Fit Or Fat For The 90s

Former MIT biochemist turned popular author Covert Bailey does a combination informative talk/stand-up comic routine in this fascinating exploration of the how's and why's of "fat." After a few nutritionist jokes, Bailey (who does the science nerd bit, occasionally to extremes) gets down to the elemental fact: fad diets won't work. Using computer graphics, he demonstrates exactly how a fat cell operates, and discusses what will trigger a fat cell to release its stored fat: caffeine, fasting, exercise. Only exercise promotes the release of fat in a healthy way. Bailey emphasizes the importance of exercising the large muscles in the legs (through brisk walking, jogging, cross-country skiing, etc.) which, after burning up the local fat available, get on the body's phone and call your butt for reinforcements. Sensible, yet also quite funny, Fit or Fat For the 90s makes fairly complex chemical processes comprehensible, and in doing so, lays the basis for an educated approach to sound nutrition and exercise choices. And, although the main topic is fat, Bailey covers some additional worrisome ground, such as cholesterol (his shtick on how the liver reacts to cholesterol--"what's this? you gave me a wax"--is a gem). Likely to be one of the most popular "how-to" videos of the year. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (See EMPIRE OF THE AIR for availability.)