dieting

Precision Pro Kitchen Scale

admin — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

I hesitate to endorse a ‘nutrition’ oriented product on a feminist website due to the ongoing tyranny of the emaciated female form in marketing, eating disorders, and fear of accusations of insensitivity, insecurity, close-mindedness, and size-ism. However, here are the facts of my situation: an undiagnosed medical condition made me overweight, and now I want to lose that weight. Half of the pounds evaporated as the result of successful (non-bariatric) surgery, but I would like to lose the entire quantity and return to my healthy size. A recovering bulimic roommate hid my body scale in the mid ‘90s, and I have not owned a scale since but prefer to go by clothes size.

I have always objected to strict dieting as a step on the slippery slope to anorexia. It also feeds an oppressive ideology (see Susan Bordo) and is ultimately ineffective because the metabolism lowers at a rate corresponding to the decrease in calories unless the dieter exercises. (And here is the inevitable) BUT now I seek helpful tools to assist in weight loss and maintenance. While aesthetic and emotional motivations may be suspect, concern regarding heart disease, the number one killer of women in the United States, is entirely legitimate. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute provides a site to help create an individualized heart-healthy diet. The EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Kitchen Scale is another useful device.

Here’s why I like it: reasonably priced, it is also small, discreet, and multifunctional, as well as simple and thoughtfully including a tare feature (subtracting the weight of a dish or storage container). It works on any continent, or with your recipe of choice, offering four measurement modes: grams, ounces, kilograms, and pounds. In addition to the cross-trainer, free-weights, walking, bicycling, medical supervision, and the uninhibited enjoyment of the food that I do consume, I appreciate the use of this scale on the road to regained health.

Written by: Erika Mikkalo, March 21st 2010

Lessons from the Fat-o-sphere: Quit Dieting and Declare a Truce with your Body

admin — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:05:00 +0000

By Kate Harding, Marianne Kirby

Penguin

Quit dieting and declare a truce with your body. This seemingly straight-forward proposition functions as the springboard from which authors Kate Harding and Marianne Kirby jump into a discussion of what it means to accept one's self and how to dismantle the countless negative and judgmental messages we receive and propagate on the daily. As two of the leading bloggers in the "fatosphere"—the online fat acceptance movement—Harding and Kirby tackle issues of dieting, fat stereotypes, self-deprecation, female acrimony, socializing and much more, all from the fat perspective.

How does denigrating fatness eat away at our own self worth? Are derogatory slights against fatness and fat people considered more socially acceptable than, say, racist or sexist stereotypes? How often do we participate in diet talk (instead of meaningful conversation) in order to "bond" with other women? Lessons from the Fat-o-sphere compels readers to ask themselves these essential questions. We are challenged to examine our assumptions about fatness, and urged to reimagine a way of life founded upon self-realization and fulfillment rather than participation in an endless struggle to achieve the happiness and beauty depicted in the mass media.

There's no question that Lessons from the Fat-o-sphere is a part of the blog-to-book phenomenon. Unbound by traditional rules of grammar, formality and structure, the authors take on an informal style, making liberal use of chummy, sarcastic and intimate prose. Though I'd argue this writing style helps break down the wall between author and reader, establishing an inimitable camaraderie and trust, it also detracts from the book's authority. Time-honored writing methods can be helpful in establishing one's credibility and expertise.

At times, Harding and Kirby shortchange their arguments by over-simplifying complex issues or inserting insensitive and insulting asides. What begins as founded and constructive guidance, might end with a misguided attempt at pseudo-psychological counsel. Also problematic are the persistent contradictions that appear in the book. I was particularly disappointed with the first chapter of the "Socializing" section, entitled "Find a Good Partner." Though the authors acknowledge that "single" isn't synonymous with "unlovable," they suggest time and again that being in a committed relationship is a helpful, if not essential, step toward loving your body and your self. Unlike Kirby and Harding who write that "Life isn't fair; if it were, we'd all be in love right now," many readers might find happiness and fulfillment outside the realm of monogamy.

Yet, despite these shortcomings, Harding and Kirby get the job done. They offer a window into the fat experience and give voice to opinions and perspectives that have long been silenced. They urge us to stop thinking about our bodies as "The Enemy" and encourage practicing "Health At Every Size." They remind us that "the best we can be is not exclusively determined by physical measures," even though we've grown up believing that "our bodies [are] primarily something for other people to experience externally." Importantly, they encourage us to stop judging other women and be our own best friends. That's advice everyone should heed.

