March 28, 2018 Article

The Old Coot says don’t watch what you eat.

By Merlin Lessler

I’m on a new diet, “The Old Coot Eat Anything You Want Diet.” It started out as “The Opposite Diet” – when I simply did the opposite of what the “experts” said.  It’s something a lot of us old coots do. We’re contrary! We reject and resent expert advice, like weather forecasters who tell us how to dress when a cold front is headed our way. The forecast is often overblown anyhow. A lot of experts are wrong. Nutrition zealots’ advice bounces back and forth so much, it reminds me of watching the ball in a tennis match: eyes left, eyes right. Coffee bad! – Coffee good. Fat bad! (stop drinking whole milk, eating eggs or using butter). Fats good! -  Red meat bad! Chicken good! Red meat OK. Chicken bad! Count calories to lose weight! Calories aren’t the issue! On and on goes dietary and nutritional advice, bouncing back and forth across the net.   

It’s often a “follow the money” thing. Dieting is a billion-dollar business. A billion dollar “REPEAT” business. Every lost pound comes back, and brings a bunch of friends. Weigh 200, and lose 30 pounds, two years later you weigh 210. Now, “they” tell us we should carry 10 to 15 extra pounds, especially seniors. We’ll need the extra weight to carry us through an illness. That’s why I’m happily going through life on the “Old Coot Eat Anything You Want Diet.” Cake for breakfast? Why not? A double cheeseburger with fries and a shake (now and then). Sure! Have a snack before dinner? “It will spoil your appetite,” we’re told. So what? Another appetite will come along soon enough. 

There are a lot of us old coots who eat anything we want. But, there is a sound, diet philosophy that underpins it, an old truism that has worked for centuries. “Do everything in moderation.” And more specific to the issue at hand, “Eat anything you want in moderation. You’ll be healthy and happy.” And, to help inspire you to adopt the Old Coot Diet, consider how conventional diet and weight loss advice turned out for the nations poster children for weight control, Al Roker and Oprah Winfrey. Back to being a little chunky, aren’t they?

Comments? Complaints? Send to – mlessler7@gmail.com