Lots of folks are liking Michael Moore’s Facebook post on walking, weight, and happiness. A snippet:
Quit trying to be something you’re not, be happy with the life you’ve been given, and just go for a pleasant walk outside. With me. Wherever you are. Get off the treadmill, stop drinking diet Coke, throw out all the rules. It’s all a scam and it conspires to keep you miserable. If it says “low-fat” or “sugar-free” or “just 100 calories!” throw it out. Remember, one of the main tenets of capitalism is to have the consumer filled with fear, insecurity, envy and unhappiness so that we can spend, spend, spend our way out of it and, dammit, just feel better for a little while. But we don’t, do we? The path to happiness - and deep down, we all know this — is created by love, and being kind to oneself, sharing a sense of community with others, becoming a participant instead of a spectator, and being in motion.
Some of you may not care for the messenger, but I like the message. Here’s hoping for a great 2013!
Weight Maven is written by Beth Mazur. Beth believes that obesity is more symptom than cause and that the real problem is our Western diet -- especially sugar, refined grains, and industrial oils. Beth writes about nutrition, ancestral health & food policy. And cats! 
I love it! Yes, I need to knock off the weight I gained during the holidays, but his attitude really resonated with me.
I reposted his letter in its entirety. I was absolutely thrilled with the message and sincerely hope that Michael will one day make a documentary about the insanity of the weight loss industry.
And yes, I love to walk, not that it makes any difference to my weight!
I love Michael Moore, no matter what he eats or how much he weighs, no matter whether he walks or sits on his couch, lifts weights or lifts a camera, does push-ups or drinks more water. I loved him as a filmmaker from the first time I viewed “Roger and Me,” and, in addition, I think “Sicko” is absolutely brilliant.
But now Michael Moore has been writing (tweeting) about losing 60 lbs since he started walking, lifting weights, doing push-ups, building up his muscles, etc.
And it makes me feel sad and anxious to observe that so many of his followers now see his example as solid proof that significant weight loss just requires 30 minutes a day of extra walking, drinking more water…that sort of thing. And maybe that IS all that’s needed to lose weight, to shrink adipose cells.
Or all that’s needed to reduce the painful and damaging fat stigma that an individual often experiences (a huge relief, btw, to which I can attest)
But leaving metaphors aside, “weight loss” really means “adipose tissue shrinkage and shriveling”, a condition which for many (such as myself) means inadequate leptin production resulting in dopamine imbalances and cognitive disorders.
Leptin is an essential hormone made by healthy adipose tissue. Most human bodies need leptin to regulate several physiological (neurological) functions (far beyond appetite and energy regulation) and without adequate leptin, many of us formerly fat folks suffer needlessly because dominant medical discourses and medical researchers (along with the “weight loss industry”) keep focusing on “weight” loss as a health goal, as if it’s just lost inert weight, rather than confronting the resulting adiposity damage (those masses of shriveled fat cells which no longer make adequate leptin).
Do you have a damaged or shriveled thyroid gland? We’ll prescribe thyroid supplements ASAP! A damaged pancreas or inadequate insulin to get glucose moved from blood stream into cells? We’ll give insulin supplements (subQ insulin injections) or insulin oral medications (Sulfonylureas, Biguanides, or Thiazolidinediones) to help all available insulin do a better job! Have your testicles been removed or damaged by disease? We prescribe needed testosterone, pronto! Ovaries removed? We offer hormones (estrogen) to alleviate distressing symptoms for these poor women!
But. Is your adipose tissue now shrunken and shriveled so that it no longer makes adequate amounts of leptin hormone to maintain cognitive functions and emotional (neurotransmitter) balance? Gee, too bad for you. We in the health care professions simply deny that there are any hormonal problems worthy of treatment if adiposity (or its loss) is a factor.
Why the stark differences in treatment approach?
Well, if Michael Moore loses enough weight to start having symptoms caused by leptin insufficiency, maybe Michael Moore will do a documentary on the topic someday.
One can hope. :)