PBS TV: FAT - What No One Is Telling You

Just came across information for a PBS show called FAT: What No On Is Telling You. You can search viewing times in your area by punching in your zip code into the PBS website.

I haven't seen the show yet but I can already tell I'm going to like quite a few of the messages it seems to be sending. For example, an interview with the Director/Producer, Tom Spain (available to read at the above mentioned PBS website) was truly inspired.

Here are some of the wise words from Tom Spain that I can definitely agree with...

The big surprise, and the big dilemma, is the complexity. One researcher told me early on: If you're going to deal with the subject, you have to honor the complexity... I've since learned this is a social phenomenon, an emotional phenomenon, a genetic phenomenon, it's a food supply phenomena. It's such a vast subject that's way beyond the reach of medicine or weight loss programs...it's just huge.

In response to the challenge that a filmmaker has to take an issue and make it clear and simple, but this topic is far from being either, Tom Spain answered, "It's a matter of balance, between getting a clear view on something we know about, and then suggesting there are things we don't know about. Much of this story is about things we don't yet know."

Being someone who eats healthy, exercises almost every day (and always has) and is on TV with some regularity to promote my various books, I have been taken to task once or twice for not fitting into the ideal "ultra thin" physique people have in mind for someone who talks about health.

What I can tell you is that fit comes in all shapes and sizes and I happen to know from personal experience that some of us are simply not designed to be ultra thin. And you know what? That's just fine with me. My wish for all of us is to eat and exercise for the health of it and let the pounds fall where they may. The focus should be on being fit! There is no magical size or weight for all women; one size does not fit all. We know it is more difficult for the female to lose weight than the male body. We know that some of us are genetically programmed to be better body fat storers (thanks to my ancestors who probably survived many a potato famine).

Okay then! So let's have some compassion for people who don't fit into our ideal and may be working harder than you can ever imagine to get fit and shed pounds in this culture that works the exact opposite way. And let's understand that the issue of obesity or overweight doesn't have a simple answer.

~~Elaine

Related Topics: Not Overweight? You May Still Be Fat, Diet and Women

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