I did lose a fair amount of weight but understood even at the time that it was water weight. What do you think about cleanses, for the health reasons separate from weight loss?

Alas, I’ve just now listened to this podcast and talked to my doctor. While I totally agree the Time article was sensationalized out of proportion, it does have some redeeming qualities. The first is something I’m guilty of, overcompensation in eating for the amount of exercise. Something else my doctor and I talked about is exercise won’t help you lose weight if you’re inert otherwise. At some point, people will have to put down the computer mouse and television remote. By people, I mean me.

Finally, a lot of women’s magazines have completely inflated cover blurbs, especially concerning weight loss. Very often, the article bears no resemblance to the cover’s allusion to it. Sad to add Time to the list of unreliable reporting.

Also, I wanted to tell you that I have a background in holistic nutrition and have studied the subjects of health and food for the past five years, and still learn so much from your podcast.

For example, while watching episode 1 of the new season of The Biggest Loser with my husband, a guilty pleasure I guess, I explained to him the whole theory behind starvation diets and why their extreme weight-loss will be almost impossible to maintain once they go back to regular life. I understand this better because of how you guys explained it to me, and now he understands it, too.

Keep up the great work – it’s really appreciated.

Diane from NYC

I actually started listening to that podcast probably back around episode #8. Half the stuff that I see about fitness is full of half/truths and logical fallacies. I’m thinking of doing a show on how to evaluate weight loss/fitness product ads and the common ways that they try to sell to people.

The cast of the Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast would love this episode. They’re always talking about the problems with the media in covering science stories of any sort! The Skeptics Guide website has a list of their top 20 logical fallacies in case anyone who’s interested in becoming familiar with them.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

That was a great podcast (they all are) but your analysis and rebuttal about the Time Mag. article was awesome.

Good job to both of you. I certainly hope that we never see such horrible journalism from what I thought was a respectable publication again! What a disservice they have done and we can only hope that the world of blogs and podcasts and fitness institutions can correct the damage.

Keep up the great podcasts and I hope you never tire of doing them!

Miriam