Dearest: My guest tonight takes on the subject of obesity in his frank and acclaimed book, "The Fat Of The Land:The Obesity Epidemic and How Overweight Americans Can Help Themselves" . . and goes beyond bestsellers like Dearest: "The Zone" and "The 5 Day Miracle Diet" by pinpointing medicine's own unacknowledged prescriptions for being slim in a country that conspires to make us fatter. Dearest: M I C H A E L F U M E N T O ... is a medical journalist and a resident fellow of The American Enterprise Institute. He is also the author of the controversial book, "The Myth of Heterosexual Aids," and "Science Under Siege." Having lost and gained 25 pounds numerous times, our guest indicts the myriad weight loss "miracle' gimmicks, diets, the food and health industry, and other profiteers, such as authors of diet books and programs that are making megabucks, but providing often worse than useless information. Welcome to Power Surge, Michael. (I hope it's okay if we call you "Michael"). In saying hello, please share with us approximately how much did Americans spend last year on weight-loss programs, books, etc.,? Michael Fumento: Hi! Last year, Americans spent approximately $90 billion (no typo) on various schemes. Dearest: Wow... that's amazing. Michael Fumento: What's most amazing is that almost none of this works. Every year we get fatter. MIMISUSAN: My sister's weight goes up and down by 50 or 60 lbs. Any suggestions. Michael Fumento: She's a bit of an extreme example, but essentially that's what most people on diets do. The problem generally is, that they try to lose the fat they put on over a period of years in a period of months, weeks, even days. It just doesn't work. Virtually nobody succeeds at permanent weight loss who doesn't do so slowly, using good nutrition, MODERATE calorie reduction, a MODERATE increase in exercise, and plenty of time to accomplish their goal. W1441: Have any of you ever tried Herbalife I personally lost 20 lbs and over 20 inches in one month. Michael Fumento: Losing 20 pounds in a month is way too much. For most, it's not even possible without something short of virtual starvation. More than that, the general rule is the quicker you take it off, the more likely it is to come back. Unless you're extremely obese, a better goal is nothing over two pounds a week. And even less than that is better. I know that's exactly the opposite of what the diet books try to sell you and the HerbalLifes. They make their money by promising LITERALLY magic and miracles. But there is no magic and miracles come from heaven, not a publisher, author, or Jenny Craig. IAMNANC: I lost 86 pounds in a year by cutting fat...eating lots of veggies and doing step aerobics. Michael Fumento: Again, unless you were extremely overweight to begin with, 86 lbs. is too much. But otherwise you have the right idea. PENANDCOB: If you could give one statement on weight loss, what is it? Dearest: Interesting question, Pen :) Michael Fumento: Really, I've made it. MODERATION is the key. Lose slowly, reduce calories slightly, increase exercise slightly unless you really enjoy working out hard. I know that's not what a lot of people want to hear. But it works. What you WANT to hear does not work. Dearest: Michael, years ago when people were "overweight".. they were maybe 20 pounds over the weight they should be. Why are people SO overweight today? I mean being 100 pounds overweight is commonplace today. In short, WHY is America SO FAT? Michael Fumento: Good question. Essentially, we live in a country that encourages both overeating and lack of daily exercise. Just the other day I saw an ad for McDonald's in which a man says "Supersize me!" The clerk asks what kind of food he wants and he says it doesn't matter! Food portions have become huge in this country. To Americans quantity has taken on a quality all its own. GRYFFIE: Is weight gain in menopause inevitable? Michael Fumento: Not at all. What does generally happen is that the weight shifts up from hips and thighs to the belly region. This is thought by many to be more dangerous. So just when you start to enter heart attack and stroke range you also get your fat right where you don't want it! Dearest: Michael, can you give us a one line summation of the popular diets out there, like The Zone, Weight Watchers, etc? Which ones to avoid? Which ones may be better? Michael Fumento: There's too many for one line, but as a rule avoid anything that talks about rapid weight loss. Avoid any that concentrates on one type of nutrient as being especially good or bad. And by golly, if you see the words "miracle" or "magic," don't walk away--run! THRV Coll: Mike, in losing weight, what's more important in your opinion - watching fat or watching calories? Michael Fumento: Definitely calories. Ultimately, that's all that counts. What IS distinctive about fat is that per gram or ounce, it has more fat than carbs or protein. But