 1. Eat breakfast. I have never skipped breakfast in my life. I often don't eat for a while after I get up because I'm not hungry but I do eat breakfast every day. If I don't eat by 9 am (I get up at 5 am), then I am pretty hungry but not more than I would expect and I'd never make it until noon if I didn't eat. I'd either bite someone's head off or eat a box of cookies. Either way, skipping breakfast is not something I do. Still it doesn't help me lose weight and I'm surely hungry in a few hours afterwards even though my breakfast is high in protein. So strategy #1 doesn't work for me.
2. Suggestion is to eat filling foods first (like high fiber foods) and fattening foods later. Hah. I don't have to be "hungry" to eat fattening foods and I'm going to eat them because I want to whether or not I've eaten the filling foods first.
3. Keep a lifestyle log. Right. Honey, I know all about my eating habits. I'm not really a mindless eater (okay, occasionally with a bag of chips and a book, I might get carried away). My eating is intentional. Triggers? Uh, yes. Show me fried chicken and I'll eat it. I like the way the author offers this quote: "...it keeps you more accountable when you write everything down." Accountable? To whom? Myself? I don't feel guilty when I've overeaten. I might feel sick but not guilty. I'm only accountable to myself and since I'm present while I'm eating, I don't need to keep a log.
So maybe I'm being just a little bit too critical of the article. It's just that it's yet another one offering up the same advice to someone who knows all the tricks and has all the (excuses) answers. This stuff works with someone who is motivated. How to motivate myself to maybe not take that second helping or eat that new ice cream that I just bought at the supermarket yesterday (Magnum bar?). Not sure.
Are dieters really "hungry"? Is that why they fall off the wagon or is it because they are bored with the food or just want something extra tasty? Because if a dieter were hungry, she could just eat something that is "legal" on her diet. So it isn't about "hunger" but HUNGER. These strategies don't address HUNGER.

Silly chocolate milk ban

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Sat, 14 May 2011 21:33:00 +0000

There's been lots of talk this week about banning chocolate milk in schools. As though that's going to resolve the problem of obesity in kids. Right. Let's just stop drinking chocolate milk.
Sure. I get it. It's just another sweet food and kids should learn to enjoy milk without having to flavor it. Join us in the real world, people. Lots of kids don't like milk. Especially skim milk. Please, don't tell me that "humans" weren't meant to drink cow's milk. Heard that before. Makes me laugh. Were we "meant" to eat potatoes? Broccoli? Tofu?
Yes, cow's milk is food for calves and we usurp it. Got that. But it's chock full of nutrients that, yes, can come from other sources but are found in milk and, therefore, anything made from milk. Skim or lowfat milk is an easy source of protein and lots of minerals, calcium among them.
Yes, some people are lactose intolerant. So let them drink other beverages that are calcium fortified. I'll stick with milk.
Back to chocolate milk: Most kids get one serving of a milk a day at school. Maybe two if they're eating breakfast as well as lunch. Gosh, two servings of chocolate milk. Do you think that's what makes them fat? Or might it be the fast food, snack foods and sugary drinks they consume away from school? Or lack of exercise? Or a combination. But don't let's blame chocolate milk for making kids fat.
Should school districts work with the dairy industry/food manufacturers to make chocolate milk with less sugar in it? Sure. And wouldn't we just love it if the kids learned to drink "white" milk? Yes. But chocolate milk is not a product of the devil sent to earth to fatten up our little kids.
How about working on adding more fruits and vegetables to school lunch rather than spending time damning chocolate milk.
And, by the way, there have been plenty of studies supporting the notion that chocolate milk is an excellent post work out beverage--way better than plain unflavored milk. I'm not making that up.
So let's choose our battles a little bit more wisely. I'm happy that sodas are out of schools. How about working on changing the idea that kids will only eat pizza and chicken nuggets?

