Oprah's Best LIfe Week
Yes, I'm a dude and I watch Oprah! That's my standard disclaimer...
Oprah's starting out the new year by broadcasting a week long "Best Life" series that covers topics on how to improve your body, mind, and spirit in 2009. She began on Monday with an episode entitled "Falling Off the Wagon" by confronting her own weight loss and spiritual challenges over the last two years. I blog about Oprah's confessions on my personal site. Yesterday, she broached general topics in health and fitness with her most recent trusty sidekick, Dr. Oz, and continues today with a look at spirituality and "finding deeper meaning in your life." Classic Oprah!
For most of us here on Iowa Avenue (people who exercise regularly), I doubt Oprah's and Dr. Oz's health and body tips are such amazing revelations. In fact, the question that kept hitting me while hearing each subsequent piece of advice was, "What kind of standards are we setting for ourselves as a society?"
If even a show like Oprah's, with a broad reach and a highly influenced fan base, encourages only the bare minimums will we really become healthier as a culture? Perhaps we really have fallen so far into the depths of obesity that tips like "start by walking 1000 steps a day" sounds like climbing Mount Everest. Or else, we're simply a culture that lacks the extra will power to make things somewhat more challenging.
Admittedly, my personal fitness lifestyle would be considered on the extreme side of the spectrum, but I know people who've started out overweight and made HUGE improvements. And, for the most part, it wasn't done as easily as the Oprah Show suggests. For people to confront their weight loss demons and reach their goals, I think it's important give a realistic picture. That way there are no surprises, and challenge can be a great motivator to reach beyond the status quo.
Anyhow, I'm not surprised that Oprah's week-long series comes at this juncture, with New Year's resolutions being all the rage. I'm looking forward to seeing what else crops up in the next three days.
Oprah's starting out the new year by broadcasting a week long "Best Life" series that covers topics on how to improve your body, mind, and spirit in 2009. She began on Monday with an episode entitled "Falling Off the Wagon" by confronting her own weight loss and spiritual challenges over the last two years. I blog about Oprah's confessions on my personal site. Yesterday, she broached general topics in health and fitness with her most recent trusty sidekick, Dr. Oz, and continues today with a look at spirituality and "finding deeper meaning in your life." Classic Oprah!
For most of us here on Iowa Avenue (people who exercise regularly), I doubt Oprah's and Dr. Oz's health and body tips are such amazing revelations. In fact, the question that kept hitting me while hearing each subsequent piece of advice was, "What kind of standards are we setting for ourselves as a society?"
If even a show like Oprah's, with a broad reach and a highly influenced fan base, encourages only the bare minimums will we really become healthier as a culture? Perhaps we really have fallen so far into the depths of obesity that tips like "start by walking 1000 steps a day" sounds like climbing Mount Everest. Or else, we're simply a culture that lacks the extra will power to make things somewhat more challenging.
Admittedly, my personal fitness lifestyle would be considered on the extreme side of the spectrum, but I know people who've started out overweight and made HUGE improvements. And, for the most part, it wasn't done as easily as the Oprah Show suggests. For people to confront their weight loss demons and reach their goals, I think it's important give a realistic picture. That way there are no surprises, and challenge can be a great motivator to reach beyond the status quo.
Anyhow, I'm not surprised that Oprah's week-long series comes at this juncture, with New Year's resolutions being all the rage. I'm looking forward to seeing what else crops up in the next three days.
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Comment by Rob on January 7, 2009 at 1:25pm -
Just a funny side note. My brother is a doctor, and he and his friends can't stand Dr. Oz! They may even consider him more reprehensible than Grey's Anatomy. Personally, I think criticism from Dr. Oz giving misinformation stems from the fact that no doctor really has all the answers. That's especially true now that doctors are so specialized. My guess is that Oz gathers a lot of his information while on the go, and sometimes it's not quite what a specialist would recommend.
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Comment by Lisa Newton on January 8, 2009 at 7:32am -
I think Oprah has a realistic picture. She knows what her weaknesses are, where she has to go, and how to get there. Emotions are a powerful element in weight loss, and I don't think it's ever easy. If she works at it, uses her resources, she'll succeed.
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