We all can probably agree that eating right all the time is a fairly difficult proposition! Even those of us with amazing will power and the best intentions get tempted now and again whether it be at work, at a function or just because we’re under a lot of stress.

So today I’m asking – what sets you off? In other words what’s your dietary danger zone?

Many of us are habitual or emotional eaters, in fact many of us are both! For me, when I’m stressed it can actually go either way. I’ll either chow down on my go-to comfort foods or I’ll stick to my diet even more strictly. But the one problem that I always have no matter if I’m happy, sad, stressed or not, is eating at night. I don’t know why, but I really enjoy snacking in front of the TV before I head to bed. I actually think this is a behavioral issue that I’ve been programmed with from childhood.

However I’ve heard from other people that breakfast or dinner is their major hurdle. Some people just love to eat huge breakfasts with waffles, eggs, toast and all the good stuff, while other people look forward to an after work dinner with the family. I can’t blame them really, it is a nice feeling to sit at the table with your family and eat together. The issue is what you eat and how much you consume! Too often families sit down for carbohydrate heavy meals, with excessive calories and fat (ah, the great American diet!)

Then of course we have the issue of emotional eating. I think this is the number one cause of food issues in this country. We bury our feelings in food and simply avoid the issue at hand. And it doesn’t help that junk food has been shown to release chemicals and serotonin in the brain that actually make us feel better. It really is a vicious cycle.

I think there are two types of people – those with issues who don’t want to change, and those with issues who desperately want to change. If you want to change a behavior, you must first identify it and then understand why it is you act that way. Once those two are established, you can then be conscious of your decision-making process and try to change your behavior. Trust me it works. And yes I know I’m not a therapist but I learned this skill and how to apply it from my own experience! Essentially it’s very simple – you have a choice. Whether it be at the office luncheon, a family dinner or when you’re stressed the choice is yours. Only YOU can control what you eat and how much.

Sure we all have “trigger points”. We wouldn’t be human if we didn’t. But for every action there’s a reaction, and with a little awareness you can change how YOU react. Me? Sure I love late night snacking but I’m aware of this danger zone, so I choose healthy options. I may eat frozen strawberries, have a cup or two of tea, perhaps some veggies with dip or maybe just a big glass of ice water. In the end I don’t NEED to snack, I WANT to and I know that. So if I want to continue this behavior I need to make some better choices…

Okay – that’s me – but what about you? What’s your diet danger zone – and do you know why you eat the things you do. Comment away and maybe we can all help each other out.

Time for another Infomercial Insanity here at Angry Trainer Fitness, where I take on another health and fitness product and tell you if it’s worth your hard earned cash!

This time around I’m taking a look at a dietary supplement called Sensa  It’s a product that you simply sprinkle on your food and supposedly it will help you lose up to 30 pounds in no time! In fact during the commercial, you can see people sprinkling it on ice cream cones, cheeseburgers and French fries. And they all lost weight!

But can you really eat those foods along with Sensa and lose weight? Hmm…

Product Pitch

Sensa has received a lot of press lately. It’s been featured in numerous newspapers and magazines and even in a Dateline report.

So here’s the deal. The product manufacturer says Sensa has ‘tastants’ in it, which when consumed with food make you feel fuller faster and more satisfied – so as a consequence you eat less. Dana Devon, who’s a TV personality and news anchor, is the spokesperson for the product and she supposedly got turned onto the product when she was asked to produce a story on the brand. Dana admits that she thought it seemed to good to be true but says it helped her lose 20 pounds.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The company’s big selling pitch is that during a 6 month clinical study featuring 2,500 participants, about 1,500 people lost an average of 30 pounds over the course of 6 months by using Sensa. And apparently the people who lost weight achieved their results without changing their eating habits OR adding exercise to their lifestyle.

According to the product, hundreds of thousands of people have said YES! to Sensa and lost millions of pounds collectively. Right now the company offers a FREE 30 day trial kit with absolutely no obligation. If you’re not satisfied simply send it back. Otherwise a 1 month kit will run you $60, with a 6 month supply comes in around $300.

