Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

I have just finished watching the first season of Penn & Teller’s television show, Bullsh*t. Penn & Teller have made a living debunking magicians and other tricksters, but they have turned their discerning eyes on society and have found just as many charlatans in the world as they did on the stage. They attack many questionable things in our society, but on disc 3, they tackle diet products.

In Episode 11 (Eat This!) Penn & Teller have a man try the Hollywood 48-Hour Miracle Diet, which is basically a 48 hour fast. It promises a dramatic weight loss of ten or more pounds. Is the diet really a “miracle”? You get to see first hand how “pleasant” the diet is and how much weight the average guy lost.

They also attack the organic food, anti-genetic manipulation and raw food movements. I tend to choose organic produce because I’ve convinced myself that it tastes better. I don’t know if that’s true, but I would never suggest that every country should enforce organic farming. Unfortunately, there are those who believe they have the right to tell starving people what they can and cannot eat. I don’t blame Penn & Teller for being angry.

If you think I’m hard on the diet industry, just watch Episode 11 of Penn & Teller’s Bullsh*t. You’ll find that I go pretty easy on them.