From: starbuck@galaxy.ucr.edu (starbuck)
Newsgroups: alt.feminism
Subject: Re: Women in Mathematics: One Final Thought
Date: 15 Dec 92 18:12:27 GMT
Organization: University of California, Riverside

In article <1992Dec12.170250.3438@midway.uchicago.edu> mec6@midway.uchicago.edu writes:
>starbuck@ucrmath.ucr.edu (starbuck) writes:
 
>>The service provided is both therapeutic and educational.  The program is
>>desinged for those who are overweight ( an unhealthy condision ) to lose 
>>weight over time while learning how to put together a heathy diet for 
>>themselves to maintain a healthy body.

>Essentially, she's a snake oil salesman... err... "salesperson."  
>There is precious little evidence that her product works.


When my daughter was 13 she became unhappy with her weight ( body ).  The
fact was that she was overweight by about 15-20 lbs.  She told me of how
she hurt because the other kids at school made remarks and teased her
about being "fat".  She asked me to take her to Jenny Craig.  At first I
was against it.  That was until a few days latter when I watched her
walk onto the Jr. High campus from my car after dropping her off on my
way to work.  Several girls began making gestures by imitating her walk
and laughing at her.

I think a parent will feel the hurt their child feels.  I did that day.
So I went to a spot I like and thought the problem out.  I knew that I
had taught her to be strong and to face difficulty and adversity with
her head held high.  But this was something that I could help her 
deal with.  I accepted part of the blame for her being overweight
since I was responcible for her diet.  I decided to check Jenny Craig
out.

To make a long story short we went into the program.  Although I
have no problem with weight I decided to mold my diet around her
program.  My wife agreed with my reason that doing so with her
would not make her feel left out.  Of course our portions were
bigger.  So what happened.

We went to classes.  We learned about balanced nutrition and
how to adjust to not overeating.   The menus were designed
to lose weight slowly.  A part of the program was exercise.
So you have three parts to it, diet knowledge, exercise,
and a how to change behavior.

In six months she lost the extra weight and in a year she was
off the program.  Now let me tell you how things are now.
My daughter knows how to shop for food, how to compare
prices ane how to select food for it's food value.  She
also learned how to select food when ordering in a resturant
when out.  Yes, she can still go to Burger King with her
friends but now she orders a salad and diet coke.

She helps me make the weekly menu using cookbooks with
recipies that are low-fat, low-cal, and low-salt. We
shop together for the ingedients.  So for us it worked.

I would say that it would work for most people.  I also say
when the studies show that people in these programs fail
the do not show why if they blame the program.  People
that I have met that failed in the program did so because they
did not want to follow it.  They did not want to change
their behavior.  They did not want to exercise.  
People who will not do what is needed to change will
not change.

The only think I didn't like was the price.  It prohibits
low income people from gaining the benifits of a  good
weight loss and diet program.

starbuck