Here's the skinny on fat

I wrote a big post a while back on obesity. Part of that was about how our society has equated standard weight (and sometimes a waif weight) with health. After thinking about it a few days I believe there is a much stronger connection, stronger than between weight and health, that being between weight and sexual attraction. I can report that the skinnier they are the longer my eye lingers – though I was surprised to discover there is such a thing as too skinny, something I rarely see. So is this a natural personal preference or have I been conditioned by society to prefer skinny?

My nutrition office does a blog covering a variety of common issues they see. The most recent post is 7 Weight Loss Myths Revealed. It could also be described as a general guide to healthy eating.

1. It's all about calories. Nope, a diet of junk food is bad, even if well under 2000 calories.

2. Fat makes me fat. Actually bad fat makes you fat. Good fats help lose weight. Good fats are coconut, olive, palm, butter, and fats from nuts, seeds, and free-range meat and eggs. The top bad fat is canola oil, which is in nearly all processed foods.

3. The brain needs sugar. No, the brain needs energy and that can come from fat.

4. Exercise balances out whatever I eat. No, a poor diet can do more damage than the exercise can counteract.

5. Meal replacement shakes are great. Sorry, they are usually loaded with preservatives and soy that can unbalance hormones and make you crave sugar.

6. Sugar-free treats are great. No, most sweeteners, especially those in processed food, are toxic to the body. The only safe one is stevia (which doesn't taste pleasant to me).

7. Fruit is better than junk food so I can eat lots. Fruit is better, but fruit still has lots of natural sugar and amounts should be limited (I eat the equivalent of a half and apple a day).