Subscribe To This Site

Lynn's Spin

Sometimes I hear something, I read something, or I see something that I just cannot ignore. I've got to rant. This page is where I do that. Check it out and share your thoughts on the matter as well. We want to hear from you!

Oprah, What Were You Thinking?

On May 12, 2010 Oprah Winfrey had Geneen Roth on her show and they talked about, what else, losing weight. My radar for this show went up about a week or 10 days before the show when I was checking my TIVO list of upcoming shows to record. When I lingered on the Oprah listing I saw something like "Oprah Says She'll Never Diet Again!!!!" If memory serves me, there really were exclamation points in the description being displayed on the television screen.

I could not believe my eyes and ears when I watched the show and Oprah led off with, and I quote, "This is the miracle we've been waiting for." She was squealing with delight as she did repeatedly throughout the show. Every time they'd go to break and come back, Oprah would make another one of her "miracle" comments and squeal a little more.

I watched in horror while I imagined the millions of men and women, also watching, who would buy into the "miracle" aspect of the story, buy the book, and sink to their all time low when they reasoned that even the "miracle" cures don't work for them.

Don't get me wrong, not only am I a fan of Oprah, but I am also a fan of Geneen Roth. I have attended a seminar of hers, have her books, and think she has a reasonable and valid approach to eating.

However, describing her latest book as a "miracle" does a disservice to every person out there who is plagued by the torture of any type of disordered eating. And believe me, there are legions of us.

The online dictionary describes a miracle as an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause. Is that what you really meant, what you really think, Oprah?

Do you not know of the so-called miracle claims made by the diet industry that perpetually bombard our senses. Do you not know of the billions of dollars spent on these claims because people are looking for and believe that there is an easy answer. Do you not know that you became a contributing member to that hype when you decided to pass off Geneen Roth's book as a "miracle"?

It's not enough that I have to see Jillian Michael's perfectly sculpted body advertised on every other website that I visit, now I have to hear Oprah talking about miracles.

Oprah, I know it was not your intention to do harm with your talk of miracles, but you did do harm. How many men and women have been side-tracked once again from the realization that there are no miracles when it comes to weight loss? How much longer will it take them to discover that each of us must find the answer within ourselves? How many more unsuccessful attempts will they make? How many little girls are going to go to bed tonight comforted by the thought that if they just read Miss Roth's new book, they too can experience the miracle?

Sure we need help and support and encouragement and guidance and certainly Miss Roth's book qualifies in that department but it is not a one size fits all solution and above all else it is not a miracle.

Shame on you, Oprah. You, of all people, should know better. Or perhaps, Oprah, you are a testament to what we all still secretly wish for… a miracle.

Lynn

go to the top of Oprah and Geneen Roth

visit Body Image

visit How To Love Yourself

visit Throw Away Your Scale

visit Lynn's Spin (Blog)

visit Healthy Eating Support Home

visit You Are Not Alone

Subscribe to my free newsletter and receive your copy of Why Diets Don't Work

Just click on the book cover!