The Angry Trainer Says:

To me this is madness! Once again we have a product that isn’t teaching anyone anything! Even if Sensa did work, which I don’t believe it does, what kind of message does it send to say you can eat ice cream, burgers and fries, and not workout? Simply sprinkle Sensa on your food and lose weight? That’s a terrible suggestion in my opinion.

Another thing that irks me is the ‘average’ weight loss of 30 pounds in 6 months. For one, that’s not impressive – that’s just a touch over one pound per week for 6 months. Plus let’s not forget that only 1,500 out of the 2,400 study participants lost that amount of weight. So what were the other 900 participants results? I find it odd that they don’t provide that information. And Dana Devon? I’ve seen her on TV for years and she’s never appeared overweight. The supposed ‘heavier’ picture of her on the Sensa site hardly looks like she’s 20 pounds overweight.

Okay let’s concede for arguments sake that Sensa’s ingredients do work as they say and make you feel fuller sooner. So you’ll lose some weight right? But what about your health? Remember the participants didn’t change their eating habits or exercise. I’d like to see studies on cholesterol and triglyceride levels, blood pressure and other health markers. In my opinion this product is way off base and is exactly what’s WRONG with our way of thinking. Telling people they can eat junk food and lose weight does nobody any favors.

Finally this stuff is expensive! Who’s going to use Sensa for the rest of their life? Like all supplements once you stop taking it any benefits from its use will disappear. And you’ll just gain all the weight back.

Once again I find myself getting really pissed off and remembering why I’m the Angry Trainer in the first place. It’s consumers that keep companies like this in business and making billions.

There are no powders, pills or shortcuts to a healthy, fit and productive life. You must learn to eat right, exercise and in the process, save yourself $600 per year! How about sprinkling a little common sense on your plate instead?

The Angry Trainer says: I think Sensa is Absolutely Insane!

All information contained within this site, Angry Trainer Fitness.com, is for informational purposes only.  It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem – nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician.  No action should be taken solely on the contents of this website.  Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health or on any opinions expressed within this website. Please see your physician before changing your diet, starting an exercise program, or taking any supplements of any kind.

Hmm, I think it’s time for another Fiction Fact Or Fiction – and this one’s a question I get asked time and again here at Angry Trainer Fitness!

It seems like every other day some new celebrity detox or cleanse hits the news with the ‘star’ concerned claiming they’ve lost weight in no time and that the plan relieves stress, boosts energy and improves overall health.

But are detoxes worth your time and hard earned cash?

I’d have to say that if you asked me this question about 5 months ago, I’d say these plans had no merit. We all know that the liver detoxifies the body and removes toxins. That said some people believe that there’s a “build up” effect that can take place and that cleanses and detoxes can reverse this process. As you may recall I recently tried Intermittent Fasting and along the way learned more about the body and how it functions without food. I first started that plan with a 24 hour fast and honestly I felt terrific.

Now detoxes or cleanses can last anywhere from 3–21 days and while the details may vary most include liquids, specific foods and some form of calorie restriction. Some plans are sold with specific supplements like probiotics to improve digestive function, some suggest ginger, honey or lemon while others promote use of fiber to clean the colon and remove years of accumulated waste.

So here’s the deal, aside from the detox fans I couldn’t find any actual research that’s studied the before and after health of detox users. I’m not saying the studies haven’t been done, I’m just saying that I haven’t come across them. And I just think if the benefits of detoxes were medically proven to be beneficial for your health, you’d see many more health practitioners recommending them and a heck of a lot of conclusive evidence.

That said I’m now on the fence a bit when it comes to detoxes. On the one hand I like the idea of fasting for 24 or 48 hours while on a liquid diet. When I tried my fast I drank green tea and water all day. Now I’m not a fan of these plans for their supposed cleansing or detoxing benefits but I can see how they would result in fat loss. Yep you read that right! I think that these types of plans, especially the shorter 3-day variety, when implemented intelligently into an exercise program, can initiate fat burning and cause some very beneficial metabolic processes. But I think 3 days is the max and if you were to try and go longer I fear you’d be in danger of muscle wasting.