people have twisted this into believing you can eat all the cals you want so long as they're low in fat. Wrong! The idea is to eat less fat to reduce caloric intake, not to ignore caloric intake so long as you eat less fat. I think this fad is one reason our country is getting so much fatter. Europeans haven't bought into this nonsense -- yet. Dearest: Michael, take a woman of 47, what should her daily intake of calories be? (normal activity level) Michael Fumento: I've tried to tack down numbers for questions like yours and no responsible scientist will give them to me! They all insist it varies completely. On average, if you're five foot inches it should be around 1,800 but that could vary dramatically depending on your job, exercise level, and even if you walk to a subway or bus stop every day. Pandoralou: I am reading "The Solution" Have you read it, and if so, your opinion? Michael Fumento: Sorry, haven't kept up on the new diet books since Fat of the Land came out. But measure it against what I've been saying. BayouClog1: I'm 48, just stared weight watchers, is it realistic for me to set my goal as 110 -115. That is a 30 pound loss for me 5”2” and very small boned. Michael Fumento: My book (and numerous other places) do have tables for measurement, but BMI is usually a good indicator. To find your BMI . . . okay, it's been a long time, let me think about this. BMI is your weight times 705. Then divide this by your height in inches once. Divide again by height in inches. You will probably be between 22 and 30. Anything over 25 is considered at least somewhat unhealthy, the higher the worse. Over 30 and you're looking at serious health problems and a significantly shortened life. Joan5000: As you get older, muscle tone, and metabolism so hard to lose, anyway to speed up metabolism? Michael Fumento: As to speeding up metabolism, the single best way is weight- lifting. I don't mean those big barbells that Arnold uses. I mean anything that causes you to build muscles. Joan5000: I can't weight lift, due to arthritis, speed walking only. Michael Fumento: I use a "universal gym" that has flat plates. I do it a mere hour a week, but it has made my muscles somewhat bigger and much stronger and clearly raised my metabolism. Remember, fat doesn't burn calories, nor do bones. Only muscle. As to arthritis, weight training has been shown to help that, too. Obviously you will have to use lighter weights, esp. to start with. But any increase in muscle mass will increase metabolism. J L Roone: I do weight training, and aerobics. I gained 12 pounds going through menopause now I have arthritis and unable to maintain high level of exercise any advice? Michael Fumento: Wt. training and aerobics is the best combination. Wt. training will build the muscles so you're burning calories all day (and night long). But you don't burn many cals during the wt training itself. That's where aerobic exercise comes in. Plus, wt. training does nothing for your heart or lungs, while aerobic exercise does. BTW, aerobic simply means anything that gets you panting. It can be dance, running, biking, stair climbing, rowing. The best exercise is that which you enjoy the most because it means you'll stick with it. Craigclu: What do you recommend as reliable resources for people who are serious about losing weight ? Michael Fumento: You put me on the spot! What can I say? I put two years of hard research into my book and pored over literally thousands of medical and science journal articles. It has notes for all of them, over 1,000 total. My "scheme" was to help both my country and me. It certainly worked for me. I initially lost 25 lbs and brought my weight down to a 24 bmi. Now I'm going for the last stretch, trying to get my body fat down to the lowest healthy level. Will be there in about six weeks. I literally look like one of those underwear models--at age 38! Dearest: "The Fat Of The Land"... you can purchase your copy at www.amazon.com on the Net :) Z J Gragg: If you are "obese", how much is a normal amount to try to lose per month? Michael Fumento: Depends on HOW obese. The fatter you are, the more you are "allowed" to lose monthly. If you're, say, 40 pounds overweight . . . Z J Gragg: Over 100 lbs Michael Fumento: Okay, 100 lbs. Then two pounds a weeks is about right. That would mean in 1 year you will have lost every pound you need to lose. I know it sounds like a long time, but you have the rest of your life ahead of you. Just give it time and it WILL work. EArchib247: Can you loose 60 pounds in one month? Michael Fumento: Sixty pounds in a month is outrageous unless you're grossly overweight and need to lose it for surgery. Unless you're grossly overweight it's also physically impossible. That's because you can only burn so many calories a day unless you engage in lots of extremely vigorous exercise. VBrando101: About large portions...I went to dinner with a friend from