Gut Feeling:Why Diets, Exercise and Shaming have Failed (Dark River Publishing 2018) will set the whole losing weight experience on its' head. Written by British reporter, Hamish Stuart who has had issues with eating and weight in the past. It's not him - or us for that matter. It's the food and beverage companies along with governments who allow for sugary drinks and overly processed eats.Early he addresses willpower and diets. The first, he feels , is to make fat or obese people, feel they are not mentally strong enough and succumb to urges. That could be true in some cases but not all. Genetics also play an important role in our body shapes.Hormone levels also can contribute to fat and appetite. Another pillar he knocks down is diet. Mr. Stuart is no fan of the Atkins diet or any of the prepackaged diets of Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers. They don't do any good or even fill you up nutritionally.He also delves into why we got this way - mostly processed foods that satisfy our sweet and savory cravings. It's interesting to read that sugar stimulates the brain exactly like cocaine. It's all about addiction and trying to break it.Another interesting point is that there should be taxes on sweets and sugary drinks. Would it help? Possibly.It may make people, especially parents more attuned to what soda and juice can do to their kids bodies and health..
Mr. Stuart breaks the book into three parts. The most helpful is the third part. I found myself taking his advice.While the other sections are full of facts and figures along with case studies, the last part is very helpful. He has a set of rules that we don't have to follow per se, but take what we can from them and create our own path to a healthier life.I like the fact that he writes that being overweight is an addiction like any other.Another plus is weighing yourself every day - which I do. It gives you a perspective on what methods and foods work in losing weight. Another plus is cooking for yourself - which gets you away from fast and processed foods. You get to eat fresh which is easy because there is a wealth of fruits and vegetables that can go into delicious dishes.He cautions against using sauces , unless they're homemade. He also blasts salads out of the water. They're not as nutritional as the experts claim, and a simple meal would be better and filling. It's even worse if they have gloppy dressings and extras like croutons, You're better off eating a cheeseburger.He also writes that exercise should be pleasant and something you'll enjoy doing on a daily or bi-weekly basis.
Gut Feeling: Why Diets, Exercise and Shaming have Failed is an interesting read. It should be in the library of anyone struggling with his or her weight. It will not only give suggestions but explain why being fat isn't a sin. It's a variety of different factors - from genetics to bad food. It's not us.
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