I also think that even for those of us that eat healthy and fiber rich foods, giving the whole system a rest and chance to clean out every few months kind of makes sense to me. Since I’m always comparing the human body to a machine we might as well draw some comparisons here too. For instance, even if you treat your car well and use high grade oils and gas, it’s widely recognized that it’s a good idea to run the tank down to burn up any accumulated sediment, flush out the other plumbing in the car and change the fluids. So think of a detox or cleanse kind of like a flush for your system. That’s makes sense right?

Look at the end of the day I don’t think you can do much for your health in a mere 3 days – and I don’t think you should detox for longer than this. Plus as I’ve said before I think detoxes are viewed in the wrong way. Too often they’re used after a vacation or holiday binge or when someone’s looking to lose weight for an event in a hurry. Those are totally the wrong reason in my opinion. A detox or cleanse is not a ‘get thin quick’ plan, but rather an approach that you may want to try if you eat well, exercise regularly and want to clean out your system every few months.

So are detoxes a waste of time and money? Overall I’d have to say this is FICTION, but please if you do detox – use them for the right reasons.

All information contained within this site, Angry Trainer Fitness.com, is for informational purposes only.  It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem – nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician.  No action should be taken solely on the contents of this website.  Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health or on any opinions expressed within this website. Please see your physician before changing your diet, starting an exercise program, or taking any supplements of any kind.

As you may know last night I held my first UStream chat of 2012 – and it was a blast!

This week’s topic was Sticking To A Plan – and with so many of us just a few weeks into our resolutions, I thought it was the perfect time to talk about how to keep your New Year’s resolutions on track.

You’ve probably heard me say here on the site that I see more people fail than succeed in their fitness endeavors. And one reason is that they just don’t stick to a plan. Heck, some people don’t even have a plan!

We covered a lot of ground during last night’s chat – so thanks to everyone who logged on and posed questions. I know some of you couldn’t make it so with that in mind I’ve recorded last night’s chat and posted it on my YouTube channel  for you to watch!

I gave some tips that I know are very helpful in staying on track and focused. Plus I answered a few terrific questions sent in from chat participants. It’s definitely worth your time to watch the video. I promise you’ll come away with something useful.

Don’t forget I’ll be holding weekly Ustream chats every Tuesday night at 9PM EST. I hope you can make the next one. I’ll be announcing the topic on Monday – but if you have any suggestions just fire them on over!

Alfonso

Click here to view the embedded video.

It’s 2012 and you know what that means – I’m checking in on you to see if you’re all talk, or if you’re REALLY sticking to those resolutions so many of you have made. You should have started a new program by now, I have! But how are you holding up?

I’m in total tunnel vision mode. I don’t typically make resolutions, but I figured the 1^st of the year would be a great time to set some serious goals for all of you to see. So for 90 days I’m giving up natural peanut butter, diet soda, tortilla chips and desserts. Crazy I know!

The truth is that with the exception of the diet soda, the others are fine in moderation and can be included in a healthy eating plan. My issue is simple – I just eat too much, especially the peanut butter and chips. I’ve given up diet soda before and this time it’s for good. There’s too much evidence that suggests it’s detrimental to your health and we already know it possesses no nutrients, so why drink it? Water and green tea for me.

Also, as you know I’m doing some work with GNC as part of their Live Well Now campaign. One cool thing I get to do is try out their series of Beyond Raw products, which is geared towards fitness professionals, athletes and those in good shape that are looking to get to a whole new level of fitness. I’ll have a full report for you in the coming months so stay tuned. And along those lines one of my goals is also to drop my bodyfat low. Real low. I’ve been telling you all via Facebook and Twitter I’m shooting for 5%, but truthfully I don’t care what the number is as long as I’m shredded. Mark my words – by April 1^st you’ll all see the Angry Trainer ripped!

