It’s bad enough that I get spam from hoodia hucksters, but now I have to put up with diet dreck that comes with Oprah’s stamp of approval.  And to make matters worse, this garbage is titled “The Diet Oprah Trusts” and if comes from her ersatz expert, Bob Greene.

Some people have an incredible amount of gall but Oprah Winfrey and her trainer/nutrition expert Bob Greene are off the charts when it comes to measuring brazenness.  For all her billions of dollars I guess Oprah still isn’t happy with herself and all of her success because she insists on setting herself up as an expert on all things.

I’ll be the first to recognize that Oprah Winfrey has accomplished amazing things, but when it comes to diet and exercise nobody should listen to anything Oprah has to say. And the same goes for anybody that she endorses in these areas based on her personal experiences.

“The Diet That Oprah Trusts?” How can these people be serious? Being Oprah’s exercise and nutrition guru is like being Brittany Spears image advisor.

This woman and her “trainer” Bob Greene are so self-important that they can’t see how ludicrous it sounds for Greene to tout himself as the guy “who showed Oprah how to lose weight,” and how ridiculous it is for Winfrey to go along with this charade. My bookie could show Oprah how to lose weight, but since it’s all about keeping the weight off, Bob and my bookie have a lot in common.

Say what you will about Anna Nicole Smith and Trimspa, but at least she lost weight and kept it off. But anyway, back to Bob….

Have any of you ever read any of Bob Greene’s books? Oy vey. To say that they are exercises in tedium is to insult tedium. Greene embraces every exercise and nutrition cliché and writes about them in his books. He’s the kind of guy who gives people homework and busy work like writing down all the reasons that you eat certain foods, and makes you sign a contract with yourself. 

Goodness, it’s no wonder Oprah gained all her weight back, and lost it, and gained it all back again.

If you read about Bob Greene you will find that outside of his connection with Oprah he hasn’t done all that much. He has a master’s degree in exercise physiology, has some experience in the field, says he is an exercise physiologist and a certified personal trainer but doesn’t say through what organization he is certified. He tells us he is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise, which really means nothing since almost anybody can join these organizations.

But there’s no better field than fitness in which to see people who will do anything for a buck. Even a billionaire like Oprah Winfrey and her fitness lapdog Bob Greene.

People, if you are going to buy a book – any book – on diet and exercise buy “You On a Diet” and not any book that Oprah and Bob have anything to do with.  And please don’t fall prey to any of the programs that these two are pushing. You’ll be doing yourself a favor.

Bookmark:

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (9)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

...
written by Trainerman, September 08, 2007

Sal, it's sad that you are jealous about Bob Greene being able to connect by Oprah. You are upset because you thought your CSCS would bring you great things. You are just in a "I've got better credentials" war. In case you don't know, he does have better credentials than you with his masters's degree. Your CSCS just means you know how to do some Olympic lifts. It means nothing for actually helping people and being able to influence people to improve their lives. I don't know much about Bob, nor do I care. The truth is, if he can influence people to move and not put so many cookies in their mouth, then it's better than you complaining about his success.

...
written by lost it, April 05, 2007

From watching Oprah and Bob Greene talk about weight loss and how being overweight can cause serious problems I was able to find the motivation to start and stay on MY OWN program for the last 3 months and have lost 30 pounds, I still have 20 to lose but I know I will be able to live this plan thanks to their show and my motivation! I did not follow their plan, buy any pills, or buy their books but they do motivate people to try and lose weight and in America where obesity is on the rise anyone who does this is doing good.

...
written by loretta, March 04, 2007

who is smarter - Bob Greene is making good money with Oprah's backing!! and she cuts everyone off - she runs the show.!!

...
written by CJ, March 01, 2007

I agree with the article, but it was a bit harsh. I think the gist of it is that before one puts themselves up as an expert, they oughta walk the walk & talk the talk. Oprah, God bless her, has not been successful in the "weight loss & keeping it off" department. I saw Greene on her show once & she cuts him off continually to spout off like she is the expert. I think he's smart enough to go along for the ride.

I gotta tell, I could do wonderful things if I could afford a cook & a trainer like she can. It also galls me that she keeps telling everyone how she hates exercise. Yep, real inspirational.

...
written by sal m, February 28, 2007

bob greene and oprah are trying to sell their program to people based on the premise that oprah "trusts" the diet.

my opinion is that A) oprah is not in any position to endorse any diet and/or exercise program and B) that bob greene's program is substandard and not worth buying.

if you want to give oprah and bob credit and respect just for trying to help, that's your perogative. i just think it's a joke that these two have been able to set themselves up as experts in how to help people lose weight. i guess it says something about how our society equates celebrity with knowledge.

i choose to give credit to charles platkin - the diet detective himself - because he provides more accurate and useful info here on this web site FOR FREE than bob and oprah can provide in all of the pages of all of their faux fitness books combined.

...
written by elviswife, February 28, 2007

wow! Sal it sounds like a few sour grapes may have snuck into YOUR diet!

This diatribe against Bob and Oprah sounds a little like jealousy. Now I don't know you, Bob, or Oprah, and you are right, I wouldn't take Oprah's advice on a lot of things, but to say that because she sometimes yo-yos in her weight and imply that is Bob's fault seems strange to me. It's like saying it's the treadmills fault Oprah didn't work out today. Bob can give people tools, but if they don't use them, it's not his fault.

Also, to say it's about keeping the weight off, and then by your Anna Nicole Smith comment imply you should keep it off by any means necessary, I think YOU are the one who needs to reexamine your viewpoint on weight loss.

Additionally, to imply Hoodia is a scam and then support Trim Spa (where there is less evidence THAT works the way they say) seems to contradict itself.

Also, to denigrate Bob's credentials seems petty to me. Did he get his degree at a "degree mill" who will give anyone a degree? No, he has degrees from U of Delaware and U of Arizona. Can you join the two groups you mention without credentials and experience in the field?

On the whole, your column did more to make me doubt YOUR knowledge in the field than Bob Greene's - and I don't know either of you.

...
written by westcoastgal, February 28, 2007

Considering how many people are seriously overweight in America, I think anyone who is trying to help deserves some respect. If Oprah and Bob can help even one person eat less and exercise more and find a way to be healthy for life then it is worth it. Just because you find them annoying or self-serving doesn't mean they can't help someone else. As a trainer I would think that you would know by now that different people are motivated by different reasons. Although it may not be for you or me, if someone finds health and happiness through Oprah and Bob, well good for them.

...
written by sal m, February 26, 2007

my grandma bea was very nice and nobody cared more about people than did she, but i wouldn't take diet and exercise advice from her either. and actually, given the business that bob has had thrown in his lap, i'd be a great guy too!

...
written by Healthman, February 26, 2007

This is very funny. But the truth is Bob Greene is a nice guy (I've met him) and he does care. You do make very very good points.