I didn’t know there was a generation called the Echo Boom, but apparently that’s the term for Americans born between 1982 and 1995 — and there are a LOT of them, thus the “boom” label.
A blogger named Tim Smith writes about Echo Boomer issues on his Echo Boom Bomb blog, and he recently interviewed me about Fat Head. You can read the interview here.
If you enjoy my posts, please consider a small donation to the Fat Head Kids GoFundMe campaign.
Tom,
Liked the interview, the one issue I had was your repeating some of the fallacies of safety. In short, the world in general and the US in particular is a FAR safer place than it was when we were kids. For example, the murder rate is approximately 1/2 what it was thirty years ago and the incidence of rape is 1/4 what it was in 1970.
In addition the total number of childhood abductions is so small that you could literally let your child play outside all night, every night for 175,000 years before your child is likely to be abducted. The odds of your child being harmed by drowning or dyeing in a car accident are astronomically higher.
In all honesty, I am as guilty as you in being over-protective of my two daughters. We don’t let them go to the playground by themselves, something I did with great regularity when I was far younger.
For a full reading of the decline of violence, please read Steven Pinkers, “The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence has Declined.” I’ve been carrying the book around for a few days, and the reaction I’ve gotten from number people when they read the title is, “Violence has declined?” Yes, yes it has, and not just a little but a lot.
Regards,
Joe Dokes
I might not have been clear in my answer. I believe many parents are indeed reacting to exaggerated fears of child abduction. Our girls played outside unsupervised all the time once we moved to Tennessee. They still do, but of course no one’s around since we moved to the farm.
Hey Tom,
I grew up on a ranch and it was the best life ever! Tell your girls that the “highly refined” dirt the chickens take baths in makes the best mud pies.
They’ll probably make that discovery eventually, whether I want them to or not.
Farm life really seems to agree with them. I love having land. Every time Sara and I head out for a round of frisbee golf without leaving our own property, I feel blessed.
In the blog-post associated with your interview, they have a paleo food-pyramid. The base of the pyramid is “lean meats and fish”. It is sad that lipophobia still can’t quite allow the truth to emerge. Frankly, we need to be loud and proud and banish the weasle-word “lean” to the far side of the pasture. No paleolithic individual sought out “lean” muscle meat, carefully trimming and throwing away the valuable and nutritious fat.
I would go so far as to say that this lazy emphasis on the Lean Lie is the basis for many people’s failure in low carb/paleo. Slashing your carbohydrates whilst also keeping your fat down, whilst not ODing on protein effectively means conscious calorie restriction – yet again – and we know where that gets people.
Agreed. You have to get your energy from somewhere.
Tom,
Liked the interview, the one issue I had was your repeating some of the fallacies of safety. In short, the world in general and the US in particular is a FAR safer place than it was when we were kids. For example, the murder rate is approximately 1/2 what it was thirty years ago and the incidence of rape is 1/4 what it was in 1970.
In addition the total number of childhood abductions is so small that you could literally let your child play outside all night, every night for 175,000 years before your child is likely to be abducted. The odds of your child being harmed by drowning or dyeing in a car accident are astronomically higher.
In all honesty, I am as guilty as you in being over-protective of my two daughters. We don’t let them go to the playground by themselves, something I did with great regularity when I was far younger.
For a full reading of the decline of violence, please read Steven Pinkers, “The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence has Declined.” I’ve been carrying the book around for a few days, and the reaction I’ve gotten from number people when they read the title is, “Violence has declined?” Yes, yes it has, and not just a little but a lot.
Regards,
Joe Dokes
I might not have been clear in my answer. I believe many parents are indeed reacting to exaggerated fears of child abduction. Our girls played outside unsupervised all the time once we moved to Tennessee. They still do, but of course no one’s around since we moved to the farm.
When you eat the occasional pizza, how do you feel a few hours after? Do you get that quick carb burst of energy then a heavy crash with a lot of fatigue?
Popcorn was one of my biggest snack preferences back in the day. I could eat the entire bag, usually around 8-9PM. I’d be lying in bed, trying to sleep, but my heart would be pounding, an adrenalin rush. But, at the same time, I had this real strong urge to cry.
Have you or anyone here ever experienced that?
If I’m going to eat pizza, I assume I’ll have arthritic pains later, so I take an ibuprofen beforehand — yes, that’s a bit stupid, which is why I’m down to eating pizza two or three times per year. There’s also a 50/50 chance I’ll feel lethargic later, yet have a difficult time sleeping.
Hi Tom, love reading your posts on my PC but it’s a nightmare on my smartphone. Can you please make your site mobile phone friendly.