But what about you? Have you started your plan to reach new health and fitness goals, or are you still slacking off waiting for the right time? I have to say I’m impressed – so many of you have written me and seem so focused and determined. You’ve shared your workouts, eating plans and thoughts on staying motivated. And in a way you’ve all motivated me so I thank you. I need to stress that you can accomplish anything with a plan and the right tools. If you stick to the program and put the right effort in, you WILL be rewarded. It really is just that simple.

So why don’t you all share what your goals are in the comments section below so we can all keep each other accountable and focused. Let everyone know what your plans are and how it’s going so far – and then we’ll do ANOTHER check in at the end of the month.

The power of sharing is incredible. I know many of you have failed on previous attempts at reaching goals so let’s all help one another and make sure that this year is UNLIKE any other year we’ve had. What do you say? Who’s with me?

Here we go again and man is this post going to stir up some emotions!

I’m a firm believer that two people in a relationship should share a common lifestyle or way of life if the relationship is to succeed. I know for myself, dating someone that enjoys working out and eating healthy makes me feel more connected in the relationship.

So it got me thinking about a terrific question I’d ask of all you fitness minded Angry Trainer followers.

Would you date an overweight person – even if they had a terrific personality and a great smile?

Now I’m not just talking about a few extra pounds, I mean someone who’s obese. And this isn’t someone who’s overweight and on a mission to change. This is a potential partner that has no interest in exercise or eating healthy. Do you think your relationship could survive – even if the chemistry was there?

I recently read that men are 5 times more likely to break up with, or divorce, their wives if she gains too much weight! Truthfully, for me it has less to do with how a woman looks than it does with how she treats herself. Don’t get me wrong, I find fit people attractive, but that’s not to say I would automatically dismiss a woman who’s overweight, if she exercises and eats right. Dating someone that doesn’t exercise or watch what they eat is like dating a smoker – I just can’t understand it. And I’ll be honest – several years ago I did date a smoker and it was horrible. No doubt it was a barrier in our relationship and truthfully just plain old nasty. And clearly, we’re no longer together.

Okay, so we’ve talked about dating someone who’s overweight. But what do you do if the love of your life, who was formerly fit and healthy, packs on the pounds and 10 years later, is now obese? This is an all too common scenario. But what do you do then? Again, I think this is a testament to a shared lifestyle and common ground being paramount to a successful life together. Clearly something has been lost between the two of you that was once an important and integral part of your relationship.

From an anecdotal point of view, I haven’t seen very many couples where there was a big mismatch. In general I tend to see fit people with other fit people, and people who are overweight seem to date others that are also overweight. And before you all attack me, I’m only sharing what my experiences have been and what I’ve noticed!

So let’s discuss, could you date an overweight person that doesn’t exercise or eat healthy and has no interest in learning how to? Start commenting everyone – I can’t wait to hear your thoughts…

I never could have imagined how much personal growth I would experience by sharing what I’ve learned in my career as a personal trainer with all of you across the world who read this site. As you know, Angry Trainer Fitness was launched to spread the truth and expose the myths and lies within the fitness industry. And just yesterday, I shared my 7 Tips For New Trainees, detailing my thoughts on how to succeed in becoming healthier and more fit when starting out in an exercise program.

But truthfully, I’ve learned as much from all of you out there, as I’ve been able to share! With so many of you participating, asking questions, and leaving comments on posts, Angry Trainer Fitness has really become a great community of like minded people all looking for the same thing – how to improve their health and fitness the right way.

So now I want to hear from all of you again for today’s Angry Issue. The topic – weight loss – always a popular issue here on the site! So I want to know what’s your secret? All of us have learned a trick or tip along the way to help us along in our journey. But what worked for you and made the crucial difference when it came to losing those pesky pounds.