Written by: Sofia Marin, May 19th 2009

It Doesn’t Count If… It’s the Last One: And 204 More Reasons Why You Can Eat That

admin — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:26:00 +0000

By Daisy Westmoor

Clarkson Potter

Fat is not just a feminist issue; it’s everyone’s concern. We’re in an age where good health equals happiness—not a bad philosophy, but for our society's increasing problem with the relationship we have with our food. What we consider to be fat is often misguided; bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Yet, people go on unnecessary diets and eating obsessions to attain that "perfect" Western body sold to us by the higher powers.

The word diet itself has negative connotations: to not eat, to lose weight, to lose something of the self. The body doesn’t wish to be deprived, so nine times out of ten, the diet will fall short. That’s why Daisy Westmoor’s It Doesn’t Count If… It’s the Last One is a refreshing alternative to media-saturated messages of holding back being the key to self-worth and success.

In this anti-diet hardback, Westmoor provides over 200 reasons to eat those forbidden foods we all crave. It’s a humor book—and it succeeds. Among the funniest excuses to consume are, it doesn’t count if… "it’s raining and you’re sad," "it’s sunny and you’re sad," and "it’s past its expiration date."

The content is very much a rebellion against conventional ideas of feminine delicacy. It’s okay to put on the pounds, seems to be the message, but it also gives the illusion that there aren’t any adverse consequences of indulgence. Paradoxically, telling women to "eat that" does not give back their sense of power or control over their bodies.

What makes It Doesn’t Count If… It’s the Last One sparkle are its illustrations by Mary Lynn Blasutta. Without these quirky images Westmoor’s lines wouldn’t hold as much humor: "It doesn’t count if… your scale is broken" is accompanied by a sketch of a woman standing on a broken scale (no surprises there) with the speech bubble "Sweet." And "It doesn’t count if… it comes on top of lettuce" is complemented by the portrait of a woman ready to tuck into a super-large burger.

It’s a bit unusual that the publishers chose to pick an illustrator known for her designs of thin women; it is almost as though the book is speaking more to slim women who are trying to maintain their figures. Regardless, these pictures grant the book its fun and edge. Pages are splashed mainly in red, white, and pink, which gives this creative work the feel of a sugary treat itself.

It’s a pleasurable break for those who battle everyday temptations to resist nutritionless food, and of course, Westmoor’s 204 reasons to indulge in a cake or two shouldn’t be words to live by; eating with regard for health does matter, especially if you lead a sedentary lifestyle. It Doesn’t Count If… It’s the Last One makes an ideal gift for someone who’s always roller coaster dieting, giving them a humorous relief and release from the prison of guilt.

Written by: Payal Patel, March 22nd 2009

The Inner Peace Diet: Attain Permanent Weight Loss and Pure Bliss in Just 7 weeks

admin — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 00:15:00 +0000

By Aileen McCabe-Maucher, Hugo Maucher

Alpha Books

I’m sixty-three years old and believe me when I say that throughout my lifetime I have tried just about every diet out there. I guess I have been obsessed about my weight forever…well, at least since menopause made it almost impossible to lose a pound! I’ve always considered myself part of the “new age” crowd ever since the '60s. So The Inner Peace Diet piqued my interest.

I soon discovered that The Inner Peace Diet is not your normal diet book. Written by a professional chef and a registered nurse who is also a social worker, the book is centered on the chakra system, and is written to bring your energy and life in balance. If you aren’t an expert on chakras, there is no need to worry. This book will explain everything that you need to know to take part in the seven-week weight loss plan. Each week of the diet centers around one of the seven chakras.

The plan is designed to focus on body, mind, and soul. Each chapter contains recipes, guided meditations, and exercises to help you attain inner peace and remove stress from your life, in addition to losing weight. I found a lot of the yoga postures to be slightly difficult for someone my age, but a younger person could really get into this program. (I have always felt that it is up to the individual to personalize any weight loss program to their own lifestyle and needs.)

The meals are easy to make and are not your ordinary fare: baked eggs Florentine casserole, pear yogurt bread, teriyaki fettuccine with watercress, and even healthy banana s’mores. So, I suggest that you read The Inner Peace Diet if you are looking for a diet that considers not only your body, but also your mind and your spirit. You can lose weight and get your life in balance!

Written by: Paula M. Ezop, March 20th 2009

It's Not About Food: End Your Obsession with Food and Weight

admin — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:11:00 +0000

By Carol Emery Normandi, Laurelee Roark

Perigee

The new year is upon us, and it’s not just because George W. Bush has finally left the White House. Whenever we decide to turn on our televisions, the Resolutions Monster is there. It appears as a perky model that lost fifty pounds after some fad diet. We look at our own bodies in disgust, poking at the extra pounds of flesh formed after gorging extra slices of pumpkin pie. Summer suddenly creeps up on us like our monthly cycles and those dreams of wearing a bikini are shattered.

