Rethinking Thin

Rethinking thin : the new science of weight loss–and the myths and realities of dieting / Gina Kolata.

This book is very enlightening. Gina Kolata is a science writer for the New York Times. The book is clear full of the latest research (the last 20 yrs) and the unexpected results of that research. She pretty much lets you draw your own conclusions about that research.

The messages I got from the book:

Contrary to popular belief we don’t have as much control over our weight as we are led to believe and being fat is not as bad as we are led to believe.

We have about as much long term control over our weight as we do over our height or skin color. It is genetically determined. There is about a 20 to 30 lb range that our bodies will let us maintain over an extended period of time. At the lower end of that range takes diligence, at the higher end you can pretty much let yourself go. There are a few rare exceptions to that rule but those are usually caused by disease. If we go below that point our bodies will go into starvation mode (whether our weight shows us as being fat or thin) with the resulting consequences.

Obsession with food

Out of control bingeing ( like trying to keep holding your breath)

Depression and or anxiety

Hording and secreting food

Lethargy

It will stay in that mode until our bodies gain back the weight to within that safe range.

It is also true for trying to gain weight, when we go above that range our metabolism will increase to the point of where it will be impossible to maintain that weight gain. For me that is a relief to know. I can get rid of the long term fear of becoming morbidly obese if I don’t keep extreme control on my weight.

I have lived a lot of my life in that starvation mode with the resulting poor health and insanity consequences. In many ways I fell healthier now than I have in years even though my weight is considered in the obese range.

After reading this book, and understanding the truths that the long term research are telling us, I got really angry when I heard on the news yesterday about companies charging fines per week to those people who are considered over weight. I also fear for the self-esteem consequences to the children who are considered over weight and the emphasis on trying to get them to loose the weight. (there is a whole chapter on long term research done with the children that blows those prejudices out of the water) This information needs to get out into the mainstream media and counteract those prejudices.

I think it is really important to continue to focus on healthy eating and exercise, but it needs to be done with an emphasis on being healthy not on losing weight. As long as the emphasis is on loosing weight there will be many failures and prejudices. If the emphasis switches to health then we can see success.

If you don’t believe this, then read the research. And stop judging fat people!!!!

This book sure opened my eyes!

Help me change those prejudices, pass this information on to everyone you know!