Maybe a friend showed you an awesome butter substitute that you now swear by. Or did you embark on a new fitness / training program that worked like no other before it. Is it the food diary you now keep or some mental trick you use that stops you reaching for the cookies? I want to hear them all – the big and the small stuff – so we can all share. Who knows, maybe your tip will make the crucial difference for a fellow Angry Trainer follower…

For instance, Matt just wrote in to give me a great tip. He shared that he now substitutes Spaghetti squash for the real stuff, and told me it tastes great, is low in calories, is filling, and he even sent me the link to the nutritional data! That’s a great tip, especially if you’re a pasta lover. I’ve tried it with crushed tomatoes with sautéed lean meat and it’s awesome! Thanks Matt!

Our community of friends is growing by the day, and this will be an awesome way for us all to learn new tricks from one another and keep on growing. So what are you waiting for – start sharing.

It doesn’t matter what it is, if it helped you I want to hear it!

Yep, that’s right I’m fasting, but not in the way that you’re probably thinking.

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago here on the site I recently came across Experiments In Intermittent Fasting, a free E-Book that chronicles Dr. John Berardi’s 6 month long experience with various fasting plans. For those of you that don’t recognize his name, Dr. Berardi is a well-known and respected nutrition and exercise expert that heads up the team at Precision Nutrition.

For me this is yet another example of how I’m continually evolving in my quest for fitness and health knowledge. If you had brought this type of plan to me in the past, I would have dismissed it and said you’re nuts. Over the years, we’ve all been bombarded with so many eating ‘rules’ – including the idea of eating small meals every 3 hours to speed your metabolism and to prevent muscle loss. With that in mind the idea of an intermittent fasting plan literally flies in the face of everything you’ve heard. So let me explain.

Everyone fasts to some degree. You sleep every night right? Well that’s a fast – hence the name breakfast – break the fast. Intermittent plans simply extend the amount of time that you go between meals. There are many schools of thought for what hours work best, some say a 12 hours of eating / 12 hours fasting plan is best, others opt for a 10 / 14 approach, and some say a once weekly 24 hour fast is the best way to go. I’ve opted for the 16 / 8 approach, meaning I fast for 16 hours, and “feed” for 8. This works best for me because it fits into my day nicely and is extremely manageable. A point I do need to make clear is that this type of plan is not a calorie restrictive or a starvation plan. You simply eat the same food and calorie amounts as you would normally, just in a different window of time.

Truth be told, I started my regime with a 24-hour fast, because I had never done it and wanted to see if I could. That was 9 days ago and I have to tell you it was super easy! I was as shocked as you, trust me. In fact in the 23^rd hour I went to the gym and trained chest and arms and hit the revolving stairs and had a phenomenal workout! My energy was great, I actually got a pump in my muscles, my endurance was fantastic, and overall I can honestly say it was one of my best workouts I’ve had in a long time. During each day I’m alert, focused, and have had no issues with lethargy or feeling light headed.

After that first day, I switched to the 16 / 8 plan and again, I workout in the last hour of the fast and then drink a 600 calorie protein drink, with a 60 / 40 mix of sugars and protein. Many of you have asked me if I’m hungry, and the answer is no, not at all. In fact this is one of the easiest plans I’ve ever tried. As for eating, I’m eating the same food I always do – lean meats, complex carbs and fibrous vegetables, fruits and healthy fats, and even the occasional treat. And this past Sunday I splurged a bit and increased my calories by about 25%. But since I have just an 8-hour window to eat within, I only get 4 meals, and sometimes just 3. As I said my workouts have been great, so amazing in fact that I’ve had to set a time limit or I’ll just keep going! So I hit the gym for an hour of weights, plyo’s, calisthenics etc. and when an hour is up, I’m done.

Interestingly this way of eating is very easy to manage. I’m not anxious over finding a healthy meal if I’m out, or worrying if I’m not getting meals every 3 hours. Morning time is easy as I can focus on my day and not about preparing food or eating breakfast. The only supplement I’ve been using is a serving of BSN Amino X BCAA’s (no, I don’t work for them) twice per day, once in the morning, and again 30 minutes before my workout.

