I am a huge fan of Dr. Mike Eades' blog. He's got a great post about the Cochrane Report:
A few months ago the Cochrane Collaboration released a study showing that subjects on low-carb diets lost more weight and improved their cardiovascular risk profiles to a greater extent than did subjects following any other kind of diet. Did you read about this study in your local paper or see it on the evening news? I didn’t think so. I didn’t either.
Go here to read the entire post. Makes you wonder what the point of reading the paper or watching the news is, doesn't it? If we're only getting a selection, why bother? Are we really informed?
Do your own research, make your own choices. Never do anything just because an organization, study group, speaker or anyone says it's the "right" thing to do.
I touched on this in the Kimkins post. Look what's happened there! Pictures of her, the weight-loss wonder woman, obese. Sad, really. But it hammers the point home - no-one, and I mean no-one, knows what's good for you better than you. And no-one can do anything to you that you do not allow. People like Kimmer, media outlets, corporations...they have only the power that WE give to them. And look how quickly we as a society gobble things up without thinking, just because the message is something that we desperately want to be true, or because it's easy to believe.
If you are overweight or unhealthy, the absolute WORST position you can put yourself in is one of desperation. The best? One of power. Each of us always, always, has the power to direct our lives towards that which is best for us, that which serves us. We know in our guts when something rings true...and when something just aint right. If overweight or ill health is affecting your self esteem, if you're interpreting this state of affairs as indicative of your worth and effectiveness as a person, you're an easy target for misleading studies and predatory weight loss and health scams. Overweight or ill health is a state of being, but it isn't You. It isn't You. You do not need to be saved, or directed, or led, or punished. Get quiet and listen to that little voice inside you, that little voice that knows. That little voice is You, and is worthy and wonderful and perfect just as it is. That little voice says: patience. We'll get there. We can. We will. We are.
Don't trust studies, or writers, or spokespeople, or me, or anyone. Read, research, investigate...but don't trust. Trust your little voice. It'll always lead you to what's right for you.
PS: Your little voice is not to be confused with that other voice who says stuff like "Having a family sized bag of Ruffles for dinner is a GOOD idea. You should do that. Go on! Do it! Yee ha! Woo hoo! Ruffles!" and then the party music kicks in and it starts dancing around and shaking maracas. That voice is your Inner ScrewIt. It's pretty easy to notice the difference; for example, your little voice will generally not speak with a foreign accent or be accompanied by a Mariachi band, nor will it have an umbrella drink in it's hand. Inner ScrewIt can and should be let out to play every so often - it just isn't so great at running the whole show. It's far too drunk.
