The Big Fat Truth: The Behind-the-scenes Secret to Weight Loss (34 page)
Read The Big Fat Truth: The Behind-the-scenes Secret to Weight Loss Online
Authors: J.D. Roth
You know how I feel about excuses: they’re inexcusable! Maybe the worst excuse of all, though, is that you don’t have the knowledge you need to lose weight. Well if you don’t have it now, it’s easy enough to get. Good health information is out there all around you so don’t try playing the “I don’t know how” card as a justification for staying fat.
The list that follows includes documentaries, books and websites that can all help you understand where you’re going and how to get there. These are things that have swayed my own thinking on nutrition, fitness, and overall health. I hope they influence you as well.
All of these movies really changed how I look at food. They all basically arrive at the same conclusion—that the American diet needs to change—though they each come at it from a different angle. They are all also straightforward, research-based, eye-opening, and even life-changing.
Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret
—Looks at the devastating environmental impact of factory farming.
Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead
—Australian Joe Cross crisscrosses America with a juicer in an attempt to lose weight and regain his health (spoiler alert: he succeeds).
Food, Inc.—
Journalist Eric Schlosser, who wrote
Fast Food Nation,
(see below) made this film about the corporate-controlled food industry.
Food Matters
—A documentary about the reluctance of the medical community to acknowledge the benefits of food as medicine.
Forks Over Knives
—Explores the premise that many chronic diseases can be controlled and even reversed by eliminating animal and processed foods.
Hungry for Change
—An indictment of the diet industry’s deceptive tactics.
PlantPure Nation
—Nelson Campbell, son of the nutrition research pioneer T. Colin Campbell, puts a plant-based diet to the test by trying it out on a North Carolina rural community raised on comfort foods. Good health ensues.
Super Size Me
—See what happens when director Morgan Spurlock lives on a diet of food from McDonald’s for a month (it isn’t pretty).
This lineup of books provides everything from information on the science of nutritious eating to inspiration for living a healthier, happier life.
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
by Chris McDougall—Even if you never plan to run a day in your life (and could care less about athletics), this book will inspire you to take on challenges. It tells an amazing true story and offers a great lesson to anyone needing a kick in the butt.
Fast Food Nation
by Eric Schlosser—This expose of the fast-food industry will make you think twice before breezing through the drive-thru. Schlosser was one of the first people to give us a behind-the-scenes look at the companies contributing to obesity in America.
Plant-Based Diet for Dummies
by Marni Wasserman—Educates on the “whys” and the “hows” of adopting a plant-based way of eating. A great way to get started.
The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications
by Thomas Campbell and T. Colin Campbell, M.D.—Chock full of science, this is not an easy read, but it’s worth the effort. Dr. Campbell is my idol; he is the Michael Jordan of nutrition.
The Prophet
by Kahlil Gibran—I read this when I was in my 20s and try to pick it up every few years as a spiritual refresher.
The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth
by M. Scott Peck, M.D.—An oldie but a goodie, this is one of the first self help books to ever hook me in. Life is difficult, and this author doesn’t try to play that down. Instead, he writes about the process of searching for and confronting what causes your unhappiness.
How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Reverse Disease
by Michael Greger, M.D., and Gene Stone—A doctor explains how nutrition and lifestyle choices can literally save your life.
Don’t think that because you start eating well, you’ll never get pleasure from food again. These cookbooks prove that the right kind of cooking can keep you both healthy and happy.
Deliciously Ella
by Ella Woodward—The author of this book was sick and her doctors were having trouble finding a cure. Taking matters into her own hands, Ella adopted a plant-based, gluten-free diet and immediately became better. She shares her simple but delicious recipes here.
Forks Over Knives The Cookbook: Over 300 Recipes for Plant-Based Eating All Through the Year
by Del Sroufe—Filled with recipes that are easy to make, practical, and have no added oils. Most fats from these recipes are derived through nuts, seeds, or avocado. Don’t knock it ’til you try it!! They are delish!
Plenty More: Vibrant Vegetable Cooking
by Yotam Ottolenghi—So many brilliant primarily plant-based recipes (with gorgeous pictures). Most of the recipes are a little more involved, but worth it.
River Cottage Veg
by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall—A chef famous for meat in England takes a turn for the healthier. These creative recipes feature all different types of grains and vegetables. We’ve made many things out of this cookbook for dinner parties to rave reviews.
The China Study Cookbook
(s) by Leanne Campbell—These are a series of books that take up where the film
Forks Over Knives
left off. The recipes are oil free, very practical, and very tasty.
The Plantpower Way: Whole Food Plant-Based Recipes and Guidance for the Whole Family
by Rich Roll and Julie Piatt—Rich Roll has a great story. He was a middle-aged guy sitting in an office chair all day practicing law. He realized he was feeling terrible and decided to get himself in shape. He’s not a guy who does things halfway, so he started with long-distance running and very shortly made his way into doing grueling ultramarathons. He discovered plant-based eating fueled him the best. He shares his recipes, created with his wife, a chef, in this book. His memoir
Finding Ultra
is one of my favorites as well.
The Plant-Based Journey: A Step-By-Step Guide to Transitioning to a Healthy Lifestyle and Achieving Your Ideal Weight
by Lani Muelrath—If you could use a very specific plan for changing your diet, this is it. The author includes meal plans and easy recipes.
Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck
by Matt Holloway and Michelle Davis—These guys are hilarious. The recipes in here are as creative as they are delicious and the delivery is, shall we say . . . unique.