So why am I fasting? Well for one, it interested me. After all, Dr. Berardi is no slouch and even though he was in great shape to begin with, he ended up at 4% bodyfat at the end of his experiment and had vastly improved his blood profiles. Secondly, many of you have asked me some specific questions on the merits of these plans. So truthfully to give you the best answers possible, I felt I had to try it myself. Remember, I’m a fitness guinea pig!

The results are quite remarkable so far – in the first 7 days I’m down 5 pounds and visibly leaner. In all my years of training I’ve never seen such a change in my body in just one week. Here’s the thing, as I said this is not a calorie restrictive plan, but due to the shorter eating window, it’s really hard to overeat. I mean on some days I’ve struggled to hit 2,500 calories! Plus it eliminates snacking at night, and grabbing treats here and there. Of course I’m sure some of it is water weight, but I know I haven’t lost an ounce of muscle. I’ve been very regimented – when the clock says 8pm, I’m done with food till noon the next day.

Now who knows how I’ll feel down the line. In coming weeks my the plan may stop working for me. But I suspect there are some hormonal changes taking place and that I’m burning a lot of fat during my workouts. My plan is to keep at it right up to my birthday on December 19^th, and then assess how I look and feel then.

If you’re interested in reading more on Intermittent Fasting plans, check out Dr. Berardi’s E- book , and Martin Berkhan’s Lean Gains website . Martin is absolutely ripped and has some really interesting thoughts of his own.

Let me know what you think and if you’re interested in trying Intermittent Fasting in your own life…

Hey everyone, it’s November 1st, and you know what that means right? Yesterday was the last day of the Angry Trainer Fitness October Diet Challenge.

For those of you who missed it, at the very end of September I issued a challenge  to Angry Trainer Fitness readers. And it was simple – commit to a minimum of 4 days per week of exercise, for 30 minutes, and change your diet – and stick to it – for 31 days. I have to say, I’m pleased with my results!

For the past 4 weeks I’ve eaten mostly a Paleo type diet that consists of vegetables, lean meats and some nuts too. Now I must admit, I had a very difficult time getting started but once I fully embraced the diet, I stuck to it like gangbusters. And I know many of you did as well. I partly started this challenge to encourage interaction between the readers of this site and myself and offered a free one-hour phone consultation for the person who most embraced the challenge in the form of updates and interaction. I have to admit it was really terrific to see participants interacting with each other here on the site – how awesome! As it turns out, Ingrid, Sara, and Laura truly participated the most, with Greg representing for the guys.

So I’ve decided I’m going to call it a tie between the ladies and am going to set up a web chat with all three of them. And since Greg was the leader of the guys, let’s add him too! Thanks everyone – you all did amazing! I’ll be in touch soon to set up our chats!

For me personally my results were quite startling. I had let myself go a bit following my recent biceps’ surgery, and although I only truly adhered to the plan for the last two weeks, I dropped about 6 pounds! And Ingrid clued me in that she too lost inches all over. Way to go Ingrid! I’m sure Laura and Sara have also made progress, and will update me shortly. And Greg, he posted in the first week he had lost pounds and was visibly leaner than just a week prior!

I think the most important aspect of this challenge is accountability. I know it helped to keep me focused knowing that others were doing the same thing. And reading the updates on the Angry Trainer Fitness Facebook Page  was truly inspirational, not only did everyone share diet information, but they also spoke of the struggles that they were going through. It was real, honest, and totally relatable.

As with all my experiences, I’ve learned from this one too. While the Paleo diet is a good plan, the lack of traditional carbohydrates from rice, beans and other grains clearly shows itself. The only non-approved food I used was a whey protein shake, but usually I’d also include some form of simple sugars before and after my workouts. In the absence of simple sugars, my muscles look flat, and not very shapely. My energy was good, but my endurance surely suffered. I couldn’t get the “pump” that I’m used to on a more conventional diet, and while I’m normally extremely veiny, I could barely see a trace of a vein. I can tell you that I’m definitely depleted, meaning I have very little muscle glycogen.

I’m thinking that I need to cycle on and off the Paleo plan a few days per week, maybe using it on days I don’t workout, or on lower intensity – just cardio / calisthenics days. On my regular weight training – circuit – high intensity days, I’ll be adding some sugars and other carbohydrates to fill up my muscle sugar stores and fuel my workouts.

I’m wondering if anyone else felt the same way or had a similar experience eating just veggies, fats, and meats? See this is another example of how science and real world results don’t always jive. On paper, scientists will tell you everything you eat gets converted to sugar, and should theoretically be stored in muscle tissue. How many times have you heard “a calorie is calorie”. But I say bull! There’s no way broccoli and peppers contribute to muscle glycogen stores the same as fruit, or any other simple sugars, even if they’re at the same caloric amount.

So I think the first Angry Trainer Diet Challenge was a huge success. My team and I are already planning plenty more follow up challenges for the months ahead, learning from this experience – and we hope to have you all on board.

Thanks everyone – you’re amazing!

Alfonso

Just when I thought our ways of dealing with obesity couldn’t become any more absurd, yesterday I watched a segment on The Today Show discussing the latest weight loss controversy from the UK. Turns out doctors are now planning on performing gastric balloon and lap band weight loss surgeries on CHILDREN, some as young as 11!

Oh boy – where do I start with this one!

Recently here on the site we asked How Young Is Too Young To Diet?  and once again I find myself making the same arguments regarding children and obesity. Fact is, if more kids were educated in the areas of nutrition and exercise there would be no need for children to undergo weight loss surgery. Seriously, what is this world coming to when we look to the medical establishment to solve an issue that’s clearly emotional and psychological? Enough already! Sign these kids up for therapy and a nutritionist, don’t admit them to a hospital!

To be fair, Dr. Nancy Snyderman did state in the piece, that this surgery is for HIGH RISK obese children who may otherwise die if an intervention doesn’t take place soon. I understand that in theory – but I think we all know that gastric bypass for adults was also originally intended to be a life saving procedure. But as we’ve seen, it’s quickly became a quick fix for the wealthy. The operation has been blatantly abused, with insurance companies, doctors, and hospitals all looking the other way. Let’s remember this fact – gastric bypass, lap bands, and the gastric balloon, don’t do anything you can’t do on your own. You are NOT powerless when it comes to your diet and health.

Surgery won’t make these kids more active: it won’t get them off the Xbox; it won’t make them make better food choices and it won’t inspire them to lead an active life. I know that defenders of the surgery will say learning all of those things are part of the weight loss surgery program. To which I say GREAT! Then offer the program to those who need it without the unnecessary life threatening surgery. What part are we missing here?

On The Today Show Donnie Deutsch argued the operation was similar to kids who undergo plastic surgery to fix their appearance, and worried about the potential for parental abuse. While Star Jones, who controversially had the surgery herself and now appears to have gained some of the weight back, said that she felt kids just weren’t emotionally and psychologically prepared to deal with such a traumatic surgery. And Star should know.

The real question is – how and why are these kids becoming obese in the first place?  I mean how does a child go from being chubby, to overweight, to morbidly obese without someone stepping in? Should the state take an interest, or should schools have a duty to report obese children to authorities, or call home with concern? Or how about the pediatricians? What’s their role in all of this? Or is all of the responsibility squarely on the parents’ shoulders? I’m really not sure what the answer is, but I know giving kids weight loss surgery certainly isn’t the solution. I have to go back to what I’ve always said, nutritional education in our schools, starting in kindergarten, is one of the answers to our obesity epidemic. And for those people who are already overweight, I think therapy is a crucial part of their weight loss program.

But what do you think? Should pre-teen children be allowed to undergo weight loss surgery? And if so, do you think they’ll keep the weight off? Comment away…