There aren’t many options in combating the Resolutions Monster. We could either eat all the greasy Chinese we desire, or shove fingers down our throats in hopes that the salad from lunch hasn’t turned into fat. Fortunately, two women have discovered a new solution, one that will hopefully put an end to the vicious cycle of vanity.

Carol Emery Normandi and Laurelee Roark spent years of struggling with eating disorders because, like millions of others, they yearned to look and feel 'beautiful' every year. Despite fasting, vomiting, and dieting, they've never won the bulge battle—at least not until they formed the nonprofit organization Beyond Hunger, which targets the negative viewpoints of weight created by women. In their latest revised version of It's Not about Food, Normandi and Roark expose the appalling relationship women have with their bodies and how they can overcome them.

Along with personal tales of how they punished themselves with laxative pills, these women reveal advice on taming hunger and how releasing years of shame is the key to respecting and loving every inch of us. The mission seems impossible, but their insightful chapters are nothing short of inspiring and worth the read until the very end.

One of the surprising exercises that Normandi and Roark suggest to readers is eating exactly what you want. Whether it’s freshly baked chocolate chip cookies or potato chips, eat away! It may sound like a terrible trick, but it’s the first stepping stone to being at peace with food. "It is very helpful to have with you at all times snacks that you like and can eat whenever you feel hungry," they explain. "This cuts down on the cycle of binging. You won’t get too hungry and slam down any old thing if you have your favorite foods with you." While this may be true, should we just give up fruits and vegetables for fried chicken and cheesecake?

Before the book is thrown out for seemingly lacking the knowledge readers need to physically improve themselves, Normadi and Roark provide step-by-step meditation rituals on savoring each bite we eat, when to know the signals of being full, and how to stop relying on food for emotional support. They state, "Go into your body and get into your sensual feelings about your body—excited, passionate, turned on, or climactic. Let yourself become childlike—be absolutely delighted with your body."

In other words, discovering all those curves and erogenous zones that make us feel like goddesses is good for our hearts, along with keeping a journal, complimenting yourself in front of a mirror naked, and creating plans to nurture your shape. Does bubble baths and personal massages ring a bell?

It may be a new year, but that doesn't mean we should force ourselves to hate who we are just because we don't look like Beyonce. We must learn to overcome a society that believes Jessica Simpson's new voluptuous shape is newsworthy. It's Not about Food provides women of all ages the tools needed to not only become content with so-called flaws, but also the determination to build much-needed confidence for happier lives. It is then that we can focus on ways to become healthier without dieting to death.

Written by: Stephanie Nolasco, February 24th 2009

Skinny Bitch

admin — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 15:13:00 +0000

By Rory Freedman, Kim Barnouin

Running Press

Skinny Bitch is a book that promises to tell the truth about dieting, diets and the reasons for the fat that puts the junk in your trunk. Authors Rory Freedman, a former Ford Model, and Kim Barnouin, a former model with a Masters of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition, use some ugly language to guide readers into a strict vegan diet regime, which promises those who “use their heads will lose their ass.”

Chapters include tirades against sugar, soda, meat (or ‘flesh’) and slaughter practices, as well as some in-depth diet and menu ideas for those who want to get skinny. The book takes no prisoners when it exposes the nasty truth behind some of our favourite food addictions. Mass farming, aspartame, caffeine, drugs in dairy and the conspiracies behind the promotion of the average American diet are shocking. If you read the chapters titled “The Dead, Rotting, Decomposing Flesh Diet” and “You are What You Eat" word-for-word and didn’t retch the next time you bit into a chicken wing, you’re a callous soul.

As a promoter of thoughtful eating and a call-to-arms against blind consumerism, Skinny Bitch is a well-sourced academic paper written in nasty trucker slang. As a diet book, though, Skinny Bitch is troubling. The twist of adding foul language doesn’t go far to mask the promotion of near-anorexic caloric intakes. Worrisome is the chapter that follows the tirades against the average diet titled "Let’s Eat." The chapter title is ironic; it offers the reader the ideal eating pattern of a starving herself on a piece of fruit for breakfast, a green salad for lunch and a veggie dog for dinner. It insists that the reader will “…grow to love that empty feeling in your stomach and know that the initial headaches, nausea and hunger were just your body’s cleaning crew.”

The average person couldn’t keep this kind of diet going for long before they find themselves madly eating through the entire kitchen's contents, including the old box of Jell-O powder at the back of the pantry. It’s a sad situation we’re in when a book needs to add a restrictive menu and promises of “skinny” to sell, and can’t stand alone as a guide to eat thoughtfully and respectfully, of yourself and the earth.

Written by: Sarah Papple, March 4th 2007