(Michael Friedman's 6th visit)

Dearest:   My guest tonight is a Weight Watchers® leader at eleven centers in California. 
MICHAEL FRIEDMAN is Power Surge's GIGS™ (Getting Into Good Shape) Weight-Loss Consultant. 
Michael lost 85 pounds on Weight Watchers® and became an impassioned endurance runner.  
At the age of 51, Michael ran his first of two marathons and has plans for many more. 
Michael has raised thousands of dollars for the Arthritis Foundation in the process.

Losing weight, becoming fit, and successfully completing the marathon have changed Michael's 
life forever.  His passions include Weight Watchers®, The Arthritis Foundation and his 
current goal of earning a Certificate in Fitness Teaching.

Welcome back to Power Surge, Mike. There was recently a conference of the weight-loss gurus 
in Washington - Dean Ornish, Dr. Atkins, et al. and they extolled the virtues of their 
particular diets. What are your thoughts on Ornish and Atkins' programs? How do they compare 
to Weight Watchers?


Michael Friedman:   Alice, thank you for the usual kind introduction.  The Ornish program is 
actually for very specific heart patients.  It's far more than a diet regimen.  Even he 
wouldn't recommend it for the general public.  I've been reading and studying more about the 
Atkins and other so-called high protein diets.  Rather than respond directly to that, I'd 
refer you to experts in nutrition almost all of whom point out the deficiencies and dangers 
in the Atkins and similar programs.  Weight Watchers does not have an official "position" on 
these diets, but my local trainer told me just yesterday that since this question comes up a 
lot that our nutritionists should be providing information to WW about them.


Dearest:    Thanks for that excellent answer, Mike.  Mike, do you believe there's a thin 
person inside every fat person?  


Michael Friedman:   Alice that question makes me chuckle.  I'm not sure how to answer that.  
I will say that when I was a fat person I knew that all I had to do was peel off the layers 
and there would be this thinner person.  85 pounds later I discovered the truth in that.  
For the most part I believe that is true for all of us.  There are some who are genetically 
predisposed to be larger.  By the way, I believe that there is a "fat" person in almost 
every "naturally" thin person as well.  There but for fortune, you know.


Dearest:    I asked that because I know people who've lost weight, look great, but still 
aren't happy. Why do so many people think getting thin will solve all their problems?


Michael Friedman:   Perhaps, Alice, because everything in our culture would lead us to 
believe that just by being thin or looking a certain way that we will be happy, sexy and 
everything we want to be.  We know that's not true!  


Dearest:    Let me give you a scenario and tell me how you'd handle it.  Nothing is working 
right for me tonight. First, it's the computer. Then, as I get this working, the light bulb 
blows out in my lamp.....I SURE could use a chocolate bar now :(  Any suggestions? 


Michael Friedman:   :-)  I'd ask you to talk to me about what other methods there are for 
you to relieve stress or deal with anger.  Then I'd ask you to try one or two of those other 
methods right now.  Don't go for the chocolate.  Go for what ever else it is that will help 
you out here. If you want the chocolate bar this time and nothing else will do, then have 
it.  Only know that it is a choice you are making and forgive and be gentle with yourself 
for having made that choice.  Then maybe the next time you can try something different.


Dearest:    Let me ask the audience. How many of you would reach for "comfort food" in 
moments of stress?


Dizzibee:   me

MM Oct:   I would

PianoMary:   ME!!!!!!!

KAPCOOKIE:   me

KarennnSue:   me

TexLady Jo:   me

HOST THRV Sue:   me

SunnyP3976:   me

Kd401:   oh yes

DianeSin:   ditto

NUF ONE:   ME

PianoMary:   chocolate, nuts, chocolate AND nuts

XTeleDocx:   me

Ronsoni:   Me too!!!!

BAM 559:   yeppers

KAPCOOKIE:   lol

Jonquls4U:   sometimes yes/sometimes no

NUF ONE:   i used to eat HALF a Hershey's bar...now i eat ALL of it!


Dearest:    Interesting, Mike, huh?


Michael Friedman:   Not only interesting, but not the least bit unexpected.  :-)


Dearest:    Say, we were all on Weight Watchers. What would we do? 


Michael Friedman:   If this were a WW meeting, I'd make use of what we call Reframing.


Dearest:    <not reforming?>


Michael Friedman:   Again, I'd ask you to describe what is the benefit you get from turning 
to the comfort foods.  You'd tell us something like it is to relieve stress.  Then I'd ask 
you to brainstorm with the group or by yourself on all the other ways you could relieve 
stress under those circumstances.  Then I'd ask you to remind yourself of what is the 
problem with relieving stress by turning to "comfort foods". After that I'd ask you to 
commit to trying three or four of the alternatives you thought of for yourself.  Three or 
four because if the first one doesn't work you have something to do other than go back to 
the food.  This is one of what we call the Tools for Living.


