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Waistland: A (R)evolutionary View of Our Weight and Fitness Crisis
Harvard psychologist Deirdre Barrett tackles the obesity and fitness crisis from an evolutionary standpoint.
In the modern jungle of burgers, couches, and remote controls, obesity is an enormous and growing epidemic. Weight-loss books and diet gurus urge us to "listen to our bodies," but our instincts are designed for the African savannah, not food courts. The sugary and fatty foods that we, as hunter-gatherers, are programmed to forage used to be hard to come by. Now they're as close as the vending machine down the hall.Radical changes are necessary and, fortunately, are biologically easier than small or gradual changes in diet. Barrett tells us how to reprogram our bodies, break food addictions, and ignore our attraction to "supernormal stimuli"—artificial creations that appeal to our instincts more than the natural objects they mimic. Barrett delves into scientific research—from animal ethology to evolution—to show the disastrous direction in which our instincts have led us, and how, using our intellect, we can get back on course.
In the modern jungle of burgers, couches, and remote controls, obesity is an enormous and growing epidemic. Weight-loss books and diet gurus urge us to "listen to our bodies," but our instincts are designed for the African savannah, not food courts. The sugary and fatty foods that we, as hunter-gatherers, are programmed to forage used to be hard to come by. Now they're as close as the vending machine down the hall.Radical changes are necessary and, fortunately, are biologically easier than small or gradual changes in diet. Barrett tells us how to reprogram our bodies, break food addictions, and ignore our attraction to "supernormal stimuli"—artificial creations that appeal to our instincts more than the natural objects they mimic. Barrett delves into scientific research—from animal ethology to evolution—to show the disastrous direction in which our instincts have led us, and how, using our intellect, we can get back on course.
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 17, 2007
22 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Deirdre Barrett
18 books28 followersDeirdre Barrett is an author and psychologist who teaches at Harvard Medical School. She is known for her research on dreams, hypnosis and imagery and has written on evolutionary psychology. Barrett is a Past President of The International Association for the Study of Dreams and of the American Psychological Association’s Div. 30, The Society for Psychological Hypnosis.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 12, 2020
Honestly, I started skimming after the first 50 pages or so, then just couldn't finish. It's great if you are a Paleo follower, or believe that depression can be cured by exercise (just go outside into nature for a run and magically, cured!) - you'll find plenty of confirmation bias here.
This book has far too much fat shaming and 'get your lazy ass off the couch' in it to be of any use to most people. There is literally an entire section on the evils of TV.
I gave it an extra star for the coverage of the BMI measure and why it's bad.
This book has far too much fat shaming and 'get your lazy ass off the couch' in it to be of any use to most people. There is literally an entire section on the evils of TV.
I gave it an extra star for the coverage of the BMI measure and why it's bad.
August 5, 2008
If you've read one "revolutionary" weight-loss/fitness book, you've read them all. This one prescribes a life style that's just too rigid for my tastes.
April 2, 2014
Very interesting read...lots of information in one book.
Some of the things covered:
- Effects of television (and advertising) - on both adults and children
- Keeps referring back to the period of hunters-gathers, and how they lived
- Main topic seemed to be 'supernormal stimuli', what it is, how it works, and its effects
- Body Max Index (BMI) - its history, etc., and how measurements have changed over time
- Government - how health/food is run, what changes need to be implemented
Other interesting information:
- The Baskin Robbins story (I enjoyed this story)
- The Amish, and Okinawans
- McDonalds
- The sea squirt (amazing/interesting creature)
There is a lot more than what I've written above - those are just what stood out for ME. I think everyone could benefit in some way or the other from reading this book.
I don't agree on the milk thing (that humans shouldn't be consuming it), nor do I agree with using hypnosis for anything (well, I'd never do it) but it is written by a hypnotherapist. :D
Some of the things covered:
- Effects of television (and advertising) - on both adults and children
- Keeps referring back to the period of hunters-gathers, and how they lived
- Main topic seemed to be 'supernormal stimuli', what it is, how it works, and its effects
- Body Max Index (BMI) - its history, etc., and how measurements have changed over time
- Government - how health/food is run, what changes need to be implemented
Other interesting information:
- The Baskin Robbins story (I enjoyed this story)
- The Amish, and Okinawans
- McDonalds
- The sea squirt (amazing/interesting creature)
There is a lot more than what I've written above - those are just what stood out for ME. I think everyone could benefit in some way or the other from reading this book.
I don't agree on the milk thing (that humans shouldn't be consuming it), nor do I agree with using hypnosis for anything (well, I'd never do it) but it is written by a hypnotherapist. :D
December 11, 2017
Yet another unintelligent fear monger. Life is way too dangerous to be lived. And at every page one can sense the need for the government to come in and save the day.
A long list of shallow reasons, coupled with stereotypes, in a stream of fallacies. "Research shows". TV is bad, because "it is". And big anything are evil. In the end, it's easy to find young teens with more reason than this attention hungry paper pusher. All those years of climbing the academic ladder seem to have used for nothing beyond frustration.
A long list of shallow reasons, coupled with stereotypes, in a stream of fallacies. "Research shows". TV is bad, because "it is". And big anything are evil. In the end, it's easy to find young teens with more reason than this attention hungry paper pusher. All those years of climbing the academic ladder seem to have used for nothing beyond frustration.
December 26, 2018
An interesting book on why we eat too much and what we can do about it. Some great cartoons and useful ideas
April 8, 2008
This book reviews the evolutionary explanation for our modern behaviors and misbehaviors when it comes to food and fitness. Author Barrett lays out clear and well-articulated scientific evidence for her arguments.
I was apprehensive that this book, written by a noted hypnotherapist, would be a "how to" book or too off-the-wall, but I found myself in agreement with about 80% of the book. I love the examples and analogies she uses, such as Tinbergen's supernormal stimuli and how the sedentary adult sea squirt re-absorbs its brain.
I was apprehensive that this book, written by a noted hypnotherapist, would be a "how to" book or too off-the-wall, but I found myself in agreement with about 80% of the book. I love the examples and analogies she uses, such as Tinbergen's supernormal stimuli and how the sedentary adult sea squirt re-absorbs its brain.
December 14, 2008
Best "diet" type book I've ever read. Very insightful and motivating. Highly recommend to anyone, even if you don't need to watch your weight. Lots of info about the USDA, Food and Drug Administration and farm subsidies that most people probably do not know about. Very informative but also an easy read and well written.
May 19, 2010
It's no Michael Pollan or Marion Nestle, but I did highlight the hell out of it. There were several healthy morsels on how our weight and fitness crisis has emerged and ways to overcome it.
April 17, 2014
Excellent analysis of the overweight and obesity problem many people now face. This book really lays out a lot of facts that are sometimes surprising, as they are misconstrued in modern society.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews