Credits

The inspiration for the twinkie2diet plan involves several people and several key ideas.  First and foremost, Kansas State nutrition professor Mark Haub.  His own twinkie diet plan was both entertaining and academically challenging.  He created a "teaching moment" for his students which was unique by taking basic nutrition and adding a"human face" to it.  We are what we eat and when we eat too much, we become unhealthy and we get fat.  Dr. Haub helped us to ask many important questions: Why is our weight still high even though we eat healthy foods?  How can humans eat poorly and still lose weight?  What long term health implications does a diet that is 2/3 junk food place on us.  What part does discipline and structure play in long term dieting.  Even the term diet, what does it do to us emotionally.  Aren't we in effect always on a diet? He did nothing out of the ordinary except use junk food as a means to an end.  We do that everyday when we eat.  I knew a guy once who went on a carrot diet.  He ate over 5 lbs. a carrots a week and lost over fifty pounds.  He felt sick and skin pigment actually turned orange!  Thank you Professor Haub for introducing the concept to me and for the willingness to "put yourself out there" for the public to see and to critique.



Secondly, I have always been challenge by Mr. Morgan Spurlock and his documentary Super Size Me.  In addition to running across Dr. Haub's diet, I recently showed this video to my own nutrition class at Bethel College, Indiana.  Taking the approach of eating fast food for thirty straight days, Mr. Spurlock also helped us to ask key questions:  How can foods (in such large quantities) be so bad for us and yet taste so good!  What addictive components are in the foods we eat?  How are our diets manipulated by advertisement and food companies?



Other factors which have contributed to the twinkie2diet include my immediate family, family history, and concerns for overall longevity.  My wife Susan, four children Jeremy, Trevor, Hannah, and Nathan, and five grandchildren Lilli, Abbi, Kaelyn, Brenden, and Evi are a strong motivator to act now.  Living a more productive, healthy life for the sake of my family is important to me.  Also, my family history is concerning, a grandfather who died of a heart attack in his early 50's, two uncles who suffered serious cardiovascular problems, a grandmother with diabetes, and another grandmother with cancer.  I realize that at the age of 55, I can't change everything, but what I can, I need to dedicate my remaining years trying.  I know I won't live forever but I want to live as long as God has planned for me to live and do so with strength and vigor.  I want to see my grandchildren grow up!