You really don’t have to go further than your computer to get good nutrition information and lots of delicious recipes. Here are the websites my family frequents (and one my wife, Chrissy, produces—the first one is her blog).
ornishspectrum.com
(Dr. Dean Ornish’s program to reverse heart disease)
pcrm.org/health
(The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine)
If the root of transformation is desire, where does that desire come from? I would have to first give the credit to my parents, who always taught me that if you want something, you should stop talking about it and go do it. Take action. To my dad who puts loyalty and hard work above all other virtues. A man who tried to keep me humble by reminding me, “I don’t care how famous you are, there are like a billion people in China who never heard of you. . . . Now go take out the garbage.” To my mom, whose support for anything I wanted to achieve in life was limitless. She protected me from all things evil. To my twin sister, Heidi, whose ability to nurture has made her a superb pediatrician and a great friend, and my “little sis,” Alison, who put up with me using her head as a kick ball when I was 12. To all of you, I say, love you guys, and thank you for being my family.
For the last 23 years I have had a best friend who knows no limitations and whose ability to love me unconditionally has taught me more then anyone I have ever met. Chrissy, I owe you everything. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew I would look into those eyes for the rest of my life. If something special happens, it doesn’t
really
happen until I tell it to you. You make everything real. Chrissy, you constantly inspire me to be a better person, husband, father, friend. I still can’t believe you agreed to marry me, and I wonder every day when you will finally turn to me and tell me it was all a big mistake. I am more in love with you now than when we first met, especially after you read this book and told me you loved it. Being a physical therapist has lead to your (our) passion for eating healthy, and living a fit life, and I am so glad it is a priority for our family. Your tireless work of keeping all your boys happy does not go unnoticed. You’re our queen, and all three of us look at you like you’re the most beautiful woman on the planet inside and out. And you are.
My boys! Cooper and Duncan. The two best kids a dad could ever ask for. Watching you live a passionate life is a gift that never gets old. As I have told you a million times, the only thing that is measured in life is the size of your heart, and you both have immeasurable hearts. Being proud of you everyday is a feeling that will never get old. Keep living a life full of giving to others and helping to make this place we live in better. And thank goodness you both look like your mom.
My business partner of 25 years and counting, Todd Nelson. Without you, buddy, the hits don’t happen and the creativity disappears. You have been by my side since the early days, in the foxhole together, and have never wavered once. The unspoken commitment we have towards each other will never be professionally equaled. Personally, you are the brother I never had, and I will always remember ever, battle we won, everyone who tried to take us down, and most of all, in those moments where our company, or a show, or both were in peril, I knew I could always turn my head, look at you, and together we would figure it out and come out on top!
To my running group of nearly a decade, I owe you all a debt of gratitude for not only showing up in the dark most mornings, but for sharing your innermost thoughts, feelings, and personal life stories. You all keep me fired up about running, life, and always trying to be the best athlete I can be. I feel lucky for knowing all of you, and don’t take lightly the bond we have all created over the years. And out of 12 people in the group we are still ALL married and believe in the work it takes to stay that way!
To Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels. If we never found each other, I truly believe
The Biggest Loser
would not still be on television today. You both taught me so much over the years, and your commitment to excellence is unmatched. You two are the reason that show worked, and I will forever be grateful that you came into my life. Some things are just meant to be.
To the Season 1 contestants of
The Biggest Loser
, we all went on a journey that included bumps, bruises, tears, and more than a little yelling, but it ended in creating a movement for change. You were pioneers along with me in the journey to demand a better life. No short cuts. No cutting, stapling, or sucking, just good old-fashioned hard work. It started a revolution and changed the way America looked at what was possible. We learned as we went, and inspired each other to keep going. It wasn’t easy, but we used every obstacle as an inspiration and along the way helped reshape what America thinks about change. You were first. You had to blaze the trail for what would become one of the most successful television franchises in history. I thank you for everything and wish you and your families only the best.
For the past half decade, Chris and Heidi Powell, you have traveled the globe preaching the gospel of healthy living for
Extreme Weight Loss
. You both work yourself into exhaustion, giving until it literally hurts, with no boundaries other than helping anyone who wants help. You are both 360 degrees of love and passion for always doing what’s right, and never leaving anyone behind. First class in every category, I have so much respect for your commitment to do the job right. You practice what you preach, and it is refreshing, even after half a decade, how you will both go the extra mile for a contestant, even at the personal sacrifice of your own health. May there be many more successes in your future, because they are well deserved.
To my place of worship . . . the Steve Mareska gym, my place of spiritual guidance. I look to you as my guru on all things in life not just how to stay fit, but how to live a full life. You are a leader, a good human being, and the spirit lift I need every time I am lucky enough to be around you. You are also very bald, but I won’t hold that against you.
There was one guy when I was thinking of writing a book who said the simplest two words I ever heard. They were also the words that got me to sit down at the scary blank page and begin to write. Those words were. . . . “Why not?” Idan Ravin, whose own book,
The Hoops Whisperer
, is inspiring all by itself, made me want to put my passion of transformation on paper. Thank you for staring at me with those piercing, intense blue eyes and saying, “Why not?” That long pause after you asked me that question was fear. How could I write a book? Talk, yes. I can talk all day to anyone who would listen. But write? Then, like I tell everyone I work with on the weight-loss shows, I remembered my own mantra. Fear is good. Lean into it. Embrace that feeling and turn it into action. So, the next day, I sat down and started to write. . . .
Todah,
my friend!