Ireland and she couldn't get over the size of the portions we serve here!!! Michael Fumento: Right. Most Europeans will tell you they are disgusted at how big we are and disgusted at our food portions. We need to relearn to savor the taste of food, not it's size. Remember, the best two bites of any food are the first and the last. RCHCTH: Is there any way to get rid of stomach weight? Never had weight problem B4. Michael Fumento: Fat is fat. The general rule is the last place you put it on is the first place it comes off. That means, for one, there's no such thing as "spot reducing." But I have also found that the last fat on me is that under the muscle of the belly. Virtually everything else is gone. THRV Coll: Mike, does BMI take into account the amt of body fat you have? Michael Fumento: In a crude manner, yes. Where it goes awry is with extremely muscular people, such as football players and weight lifters. If they're NOT over a 25 BMI then they have problems. But there are more accurate tests for body fat that many gyms or trainers can use on you. Dearest: Michael, what are your thoughts about "fat acceptance" groups? Michael Fumento: Goodness, don't get me started on them at this late hour! I feel about them the same way I would feel about a group that said it's okay to be an alcoholic or smoke 5 packs of cigarettes a day. They continually disseminate false and misleading information. I cannot speak poorly enough of them, save to add that I do pity them because they have thrown in the towel and there's no need for that. But it's one thing to jump off a cliff and another to ask others to join you. ZeldaGM: As I am trying to lose weight and people notice the difference in my eating habits they seem to have all kinds of comments. What's the best way to be aware of food but not to obsess about it. I have gained 70 lbs. since July 97 and everybody seems to have a comment. Michael Fumento: Remember, we are in a society that encourages obesity, Zelda. If you want to not be obese, essentially you must go against the tide. That's not always easy. For example, people give me dirty looks when I eat only half of my food at a restaurant and then tell the waiter that no I don't want to take the rest home. If I take it home, I'll eat it before I should. But I'd rather be thin and get dirty looks than fat and "fit in" with what people expect. Buchermj: What is the lowest BMI you can go to and still be healthy? Michael Fumento: Darned good question. Essentially, short of anorexia, the studies keep showing there's no such thing as being too thin. Animal studies, for example, show that rodents and primates who are severely underfed live far, far longer thantheir counterparts of average weight. That said, I'm not trying to turn us into a nation of "Olive Oyls" If you're too fat, try to lose some if it. Better yet, get down to below bmi 25. If you accomplish that, then start worrying about going even lower on the scale. But a BMI of 20 or even less is quite healthy. (Note: BMI - Body Mass Index -- i.e., someone who's 65 inches tall and weights 140 pounds.... You can figure out your BMI -- or Body Mass Index -- using this formula: Multiply your weight by 703, then divide that sum by the square of your height in inches. Your BMI is 23 (140x703 / 65x65), which is very good. For an average adult, a good range is 20 to 26; this means you have the lowest risk of disease and premature death. A BMI between 27 and 29 means you're a bit overweight and have greater risks of heart disease and other problems. Using the body mass index is a handy way to keep track of your height-to-weight ratio. Your BMI, however, does NOT indicate fat-to-muscle ratio, so stay consistent with your program, and make sure to balance aerobics with some strength-training workouts. And keep to sensible, low-fat eating habits.) Dearest: Michael, the medical definition of "obesity" is how many pounds overweight? Michael Fumento: Not pounds, but 20 percent more than you should weigh. Traditionally, that is. The newer definition is over a BMI of about 28. But as I said, 25 is a better cut off. Dearest: Michael, thank you for this very stimulating evening and sharing your thoughts about the obesity epidemic in America today. Anyone interested in buying Michael Fumento's book, The Fat of the Land. Michael Fumento: You're very welcome. A real pleasure. Great questions. Dearest: Thanks, again, Michael. Goodnight, everyone :) Disclaimer: Every guest in Power Surge is a highly respected professional whose opinions are his/her own. An appearance in Power Surge does not constitute an endorsement of a guest's views. None of these transcripts may be reprinted or reproduced without the express permission of Power Surge™ and the respective guest. Read other transcripts by returning to the Library. Dearest aka Alice Stamm Power Surge Founder, Facilitator, Host Copyright©1994- by Power Surge. All Rights Reserved.