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Health is a serious topic but sometimes we have to laugh at ourselves and our diet mania (which is not the same as health).  Judy Gruen’s newest book, Till We Eat Again: A Second Helping, is definitely a look at the light side of dieting.  And for a serious look at how we confuse dieting and health and malign the overweight, see her latest piece on Jennifer Livingston: The Fat Anchor on aish.com.

Excerpt from Till We Eat Again: A Second Helping

By Judy Gruen

December 3

The calendar is closing in on me. December already! Where did the year go? And why in the last year have I lost just about everything I own except some weight? I’ve lost my keys, my sunglasses, and my peace of mind. I’ve lost my wallet, eight library books, and even, for a heart-stopping half-hour at an outdoor fair, one of the kids. I seem to be able to lose everything except this padding.

As an added reminder, even today’s spam e-mails were nearly all insulting in nature. One e-mailer invited me out on a date, if I could meet him in Sydney, Australia. The next suggested, with no subtlety whatsoever, that I start “loosing” weight — today! Do people who can’t even spell correctly expect me to cough up money for their charlatan plans? Besides, my weight already is “loose! Then I received an exclusive offer to purchase an Apple Cider Vinegar potion for only sixteen dollars and ninety-five cents, but I’ve already got apple cider vinegar at home that, if I am not mistaken, only cost me about a buck-sixty-nine.

Since the world is full of scams, I’ve ruled out the following types of diets and schemes:

1. Any program that has to advertise by stapling flyers on telephone poles.
2. Any product or plan where the ads have misspelled words.
3. Anyone who wants to pay me as a subject in a test to eat a funny fiber-rich candy bar for lunch for the next thirty days.
4. Any potion, powder or swill promising to make people begin confusing my body with that of Catherine Zeta-Jones.
5. Any program that costs more than my monthly car payment.
6. Any program demanding I buy their meals, have group encounter sessions, or perform unnatural acts of multi-level marketing.

I’m sure the list will grow, but so far, I think this is a good start.