Dearest:    Great answer, Mike :)  MM Oct, go ahead, please.


MM Oct:   I am post menopause and getting heavy what to do?


Michael Friedman:   MM, all I can really suggest is that you find a weight loss program you 
would be happy with.  Of course I think WW is the best, but you would have to find what 
works best for you.  In a program you would be given tools and resources to work on your 
weight issues, and perhaps most importantly you would receive support.  It's most difficult 
to do on your own.  


MM Oct:   Thanks 


Dearest:    Thanks, Mike.  Mike, by the way, why is it so much easier for men to lose weight 
than women?  Men cut out some bread and they lose so fast. Women have to work so hard at it. 


Michael Friedman:   Actually, Alice, that's one of those statements that's partly true and 
partly not.  My guess is that men who do lose faster, and not all men do, is because men 
generally have more muscle mass.  Muscle mass simply burns calories faster than fat tissue.


Dearest:    Thanks, Mike.  Anyone have any questions about dieting?   Weight Watchers? 
Fitness?  


Dearest:    Jonquls, go ahead.


Jonquls4U:   Recently put on some pounds, read that mid-life women would benefit from eating 
several small meals a day, do you agree, what is the rationale and what would those meals 
look like?  


Michael Friedman:   Great question, Jonquls!  First, my research shows that in general 
everyone would do better eating five smaller meals a day than the three "squares" we 
generally get.  The reason?  I'm not sure, but my guess is that by spreading the food out 
more evenly during the day, our blood sugar would remain at a more even level throughout the 
day.  Thus we wouldn't ever feel so hungry, we would tend to eat more moderate portions and 
we would be providing our body with the necessary nutrients evenly throughout the day.  As 
to what to eat, I would think that so long as you get the proper amounts of each kind of 
food during the day, it shouldn't matter when you eat what.  I think that whatever works 
best for you tends to be the best.


Dearest:    Thanks.  ConsultPH, go ahead :)


ConsultPh:   Mike, do you live in St. Louis, MO.?  Thanks, Pete H.


Dearest:    Mike is from California.


Michael Friedman:   LOL  No, I don't, Consult.


Dearest:    Ok, Jonquls, go ahead.


Jonquls4U:   Since I'm not a WW, then counting out those recommended servings of the pyramid 
and then dividing them up over the five meals is what you are suggesting?  Thanks


Michael Friedman:   Not necessarily, Jonquls.  I am not recommending that it be quite so 
rigid.  I only want to see you get the proper amounts during the course of the day, and even 
then if you don't get it quite exactly, that's ok too.  Perhaps as important as eating 
"correctly," is being gentle with yourself when you don't quite get it right from time to 
time.  :-)


Jonquls4U:   :D


Dearest:    Mary, go ahead


PianoMary:   I've finally gotten myself into a fairly regular exercise program...can I lose 
weight this way if I don't increase my food intake, or do I need to go back to Weight 
Watchers and be embarrassed for being gone so long? 


Michael Friedman:   Ok, Mary, you asked for this!  If you go back to WW, you need not be 
embarrassed.  I became a lifetime member in 1991.  I regained all my weight and returned in 
1997 terribly embarrassed.  When I walked back in the door I was welcomed back home.  And 
yes, you can lose weight without increasing your food intake if you are already eating 
enough to compensate for the added exercise.  This came up at our staff meeting yesterday 
and it was recommended that for people doing a lot of exercise that they should eat more 
than the minimum amounts recommended by the daily points ranges.  Does that help, Mary?


PianoMary:   Yes it does...Thanks, Mike!  


Dearest:    YHogan, go ahead, please.


YHogan:   What does WW advise about the high protein/no-carb diet?


Michael Friedman:   Right now WW has no particular position.  However, we do recommend that 
folks eat according to the guidelines of the food pyramid.  I believe that WW nutritionists 
will be providing information which WW leaders will be able to discuss with members in the 
future.  I can only guess what that will be at this point.


Dearest:    Mike, is it difficult for one who enjoys eating out to do so while on Weight 
Watchers?


Michael Friedman:   It can be difficult, especially for new members.  We do provide 
information on how to survive at restaurants.  Also, WW members develop a lot of strategies 
which are often discussed in WW meetings.  This is one of the beauties of being a WW member 
and attending our meetings, which often can be a lot of fun and energizing.