Some more on The Biggest Loser

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Wed, 04 May 2011 20:27:00 +0000

Hundreds of pounds lost. And so little talk about nutrition. Pretty chef comes on and women go gaga but why is chef talking about nutrition? So far nothing he's made has resonated with my taste buds but I'm a pretty picky eater. Thinking that Chef Pretty Boy consults with dietitian/chef Cheryl Forberg before he goes on camera to wow us with his pearly whites.
Trainers acting like shrinks? What's that about? Hoping that Jillian has consult with show's therapist before she goes off in private with contestant asking her to bare her soul. Hoping.
One big happy family? Really? Everyone loves everyone else. Endorphins from exercising so much?
Still watching it. Still criticizing it. Still hasn't motivated me but I expect it's motivated others.
Funny thing is that we eat dinner at about 7:30 on Tuesdays when the show is on and we watch while we're eating! Not very mindful of us and I'm sure watching TV and eating is frowned upon by those who counsel the contestants.
Weird that a show about sweaty fat people has mesmerized the viewing public.
I can just imagine the pitch session from the creators: So we take very fat people and we make them stand in front of the camera without their shirts on displaying all their roles and dimples for the world to see. Then we humilate them on the first episode showing everyone how they stuff their faces with extraordinarily unhealthy food in huge quantities. We ask them to perform exercise feats that even elite athletes have trouble completing. So, what do you think? Wanna buy that show idea?

Gold medals

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 00:25:00 +0000

Totally forgot to post that I won the gold medal for power lifting in the 65-69 year age group in the AZ Senior Olympics! Yea for me. Still fat but fat and strong. Had a wonderful day. Last year silver. This year gold. Now what!

Slimming bathing suits and other lies

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:16:00 +0000

It's still kind of chilly here in Phoenix so maybe it's a little early to anticipate the hell of shopping for a bathing suit but I just got an e-mail from a manufacturer of women's slimming undergarments (WLU) letting me know that they have a new slimming swimsuit. The cartoon model is svelte, long legged and gorgeous. Yes, I'm sure the WSU bathing suit is making her look ten pounds slimmer. I know a lot of people who swear by WSU but they're not as fat as I am. They've got way less to hold in. Why, if I had that little to hold in, I'd just hold my breath.
But, folks, let's face it. Even if I looked ten pounds slimmer, I would not be parading around the beach proudly showing off my figure. In fact, I would avoid parading at all costs. T shirt over swimsuit would be the wardrobe of the day for sure. To protect me from exposure to ultraviolet rays, of course.
Who looks good in swimsuits with built in girdles? Slender people, of course. Those iron swimsuits do little to hold in bulges and ripples of fat. And what about cottage cheese thighs and bat wing arms? The suits have no effect on those.
Do any of us actually think that wearing a WSU under our clingy clothes hides the fat? Do any of us actually think that wearing a loose fitting shirt hides the fat? Do any of us really believe that wearing black or a solid color or vertical stripes really makes a difference when you're fat?

No resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 04:20:00 +0000

It's been so long since I posted anything that I forgot how to get to my blog! Brain dead.
No resolutions to eat less or eat better or eat more healthfully or lose weight or exercise more or live a better life. For a fleeting second last night while I was eating a plateful of ice cream, partially melted and topped with Magic Shell, I gave some thought to making a resolution or several resolutions. Nah. Why bother. I have no motivation to stick to them. What's in it for me?
When I worked at the County Health Dept. we used to use "contracts" with our clients. "I'll eat less fat". Sign here. Like that would mean anything to me at all! Oooh. So scared. I broke the contract. Not.
So I don't do well with promises or contracts or resolutions. No future plans. Today was not a good day for food. Two parties. Cookies, cupcakes, posole, chili, chips, bagels, noodle pudding. Just to name a few things that I ate. Not sure I can remember all of them even if I try. Food coma.
Tomorrow is a new day. Perhaps I shall start the day with oatmeal Wouldn't that be perfect?

