[honeybjones]

I got the Gary Taubes book! I got the Gary Taubes book! I got the Gary Taubes book!
I decided at the last minute to go to Half Price and they one copy in the wrong place on the shelf. Wow am I lucky!

[Deena52]

Caroline.....as far as Dr. Ian, Celebrity Fit Club and Biggest Loser....the shows are simply entertainment, not really any sort of health shows. And they are going for drama and dramatic results in weight loss to wow the viewing audience. In fact....I'm gonna guess that overweight people are their biggest audience.

I stopped watching Biggest Loser after the first season, years ago. Mainly because I felt that the diets and the exercise were way too extreme and I worried that these significantly overweight contestants would drop dead of a heart attack at any minute. I don't think *I* could tolerate some of that exercise they had to do.

I wonder if they made the contestants sign release forms so that they would not bear the responsibility if some sort of health problem that would be a consequence as a result of the rigid diet/exercise.....especially for contestants so overweight.

I have real difficulty comprehending why so many have such a fascination and love Biggest Loser, to be honest. It annoyed me that they posed as a show about health when they were only interested in providing entertainment and attracting as large an audience as possible.

At least on Celebrity Fit Club, they don't even pretend to be a health show and it's pretty clear that it's all about the drama....why their contestants are all celebrities....who clearly do what they want, when it comes right down to it. Whereas Biggest Loser contestants are regular people who are very earnest and desperate to lose weight and I almost see them as victims of the show....used to provide entertainment. Celebrity Fit Club is supposed to be fun to watch....but for me, Biggest Loser is almost painful to watch....maybe because I know the dangers they're risking and also know that their chance of maintaining the weight loss is not very good. Because who can maintain that level of diet/deprivation and that level of intense exercise for hours? Heck, who even has the time once they go back to their real lives?

deena

[Violet73]

Originally Posted by honeybjones

Has anyone (i.e. research scientists) examined the link between an increase in low fat diets and an increase in Autism diagnoses? I don't know if there is a cause and effect link or not but there is at least a strong coincidence. People started eating low fat in the 80s and kids were coming up Autistic all over the place in the 90s and the 00s. Thoughts?

There is some research going on about the link between autism and gluten. Jenny McCarthy has spoken publicly about her son and how his autistic symptoms are completely gone since she took him off gluten and casein in milk. I can understand that as when I eat gluten products I get foggy headed but someone who has a major allergy to it but not anaphylactic...could have behavioral issues. There is also information about gluten and schizophrenia. Gluten is in most carbs so it stands to reason that there could be a link between autism and carbs as gluten is in wheat, barley, rye, and some oats...not to mention some of the preservatives and even ketchup and some instant coffees. Hopefully, more and more research will be done about this.

[Violet73]

Deena....I understand your feelings on the biggest loser. I really love the show though.. Its amazing what these people can do and it is inspiring to me. There have been some to gain all their weight back but most have kept it off...that could be due to the fact they are in the spotlight and everybody is watching them in their hometowns, etc. Maybe if I would have had people constantly watching me too about my weight I wouldnt have gained it all back lol

[thistoo]

I watch Biggest Loser, but mostly because of my huge crush on Jillian (it helps that she shares your concerns about what they put the contestants through, so at least they have her in their corner.)

As for Dr. Ian, it just offends me so much that he's a physician and he's written a book advocating an extremely low calorie diet that's basically a recipe for failure. Celebrity Fit Club is a freak show, certainly, but as a medical doctor he should be more responsible, even given his involvement in the show.