I have no idea what that would involve.
joseph has a difficult time reading your website on his mobile phone? That’s interesting. I read this website on mobile devices frequently and only have trouble loading some of the photos. I have no trouble otherwise.
joseph has a difficult time reading your website on his mobile phone? That’s interesting. I read this website on mobile devices frequently and only have trouble loading some of the photos. I have no trouble otherwise.
@NM: I’m afraid “leanmeat” and “lowfatmilk,” like “healthywholegrains” and “arterycloggingsaturatedfats,” have been superglued together.
I’m afraid you’re right.
“Have you or anyone here ever experienced that?”
Firebird, the reason I don’t consume much in the way of wheat or soy these days is because of the abdominal pain (indigestion and muscle cramps) that comes with it between a few minutes and a few hours after eating. In addition, I have had headaches, sinus pain, watery eyes, and very rarely sore throat and joint pains. I think the more infrequently you go without these foods, the less tolerant to them you get… or at least you are no longer numb to their effects.
The site looks fine on my android phone (HTC sensation).
I grew-up in a Moscow in Russia. I don’t remember anyone from children my age with not working mother, but some lived in extended families with grandparents. We all came to school (always a walking distance) and from school by ourselves with a house key hanging on the neck like a pendant. Nothing wrong happened with anyone. We played in yards and in a park, went to skate and skiing during winter. Children also used a metro (underground train system) in order to go to after-school activities. I used to go to an art school 3 times a week since 12 years old and to some museums for lectures. It was priceless, I learn how to cook from an earlier age and was not my parent’s prisoner. I feel guilty because I was hovering too much over my son due to the media hysteria about child abductions. He is 19 now.
Just realized the other day that I haven’t bought boneless skinless chicken breasts (what my husband called tasteless meatless) for months. I now buy cheaper chicken, like bone-in, skin-on thighs, bread them in pork rinds and bake them up. Or I peel the skin off and make chicken chips (Dana Carpender’s recipe). It does take a bit of mental conditioning to get past the fat phobia, but it’s worth it!
Absolutely, and you boil the leftover bones in soups or stews.
The site looks fine on my android phone (HTC sensation).
Just realized the other day that I haven’t bought boneless skinless chicken breasts (what my husband called tasteless meatless) for months. I now buy cheaper chicken, like bone-in, skin-on thighs, bread them in pork rinds and bake them up. Or I peel the skin off and make chicken chips (Dana Carpender’s recipe). It does take a bit of mental conditioning to get past the fat phobia, but it’s worth it!
Absolutely, and you boil the leftover bones in soups or stews.
I’m not sure if anyone brought this to your attention, but Fathead The Movie was recently given some love on Robert Ferguson’s Diet Free Life podcast:
http://dietfreelife.podomatic.com/entry/2012-04-04T20_29_53-07_00
Apparently, the meals you ate during the filming of Fathead are nearly identical to the “Fat Burning Meals” that he recommends to his clients. Also, he was inspired by Fathead’s message that fast food is not inherently evil if one approaches it intelligently.
Thanks! I wasn’t aware of the podcast.
I’m not sure if anyone brought this to your attention, but Fathead The Movie was recently given some love on Robert Ferguson’s Diet Free Life podcast:
http://dietfreelife.podomatic.com/entry/2012-04-04T20_29_53-07_00
Apparently, the meals you ate during the filming of Fathead are nearly identical to the “Fat Burning Meals” that he recommends to his clients. Also, he was inspired by Fathead’s message that fast food is not inherently evil if one approaches it intelligently.
Thanks! I wasn’t aware of the podcast.
you rock my world because i don’t eat as heathy as i used to, i take this pill that makes it seem that im not hungry so i lost a lot of whight im also a picky eater so when i am hungry i eat things like sugar ceareal and cookies i try my best to eat good things but its hardwhen your taste in food only goes so far! but i love your movie because it makes me laugh and i like to laugh it makes me feel good! so thanks
you rock my world because i don’t eat as heathy as i used to, i take this pill that makes it seem that im not hungry so i lost a lot of whight im also a picky eater so when i am hungry i eat things like sugar ceareal and cookies i try my best to eat good things but its hardwhen your taste in food only goes so far! but i love your movie because it makes me laugh and i like to laugh it makes me feel good! so thanks
RE: Pizza
Just don’t eat the *crust*. All it does is dilute the taste of the good stuff. If you can eat the burgers without the buns, why not pizza without the crust?
I’ve done that as well.
RE: Pizza
Just don’t eat the *crust*. All it does is dilute the taste of the good stuff. If you can eat the burgers without the buns, why not pizza without the crust?
I’ve done that as well.