I've been thinking

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 20:56:00 +0000

A journalist contacted me this week to ask if she could interview me about my "struggles" with weight because she's writing an article about fat dietitians (my words-not hers). She sent me a few questions to ponder and I actually pondered. I decided that I no longer consider my weight to be a "struggle" issue. I'm not thinking about losing weight any more. I'm healthy. Healthier than a lot of skinny people I know. I'm sure there are evil things happening deep in my body-I'm getting old and I do have to die one day and I expect I'll die from "something". But I don't have any of the usual maladies associated with obesity and/or aging. A few aches and pains in the morning but they go away quickly. And maybe a few grey hairs but that's not from being fat. I do want to continue to eat the way I know I should be eating-meaning lots of plant foods and lots of water and happy amounts of cheerful foods like ice cream and fried chicken and pizza.
Losing weight probably won't do anything for me. Blood pressure and blood sugar are normal. Cholesterol is fine. Back doesn't hurt. Feet don't hurt. Legs don't hurt. I'm agile and fleet of foot. If I lost weight, my chin would hang more, my butt would wiggle more, my boobs would hang even lower. What's the point?
So I thank her for sending me those questions. Bye bye dieting. Bye bye restriction. Now if I could just be more mindful----

Another reality tv show aimed at us fatties

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 17:33:00 +0000

Thintervention. Catchy play on words. Caught my attention. Another BRAVO reality show--this one copied straight from The Biggest Loser. Only the name has been changed. Two trainers. One dominant and bitchy. The other laid back. One male. One female. Lots of name calling. Not much comaraderie on this show, though. If I thought the advice on BL was bad, this one wins the prize for handing out ridiculous platitudes and misinformation.
I had watched the original Jackie Warner reality show a few years ago. Watched as Jackie spent most of her time building her business and fighting with her girlfriend and mother. She spent very little time training anyone. She was attractive and, although not particularly intelligent "sounding", she was ambitious.
This new show is very disturbing. First, Jackie looks terrible. Yes, her abs are gorgeous and her arms are toned. But her hair and her skin look really bad--she definitely does not look healthy.
I will admit that I have not seen all the episodes but what I have seen is enough to make me hope that the show is not renewed.
Ms. Warner is obviously promoting a book, one written without (if I am understanding her premise) a shred of scientific knowledge. "Clean eating". Yes, good buzz words. But she spouts some pretty ridiculous crap on the show when she opens her mouth. My guess is that there was a ghostwriter for the book.
I won't attempt to argue with her knoweldge of exercise science (although I'd again guess that science is not her strong point) but her knowledge of nutrition is sketchy and suspect.
Most of us dietitians recommend a weight loss of approximately 2# per week. That's the norm. Of course, we fatties are not "normal" so we can throw that out the window. But we all know that some weeks we might lose five pounds and others just one. And it might not have anything to do with how hard we worked out or what we ate. Our bodies rule us. There are hormones, especially if you're female, that both help and hinder weight loss. And then there are unknown reasons that might account for fluctation in weight loss that have to do with metabolism and the body's defenses. In the end, we just want to lose weight (well, I want to lose FAT. I don't care what I weigh!).
Ms. Jackie berates her fatties for losing only two pounds in one week. She accuses them of cheating. In fact, it appears as though on the next episode she will be bringing in a lie detector because she is certain they are lying.
One of the contestants, Stacy, has revealed that she has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Of course, she doesn't blame PCOS for her weight because she has admitted to overeating in the past. But having PCOS makes it very difficult to lose weight. And, yet, Jackie brings her to tears with accusations of cheating and not working hard enough. That's criminal.
Thintervention needs a dietitian to help Jackie understand how the body works. Please, someone, help Jackie Warner. And, will someone get this woman an aestheticisan for her skin and a hairdresser for her hair.

I'm not dead yet

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0000

I've deserted you. I haven't posted in forever. And yet, interestingly, according to google analytics (tracks number of people who read blog) pretty much the same number of people are finding and reading this blog each day. So I apologize to all who have come here looking for something new and timely. Perhaps tomorrow.