Dearest:    Thanks, Mike :)  Jonquls, your turn 


Jonquls4U:   Since this is especially. a chat about weight loss at mid-life...are there 
things we should be doing differently at mid-life than when we were 20 or 30 somethings?


Michael Friedman:   This is interesting, Jonquls.  I have many postmenopausal women who are 
in my meetings.  For the most part, they do everything that a younger woman might do.  The 
single most difficult issue is an emotional one, which is coming to terms with the fact that 
no matter what, they won't ever be as slim and trim as they were when they were younger.   
When that issue is dealt with, I find that some of my happiest and most successful members 
are those women.


Jonquls4U:   :D


Dearest:    Mike, I know there are many wonderful success stores in Weight Watchers... but 
aren't there more people who gain the weight back? 


Michael Friedman:   Alice, I don't know the actual statistics.  It is true that many, many 
people regain weight.   Independent studies have shown that the best continued success rate 
belongs to WW, for what it's worth.  I tell my members that inspite of those statistics that 
when they reach their goal, they don't have to regain their weight.  The reason?  I think 
it's most about behaviors.  Changing behaviors about food is the key.  When we learn to do 
that, we can keep our weight off.  And WW has what I referred to earlier as the Tools for 
Living which give us the ability to help members make the changes they want to be able to 
keep their weight off forever if that's what they want to do.  


Dearest:    Thanks, Mike. Kapcookie, go ahead, please


KAPCOOKIE:   Since I am a 30 something does that still apply to me?


Michael Friedman:   Cookie, everything applies to you, too.  The weight loss issues are 
basically the same for all of us, male or female, older or younger.  Everyone has their own 
particular set of issues and their own individual story, and that's where it gets 
interesting!  But, again, the WW program itself is the same for everyone.  :-)


KAPCOOKIE:   Thanks


Michael Friedman:   Of course there are small differences, for example, for nursing women.  


Dearest:    Mike, what would you recommend to any woman <or man> here who wants to 
start a weight loss program tomorrow morning? How should they begin the process?  


Michael Friedman:   Alice is this meant to be the setup for the WW ad?  The answer, to me, 
is obvious.  Call 1.800.651.6000, the WW customer service number, and find out where the 
meetings are nearest you!  That's truly what I would recommend.  Now, if you don't want WW, 
that's fine.  The point is to do something.  Almost anything to get yourself started.


Dearest:    Yes, of course that's important, but what pitfalls to avoid? What mind-set would 
be helpful?  What ways to begin a process without sabotaging her/himself?  


Michael Friedman:   Join Jenny Craig if you must.  Get a good book.  Join a gym and hire a 
personal trainer.  Just about anything will do.  Alice, in answer to your last questions, 
there are no set instructions.  Just like stopping smoking or drinking, YOU have to want to 
do it.  No amount of moralizing or pontificating from another will make it work.  You have 
to want it yourself.  I really believe that WW provides the best program in all ways.  We 
are safe.  We are healthy.  Most important of all, we provide tremendous support and 
assistance.  Check us out!  Oh, of great importance:  Don't try fads!  They don't work in 
the long run.  None of them do.


Dearest:    Thank you, Mike, and thank you for all your wonderful guest chats. You are a 
storehouse of information :)  We all always enjoy your visits. Everyone, please join me in 
thanking Mike Friedman for visiting with us in Power Surge again!  

Michael Friedman:   It's absolutely my pleasure.  All you have to do is ask and I'll be back!

And please recognize Alice for being a great host!  And I know that 
tonight was a bit trying for her with the technical glitches.

By the way, Mary, get yourself back there soon.  The price goes up on April 23.
Yes, indeed, Mary.  We've had the higher prices here for several months.
We were a "test" market.  The test worked and now the prices are going up 
throughout the country. And through April 7 there is no enrollment fee.  
The $15.00 enrollment fee is back on April 8.  So, Mary this is the time to get back there!


PianoMary:   That's handy to know.  Thanks.  I guess I have to do it.


Dearest:    Are the weekly charges going up?


Michael Friedman:   Yes, they are, Alice.  And of course it is already more expensive in 
Manhattan than anywhere else.


Dearest:    Even if you were to join before April 23rd, wouldn't you still pay the higher 
weekly charges?

Michael Friedman:   When it goes up, you will.  But if you join now, you will get that many 
more weeks at the lower price.  Just saves you a few bucks over the long haul.


Dearest:    Thanks, again, Mike :)  G'nite everyone. 


Michael Friedman:   Good night, all.  Thanks again, Alice!!!!


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Dearest
aka Alice Stamm
Power Surge
Founder, Facilitator, Host


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