Embarking on a weight loss program can be fraught with frustration and confusion. Some say that without exercise, you can't lose weight. Yet many don't lose weight exercising and are frustrated. One group says you can't lose weight unless you are vegetarian, vegan, or eat only fruits or vegetables. Others promote low carb, eating only meat and fat, while others insist high carbs and low protein are the best. Still others continue to promote the age old counting calories, don't eat fat, eat-whatever-you-want-as-long-as-it-doesn't-contain-calories philosophy, without regard to the health of it.

But what if over-eating doesn't really cause weight gain? What if exercise really wasn't the answer? What if eating fat had little bearing on obesity? What if the current belief system regarding weight gain is fatally flawed?

We now know that the whole "eating fat makes you fat" premise is seriously fallacious. Our consumption of fatty foods, in particular, saturated fats, has declined remarkably since the middle of the last century, yet obesity in this same period of time has increased dramatically! The tongue and the brain love fat. It is satisfying. Satiation means you will naturally eat less. Fat also gives flavor. When fat is decreased, the appetite soars and the taste buds start crying for more satisfaction - the result is, we've replaced fat with sugar. Sugar contributes to weight gain and heart disease more than fat does! In fact, more than any other single food source.

Starvation diets may work initially, with impressive numbers of weight loss, but when it's done, research shows the Person slowly eats more and more. Eventually, they gain most, if not all the weight back. The next round, the same thing happens, but they lose less and gain more eventually. Most of the weight lost in starvation diets (prolonged fasts, liquid diets or very low calorie diets), is muscle mass. So while the person may look better initially, long term they become weaker and have less ability to lose weight in the future.

Gary Taubes, author of New York Times Bestsellers "Why We Get Fat" and "Good Calories, Bad Calories," is well versed in the research about weight gain/weight loss. According to www.dietsinreview.com, Taubes "says current federal dietary guidelines and recommendations about physical activity are based on flimsy scientific studies and may actually be making us fat instead of promoting a healthy lifestyle." He states that it is time we rethink weight loss and come at it from a completely different perspective.

We have been so infused with a certain way of looking at diet and health that few people think out of the box regarding it. Want to learn more? On Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m., I will be teaching a class on the Real Reasons WHY You Gain Weight at Vital Health in Coeur d'Alene. Fee: $10. RSVP: (208) 765-1994.

Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist with more than 35 years of experience. She is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d'Alene clinic. Visit Carling's website at www.vitalhealthcda.com to learn more about her, view a list of upcoming health classes and read other informative articles. Carling can be reached at (208) 765-1994 and would be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.