Blog URL for Biggest Loser contestant expose

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 22:13:00 +0000

For those who asked, the blog where I first read about The Biggest Loser contestant is

http://www.bodylovewellness.com

Eat what you want

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:42:00 +0000

I've had it up to here (picture me holding my hand above my head, please) with people writing about "eat whatever you want and lose weight." Then they list the easy to follow steps like "stop when you've had enough." Holy shit. If I could stop when I had enough fried chicken or ice cream, all would still not be well. Truth is, when something tastes really good, I don't want to stop. I CAN stop but I don't want to. Tastes too good. If something tastes like crap or just not great, I can stop after one bite and walk away.
Plus, even if I stopped when I'd had "enough" (whatever "enough" is) fried chicken, that wouldn't work. You cannot eat whatever you want. Can all these thin people stop telling me that I can eat whatever I want or that the secret to weight loss is to just stop when I've had enough. I want so badly to "believe" in mindfulness and intuitive eating as a way to lose and maintain my weight but I have been unable to STOP when something tastes good. I don't eat until I'm ready to explode (don't like discomfort) and I surely know when I "should" stop because I know I'm not hungry any more. Not hungry for food but still hungry for the flavor and texture of the food (if it's fried chicken, for example). It's all in my head....I suppose.

Nothing is ever as it seems

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:25:00 +0000

I've been reading the blog posts of an interview with one of the former contestants from The Biggest Loser. The contestant is blowing the whistle on what goes on at "The Ranch". I'm not shocked or surprised by what the contestants do to win. I am shocked that the professionals are either helping them achieve thru means less than healthy and/or are aware of the shenanigans and turn a blind eye.
A relative of mine is a script supervisor for a very popular reality show. Script supervisor? It's a reality show. Yes, there is a script or a story line. And, yes, editing is often very creative. But I wanted to believe that The Biggest Loser, because there are MDs, dietitians, personal trainers all associated with the show....I wanted to believe that even though the exercise regimen was way too intense for unfit obese people and the diet seemed a bit restrictive....I wanted to believe that they were training the contestants to lead a healthy life. According to the recent writings, that's not the case.
I mentioned in a previous post that one of the finalists in this last season frightened me because he was so intense. I was worried that he would do anything, including starving and dehydrating, prior to the finale to win. And not because I thought he wanted to win the money but because he just wanted to win!
Not sure if The Biggest Loser will send out a response to what's been publicized about the tactics the producers/trainers use on the show. And would I believe it? I interviewed a former winner (Ali Vincent) and found her to be quite "normal", very fit looking and excited about the opportunities that the show gave her.
I don't know. I'm going to have to think about this for a while. The show was beginning to get pretty boring and annoying this last season: too many product placements; too many repeated segments. And too much of Jillian overstepping her bounds--she's a trainer for goodness sakes but she was acting as though she had several degrees in psychology (yes, I know her mother is a shrink but the knowledge isn't passed from mother to daughter thru the placenta).
Disillusioned. Disappointed. Dissatisfied.

Back to fried chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D.) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:17:00 +0000

Happy Birthday to me. Now pass the fried chicken.
Recent articles have called into question the validity of using the BMI to determine fatness. Hah! Vindicated. I called it on that one a long time ago. Waist measurement is a way better quickie method.
Back to fried chicken for a minute. A dietitian wrote in earlier today to one of the list servs that she has the opportunity, for an unmentioned sum of money, to have her name and possibly likeness put on a food product label. I'm sure it's a food product that is "healthy". I wondered what food product I could possibly endorse.....besides fried chicken, I mean. Potato chips. For sure. Pepsi. Ice cream. Hmmm. Better not.
But back to fried chicken for a minute. Haven't had any. In fact, been eating pretty well lately. Because I'm not thinking about dietiting. That's why. Thinking about dieting makes me hungry. Eating whatever whenever keeps me satisfied. Sometimes it doesn't work but it is working right now.
A few weeks ago, I baked nutella cupcakes (don't even ask...they're amazing) for an event. Saved a few and put them in freezer. They're still there. Untouched. Knowing they're there. Knowing I can have them whenever seems to make them less tempting.
But back to fried chicken. It's my birthday. I could tell myself that the best gift I could give myself would be the gift of a healthy meal. But instead....back to fried chicken.