3.  The Fat Trap (Jan 1) http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-fat-trap.html?pagewanted=all is a much more balanced and nuanced article about research suggesting that many fat people will have incredible difficulty getting thin (Who knew? OMG for real?) The findings are fascinating, and the topic is so loaded that it's good to discuss it a little more. Read this list of bullet points, almost all of which come directly from the article.

• Genetics plays a big role in how big your body will be, including bones, muscle and fat.
• Research suggests that people who have been overweight and lose weight are often more prone to gain weight than other people.
• Most diets don't work.
• Understanding the genetics and biochemistry of fat can help people to look, feel and weigh their best. Sometimes they will need professional help.
• Some fat people who want to be thin may need to be vigilant (and hungry) for the rest of their lives, because being thin may not be "natural" for them.
• The research doesn't prove that you can't get thin, but it's true that you might not be able to get thin. They're not the same thing.
• Fat people are not to blame.
• Being overweight can be unhealthy. Or not. Health is a function of fitness, blood chemistry, diet, attitude, choices, faith, genetics and toxins. There are terribly unhealthy thin people. These folks are doing all the "wrong things" but they look healthy because genetics keeps them thin.

Did you already know most of that stuff? Did you notice that seeing it "ratified" by science and the Times still scared the living crap out of you? Read on:

• Science investigates the edges of mystery. Be careful not to turn research into dogma, because more will be revealed.
• Before farming began about 9000 years ago, most of our species migrated (that means "walked") constantly, ate much less, and slept and relaxed more.  Those that didn't die in infancy or from a virulent disease lived as long as the longest-living people do now.  I suspect they were hungry most of the time (at least when compared with modern appetites) and they were thinking about food a lot because they couldn't store it.     
• Longevity is directly linked to very few things, but one of them is how little food you eat.  
• Lipophobia: Our culture (and the culture of our "tolerant" city) loathes and fears fat. We persecute fat people. We also persecute ourselves for having even a tiny amount of fat.   
• I've seen people tell fat people what to eat and how to live - as if the obese hadn't noticed how they look and have no idea how they "should" behave to not be disgusting fatsos.
• Most people can lose weight, prevent illness, and feel better if they eat better. Anti-inflammatory and alkaline ways of eating seem to me to be best.  For  nutritional counseling see a nutritionist or naturopath. Feel free to call me for a referral.
• There are healthy, attractive and fit people who are overweight, and many people for whom weight is not a factor in the people they find attractive.  A super-handsome guy I knew, who had a healthy body, healthy belly, and a healthy sense of humor, used to say: "I DO have a six pack abdomen. It's just deeply buried."  
• The majority of us have a negative and distorted body image. In general, women tend to think they're too heavy in every way, and men tend to think they're not strong enough in every way. Most of us need to talk about how we regard our bodies with somebody who's trustworthy. If you want to talk to me, call. If you want a referral to someone else, I'll give you one.
• Don't give up. The miracle you're looking for may be a change in perspective.