[CJZee]

The following link is to a video lecture with slides by Gary Taubes, author of "Good Calories, Bad Calories." It is rather lengthy but the insights are highly interesting. I won't attempt to summarize the lecture, which runs about an hour (I think), but I found it really thought provoking and important.

http://www.dhslides.org/mgr/mgr060509f/f.htm

[katkitten]

uhoh! its that atkins crap. lawl!!!

[katkitten]

interesting! it really does make me want to check out south beach

[CJZee]

The thing about Gary Taubes is he had the time and money and inclination to review all these historical studies about obesity, weight loss, etc. I did not read his book, but everything I have read ABOUT it says it is an unbiased very heavily researched look at obesity. This lecture, I suspect, is based on the book.

The thing that struck me was his characterization of scientists and researchers of looking at the problem somewhat backwards. He says we
don't get fat because we overeat, we overeat because our fat tissue drives us to accumulate excess fat.

His challenge to the medical community is quit telling people to "eat less and exercise more" but to instead figure out how to make the fat tissue quit wanting to be fat. His "research on the research" does lead him toward lower carb which tends to lower insulin, which I understand is sort of the "fat-storage" hormone. I myself am trying to stay low-carb and keep my blood glucose low.

Anyway, I do hope doctors and researchers quit blaming people for being fat and try to figure out the physiology of how to lose and keep off weight. I think some of his suggestions are brilliant and hope obesity research heads off in a new direction.

[thinnerbyjuly]

Thanks CJ! Since I'm a die hard low carber because it works and I can stay off metformin! I'm going to listen 2 this on the treadmill in a minute. I loved his book!

I listen while on the treadmill. Very interesting. If you run across more I'd love to have the link

[CJZee]

Hi thinner -- there is so much discussion on the internet now about researchers "opening up" their thought processes on obesity. Obesity is a highly complex subject, but many researchers are now saying there is no association whatsoever between saturated fat intake and heart disease or stroke. Here is a link.

The problem is many foods are combinations of carbs and saturated fat (baked goods, sweets, candy, french fries, pancakes, etc. etc.). The fat component has taken the blame, but now researchers are apparently realizing it's the starchy carb component tht causes the problems and that saturated fat is pretty benign metabolically (it still has a lot of calories).

[thinnerbyjuly]

Thanks CJ!