Weight Obsession

Losing weight has become the modern woman’s Holy Grail.… Everything will be better when we’re thin. In the 21st century, being thin, even more than being rich or happy, sends a clear message of success to the outside world. No wonder then that disordered eating is on the rise and we’re increasingly unhappy with our bodies. The Ministry of Thin takes a controversial, unflinching look at how our desire to lose weight is out of control; at the widespread depression that results, the tyranny of celebrity culture and the dangerous extremes - including drip-diets and cosmetic surgery - to which we will go to be skinny.

Through interviews, research, and her own experience, Brown not only gives us the real story on weight, health, and beauty, but also offers concrete suggestions for how each of us can sort through the lies and misconceptions and make peace with and for ourselves.

Whether you are seeing a doctor, a nutritionist, or a trainer, all of them advise eating more protein. Foods, drinks, and supplements are loaded with extra protein. Many people use protein for weight control while others believe it gives them more energy. Now, weight loss expert Dr. Garth Davis asks, "Is all this protein making us healthier?" The answer, he emphatically argues, is no.

If dieting makes us fat, what should we do instead to stay healthy and reduce the risks of diabetes, heart disease, and other obesity-related conditions? With clarity and candor, Aamodt makes a spirited case for abandoning diets in favor of behaviors that will truly improve and extend our lives.

This book explains why the author chose to abandon his life's work and close his gym forever. It came from the realization that the issues causing most people to seek health and fitness advice are never resolved with the minutiae of programs, routines, rules, diets, or weight loss, because those issues are internal struggles first. The only lasting resolution is an optimized spirit. A Mild Case of Dead contains stories from years of fitness coaching and owning a health club that reveal the empty promise of time spent in the gym and counting calories.